🚀 Mira Murati builds Thinking Machines, AI infrastructure for everyone

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has launched Thinking Machines, a public benefit startup that raised $2B at a $12B valuation, before releasing a single product. The company aims to democratize how AI models are customized and deployed.

🔸 Focused on infrastructure for fine-tuning open models, not creating ever-larger proprietary ones
🔸 Built by a hand-picked team so loyal that engineers reportedly turned down $50M–$1.5B offers from Zuckerberg
🔸 Structured as a public benefit corporation, signaling long-term social and ethical commitments
🔸 Backed by a star roster of investors betting on Murati’s track record from OpenAI and Tesla
🔸 Aims to make AI development accessible to smaller companies, challenging the “winner-takes-all” model

Murati’s journey from Albania to Tesla to OpenAI’s helm shows how engineering rigor can outpace pedigree. Now, she’s betting that the next AI revolution won’t come from bigger models, but smarter infrastructure.

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🎓 Stanford drops free AI lectures from Andrew Ng

Stanford has begun releasing a new open series of AI lectures led by Andrew Ng, the Coursera founder and pioneer of modern machine learning education.

🔸 Covers neural network training, AI agent design, and career-building in AI
🔸 Taught by Andrew Ng himself, returning to his Stanford teaching roots
🔸 Includes hands-on examples and practical labs using current AI frameworks
🔸 Designed for both beginners and professionals seeking to deepen ML foundations
🔸 Available free online, part of Stanford’s push to make AI education globally accessible

Decade after decade, Andrew Ng keeps doing what AI models can’t: teaching humans how to think like machines.

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📞 AOL’s dial-up goes silent after 34 years, the end of an internet era

America Online has officially shut down its iconic dial-up Internet service, marking the end of a 34-year chapter that once defined how millions first logged onto the web. The final modem screech echoed this week, closing the curtain on a service that introduced the world to “You’ve got mail.”

🔸 At its peak in the late 1990s, AOL connected over 23 million users through its dial-up modems and CDs mailed to nearly every U.S. household
🔸 The shutdown ends both AOL’s Internet access and its classic AOL Dialer software, though some competitors like NetZero and Juno still offer dial-up options
🔸 The decision follows the ongoing shift toward broadband and fiber, leaving rural users and nostalgia-driven collectors as the last holdouts
🔸 AOL’s parent, Yahoo (under Apollo Global Management), said the closure reflects the company’s evolution toward modern digital media and advertising

AOL didn’t just sell Internet access, it sold the feeling of being online for the first time. Now, that sound of a modem connecting fades into history, replaced by a permanent broadband hum.

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🎤 NeuTTS-Air kills ElevenLabs’ moat, open-source voice cloning for everyone

A new open-source model called NeuTTS-Air is going viral for cloning any voice locally, no cloud, no paywalls, and total privacy. It can run on a PC or even a smartphone, using just a 3-second audio sample to generate natural, high-quality speech.

🔸 748M-parameter model, fine-tuned for speed and realism, rivals ElevenLabs and OpenAI’s Voice Engine
🔸 Works fully offline, ensuring voice data never leaves your device
🔸 Can generate entire podcasts, narrations, or dialogues from a single short recording
🔸 Released under an open-source license, meaning anyone can build apps, chatbots, or AI creators on top

If ElevenLabs dominated with convenience and polish, NeuTTS-Air is betting on freedom and decentralization, the future of voice AI may no longer need a server.

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✅ Top 50 most expensive private companies today

14 of them did not exist 5 years ago.

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🤖 Mercor hits record growth, and rewrites the AI playbook

In just 17 months, Mercor rocketed from $1M to $500M in revenue, becoming the fastest-growing company in AI history. What began as a remote engineer marketplace is now critical AI infrastructure connecting labs with domain experts who help train and evaluate models.

🔸 From freelance coders to scientists, doctors, and lawyers, Mercor turned expert knowledge into AI training fuel.
🔸 Now partners with OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia.
🔸 Raised $100M at a $2B valuation, now targeting $10B in its next round.
🔸 Already profitable with $6M net profit in the first half of the year.
🔸 Boasts 1600% net retention and zero churn, an almost impossible metric.
🔸 Founded by Thiel Fellows aged just 22–23, now building tools for RL and AI expert marketplaces.

