Alibaba's Robotaxi Investment, Meta's AI Push with US, and Google's Play Store AI Update - Daily AI Brief #290
September 23, 2025 -
Daily AI Brief
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Welcome to today's AI Brief.
Google has updated its Play Store with new AI features, enhancing user experience and app discovery. Meanwhile, Alibaba is making a significant investment in Hello to enter the robotaxi market. In other developments, Meta is collaborating with the US government to advance AI adoption across various sectors.
Fiverr has announced the layoff of 250 employees as part of its transition towards AI-driven operations. Additionally, Google DeepMind has revised its AI safety framework, aiming to improve the reliability and security of its AI systems. Citi is launching new AI tools in its UAE and MEA operations to enhance financial services.
Welcome to today's AI Brief.
Google has updated its Play Store with new AI features, enhancing user experience and app discovery. Meanwhile, Alibaba is making a significant investment in Hello to enter the robotaxi market. In other developments, Meta is collaborating with the US government to advance AI adoption across various sectors.
Fiverr has announced the layoff of 250 employees as part of its transition towards AI-driven operations. Additionally, Google DeepMind has revised its AI safety framework, aiming to improve the reliability and security of its AI systems. Citi is launching new AI tools in its UAE and MEA operations to enhance financial services.
Alibaba Invests in Hello for Robotaxi Market
Alibaba Group Holding has invested in Hello, a ride-hailing company backed by Ant Group, to enter the robotaxi market. This investment focuses on enhancing algorithm platforms and smart driving technologies. Read more
Fiverr Lays Off 250 Employees in AI Shift
The gig economy platform Fiverr is reducing its workforce by 30%, laying off 250 employees, as it transitions to an 'AI-first company.' Read more
Google DeepMind Revises AI Safety Framework
Google DeepMind has updated its Frontier Safety Framework to address risks like 'shutdown resistance' and 'harmful manipulation' in advanced AI models. The revision aims to enhance safeguards as AI systems like Grok 4 and GPT-5 evolve. Read more
Citi Launches AI Tools in UAE and MEA
Citi has introduced advanced AI tools to boost productivity and efficiency in its UAE and Middle East & Africa operations, as part of its digital transformation efforts. Read more
Embedd Launches AI-Enabled MCU Configurator
Embedd has introduced a new Graphical MCU Configurator to aid electronics manufacturers in achieving vendor independence and enhancing supply chain resilience. The tool supports over 1,400 MCU families and simplifies the integration process. Read more
OpenAI Introduces ChatGPT Go in Indonesia
OpenAI has launched its ChatGPT Go subscription plan in Indonesia, offering enhanced features and increased usage limits for Rp75,000 per month. Read more
Rocket.new Secures $15M for AI App Development
Rocket.new, an Indian startup, has raised $15 million in seed funding from Salesforce Ventures and Accel to enhance its AI-powered app development platform. Read more
Google AI Unveils TimesFM-2.5 Time-Series Model
Google AI has introduced TimesFM-2.5, a time-series model with 200 million parameters and a 16,384 context length, leading in zero-shot forecasting accuracy on the GIFT-Eval leaderboard. Read more
Carbon3.ai Launches UK AI Platform with 100,000 GPUs
Carbon3.ai has introduced a sovereign AI platform in the UK, featuring a network powered by 100,000 GPUs. The project collaborates with HPE, Vast Data, and WWT to establish a national AI grid utilizing renewable energy. Read more
U.S. and Japan Formalize SAMURAI Project for AI Safety in UAVs
The U.S. Department of War and Japanese Ministry of Defense have formalized the SAMURAI project to advance AI safety in unmanned aerial vehicles, focusing on Runtime Assurance technology. Read more
Mercor Inc. Valued at $10 Billion in New Funding Round
Investors have proposed a $100 million funding round for Mercor Inc., valuing the AI data startup at over $10 billion. This marks a significant increase from its previous valuation in February. Read more
Ashish Kumar Departs Tesla for Meta
Ashish Kumar, formerly leading the Tesla Optimus AI team, has left to join Meta as a research scientist, raising questions about Tesla's humanoid robotics future. Read more
