May 29, 2025: NYT Partners with Amazon for AI Content Licensing - The New York Times has partnered with Amazon to license its editorial content, including news articles, NYT Cooking, and The Athletic, for Amazon's AI training. This agreement aims to integrate Times content into Amazon's customer experiences, particularly Alexa-powered devices. Although the terms were undisclosed, this is Amazon's first licensing deal of this type.

The move follows The Times' previous copyright infringement claims against OpenAI and Microsoft for unauthorized use of its content. The Times emphasizes that this deal reflects its commitment to valuing its intellectual property appropriately.

May 29, 2025: Meta AI Reaches 1 Billion Monthly Users - Meta AI has surpassed one billion monthly active users, doubling from 500 million in September 2024. Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the milestone underscores the company's focus on personalization, voice conversations, and entertainment within its AI platform.

Meta plans to enhance its AI assistant, exploring monetization options like paid recommendations or a subscription service, potentially challenging leading AI chat applications such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. This achievement aligns with the recent launch of a stand-alone Meta AI app.

May 29, 2025: DeepSeeks R1 AI Model Tightens Censorship - Chinese AI startup DeepSeeks updated its R1-0528 model, which excels in coding, math, and general knowledge. However, it faces criticism for increased censorship on sensitive topics. Testing by developer xlr8harder reveals the model's reluctance to address controversial issues, especially criticism of the Chinese government, aligning with strict information controls from a 2023 Chinese law.

While R1-0528 occasionally acknowledges human rights abuses, it often mirrors official government stances. This trend persists amid broader criticisms of Chinese AI models for filtering politically sensitive content. The model's approach reflects ongoing concerns about censorship and the influence of government regulations on AI development in China.

May 29, 2025: Sisense Unveils AI-Powered Intelligence Suite - Sisense has introduced Sisense Intelligence, a suite of AI-driven tools that simplify data analytics and integrate insights into workflows. It includes an intuitive AI-first assistant that enables users to generate sophisticated analytics effortlessly. Key features comprise a GenAI suite for natural-language summaries, data change explanations, trend forecasting, and pattern detection.

Sisense Intelligence is set to revolutionize data-driven decision-making in sectors such as finance and healthcare. It aims to pave the way for an Analytics Platform as a Service (AnPaaS), embedding analytics into enterprise tech stacks to enhance decision-making processes.

May 29, 2025: DeepSeek Unveils Lightweight AI Model for Single GPU - DeepSeek unveiled a compact version of its R1 AI model called DeepSeek-R1-0528-Qwen3-8B, optimized to run on a single GPU. This model, based on Alibaba's Qwen3-8B, shows superior performance compared to similar models, notably outperforming Google's Gemini 2.5 Flash on AIME 2025 math tests and coming close to Microsoft's Phi 4 on HMMT.

Though it lacks the capabilities of larger models, its lower computational requirements make it attractive for various applications. Released under the permissive MIT license, it is accessible for both academic and industrial uses through platforms such as Hugging Face and LM Studio.

May 29, 2025: Perplexity Labs Debuts AI-Powered Project Tools - Perplexity, an AI-driven search engine, launched Perplexity Labs for Pro subscribers at $20/month. This tool crafts spreadsheets, dashboards, and reports, using AI for tasks like research and code generation. Accessible on multiple platforms, Labs enables users to create web apps and organize outputs like charts and images.

As part of its expansion beyond search, Perplexity aims to enhance corporate-focused features. This move may be driven by investor expectations for returns. Additionally, Perplexity is reportedly seeking $1 billion in funding at an $18 billion valuation.

May 29, 2025: ClickHouse Secures $350M for AI-Powered Data Analytics - ClickHouse, a leader in real-time analytics, raised $350 million in Series C funding led by Khosla Ventures, with major investors like BOND and Battery Ventures also participating. This brings their total funding to over $650 million. The company plans to use the funds for product development and global expansion to meet the growing demands for AI-native applications.

With over 2,000 customers, including Tesla and Mercado Libre, ClickHouse's innovative database platform supports high-performance, low-latency analytics crucial for AI-driven data environments.

May 29, 2025: Chalk Secures $50M to Lead in AI Inference - Chalk AI Inc. raised $50 million at a $500 million valuation to enhance its AI inference platform, improving real-time data delivery for AI models. The funding, led by Felicis with Triatomic Capital's participation, aims to expand Chalk's capabilities for accurate, real-time AI decisions, crucial for models such as chain-of-reasoning.

Chalk seeks to outperform data solutions like Databricks and Snowflake by offering faster data pipelines and supporting AI security and financial product innovation. The funds will also be used to expand Chalk's team and infrastructure in San Francisco and New York.

May 29, 2025: AI-Powered Buildots Raises $45M for Construction Tracking - Buildots, a Chicago-based startup, raised $45 million in a Series D round led by Qumra Capital. Founded in 2018, Buildots uses AI and computer vision to track construction progress with 360-degree cameras and predictive tools, providing real-time insights for construction managers.

The funds will help expand its product offerings and grow its North American operations. With clients like Intel, Buildots aims to transform construction management through data-driven decision-making, solidifying its position as a leading industry player.

May 29, 2025: DataRobot Launches Syftr for Advanced AI Optimization - DataRobot has launched Syftr, an open-source framework designed to optimize agentic AI workflows for enterprises. Syftr uses a multi-objective approach to discover the best configurations for AI systems, balancing accuracy, cost, and speed through a Pareto-efficient search and Bayesian optimization for cost-effective computations.

The framework features a component-agnostic evaluation system that simplifies implementing new techniques. Syftr is now available, offering a solution to streamline AI development and reduce manual experimentation. An enterprise version is scheduled for release in fall 2025.

