Venture Capital AI News & Updates

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati's Stealth Startup Raises Record $2B Seed Round

Thinking Machines Lab, founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has secured a $2 billion seed round at a $10 billion valuation just six months after launch. The startup's specific focus remains undisclosed, but it has attracted significant talent from OpenAI and represents potentially the largest seed round in history.

Venture Capitalist Mary Meeker Documents Unprecedented Speed of AI Revolution and Adoption

Venture capitalist Mary Meeker released a 340-page report documenting the unprecedented pace of AI development and adoption, showing ChatGPT reached 800 million users in 17 months and inference costs dropped 99% over two years. The report highlights how AI adoption outpaces any previous tech revolution in human history, though financial returns remain uncertain as companies burn through massive infrastructure investments.

Saudi Arabia's Humain Launches $10B AI Investment Fund and Plans Massive Data Center Expansion

Saudi Arabia's state-owned AI company Humain is launching a $10 billion venture fund to invest in AI startups across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, while engaging with major firms like OpenAI and xAI. The company plans to build 1.9 gigawatts of data center capacity by 2030, aiming to process 7% of global AI training and inference workloads at an estimated cost of $77 billion.

Elon Musk's xAI Reportedly Seeking $20 Billion in Funding

Elon Musk's xAI Holdings is reportedly in early talks to raise $20 billion in funding, potentially valuing the company at over $120 billion. If successful, this would be the second-largest startup funding round ever, behind only OpenAI's recent $40 billion raise, and could help alleviate X's substantial debt burden.

Former Y Combinator President Launches AI Safety Investment Fund

Geoff Ralston, former president of Y Combinator, has established the Safe Artificial Intelligence Fund (SAIF) focused on investing in startups working on AI safety, security, and responsible deployment. The fund will provide $100,000 investments to startups focused on improving AI safety through various approaches, including clarifying AI decision-making, preventing misuse, and developing safer AI tools, though it explicitly excludes fully autonomous weapons.

DeepSeek's Founder Resists VC Funding While Navigating Geopolitical Challenges

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, led by founder Liang Wenfeng, has avoided accepting venture capital despite significant investor interest. Liang owns 84% of the company and has funded operations through profits from his hedge fund High-Flyer, though facing challenges from US chip export restrictions and potential geopolitical complications.

Anthropic Increases Funding Round to $3.5 Billion Despite Financial Losses

Anthropic is finalizing a $3.5 billion fundraising round at a $61.5 billion valuation, up from an initially planned $2 billion. Despite reaching $1.2 billion in annualized revenue, the company continues to operate at a loss and intends to invest the new capital in developing more capable AI technologies.

Sutskever's Safe Superintelligence Startup Nearing $1B Funding at $30B Valuation

Ilya Sutskever's AI startup, Safe Superintelligence, is reportedly close to raising over $1 billion at a $30 billion valuation, with VC firm Greenoaks Capital Partners leading the round with a $500 million investment. The company, co-founded by former OpenAI and Apple AI leaders, has no immediate plans to sell AI products and would reach approximately $2 billion in total funding.

AI Investment Soars 62% to $110B in 2024 While Overall Tech Funding Declines

Venture capital funding for AI startups surged to $110 billion in 2024, representing a 62% increase compared to the previous year, even as overall technology funding declined by 12%. The US dominated AI investment with 42% of its venture capital ($80.7 billion) going to AI startups, compared to just 25% in Europe, with generative AI companies raising $47.4 billion and foundational AI technology overtaking applications in growth.

Sutskever's Safe Superintelligence Startup Seeking Funding at $20B Valuation

Safe Superintelligence, founded by former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, is reportedly seeking funding at a valuation of at least $20 billion, quadrupling its previous $5 billion valuation from September. The startup, which has already raised $1 billion from investors including Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, has yet to generate revenue and has revealed little about its technical work.