Anthropic, a startup known for its GenAI chatbot Claude, was valued at around $18 billion after a fundraise led by Menlo Ventures in 2024. The company, co-founded by Dario and Daniela Amodei, had previously received investments from Amazon.com, which doubled its stake to $8 billion, and Alphabet, which invested $500 million with plans for an additional $1.5 billion. This investment comes as the tech industry is racing to capitalize on generative artificial intelligence technology, following the launch of Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2022.
https://channelnewsasia.com/business/anthropic-raise-2-billion-deal-valuing-ai-startup-60-billion-wsj-says-4843691US venture capital funding has recovered from market lows, with AI startups driving a significant portion of the growth. According to PitchBook data, total capital raised by AI companies in 2024 was nearly 30% higher year-on-year, capturing 46.4% of the $209 billion raised last year. Notably, OpenAI and xAI, backed by Elon Musk, secured funding rounds of $6.6 billion and $12 billion respectively. However, analysts are uncertain whether this enthusiasm will be sustained, citing the need for AI companies to achieve significant business milestones to continue receiving unlimited access to capital.
https://channelnewsasia.com/business/ai-startups-drive-vc-funding-resurgence-capturing-record-us-investment-2024-4843276Panasonic has partnered with Anthropic, a US-based artificial intelligence company, aiming to generate 30% of its sales from AI products and services by 2025. This move comes as Anthropic is in talks to raise funding at a valuation of $60 billion. Meanwhile, other tech companies are also making significant investments in the space, such as Toyota's investment in a Japanese rocket startup and Nvidia's acquisition of Run:ai for $700 million. Additionally, OpenAI is considering a more conventional for-profit business model, while Uber has faced a setback with its deal to acquire Delivery Hero's unit being rejected by Taiwan.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/startups-tech/startups/anthropic-talks-raise-funding-us60-billion-valueFazeshift, a company founded by Caitlin Leksana, has received funding to accelerate its product development and customer acquisition efforts in the artificial intelligence (AI) space. The company's AI agents can automate complex business processes such as billing workflows, customer emails, and accounting updates, using software tools previously used by human teams. Fazeshift has successfully integrated AI into sensitive business processes and is partnering with Gradient to streamline finance operations for companies of all sizes. With its technology already being used by several large enterprise customers, Fazeshift aims to become the leading solution for automating accounts receivable (AR) processes in complex business environments.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250107180091/en/Fazeshift-Secures-4MM-Seed-Round-Led-by-Gradient-to-Automate-Accounts-Receivable-with-AIThe Indian IT industry is expected to post better results in the fiscal year 2024-25 due to a favorable macroeconomic environment and accelerated adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) globally. Indian service providers are likely to outperform, particularly in large-sized transformation deals. The consulting business is expected to grow at a normal rate, while more jobs will be created, with Indian talent in high demand. As a result, venture capitalists are optimistic about investing in Indian startups, especially those focused on application-layer artificial intelligence. In 2024, Indian AI startups raised $747 million, and analysts believe the infrastructure layer space presents an opportunity.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/indian-real-estate-remains-a-profitable-investmentArtificial intelligence startups have driven a significant recovery in US venture capital funding, with total capital raised in 2024 increasing nearly 30% year-on-year to $209 billion. AI companies captured a record 46.4% of the total funding, up from less than 10% a decade earlier. Notable examples include OpenAI's $6.6 billion and xAI's $12 billion funding rounds, which have sparked investor optimism about the sector's potential. However, analysts are uncertain whether this enthusiasm will be sustained, particularly for foundation model firms that require substantial capital investments.
https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2025/01/07/ai-startups-drive-vc-funding-resurgence-capturing-record-us-investment-in-2024Apple's recent product releases, such as the AirTag and Vision Pro, are seen as contributing to the company's growth in services revenue by expanding its "moat", a term used to describe a competitive advantage. This is according to Julian Lin, investing group leader for Best Of Breed Growth Stocks. The company's valuation has reached $4 trillion due to its efforts in artificial intelligence (AI), with its stock surging 16% last year as investors bet on AI-enhanced iPhones. Apple's plans to enhance Siri and introduce AI-powered photo editing tools have fueled interest in the potential of AI for mobile devices, marking a shift from its traditionally cautious approach to new technology.
https://www.pymnts.com/apple/2025/report-next-iphone-part-of-larger-wave-of-apple-product-launches/Microsoft president Brad Smith has stated that the company is on track to invest around US$80 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) this fiscal year, with a goal of establishing the United States as the global leader in AI technology. Smith believes that AI will transform all aspects of life and called on President-elect Donald Trump and Congress to increase funding for research at universities and the National Science Foundation to support AI innovation. He also warned that China is racing to spread its AI systems globally, and the US needs a strategic approach to promote its own AI technology as superior and more trustworthy. Microsoft's investment in AI will be used to build out datacenters, train AI models, and deploy cloud-based applications worldwide.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2025/01/04/us-must-lead-ai-innovation-in-tech-race-with-china-says-microsoft-as-it-plans-us80b-investment-this-fiscal-year/162041Microsoft president Brad Smith stated that the company plans to invest approximately $80 billion into artificial intelligence (AI) research this fiscal year, emphasizing the importance of the US leading in AI technology as it has the potential to transform various aspects of life.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/01/05/business/top-business/microsoft-to-spend-80b-on-ai/2030306