WHAT'S AT STAKE TODAY ⚡
- Reflection AI raises $2B to be America's open frontier AI lab, challenging DeepSeek 🇺🇸
- Google ramps up its 'AI in the workplace' ambitions with Gemini Enterprise 💼
- This distributed data storage startup wants to take on Big Cloud ☁️
- Sora hit 1M downloads faster than ChatGPT 🚀
- Startup Battlefield company SpotitEarly trained dogs and AI to sniff out common cancers 🐕
- Datacurve raises $15 million to take on Scale AI 💰
- Figma partners with Google to add Gemini AI to its design platform 🎨
- Intel unveils new processor powered by its 18A semiconductor tech 💻
Former Google DeepMind researchers secure massive funding for open AI
Reflection AI raises $2B to be America's open frontier AI lab, challenging DeepSeek
Reflection AI, founded just one year ago, has achieved a remarkable milestone by raising $2 billion at an $8 billion valuation. This represents a staggering 15x increase from its $545 million valuation seven months earlier, positioning the startup as America's answer to Chinese AI giants like DeepSeek.
The company was established in March 2024 by two distinguished former Google DeepMind researchers: Misha Laskin, who led reward modeling for DeepMind's Gemini project, and Ioannis Antonoglou, co-creator of AlphaGo—the AI system that famously defeated the world Go champion in 2016. Their exceptional backgrounds in developing advanced AI systems form the foundation of their ambitious vision.
Originally focused on autonomous coding agents, Reflection AI is now pivoting to become both an open-source alternative to closed frontier labs like OpenAI and Anthropic, and a Western counterpart to Chinese AI firms. The company has assembled a 60-person team comprising top talent recruited from DeepMind and OpenAI, specializing in AI research and engineering across infrastructure, data training, and algorithm development.
"We built something once thought possible only inside the world's top labs: a large-scale LLM and reinforcement learning platform capable of training massive Mixture-of-Experts (MoEs) models at frontier scale," the company announced. MoE architecture powers cutting-edge language models that previously only large, closed AI labs could train effectively.
CEO Laskin emphasizes the strategic importance of this initiative, stating that DeepSeek and similar models serve as a "wake-up call" for America. "If we don't do anything about it, then effectively, the global standard of intelligence will be built by someone else," he warned, highlighting concerns about U.S. technological competitiveness.
The timing appears crucial as enterprises and sovereign states often avoid Chinese models due to potential legal complications, creating opportunities for American alternatives. This dynamic has garnered support from high-profile figures, including David Sacks, the White House AI and Crypto Czar, who praised the emergence of more American open-source AI models.
Reflection AI's approach to "openness" focuses on access rather than full transparency. The company plans to release model weights—the core parameters determining AI system behavior—for public use while keeping datasets and training pipelines largely proprietary. This strategy mirrors approaches by Meta with Llama and Mistral.
"In reality, the most impactful thing is the model weights, because the model weights anyone can use and start tinkering with them," Laskin explained. This selective openness supports their business model, allowing researchers free access while generating revenue from large enterprises and governments developing "sovereign AI" systems.
The company has secured significant compute resources and aims to release its first frontier language model early next year, trained on "tens of trillions of tokens." This initial model will be primarily text-based, with multimodal capabilities planned for future releases.
Reflection AI's commercial strategy targets large enterprises seeking AI solutions they can own, customize, and control on their infrastructure. "Once you get into that territory where you're a large enterprise, by default you want an open model," Laskin noted, emphasizing the appeal of cost optimization and customization capabilities.
The funding round attracted impressive investors including Nvidia, Sequoia, Lightspeed, GIC, and notable individuals like Eric Schmidt and Eric Yuan. This backing demonstrates significant confidence in Reflection AI's ability to compete in the increasingly strategic AI landscape.
As the global AI race intensifies, Reflection AI represents a bold attempt to ensure American leadership in open-source artificial intelligence, challenging both Chinese competitors and established closed-source American labs with their unique positioning and exceptional founding team credentials.
Google launches comprehensive AI platform to compete with OpenAI
Google ramps up its 'AI in the workplace' ambitions with Gemini Enterprise
Google unveiled Gemini Enterprise, a comprehensive AI platform enabling businesses to build and deploy custom AI agents for workplace tasks across sales, marketing, and operations. Unlike previous iterations, this standalone Google Cloud platform functions as an "AI agent toolkit" rather than a Workspace add-on.
Notable customers include Figma, Klarna, and Virgin Voyages, which deployed over 50 specialized AI agents. The platform integrates with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and SAP. Pricing starts at $30 per seat monthly for enterprise plans, with a $21 business edition targeting smaller companies.
⚡ More AI Bites
- ☁️ 💾 This distributed data storage startup wants to take on Big Cloud
- 🚀 📊 Sora hit 1M downloads faster than ChatGPT
- 🐕 🔬 Startup Battlefield company SpotitEarly trained dogs and AI to sniff out common cancers
- 💰 🤖 Datacurve raises $15 million to take on Scale AI
- 🎨 🤝 Figma partners with Google to add Gemini AI to its design platform
- 💻 ⚡ Intel unveils new processor powered by its 18A semiconductor tech
🎙️ NEW EPISODE DROP:
The Future of Human + AI Collaboration | What are The Smarter Ways to Use AI
I sat down with Dimitriy Wolf — social engineer, psycholinguist, and advisor to presidents, sheikhs, and TEDx speakers — to break down why most people use AI wrong.
