Google Replaces Assistant with Gemini as SoftBank Invests $676M in OpenAI Japan Collaboration
While others read about AI news, you'll know exactly what to do about it
Today’s Briefing:
In today's newsletter:
Google replaces Google Assistant with Gemini
SoftBank acquires $676M Sharp plant for OpenAI collaboration
Sesame releases base AI model behind virtual assistant Maya
UiPath acquires Peak AI for agentic automation
Snap introduces AI video lenses with in-house model
Salesforce commits $1B investment in Singapore
Insilico Medicine reaches unicorn status with $110M funding
Manus AI agent sparks ethics and security debate
OpenAI urges US to allow training on copyrighted material
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Markets
Search & Discovery
Google officially replaces Google Assistant with Gemini - Google announces full transition to Gemini as its primary assistant platform. Read more
Google enhances Gemini with improved personalization features - New capabilities allow Gemini to better understand individual user preferences and contexts. Read more
Browser.use goes viral as key tool powering Manus AI agent - The browser automation tool behind Chinese AI agent Manus gains traction independently. Read more
Shopify acquires Vantage Discovery, an AI search company - E-commerce giant enhances search capabilities with acquisition of former employee-founded AI company. Read more
Startup & Funding
Sola emerges from stealth with $30M to build "Stripe for security" - Security startup aims to simplify integration of security features for developers. Read more
Bria raises $40M for AI models trained on licensed data - Startup secures funding to develop generative AI with legally cleared training data. Read more
Pentera raises $60M at $1B valuation for simulated network attacks - Cybersecurity firm reaches unicorn status with platform for training security teams. Read more
Insilico Medicine reaches unicorn status with $110M funding round - Qiming-backed AI drug discovery startup hits $1B+ valuation. Read more
OpusClip raises $20M from SoftBank - AI video editing platform secures major investment. Read more
Omni closes $69M funding round - Business intelligence startup secures significant investment for AI-powered analytics. Read more
Blackwall raises €45M for AI-powered reverse proxy - European security startup secures funding for advanced protection technology. Read more
Health & Medicine
Gleamer expands into MRI with two acquisitions - Radiology AI software provider broadens capabilities beyond X-ray analysis. Read more
Elea AI targets healthcare productivity with focus on pathology labs - Startup aims to modernize outdated systems in medical pathology. Read more
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative develops virtual cell AI models to cure diseases - CZI's Priscilla Chan discusses using AI simulations for medical breakthroughs. Read more
AI transforming healthcare by enhancing doctor knowledge - New technologies enable physicians to access more comprehensive patient information. Read more
Corporate Development
SoftBank buys $676M former Sharp plant for OpenAI collaboration - Japanese conglomerate invests in manufacturing facility to support AI development partnership. Read more
UiPath acquires Peak AI to strengthen agentic automation - Automation company seeks growth through acquisition of AI capabilities. Read more
Salesforce commits $1B investment in Singapore - Cloud giant announces major funding to boost AI adoption in Southeast Asia. Read more
Lowe's partners with OpenAI to launch virtual assistant "MyLow" - Home improvement retailer introduces AI shopping assistant. Read more
Arize AI acquires Velvet to expand AI observability - Acquisition enhances company's capabilities in LLM evaluation and monitoring. Read more
JPMorgan engineers see 20% efficiency boost from coding assistants - Financial giant reports significant productivity gains from AI-powered development tools. Read more
AI Models & Products
Sesame releases base AI model behind viral virtual assistant Maya - Company open-sources technology powering its popular AI assistant. Read more
Xbox debuts new AI-powered gaming companion - Microsoft introduces AI assistant designed specifically for gaming experiences. Read more
Snap introduces AI video lenses with in-house generative model - Social media company leverages proprietary AI for advanced video effects. Read more
Cohere releases low-cost AI model requiring only two GPUs - New efficiency-focused model aims to reduce hardware requirements for deployment. Read more
Flower Labs launches hybrid local-cloud AI switching service - New technology automatically transitions between on-device and cloud-based AI processing. Read more
Dapr microservices runtime adds AI agent support - Popular development framework expands capabilities to support AI agent integration. Read more
Legal & Governance
EU AI Act draft code moves toward gentler guidance for large models - Latest regulatory framework shifts to more flexible approach for major AI developers. Read more
OpenAI advocates for permission to train on copyrighted material - Company urges US regulators to allow use of copyrighted content for AI training. Read more
