Workday's $1.1B AI Bet, Qwen3-Max Unveiled, and Google's AI Editing Revolution - Daily AI Brief #291
September 24, 2025 -
Daily AI Brief
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Welcome to today's AI Brief.
Workday has acquired AI startup Sana for $1.1 billion, marking a significant move in the AI industry. Meanwhile, the Qwen Team has released the Qwen3-Max AI Model, and Alibaba is integrating Nvidia robotics software into its AI platform. Google Photos now offers AI editing via voice or text, and Nvidia has invested in AI voice startup ElevenLabs.
Meta has launched a Super PAC to oppose AI regulation, and OpenAI has hired a former xAI CFO amid an ongoing feud. The SoftBank Vision Fund has cut 20% of its workforce to focus on AI, and mobile apps for vibe coding are struggling despite startup success. Google has expanded its AI mode to Spanish speakers worldwide, and OpenAI is working on a $500 billion Stargate project with Oracle and SoftBank.
Welcome to today's AI Brief.
Workday has acquired AI startup Sana for $1.1 billion, marking a significant move in the AI industry. Meanwhile, the Qwen Team has released the Qwen3-Max AI Model, and Alibaba is integrating Nvidia robotics software into its AI platform. Google Photos now offers AI editing via voice or text, and Nvidia has invested in AI voice startup ElevenLabs.
Workday Acquires AI Startup Sana for $1.1 Billion
Workday has announced its acquisition of AI startup Sana for $1.1 billion, aiming to enhance its AI-powered applications and compete with other firms in the market. Read more
Emergent Secures $23M to Simplify App Creation
Emergent has raised $23 million in Series A funding led by Lightspeed to help non-technical users create apps using prompts. The platform has attracted over 1 million users since its launch. Read more
Qwen Team Unveils Qwen3-Max for AI Scalability
The Qwen Team has introduced Qwen3-Max, an AI model aimed at improving scalability in AI applications. Read more
Alibaba Integrates Nvidia Robotics Software into AI Platform
Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. has announced the integration of Nvidia Corp.'s AI development tools into its cloud platform. This will enable customers to use Nvidia's tools for applications like humanoid robots and self-driving cars. Read more
Google Photos Introduces AI Editing via Voice or Text
Google has launched a new feature for Google Photos on Android, allowing users to edit photos using AI through voice or text commands. Initially available for Pixel 10 users in the U.S., it supports various edits like lighting adjustments and object removal. Read more
Nvidia Invests in AI Voice Startup ElevenLabs
Nvidia has announced a strategic investment in ElevenLabs, an AI voice technology startup co-founded by Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dąbkowski. The investment aligns with Nvidia's strategy to support AI startups in the UK. Read more
Meta Forms Super PAC to Oppose AI Regulation
Meta has launched a super PAC, the American Technology Excellence Project, to counter state-level AI regulations and support tech-friendly candidates in upcoming elections. Read more
OpenAI Hires Former xAI CFO Amid Feud
OpenAI has hired Mike Liberatore, previously with xAI, as it deals with a dispute between its CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Liberatore will focus on OpenAI's infrastructure strategy. Read more
SoftBank Vision Fund Cuts 20% of Workforce for AI Focus
The SoftBank Vision Fund is reducing its workforce by nearly 20%, over 50 positions, to concentrate on AI investments. This is part of a strategic shift towards AI, including investments in OpenAI and chipmakers. Read more
Mobile Apps for Vibe Coding Struggle Despite Startup Success
Dedicated mobile apps for vibe coding are facing challenges with low downloads and revenue, despite the success of startups in this field. New apps like Instance: AI App Builder and Vibe Studio have limited traction, while desktop remains the preferred platform for users. Read more
Google Expands AI Mode for Spanish Speakers
Google has announced the global rollout of its AI Mode feature for Spanish-speaking users, enabling conversational searches and complex queries in natural language. Read more
OpenAI's $500 Billion Stargate Project for AI Infrastructure
OpenAI has announced a plan to produce one gigawatt of AI infrastructure weekly as part of the $500 billion Stargate Project, in collaboration with Oracle and SoftBank. The initiative includes the development of five new data center sites in the US. Read more
Meta Increases Investment in Montgomery Data Center to $1.5 Billion
Meta has announced an additional $700 million investment in its Montgomery data center, increasing the total investment to $1.5 billion. The expansion aims to enhance AI workload capabilities and create significant employment opportunities. Read more
Intuit Enhances GenOS for AI Development
Intuit Inc. has announced updates to its Generative AI Operating System (GenOS) to boost the development of agentic AI experiences. The enhancements include custom-trained Financial Intuit LLMs and improved integration of human experts with AI agents. Read more
Google's Ryan Salva on AI Tools in Coding
Ryan Salva from Google discusses the impact of AI tools on coding practices and shares insights from a recent developer trends survey. Read more
Alloy Develops Data Solutions for Robotics
Sydney-based startup Alloy is creating infrastructure to manage the vast amounts of data generated by robotics companies, enhancing data processing and organization. Read more
Distyl AI Secures $175 Million Funding
Distyl AI has raised $175 million, reaching a $1.8 billion valuation, to enhance its AI consulting services. The funding was led by Lightspeed and Khosla Ventures, with contributions from other investors. Read more
Appier Introduces AI Agents for Marketing
On September 23, 2025, Appier announced the launch of eight AI Agents designed to enhance marketing strategies using Agentic AI. Read more
LinkedIn to Share User Data with Microsoft for AI Training
LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft, will start sharing user data for AI training and advertising purposes on November 3, 2025. This update raises privacy concerns, though opt-out options are available. Read more
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