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The future belongs to you. Let’s make conscious leadership the norm and embrace innovation as the driving force for positive change 🌍✨

WHAT’S AT STAKE TODAY ⚡

• ♟️💰 OpenAI drops $12B on CoreWeave. Microsoft chess match intensifies!
• 💸🙅‍♂️ DeepSeek rejecting VC cash for now. Three reasons why they're playing hard to get!
• 🎨✨ Dzine enters the AI tool spotlight. Another digital helper wants fame!
• 🏠😩 Apple's smart home hub delayed by Siri problems. Voice assistant causing headaches!
• 🇨🇳📉 Manus falling short of 'DeepSeek moment' hype. China's AI sequel disappoints!
• 🏊‍♂️🧠 Poolside CEO warns against DIY foundation models. Not everyone needs their own GPT!
• 🛒💼 ServiceNow acquiring Moveworks for $2.85B. AI shopping spree continues!
• 🎮🕹️ Microsoft reportedly working on 3D Copilot gaming. AI assistant enters the matrix!
• 🏥🔍 Gleamer expands radiology AI with acquisitions. Medical imaging gets smarter!

⚡ Latest in AI

OpenAI's $12 Billion CoreWeave Deal Reshapes AI Infrastructure Landscape and Microsoft Relationship

OpenAI strikes a strategic deal with CoreWeave

OpenAI has executed a strategic masterstroke in the increasingly competitive AI infrastructure arena, signing a five-year, $11.9 billion agreement with GPU-focused cloud provider CoreWeave, according to a Reuters report citing sources familiar with the transaction. The deal, which includes OpenAI receiving $350 million in CoreWeave equity, represents a significant shift in the AI computing landscape and further complicates the already evolving relationship between OpenAI and its largest backer, Microsoft.

The timing of this agreement is particularly notable as it comes just days after CoreWeave filed for an initial public offering that could value the company at more than $20 billion. The cloud provider, which specializes in Nvidia GPU-based infrastructure, has experienced explosive growth, with revenues surging nearly eightfold from $228.9 million in 2023 to $1.9 billion in 2024. This remarkable expansion has been primarily fueled by Microsoft, which accounted for 62% of CoreWeave's 2024 revenue.

OpenAI's decision to invest in and commit to CoreWeave serves multiple strategic objectives. Most immediately, it addresses CEO Sam Altman's recent public complaint that OpenAI is "out of GPUs," the specialized processors essential for training and running large AI models. The company's rapid growth and ambitious development plans have created an insatiable demand for computing resources that has outpaced available supply, even from a cloud giant like Microsoft.

Beyond solving immediate resource constraints, the deal represents a significant step toward infrastructure independence for OpenAI. Since its founding, the company has relied heavily on Microsoft's Azure cloud for its computing needs, a relationship that deepened in 2019 when Microsoft became OpenAI's exclusive cloud provider as part of its initial $1 billion investment. This exclusivity began to erode in January 2025 with the announcement of the massive "Stargate" AI infrastructure project involving SoftBank, Oracle, and other partners.

The CoreWeave agreement further diminishes Microsoft's position as OpenAI's infrastructure provider while simultaneously giving OpenAI a stake in one of Microsoft's own strategic suppliers. This maneuver is particularly shrewd as it not only secures critical computing resources but also places OpenAI in a strategic position to benefit from Microsoft's continued use of CoreWeave services.

For CoreWeave, landing OpenAI as both a major customer and investor represents a significant coup ahead of its IPO. The company, which began as a cryptocurrency mining operation founded by former hedge fund professionals, has pivoted successfully to become a specialized AI infrastructure provider, operating 32 data centers with more than 250,000 Nvidia GPUs as of late 2024. The company has continued to expand its GPU fleet, recently adding Nvidia's latest Blackwell processors, which are specifically designed to support AI reasoning capabilities.

The deal helps address a potential concern for IPO investors: CoreWeave's heavy reliance on Microsoft as its dominant customer. By diversifying its client base with another AI industry leader on a multi-year contract, CoreWeave presents a more balanced growth story to public markets as it seeks to raise over $4 billion in its offering.

