AI dominates at Microsoft’s annual Ignite Conference

Today’s Highlights:

📰 News: Micrsoft’s Ignite Conference introduces new AI features throughout the Microsoft suite + Meta is introducing new AI editing tools for Facebook/Instagram

💰 Funding: Menlo Ventures raises new $1Bn+ fund to invest in AI, Airbnb acquires AI-startup for $200M, and Forward launches an AI-powered primary care doctor.

⚡️ Top News Stories:

1. TLDR: Microsoft Ignite 2023 showcased a range of AI advancements, featuring new models, services, and AI-enhanced tools for enhanced productivity and security. 

Here are some highlights.

• Generative AI is coming to VR headsets and Microsoft Teams

• Bing Chat has been rebranded to Copilot

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spoke on the significance of generative AI, predicting it to be bigger than the internet

• Announced the Azure Cobalt 100, a new Arm-based CPU

• Enhancements to current AI capabilities w/ new models and services, including GPT-4 Turbo Meta’s Llama 2.

• Various new  AI-powered features and tools such as Security Copilot, Loop, and AI enhancements in Microsoft Team

2. Google introduces new AI tools for YouTube, like Dream Track, which auto-generates short music tracks in the style of 9 famous artists that they have collaborated with.

3. Google DeepMind's AI-generated audio to feature a unique watermarking solution called SynthID, ensuring traceability and authenticity

4. GraphCast, Google's AI breakthrough in weather prediction, outperforms traditional models setting a new standard in forecasting, ​​offering rapid and precise 10-day forecasts.

5. Meta introduces advanced AI editing capabilities to Facebook and Instagram, called Emu Edit and Emu Video, heralding a new era of AI-enhanced content creation for all users.

6. AI tech company Futureverse signs w/ CAA to expand its reach in web3, metaverse, and virtual experiences by leveraging global entertainment partnerships.

7. Google's Sundar Pichai likens AI's global impact to climate change, calling for shared global responsibility in regulation at APEC CEO Summit.

💰 Top Funding News:

1. Menlo Ventures has successfully raised a new $1.35Bn fund to invest in promising tech companies at the forefront of AI innovation. This new capital will support the next generation of AI startups, aiming to revolutionize the technology landscape and human experience.

2. Airbnb acquires AI innovator GamePlanner.AI, for $200M, to enhance its platform with human-centric AI.

3. Forward, the primary care healthtech doctor service, has launched their CarePod, the world's first AI-powered doctor's office, blending AI with medical expertise. To assist with this launch and deployment they have raised $100M in growth capital led by Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, Samsung Next, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Softbank, along with backing from AI experts like Eric Schmidt, John Giannandrea, Demis Hassabis, and Mustafa Suleyman.

4. Urbanic, a fashion brand using AI/ML + a proprietary LLM to systematically generate fashion designs and content thereby enhancing supply chain efficiency, raised a $150M in a Series C.

5. OfferFit, a marketing tech company disrupting traditional A/B testing with AI-driven automated experimentation, raised a $25M Series B led by Menlo Ventures, w/ Ridge Ventures, Canvas Ventures, Harmony Partners, Alumni Ventures Group, Carbide Ventures, Burst Capital, and Capital One Ventures.

6. SiLC Technologies, which specializes in silicon photonics and is advancing machine vision with AI, ​​raised an additional $25M.

7. Keychain, an AI-powered platform for connecting CPGs w/ reliable manufacturers, raised an $18M Seed Round, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Box Group, Afore Capital, Ron Conway, and others. 

8. Radiant Security, a leader in AI-enhanced security operations solutions, raised a $15M Series A led by Next47, w/ Lightspeed Venture Partners, Acrew Capital, Uncorrelated Ventures, Jibe Ventures, and General Advance.

9. Codegen, an innovative platform designed to automate repetitive software engineering tasks using LLMs, raised a $16M Seed Round, led by Thrive Capital.

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