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News reporting focused on AI and machine learning, covering the companies behind these technologies, their real-world applications, and the ethical concerns they raise. This includes areas like generative AI (large language models, text-to-image and video), speech tech, and predictive analytics.
Chinese AI startup Moonshot AI, developer of the Kimi chatbot, is aiming for a valuation of up to $30 billion in a new funding round. The company is looking to raise between $1 billion and $2 billion, more than six times its late-2025 worth of $4.3 billion. Annual recurring revenue has doubled to roughly $200 million by April.
Wirestock announced a $23 million Series A funding round to expand its data supply business for AI labs. The company, which pivoted from stock photography distribution, now provides images, videos, design assets, gaming, and 3D content from over 700,000 artists. It serves six major foundation model makers with $40 million annual run-rate revenue.
Anthropic is discussing a new funding round of $30 billion to $50 billion that could value the AI startup at $950 billion, up from $380 billion three months ago. The company recently launched the Mythos AI model and faces tensions with the Pentagon while reporting a $30 billion revenue run rate. Deals with Google and Amazon provide additional support amid fierce competition.
Bret Taylor's AI startup Sierra announced a $950 million funding round led by Tiger Global and GV, resulting in a post-money valuation above $15 billion. The company now has more than $1 billion in capital to pursue its goal of setting the global standard for AI-powered customer experiences. Sierra reports rapid growth, serving over 40% of the Fortune 50, with agents handling billions of interactions, and ARR jumping from $100 million to $150 million in months.
Anthropic has asked investors to submit allocations for a $50 billion funding round within 48 hours, with sources expecting closure in two weeks at a $900 billion valuation that could rise higher. Early backers from 2024 or before plan to skip it ahead of an IPO. The raise funds computing needs amid $40 billion revenue run rate and tops OpenAI's recent valuation.
Anthropic is examining investor proposals for a funding round that could value the AI firm above $900 billion, according to Bloomberg. This potential valuation would surpass OpenAI's current $852 billion mark and make Anthropic the top-valued AI startup. Discussions remain preliminary, with no deals finalized yet.
Sources say Anthropic, creator of the Claude AI assistant, has multiple offers for a $50 billion funding round at valuations between $850 billion and $900 billion. The company faces strong pressure to accept before a possible IPO, with a board decision expected in May. Revenue has jumped to a $40 billion run rate, driven by coding tools like Claude Code and Cowork.
Jeff Bezos is finalizing a $10 billion funding round for his AI lab, Project Prometheus, valued at $38 billion. Investors include JPMorgan and BlackRock. The San Francisco-based firm develops AI to grasp physics laws for industrial uses, marking Bezos's first hands-on role since leaving Amazon in 2021.
Factory announced a $150 million funding round at a $1.5 billion valuation to develop AI agents for enterprise engineering teams. The investment, led by Khosla Ventures with Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, and Blackstone participating, comes as AI-assisted coding dominates generative AI applications. Customers include Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young, and Palo Alto Networks, with founder Matan Grinberg highlighting the ability to use multiple foundation models.
AI infrastructure startup Upscale AI is negotiating its third funding round since starting operations seven months ago. The proposed raise of $180 million to $200 million would set the company's value at around $2 billion, according to Bloomberg. Earlier rounds included a $200 million Series A in January and a $100 million seed in September, backed by investors like Tiger Global Management.
Antioch, a New York startup developing simulation tools for robot developers, announced an $8.5 million seed funding round at a $60 million valuation. The company aims to narrow the sim-to-real gap, allowing robots trained in virtual environments to perform reliably in physical settings. Backed by investors like A* and Category Ventures, Antioch draws from founders' experience at firms such as Google DeepMind and Chainalysis.