However, CoreWeave carries substantial financial baggage into its public debut, with a reported $7.9 billion in debt. The company has indicated that IPO proceeds will partially be used to address this liability. Additionally, its three co-founders have already cashed out $488 million worth of shares—over $150 million each—raising questions about insider confidence in the company's long-term prospects despite its remarkable growth trajectory.

The wider context of this deal involves the increasingly complex relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI. Despite Microsoft's approximately $14 billion investment in OpenAI and continued partnership on products like Copilot, tensions between the companies have been growing. OpenAI has emerged as a competitor to Microsoft for enterprise AI customers, with reports suggesting it plans to launch premium AI "agents" with monthly fees as high as $20,000 for specialized applications.

This latest move by OpenAI suggests that both companies are engaging in a complex strategic chess match, maintaining their partnership while simultaneously preparing for greater independence and potential future competition. The CoreWeave deal strengthens OpenAI's position by ensuring access to the computing infrastructure critical to its operations and future growth, regardless of how its relationship with Microsoft evolves.

Why it matters: This transaction highlights the critical importance of specialized computing infrastructure and the lengths to which leading companies will go to secure it. As AI models grow more sophisticated and compute-intensive, control of GPU resources has become a strategic imperative that shapes competitive positioning and future capabilities in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape.

⚡ The companies of the future

DeepSeek isn’t taking VC money yet — here are 3 reasons why

DeepSeek Funding Strategy

DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng is not rushing to accept outside investment despite significant venture capital interest. The Chinese AI startup is 84% owned by Liang, who has funded the company through profits from his hedge fund High-Flyer.

Three main reasons for avoiding external funding include: Liang's desire to maintain control after previous negative experiences with VCs who prioritized monetization over research; current self-sufficiency through hedge fund profits; and concerns that Chinese investors could heighten trust issues and trigger government bans.

However, this may change as the company shifts toward monetization, faces chip access challenges due to US export controls, and deals with underperforming hedge fund returns.

Why it matters: DeepSeek's decision highlights the challenges of balancing financial independence with growth, particularly in an AI landscape where regulatory concerns and funding pressures shape strategic decisions.

⚡ The AI Edge: Smart Solutions for Business Growth

What is Dzine Used For?

Dzine AI Logo

Dzine is an AI-powered platform for generating and editing images. It allows users to create visuals from text prompts or modify existing images with tools like background removal and style application.

Designed for designers, artists, marketers, and content creators, Dzine helps streamline workflows and enhance creative output. It’s useful for projects requiring high-quality, professional-grade visuals while offering intuitive controls for customization.

Whether for marketing materials, digital content, or artistic projects, Dzine provides a balance of AI automation and manual adjustments to improve efficiency and creative flexibility.

⚡ More AI Bites

1. 🏠 ⏰ Apple's smart home hub reportedly delayed by Siri challenges.
2. 🇨🇳 🤔 Manus probably isn't China's second 'DeepSeek' moment.
3. 🏗️ 💡 Poolside CEO says most companies shouldn't build foundation models.
4. 💼 💰 ServiceNow to buy Moveworks for $2.85B to grow its AI portfolio.
5. 🎮 🤖 Microsoft appears to be working on 3D gaming experiences for Copilot.
6. 🏥 🔍 Radiology AI software provider Gleamer expands into MRI with two M&A transactions.

⚡ Trends for the Future

AvatarOS Raises $7M to Build AI-Powered Virtual Influencer Platform

AvatarOS AI Virtual Influencer

The details:

AvatarOS has secured $7 million in seed funding to develop a platform for creating high-quality virtual influencers with personalized traits. The round was led by M13's Latif Peracha, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz Games Fund, HF0, Valia Ventures, and Mento VC.

Founded by Isaac Bratzel, who previously created prominent virtual personalities including Lil Miquela and Amelia 2.0, AvatarOS aims to differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded avatar market. Bratzel established the company in 2022 after departing from Dapper Labs, which had acquired Brud, the virtual influencer company where he developed Lil Miquela.

"One obvious parallel is spam emails. When it is easy to create content, it proliferates everywhere, and you want to have that differentiation from the saturation of content. That's where we want to be in the avatar space," Bratzel told TechCrunch. The founder emphasized focusing on creating "permanent entities" that can "accrue value over time" rather than single-use generated avatars.

