OpenAI rumored to launch new AI search engine

Today’s Highlights:

📰 News: OpenAI may announce a new search engine on May 9 + Microsoft developing a new AI model

💰 Funding: ‘Godmother of AI’ Fei-Fei Li launches an AI startup w/ funding from a16z

⚡️ Top News Stories:

1. Microsoft is developing a new large-scale AI language model called MAI-1, which aims to compete with leading models from Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI, marking a significant shift in Microsoft's AI strategy.

• The project is spearheaded by Mustafa Suleyman and builds on Microsoft’s acquisition of IP from the AI startup Inflection, though MAI-1 is reported to be an entirely new model.

• MAI-1 is designed with around 500 Bn parameters, placing it in the same league as some of the largest AI models to date, and will require substantial computing power and data for training.

• This initiative reflects Microsoft’s dual approach to AI, focusing on both smaller models for mobile use and larger, cloud-powered models for more complex tasks, indicating a move towards greater AI autonomy from OpenAI.

2. Reports indicate OpenAI could unveil a new search engine on May 9, posing new competition to established players like Google and AI search engine startup Perplexity. 

3. Elon Musk outlined plans for an AI-driven news synthesizer on X, aiming to merge real-time news with social commentary, promising enhanced citations.

4. Google is enhancing its cybersecurity efforts with a new product, Google Threat Intelligence, which leverages AI to revolutionize cybersecurity with Gemini 1.5 Pro, speeding up malware analysis and enhancing threat communication.

5. Apple has initiated "Project ACDC," a covert development program aimed at creating proprietary AI chips specifically designed for use in data centers.

6. Amazon's AI tool which allows self-published authors to convert ebooks to audiobooks cheaply, has been widely adopted, with over 40K AI-narrated books now available on Audible, praised by authors for its cost-effectiveness.

7. Microsoft and Brookfield Renewable agree on the largest-ever corporate clean-energy deal in history with over 10.5 gigawatts of clean energy, starting in 2026, to power Microsoft’s AI growth.

💰 Top Funding News:

1. DocuSign announced the acquisition of Lexion, an AI-driven contract workflow automation startup, for $165M as it ramps up its investments in contract management.

2. Renowned AI researcher, Fei-Fei Li, known as the ‘Godmother of AI’ launches a cutting-edge AI startup focused on 'spatial intelligence,' with funding secured from Andreessen Horowitz and Radical Ventures, among others.

3. Hyundai has committed nearly $1Bn to support Motional, a self-driving startup, securing a majority stake and providing essential funding for continued operations.

4. Lamini, an enterprise AI platform that enables software teams within enterprises to develop and deploy LLMs tailored for proprietary data, raised $25M in a funding round, from Amplify Partners, First Round Capital, and notable angel investors. 

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