May 29, 2025: Kurrent Revolutionizes Database Interaction with AI - Kurrent has introduced the open-source KurrentDB MCP Server, which enables developers to use AI agents and natural language for database interaction, removing the need for traditional coding. It features a self-correcting capability that aids in prototyping and debugging, and it supports advanced models like GPT-4 and Claude.

Released under the MIT license, the server encourages community-driven innovation, turning AI agents into effective database collaborators. This development cuts down coding time and speeds up development, fostering AI-managed data workflows across various industries.

May 29, 2025: Hugging Face Debuts Two Open Source Humanoid Robots - Hugging Face announced two open source humanoid robots: HopeJR and Reachy Mini. HopeJR is a full-size robot with 66 degrees of freedom, priced at around $3,000. Reachy Mini is a desktop unit designed for AI app testing, costing $250 to $300. Both robots aim to democratize robotics and prevent market domination by large firms.

These robots were developed after acquiring Pollen Robotics and build upon Hugging Face's expansion in robotics. Their previous efforts include launching LeRobot and updating the SO-101 robotic arm. Shipping for the new robots is expected to begin by year-end.

May 28, 2025: New Relic Boosts Reliability with GitHub Copilot - New Relic has integrated with GitHub Copilot's new agentic coding feature to enhance software reliability through proactive monitoring and automated issue resolution. This integration enables New Relic to identify performance issues, create comprehensive GitHub issues, and automate fixes with GitHub Copilot, thereby accelerating incident response.

The collaboration automates the detection and validation of code issues, significantly reducing resolution times and improving developer productivity by allowing them to focus more on innovation than maintenance. This move ensures continued application health and enhances GitHub's scalability and reliability for developers worldwide.

May 28, 2025: xAI Invests $300M for Telegram Grok Integration - xAI, Elon Musk's AI company, has partnered with Telegram to integrate its Grok chatbot into the messaging platform through a $300 million deal. Telegram will distribute Grok and both companies will share revenue from xAI subscriptions purchased via the app. Initially, Grok will be available to premium users, but there are plans to make it accessible to all Telegram users.

Grok's features include chat pinning, search integration, writing suggestions, chat summarization, and business assistance. With this move, Telegram joins platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp in integrating AI functionalities, enhancing its service offerings.

May 28, 2025: Snyk Unveils Platform to Secure AI Development - Snyk Ltd. has launched the AI Trust Platform to boost security and governance in AI-driven software development. Key features include Snyk Assist for AI guidance, Snyk Agent for automated security, and Snyk Guard for real-time governance, helping organizations innovate while managing AI-related security risks.

Furthermore, Snyk Labs and Snyk Studio provide collaborative spaces for AI security research and development. This initiative addresses the growing use of AI code assistants and the exploitation of AI by cyberattackers, aligning with evolving industry needs.

May 28, 2025: Atomic Canyon Revolutionizes Nuclear Document Management - Atomic Canyon, founded by Trey Lauderdale, is using AI to streamline documentation in the nuclear industry. The startup recently raised a $7 million seed round, employing advanced AI models to make nuclear power plant documents searchable, thus reducing errors and improving efficiency.

After testing various AI models, Atomic Canyon partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory for computing power. Currently, they focus on document search but plan to generate draft documents in the future, ensuring human oversight for safety and accuracy.

May 28, 2025: Akool Unveils Real-Time AI Video Tool - Akool Inc. has introduced the Akool Live Camera, an AI video tool that creates photorealistic avatars replicating a speaker's voice and expressions in real-time. This tool, part of the Akool Live Suite, enhances virtual meetings, live streams, and AR gaming with dynamic, live interactions. It stands out by providing real-time multilingual translation and reducing camera fatigue through the use of avatars.

Supported by investors like G2C Venture Partners and Incubate Fund US, Akool employs advanced facial mapping, neural voice engines, and cloud rendering in its technology. This innovation aims to transform digital communication by offering adaptive avatars, distinguishing itself from traditional pre-recorded tools.

May 28, 2025: FICO and AWS Expand AI Collaboration - FICO has entered a strategic collaboration with AWS to enhance AI-driven decision workflows through the FICO Platform on AWS. This partnership will expand FICO's role in AWS partner programs and offer solutions such as the FICO Decision Modeler on AWS Marketplace.

Their joint efforts aim to transform financial services with powerful analytics and AI capabilities, as shown by successful implementations like Westpac NZ. This partnership highlights the benefits of AWS's scalability paired with FICO's advanced decision-making tools to deliver tangible business outcomes across industries.

May 28, 2025: Google Photos Unveils Enhanced AI-Powered Editor - Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Google Photos unveils a revamped editor with new AI tools, Reimagine and Auto Frame, previously exclusive to Pixel devices. Reimagine lets users alter photo elements using text prompts, while Auto Frame offers optimal framing suggestions. The update also introduces AI Enhance for quick, multi-effect edits and provides targeted suggestions for specific photo areas.

This rollout will reach Android devices globally next month and iOS later this year. Additionally, Google Photos allows album sharing through QR codes, facilitating easy access and collaboration among users.

May 28, 2025: xAI Invests $300M for Grok in Telegram - Telegram has partnered with Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, to integrate the Grok chatbot into its platform for one year. As part of the deal, xAI will pay $300 million in cash and equity to Telegram. Additionally, Telegram will receive 50% of the revenue from xAI subscriptions bought through the app.

Grok is already available to Telegram's premium users and may now be accessible to all users. The chatbot offers features like writing suggestions, chat summarization, and moderation assistance, similar to integrations seen with Meta AI on Instagram and WhatsApp.