LiveKit Hits $1B Valuation with OpenAI, Microsoft Partners with Mercedes F1 - Daily AI Brief #375
January 25, 2026 -
Daily AI Brief
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Welcome to today's AI Brief.
LiveKit has raised $100 million, reaching a valuation of $1 billion. Microsoft has partnered with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team to work on AI initiatives. Additionally, Microsoft has secured a $170.4 million cloud contract with the U.S. Air Force.
Hugging Face has introduced the VibeVoice ASR Model, while Accenture has acquired AI startup Faculty for $1 billion. Snowflake has launched its AI Data Cloud on AWS in the UAE, and Sovereign AI is teaming up with Accenture and Palantir for AI data centers in EMEA.
Welcome to today's AI Brief.
LiveKit has raised $100 million, reaching a valuation of $1 billion. Microsoft has partnered with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team to work on AI initiatives. Additionally, Microsoft has secured a $170.4 million cloud contract with the U.S. Air Force.
Hugging Face has introduced the VibeVoice ASR Model, while Accenture has acquired AI startup Faculty for $1 billion. Snowflake has launched its AI Data Cloud on AWS in the UAE, and Sovereign AI is teaming up with Accenture and Palantir for AI data centers in EMEA.
LiveKit Secures $100M, Hits $1B Valuation with OpenAI Partnership
LiveKit, a developer of infrastructure software for real-time AI applications, has raised $100 million, achieving a $1 billion valuation. The funding round was led by Index Ventures and included participation from existing investors. LiveKit powers the voice mode of OpenAI's ChatGPT and serves clients like xAI, Salesforce, and Tesla. Read more
Microsoft and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Partner on AI
On January 22, 2026, Microsoft and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team announced a partnership to enhance racing operations using AI and cloud technologies, focusing on performance and efficiency improvements. Read more
Microsoft Secures $170.4 Million Cloud Contract with U.S. Air Force
Microsoft has been awarded a $170.4 million contract to provide cloud computing services to the U.S. Air Force under the Cloud One program. The contract will be executed at Microsoft facilities across the continental United States until December 7, 2028. Read more
Hugging Face Introduces VibeVoice ASR
Hugging Face has launched VibeVoice-ASR, a new speech-to-text model designed for long-form audio processing, offering features like speaker identification and timestamping. Read more
Accenture Acquires AI Startup Faculty for $1 Billion
AI startup Faculty, co-founded by UCL graduates, has been acquired by Accenture for $1 billion, marking it as the first UK tech unicorn of 2026. Read more
Snowflake Launches AI Data Cloud on AWS in UAE
Snowflake has announced the availability of its AI Data Cloud on AWS in the UAE, aiming to support local data residency needs and expand its partnership with AWS. Read more
Sovereign AI Teams Up with Accenture and Palantir for EMEA AI Data Centers
UK-based Sovereign AI has partnered with Accenture and Palantir to develop AI data centers across EMEA, aiming to support both commercial and government sectors with advanced AI infrastructure. Read more
Fracttal Raises $35 Million for AI Maintenance Platform
Fracttal, based in Madrid, has secured $35 million in funding from Riverwood Capital to enhance its AI-driven maintenance solutions and expand globally. The funds will aid in product development and strategic growth initiatives. Read more
Google Acquires Common Sense Machines for AI Advancements
Google has acquired Common Sense Machines, a company known for its generative AI models that transform 2D images into 3D assets. The acquisition aims to bolster Google's capabilities in generative AI. Read more
Nvidia CEO on AI-Driven Infrastructure Growth
At the World Economic Forum, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang discussed the significant infrastructure expansion driven by AI, predicting an $85 trillion investment over 15 years. Read more
Nokia and Hypertec Enhance AI Research at University of Waterloo
Nokia and Hypertec Group have partnered to integrate the Nibi supercomputer into SHARCNET at the University of Waterloo, supporting over 4,000 researchers in various fields. Read more
Microsoft Unveils Rho-alpha AI Model for Robotics
Microsoft has launched Rho-alpha, a new AI model designed to improve robotic learning and adaptability by translating natural language into control signals. Read more
HUMAIN and Infra Sign $1.2 Billion AI Framework in Saudi Arabia
At the World Economic Forum 2026, HUMAIN and Infra announced a $1.2 billion agreement to expand AI and digital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including developing hyperscale AI data centers. Read more
USD.AI Approves $500 Million Loan for Sharon AI
The onchain lending protocol USD.AI has approved a $500 million loan for the Australian AI startup Sharon AI. The loan will be used to expand GPU deployments, with tokenized GPUs used as collateral. Read more
Google Photos Launches 'Me Meme' Feature in U.S.
Google has introduced a new feature called 'Me Meme' for Google Photos, enabling U.S. users to create memes using their own images with AI-powered tools. Read more
Meta Halts Teen Access to AI Characters Globally
Meta has paused teen access to its AI characters across all apps in preparation for a new version, amid legal scrutiny over minor protection. Read more
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