Manus AI agent sparks debate on ethics and oversight - Chinese autonomous AI system raises questions about security and regulatory frameworks. Read more
Industry Applications
AI accelerating oil production while reducing costs - Energy executives report efficiency gains from AI implementation in extraction operations. Read more
United Airlines, Target, and AT&T reveal customer-centric AI strategies - Major companies share approaches to AI implementation focused on consumer experience. Read more
Asana CIO discusses AI workflow management improvements - Executive explains how AI enhances productivity and automation in project management. Read more
MIT develops AI for automatic, remote airfield assessments - New technology enables safer and more efficient evaluation of aviation infrastructure. Read more
Compostable tableware business leverages AI to remain competitive - Sustainable packaging company adopts AI to optimize operations and reduce costs. Read more
Amazon Alexa forces brands to rethink marketing strategies - Voice assistant's evolution drives companies to adapt their consumer engagement approaches. Read more
Research & Data
Hugging Face expands LeRobot platform with training data for autonomous machines - AI community platform enhances resources for self-driving technology development. Read more
Survey finds half of American adults have used AI chatbots - Research reveals growing adoption of conversational AI among US population. Read more
Google's investment in Anthropic larger than previously reported - New filings reveal additional funding provided to AI research company. Read more
Analysis
The mid-March 2025 AI news cycle reveals several significant trends reshaping the industry:
AI Assistants Reach Maturity with Enhanced Personalization
Google's complete transition from Google Assistant to Gemini marks a definitive shift in the assistant market, with enhanced personalization features that allow the AI to better understand individual user contexts. Simultaneously, retail giants like Lowe's are launching specialized assistants for shopping experiences, and gaming platforms are developing domain-specific AI companions. This trend suggests we're entering a new phase where AI assistants are becoming more specialized, contextually aware, and deeply integrated into specific ecosystems rather than pursuing a one-size-fits-all approach.
Infrastructure Investments Signal AI's Industrial Scale
SoftBank's acquisition of a $676M former Sharp plant for its OpenAI collaboration and Salesforce's $1B investment in Singapore represent massive capital commitments to physical AI infrastructure. These investments, coupled with innovations like Flower Labs' hybrid local-cloud switching service and Cohere's more efficient models, demonstrate the industry's evolution toward sophisticated deployment architectures that balance performance, cost, and accessibility. This signals AI's transition from experimental technology to critical infrastructure requiring substantial physical and financial resources.
Healthcare AI Investment Accelerates with Focus on Specialized Applications
The healthcare sector continues to see targeted AI investments, with Gleamer expanding into MRI analysis, Elea AI focusing on pathology labs, and Insilico Medicine reaching unicorn status in drug discovery. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's work on virtual cell models further illustrates how AI is being applied to fundamental biological research. Rather than general-purpose medical AI, these developments show a trend toward highly specialized applications designed to solve specific clinical and research challenges, potentially accelerating time-to-market for practical healthcare AI solutions.
Corporate AI Integration Driving Measurable Productivity Gains
Companies are increasingly reporting concrete productivity improvements from AI integration, with JPMorgan engineers seeing a 20% efficiency boost from coding assistants. This trend extends across industries, from oil production to sustainable packaging, where AI is helping traditional businesses remain competitive. These concrete results are likely driving further adoption, as companies seek to replicate these efficiency gains across their operations.
Ethical and Regulatory Concerns Growing with Autonomous Agent Capabilities
The debate surrounding the Manus AI agent highlights growing concerns about increasingly autonomous AI systems. Simultaneously, the EU AI Act's evolution toward a more flexible approach for large model makers and OpenAI's advocacy for training on copyrighted material showcase the ongoing tension between innovation and regulation. These developments suggest that as AI agents become more capable and autonomous, regulatory frameworks will continue to evolve, potentially with different approaches emerging between major global regions.
These trends collectively point to an AI industry that's maturing rapidly, with increased specialization, industrial-scale infrastructure, measurable business impact, and growing regulatory attention. The mix of technical, commercial, and ethical developments suggests we're entering a new phase where AI integration is becoming normal business practice across sectors, accompanied by more nuanced discussions about appropriate governance and oversight.
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