Mercor scaled faster than any AI startup ever, but with OpenAI launching a rival hiring platform, the next round might be a fight for the ecosystem itself.

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⚛️ Harvard builds quantum machine that runs for 2 hours nonstop

Physicists at Harvard have created the first quantum computer capable of continuous operation for over two hours, shattering the previous record of just 13 seconds.

🔸 The team, led by Mikhail Lukin, solved a key challenge called atomic loss, where qubits (atoms) disappear due to heat, field errors, or gas collisions.
🔸 Their system uses “optical lattice conveyor belts” and “optical tweezers” to automatically replace lost qubits in real time.
🔸 New atoms instantly sync with the state of existing ones, preserving quantum information without rebooting.
🔸 The machine generates 300,000 atoms per second, maintaining about 3,000 active qubits during operation.
🔸 Researchers believe this approach could enable quantum computers with near-unlimited uptime within a few years.

Harvard’s quantum “conveyor belt” may have just solved the biggest bottleneck in making stable, practical quantum machines.

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🎥 Sora Watermark Remover lets TikTokers clean videos

A new tool called Sora Watermark Remover allows creators to remove watermarks from Sora 2 videos while keeping 100% of the original quality.

🔸 OpenAI’s Sora 2 is freely available, but videos come with watermarks that can be annoying for social sharing.
🔸 The service simply requires uploading the video, it automatically cleans the watermark.
🔸 This is especially useful for TikTokers and other social creators who want polished AI-generated content without branding distractions.

Now Sora 2 videos can look professional without the watermark hassle.

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⚙️ Booking.com, Spotify, and Figma now live inside ChatGPT

🔸 Apps work as native chat integrations no installs, no separate mode.
🔸 OpenAI also launched an Apps SDK, letting developers build custom chat-based apps.
🔸 It’s essentially the next iteration of plugins, but more stable and natively integrated.
🔸 Monetization isn’t live yet, though Altman hinted at “various ways” to earn in the future.
🔸 It’s unclear if brands will be able to pay for higher visibility or priority placement in ChatGPT results.

OpenAI is reviving the plugin dream, hoping apps inside ChatGPT succeed where plugins fizzled out.

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⚛️ Quantum pioneers win the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics

The Nobel Committee awarded this year’s Physics Prize to John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis for experiments that showed quantum mechanics at work in everyday electronic circuits a breakthrough that paved the way for today’s quantum computers.

🔸 In the 1980s, their superconducting circuits proved that quantum effects can appear in macroscopic systems.
🔸 Their discoveries laid the foundation for quantum processors, sensors, and encryption technologies.
🔸 Devoret is now chief scientist at Google Quantum AI, while Martinis once led the Google Quantum Lab.
🔸 Clarke, based at UC Berkeley, helped design early quantum devices that bridge physics and engineering.
🔸 The trio will share the 11 million SEK ($1.2M) prize.

Quantum theory finally leaves the lab and the engineers who made it practical are getting their due.

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🏠 Design your dream home no architect needed

Interior designers and soon-to-be homeowners, meet HomeByMe a 3D home design platform that lets you build and furnish your dream space just like in The Sims, but with real-world accuracy.

🔸 You can draw your home layout, add walls, doors, and windows directly in 3D.
🔸 The platform includes thousands of real furniture and décor items major brands.
🔸 Everything is drag-and-drop, so you can instantly see how your dream space looks and feels.
🔸 Projects can be shared with designers or contractors for easy collaboration.
🔸 It’s perfect for planning renovations, new homes, or even testing interior aesthetics.

It’s basically The Sims for real life,!but this time, your living room isn’t fictional.

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🧠 Neuralink patient controls robotic arm with his thoughts

Nick Ray, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has become the first Neuralink patient to control a robotic arm purely through thought. Implanted with Neuralink’s brain interface in July 2025, he recently connected it to Tesla’s Optimus robot, and the results are stunning.

🔸 Nick reports that the delay between his thoughts and the arm’s movement is “almost unnoticeable.”
🔸 For the first time in years, he was able to put on a cap, heat up nuggets in the microwave, and eat by himself.
🔸 He’s also learned to slowly control his wheelchair through the same neural interface.
🔸 The experiment marks the first integration of Neuralink’s implant with a humanoid robot, showing early progress toward mind-controlled assistive machines.

A powerful glimpse into the future, where human thought could directly control the tools that restore independence.