Meta Introduces AI Features for Facebook Dating
Meta has launched an AI dating assistant and the Meet Cute feature for Facebook Dating to enhance user matchmaking and reduce swipe fatigue. These features are being gradually introduced in the US and Canada. Read more
Disney, Universal, Warner Bros Sue MiniMax for Copyright Infringement
Hollywood studios, including Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros Discovery, have filed a lawsuit against Chinese AI company MiniMax for allegedly using their characters' images in AI-generated video advertisements. Read more
Shield AI Tests Hivemind AI on Navy Drone
On September 22, 2025, Shield AI successfully tested its Hivemind AI on a BQM-177A target drone at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, marking a step forward in manned-unmanned teaming for the U.S. Navy. Read more
Tencent Expands in Saudi Arabia with New Data Region
Chinese technology company Tencent is establishing a new cloud data region in Riyadh as part of a $150 million investment, supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 to develop a digital economy. Read more
OpenAI and Google Invest in AI Startup Clarity
Angels from OpenAI and Google have invested in the AI customer service startup Clarity, formerly known as Anecdote. The company raised £9 million to enhance customer experience in regulated industries. Read more
Augment Code Launches Agent Tabs for Enhanced UI
Augment Code has introduced Agent Tabs to improve the user interface for modern agents. This update, available in VS Code v0.549.1+, enhances readability and focus during multi-step workflows. Read more
Google Launches Gemini AI for Google TV
Google has announced the introduction of its Gemini AI to Google TV, enabling natural language interactions for content recommendations and more. Initially available on the TCL QM9K series, it will expand to over 300 million devices. Read more
OpenAI to Deploy Stargate UK with 8,000 GPUs
OpenAI is set to launch Stargate UK, leveraging up to 8,000 GPUs at Nscale data centers to boost computing power for various sectors. Nscale will significantly increase its UK capacity as part of this initiative. Read more
China Invests $37 Billion in AI Data Centers
China is investing $37 billion to transform farmland in Wuhu into a major AI data center hub, aiming to centralize computing resources and enhance AI capabilities. Read more
Google DeepMind Updates Frontier Safety Framework
On September 22, 2025, Google DeepMind announced the third version of its Frontier Safety Framework, focusing on improving risk management for advanced AI models. Read more
Uber and Flytrex to Launch Drone Deliveries for Uber Eats
Uber has partnered with Israeli startup Flytrex to introduce drone deliveries for Uber Eats in select U.S. markets by the end of 2025. The initiative aims to improve delivery speed and reduce road congestion using Flytrex's FAA-approved drone technology. Read more
Meta in Talks to License News Content for AI
Meta is negotiating with major media companies like Axel Springer, Fox Corp, and News Corp to license news content for its AI products, indicating a strategic shift. Read more
xAI Plans Colossus 2 Supercomputer to Surpass Rivals
xAI, led by Elon Musk, is developing a supercomputer named Colossus 2, aiming to exceed the compute power of Meta and Anthropic by late 2025. However, OpenAI is expected to maintain its lead according to a report from Semianalysis. Read more
Google Updates Play Store with AI Features
On September 23, 2025, Google announced updates to its Play Store, introducing AI-driven features to enhance user engagement, including a redesigned Apps tab and an AI-powered Guided Search. Read more
Meta Collaborates with US Government on AI Adoption
Meta has teamed up with the US government to promote the use of its Llama AI models in federal agencies, aiming to enhance public services and data control. Read more
Intapp and Lexsoft Collaborate for AI in Spanish Markets
Lexsoft Systems has partnered with Intapp to enhance AI solutions for legal firms in Spanish-speaking regions, leveraging Lexsoft's expertise in Europe and Latin America. Read more
PlusAI Forms Safety and Policy Advisory Council
PlusAI has established a Safety and Policy Advisory Council with former regulators and industry experts to guide the company on safety and regulatory issues for its autonomous trucks, aiming for a 2027 launch. Read more
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