M13's Peracha described the investment as "exploratory" and emphasized confidence in Bratzel's background. "We are going to look at the right business model through this round of exploration and have a bit more clarity on the way forward. We think that because of Isaac's history in IPsoft to Brud, he is clearly the right person to build the business," he said, noting that part of his due diligence included conversing with an avatar of Bratzel himself.

While numerous companies are developing avatar technologies following the metaverse hype and the rise of generative AI—including D-ID and Synthesia in enterprise, Zoom for meetings, Glance for fashion, Praktika for learning, and TikTok and Captions in the creator space—AvatarOS plans to focus on high-end 3D avatars with distinctive movement patterns.

"The main thing that is important to us is that humans move in a unique way. Pretty much every avatar solution can create something that might look like you but moves generically. Our view is that humans don't move in the same way, and we want to recreate that," Bratzel explained.

The company is currently in an exploratory phase, onboarding beta users and providing access to existing avatars. AvatarOS offers a simple API that clients can use to integrate avatars with their websites, allowing organizations to power these virtual personalities with large language models (LLMs) and customize elements like camera angles and views.

While AvatarOS currently creates premium, customized avatars for clients directly, the company plans to eventually provide more creation and adjustment tools. The new funding will be used to expand the team and develop a machine learning-based deformer that creates lifelike movements in avatars.

Do you have a business problem keeping you up at night?

Here’s your chance to get it solved! Share your most staggering challenges with us, and I’ll use the power of AI to find solutions tailored just for you. I’ll feature the answers in one of our upcoming Supercharged issues—let’s tackle it together!

🤖 AI Playground: Transform Your Workflow 🤖

🔧 This Week’s Tool: Moveworks 🔧

Overview: Moveworks is an AI-driven platform designed to streamline workplace operations by resolving employee requests through natural language understanding and automation. By integrating seamlessly with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, Moveworks enhances productivity by addressing IT support issues, HR inquiries, and more. 🚀

Why Is It Better Than Other Tools? ✨

• ⚡ Advanced AI Capabilities: Utilizes natural language understanding to accurately interpret and resolve a wide range of employee requests.
• 🤖 Seamless Integration: Works effortlessly with existing communication platforms, ensuring minimal disruption to current workflows.
• 📈 Continuous Learning: Employs machine learning to improve over time, adapting to the unique needs of your organization.

What Does It Do Best? 🌟

• 🛠️ Automated IT Support: Resolves common IT issues instantly, reducing downtime and allowing IT staff to focus on more complex tasks.
• 🔄 HR and Facilities Assistance: Addresses employee inquiries related to HR policies and facilities management, ensuring quick and accurate responses.
• 📊 Data-Driven Insights: Provides analytics on employee requests, helping organizations identify trends and areas for improvement.

Applications 💼:

• 💻 IT Support: Automate password resets, software installations, and troubleshooting common technical issues.
• 📝 Human Resources: Provide instant answers to policy questions, benefits inquiries, and onboarding processes.
• 🏢 Facilities Management: Streamline maintenance requests and manage office resources efficiently.
• 📚 Knowledge Management: Ensure employees have quick access to company policies, procedures, and FAQs.
• 🔧 Operational Efficiency: Automate routine tasks, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives.

Follow This Simple Guide to Get Started with Moveworks:

1. 🌐 Visit the Website: Go to moveworks.com to learn more about their offerings.
2. 🔗 Request a Demo: Schedule a demonstration to see how Moveworks can be tailored to your organization's needs.
3. 🛠️ Integrate with Your Tools: Work with the Moveworks team to integrate the platform with your existing communication and IT systems.
4. 🚀 Launch and Train: Introduce Moveworks to your employees and provide training to ensure a smooth transition.
5. 🔄 Monitor and Optimize: Utilize Moveworks' analytics to continuously improve and adapt the platform to better serve your organization.

Moveworks is your partner in transforming workplace operations, enhancing productivity, and ensuring employee satisfaction. 🌟

💡 Challenge: Identify a common employee request in your organization and implement Moveworks to automate its resolution. Share your experience by replying to this email for a chance to win a special prize! 🎁 Start revolutionizing your workplace with Moveworks today! 🚀