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⚡️ Startups don’t buy AI they buy speed

a16z and Mercury analyzed transactions from 200,000 startups (June–August 2025) to understand how companies actually spend on AI tools, especially for note-taking, design, coding, and communication. The findings reveal a clear trend: startups aren’t chasing models or hype, they’re investing in speed and efficiency.

🔸 “For everyone” products dominate 60% of AI expenses, OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, Notion, Manus. Assistants and “smart workspaces” remain a competitive, leaderless category.
🔸 The creative stack, Freepik, ElevenLabs, Canva, Photoroom, Midjourney, Denoscript, Opus Clip, CapCut, now defines daily work. Content creation isn’t a separate role anymore.
🔸 “Vibe-coding” tools like Replit, Cursor, Lovable, and Emergent are mainstream. Replit earns 15× more than Lovable, as companies pay for faster prototyping instead of large dev teams.
🔸 Vertical AI tools are turning into “AI employees”: Crosby Legal (law), 11x (GTM), Alma (immigration). Startups prefer automation over contractors or hires.
🔸 Nearly 70% of top AI tools began as consumer apps and scaled bottom-up, the B2C-to-B2B path now takes just 1–2 years.

AI has stopped being about futuristic tech, the only metric that matters now is how fast it delivers results.

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🔘Founders map the next AI winners at AI Challenges

The AI Challenges online conference gathered visionary founders to outline the unsolved problems that will decide which AI startups survive the next decade, from data access and inference costs to human alignment and product feedback loops. Here’s a concise, investor-facing digest.

🔸 “Data Freedom” confidential, siloed data is the biggest blocker; secure, auditable data pipes will unlock healthcare, legal, and enterprise verticals.
🔸 Inference & LM-training costs, fine-tuning and per-query inference are inefficient and expensive; parameter-efficient adaptation and hybrid edge/cloud designs are prime infra bets.
🔸 The AI Dealmaker: an agent for VCs that automates sourcing, diligence, and portfolio monitoring; retention hinges on measurable time-saved.
🔸 Turning LLM feedback into product outcomes: teams need SDKs and control planes to convert user signals into reliable model and UX improvements.
🔸 AI-native economy: autonomous agents will create new marketplaces (agent payroll, billing, reputation) and reshape how work is exchanged.
🔸 The Future of Human-AI Relationship: empathy, trust, and explainability are now product features, not optional extras.
🔸 Pitch session: five strong AI-native startups presented (themes: agent platforms, data-vaults, feedback control planes, vertical AI employees, cost-efficient inference).
🔸 Online afterparty hosted by venture investor DJ Mak.

A clear signal for investors: bet on speed + trust + economics products that prove time-saved, keep customer data in control, and make inference affordable will act like profitable, accountable “AI employees.”

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🎧 David AI secures $50M to expand its global audio data lab

San Francisco–based David AI, a YC-backed audio data research company, has raised $50M in Series B funding led by Meritech and NVIDIA, with participation from Alt Capital, First Round, Amplify Partners, and Y Combinator. The round brings total funding to $80M.

Founded in 2024 by ex-Scale AI engineers Tomer Cohen and Ben Wiley, David AI calls itself the world’s first dedicated audio data research lab. The company builds large, diverse datasets that capture global human speech — across languages, emotions, and real-world environments — to train next-generation voice and audio AI models.

🔸 The new capital will fund research expansion, team growth, and deeper collaboration with global AI and hardware firms.
🔸 David AI’s datasets already power voice models used by top AI labs and several “Mag 7” tech giants.
🔸 The company recently surpassed an eight-figure annual revenue run rate.
🔸 Competitors include Defined.ai, PublicAI, Human Native AI, Ydata, and Syntheticus.

David AI positions itself as the data backbone for the coming wave of audio-first AI - powering the interfaces that will connect humans and machines in the physical world.

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🤖 Figure unveils “Figure 03”, its first humanoid ready for mass production

Figure AI has introduced Figure 03, a next-generation humanoid robot designed as a versatile assistant for both homes and businesses. It can handle everyday tasks like doing laundry or greeting guests at a hotel reception, marking Figure’s shift from prototypes to production-ready robotics.