We covered how to think *with* AI (not just prompt it), how to build authentic brand voices, and what yachts have to do with artificial intelligence.
If you're still using ChatGPT like a search bar — you're getting left behind.
⚡ Trends for the Future
How AI is shaping the future of mobility with Uber's CPO and Nuro's co-founder at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Uber and Nuro leaders discuss AI's transformative impact on transportation.
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing transportation, and TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will showcase this transformation through two industry pioneers. Taking place October 27-29 at San Francisco's Moscone West, the conference will feature Uber's Chief Product Officer Sachin Kansal and Nuro's co-founder Dave Ferguson on the AI Stage.
These mobility leaders will explore how AI is reshaping intelligent transportation systems, examining the role of predictive models and computer vision in enhancing road safety. Their discussion will cover why last-mile delivery serves as a crucial testing ground for autonomous technology and what challenges remain in scaling AI-driven transportation solutions.
Sachin Kansal oversees Uber's global Mobility and Delivery products, including safety initiatives, sustainability efforts, and autonomous vehicle programs. Since joining Uber in 2017, he has been instrumental in defining how AI and automation will drive the company's next decade of growth. His responsibilities span product and technology strategy for autonomous vehicles, sustainability programs, and innovative services like Uber for Teens.
Before Uber, Kansal held executive positions at Lookout and Flywheel Software, and led product management for Palm's webOS mobile platform. He holds engineering degrees from Gujarat University and Stanford University, along with several patents in mobile and location technologies.
Dave Ferguson brings extensive expertise from his role as co-founder and president of Nuro, a self-driving technology company focused on scalable autonomy for robotaxis, commercial fleets, and personal vehicles. His background includes pivotal work on Google's early self-driving program, now known as Waymo, and participation in Carnegie Mellon's DARPA Urban Challenge-winning team.
Ferguson's impressive credentials include over 60 published papers, more than 100 patents, and advanced degrees in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. His unique perspective bridges the gap between cutting-edge robotics research and practical transportation applications.
As cities worldwide pursue smarter infrastructure and sustainable mobility solutions, this conversation promises valuable insights into the future of intelligent transportation systems.
⚡ You’re Smart. Strategic. Intentional. So Let’s Be Real:
Where Are You Holding Back— On Purpose?
Every smart operator has something they’re intentionally avoiding.
Not because they’re lazy — but because it’s risky, unknown, or just... a bit *uncomfortable*.
So what’s that thing for you?
That one decision, move, or experiment you know would push you forward — but you’ve been choosing not to do it.
Tell us — and we’ll share a tactical POV or tool to help you rethink it.
No fluff. Just momentum.
AI is humanity's bridge to extraordinary achievement, giving us the power to solve our most complex challenges and create a future of unlimited possibility.
Karen Lynch is the President and CEO of CVS Health, one of America's largest healthcare companies, where she oversees pharmacy services, health insurance, and care delivery for millions of people. Her leadership in integrating healthcare services and leveraging technology has transformed how people access care, and she continues to advocate for using AI and data analytics to improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and make quality healthcare more accessible to underserved communities.
🎬 How to Use AI Agents to Build High-Converting Video Ads
Build once. Scale everywhere. In just minutes.
What if: Instead of spending weeks scripting, editing, and testing ads… you could build 10 variations of a high-converting video in 15 minutes — with agents handling the voiceover, visuals, call-to-action, and even the hook testing?
That’s exactly what we’ll show you this week — live.
Why This Changes Everything for Founders 🧠
- 🎥 Fast-Track Ad Creation: From idea to launch-ready video in under an hour — no team needed.
- 🔁 Test Like a Pro: Run A/B tests on 10 hooks, CTAs, or visuals — while you sleep.
- 💰 Better ROAS, Less Guessing: Let agents learn what your audience *actually* responds to.
- 📦 Works for Any Product: Digital or physical — agents adapt to your niche & brand voice.
📅 Join the Live Session w code Supercharged
We’ll walk you step-by-step through building your own ad-generating agent — no code needed.
👉 Click here to save your seat for the webinar
You’ll leave with a working prototype, free templates, and 5x more speed in your next ad campaign.
🎁 Bonus for Attendees:
- ✅ AI Agent Template for Ad Generation
- ✅ "Top 10 Hooks That Convert" Prompt Pack
- ✅ Entry to win a Free AI Strategy Audit
Episode 1: AI Education Without Limits
I sat down with Dr. José Fernández from the Miami Dade College AI Center to explore how AI is transforming education.
We discussed how students today can access world-class AI training with almost zero student loan debt — making innovation more accessible than ever.
Episode 2: What if your story were your sales strategy?
I sat down with Maury Rogow, a Hollywood producer and branding mastermind behind $2.5B in brand growth.
We talked about why the brands that feel effortless aren’t the loudest — they’re just the most aligned.
🌡️ Use the Satisfaction Thermometer to show us how much you enjoyed The Supercharged today ;)
The Supercharged is aiming to be the world's #1 AI business magazine and is on a mission to empower 1,000,000 entrepreneurs worldwide by 2025, guiding them through the transition into the AI-driven creative age. We're dedicated to breaking down complex technologies, sharing actionable insights, and fostering a community that thrives on innovation, to become the ultimate resource for businesses navigating the AI revolution.
The Supercharged is the #1 AI Newsletter for Entrepreneurs, with 25,000 + readers working at the world’s leading startups and enterprises. The Supercharged is free for the readers. Main ads are typically sold out 2 weeks in advance. You can book future ad spots here.
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