🔸 The robot features a textile suit and soft protective inserts to make human interaction safer and more natural.
🔸 It adds new sensors, cameras in its hands, an upgraded battery, and wireless charging, all powered by Figure’s in-house Helix neural network.
🔸 Figure 03 is optimized for large-scale manufacturing, with the first line capable of producing up to 12,000 units per year.
🔸 Pricing and launch details remain undisclosed, but the design suggests a move toward commercial deployment.

With Figure 03, the company is signaling that humanoid robotics is moving out of the lab, and into real-world service.

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⌨️ A viral TikTok just taught the internet how to properly delete text

A short TikTok clip went viral after revealing that pressing Ctrl + Backspace deletes entire words instead of single letters, something millions of users apparently never knew.

🔸 The video hit 30 million views in days, sparking disbelief across social media.
🔸 Even Microsoft’s official account commented, admitting they “didn’t know” about the shortcut.
🔸 The trick works across most text editors, browsers, and messaging apps, saving seconds that now feel like years of lost time.

The internet just collectively discovered productivity’s biggest cheat code and yes, the world will never be the same.

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🔔 Google launches AI fitting room for virtual shoe try-ons

Google has rolled out a new AI-powered shoe try-on feature, letting users see how sneakers look on their own feet before buying. Just tap “Try on” on a product card and upload a full-length photo, Google’s model then generates a realistic preview.

🔸 Available for now in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Japan, with plans to expand to more regions.
🔸 The tool uses generative AI and pose-estimation to match shoes to your body type and lighting.
🔸 Initially supports major brands on Google Shopping, with apparel integration expected next.
🔸 Builds on Google’s earlier AI try-on for clothing, expanding into full-body visualization for retail.

E-commerce is entering its AR moment, and Google wants to own the virtual dressing room.

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🧱 KIRI Engine releases 3DGS to Mesh 2.0, turn any object into a 3D model

KIRI Engine has launched 3DGS to Mesh 2.0, a breakthrough AI model that lets anyone scan real-world objects and instantly convert them into editable 3D models. The system uses a refined pipeline that merges mesh generation, normal prediction, and reflection filtering for ultra-realistic results.

🔸 Generates high-fidelity 3D meshes with accurate lighting and textures straight from a phone camera.
🔸 Combines 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) with optimized mesh reconstruction for smoother surfaces.
🔸 Models can be exported and edited in most 3D software, ideal for game devs, artists, and product designers.
🔸 The app is free to use, making high-quality 3D capture accessible to everyone, for both Android and IOS users.

AI photogrammetry just leveled up, 3D creation is becoming as simple as taking a photo.

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⚙️ n8n raises $180M to become the orchestration layer for AI automation

n8n has closed a $180 million round at a $2.5 billion valuation, cementing its position as one of the leading infrastructure players in the emerging agent economy. Originally launched as an open-source alternative to Zapier, n8n has evolved into a hybrid AI orchestration platform, giving companies fine-grained control over how their automation agents think and act.

🔸 Founded in 2019 by Jan Oberhauser, n8n started as a visual workflow builder and has grown into a default tool across AI developer communities.
🔸 The platform offers configurable autonomy, allowing users to define when logic is manual, semi-automated, or AI-driven.
🔸 Supports 1,000+ integrations with SaaS and enterprise systems, bridging human workflows with AI agents.
🔸 Combines no-code simplicity with code-level extensibility, enabling both developers and business teams to collaborate in real time.
🔸 Backed by Accel, Salesforce Ventures, Felicis, and Sequoia, and powered by a strong open-source ecosystem.

As OpenAI pushes its GPT Agents ecosystem, n8n stands out as the neutral, open orchestration layer, a system that works with AI models rather than being locked into any single one.

n8n is betting that the future of automation will not be defined by closed ecosystems, but by flexible orchestration platforms that keep enterprises in control of their AI workflows.

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💡 Lumi, AI that builds full websites from a single prompt

Meet Lumi, a new AI tool that can create complete websites in seconds no coding required. Just describe your idea in chat, upload design references if you have them, and Lumi automatically generates the entire product.

🔸 Builds the full stack: interface, backend, database, login form, and analytics.
🔸 Supports real-time editing, you can tweak design or functionality directly in chat.
🔸 Works for landing pages, dashboards, or even SaaS prototypes.
🔸 Ideal for founders, marketers, or designers who want to go from concept to demo instantly.

Lumi turns the idea of “no-code” into “no-setup” shifting web development from writing code to describing intent.

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