Your weekly briefing on all things AI

Innovation has become commonplace in the AI space, but what is interesting to watch, are the various ways innovative technologies get utilized in real-world applications. AI-powered avatars being found inside grocery stores and chatbot technology repackaged/repurposed for Property Management are just a few examples to show up this week.

Let’s dive in:

📰 AI-Driven Shopping: A New Supermarket Era?

📈 EliseAI Raises $75M to Develop AI Chatbot Technology for Real Estate and Healthcare

💡 From Mind to AI Voice: UC Davis’ Brain Computer Interface Lets ALS Patients Speak Again

 🛠️ Saner.ai Focuses on Compensating for Challenges of ADHD

📰 AI in the News

Putting The AI Into Store Aisles: London Grocery Chain Adds AI Assistant

Stores in London implimented AI assistants to help customers find products, offer recommendations, and answer inquiries. Sainsbury's, a major British supermarket chain, has partnered with Microsoft to use AI for gaining deeper insights into customer shopping behaviors, streamlining operations, and driving sales. As AI continues to advance, supermarkets are poised to integrate even more cutting-edge technologies, such as augmented reality and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. This wave of innovation is reshaping how we shop, delivering personalized experiences and boosting efficiency across the board. (Link)

More Stories

• Swiss Startup, FinalSpark, Is Using Human Brain Cells for Computing Power. (Link)

• Black Forest Labs Powers New AI Image Generation Tool for Elon Musk. (Link)

• Summary of Google’s Announcements at the Pixel 9 Event. (Link)

• Google Reveals New Tools for Editing Photos and Generating Images. (Link)

• Exists Unveils GenAI Platform to Develop 3D Games from Text Descriptions. (Link)

• Snowflake Rolls Out New Cortex Analyst for Precise Data Analysis. (Link)

• AI Is Now Capable of Conducting Independent Research and Discovery. (Link)

• Pindrop Achieves 99% Accuracy in Identifying AI-Generated Audio Deepfakes. (Link)

• Napkin Leverages Visual AI to Streamline Business Storytelling Processes. (Link)

• LongWriter AI Breaks New Ground by Generating Texts Over 10,000 Words. (Link)

• Anthropic’s Claude Adds Caching / “Memory” to Save API Users’ $$$. (Link)

💡 Industry Watch

🏩 Healthcare

Voice Reclaimed: UC Davis Develops BCI That Turns Brain Signals into Speech

Scientists at the University of California, Davis have developed a cutting-edge brain-computer interface (BCI) that enables individuals with ALS to communicate using their own voice. This BCI, implanted in the brain's speech center, utilizes 256 electrodes to translate brain activity into text, which is then spoken aloud by a computer using an AI voice assistant modeled to sound like the user’s pre-ALS voice. The technology builds on earlier innovations in brain-computer communication, such as those used by Stephen Hawking, but aims to enhance clarity and ease of use for its users. (Link)

💰 Finance

The Impact of AI on Financial Forecasting

Research from The University of Chicago shows that large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT-4 outperform human analysts in predicting company earnings, achieving a 60% accuracy rate compared to the 53-57% typical for humans. This advantage comes from AI’s ability to quickly analyze large volumes of unstructured data and recognize complex patterns. By offering deeper insights and more accurate predictions, AI could transform how both retail and institutional investors make decisions and strive to outperform benchmarks like the S&P 500.

🏠 Real Estate

reAlpha Launches Commission-Free Real Estate Super App for iOS

reAlpha Tech Corp. has introduced its reAlpha Super App, formerly known as "Claire," for mobile devices, offering a complete, commission-free real estate experience. The app integrates reAlpha’s generative-AI buyer's agent, Claire, with licensed real estate agent support and essential home buying services, including title and escrow. This launch follows the recent rule changes by the National Association of Realtors, which eliminated the standard 6% sales commission, enhancing the appeal of reAlpha’s commission-free model. After acquiring Hyperfast, reAlpha now offers integrated title services and plans to expand the platform with mortgage brokerage and home insurance offerings. The Super App is now available for iOS users. (Link)

📈 Transactions 

• EliseAI's $75M Series D Brings This PropTech to Unicorn Status (Link)

• Chipmaker AMD to acquire infrastructure player ZT Systems for $4.9B (Link)

• Kiteworks Raises $456M to Strengthen Data Security. (Link)

• PayZen Secures $232M for AI-Driven Healthcare Payments. (Link)

• Caresyntax Raises $180M for AI-Powered Surgical Platform. (Link)

• Halda Raises $126M for Targeted Cancer Therapy. (Link)

• HistoSonics Secures $102M for Non-Invasive Liver Tumor Treatment. (Link)

• NEA Invests $100M in “Godmother of AI,” Fei-Fei Li’s AI Startup. (Link)

• Riverlane Raises $75M for Quantum Computing Error Correction. (Link)

• Defcon AI closes $44M Seed Round to Tackle Military Logistics. (Link)

• Eppo Closes a $28M Series B for AI Model Experimentation Platform (Link)

• CodeRabbit Raises $16M for AI-Powered Code Reviews. (Link)

• Goodfire Raises $7M for AI Observability Platform. (Link)

• Perceptive Space Raises $2.8M to Predict Space Weather. (Link)

🛠️ Tool of the Week

Saner.ai: Empowering ADHD Minds

Saner.ai is a comprehensive app designed to enhance productivity for individuals with ADHD. Its user-friendly interface make it a valuable tool for managing tasks, organizing thoughts, and staying focused. With its built-in note-taking feature and AI-powered assistant, Saner.ai helps users capture, recall, and organize ideas efficiently. The app's task management tools provide a streamlined approach to planning, prioritizing, and tracking tasks, reducing distractions and improving overall productivity. Developed by individuals with ADHD, Saner.ai offers a personalized experience that empowers ADHD minds to thrive.

Watch Full Video Here

More Tools to Try:

• Regard: For Automated Clinical Tasks

• RentalBuddy: For Matching Rentals & Renters With AI

• Tome: For AI-powered Law Firm for Commercial Legal Advice.

• Homie: For Automated Dev. Project Management

• Rafa: For AI Agents Designed For Financial Analysis

• Boosted: For AI Powered Stock Research

• Stori: For Automated Brand Development

📝 Prompt To Try

Sales Funnel and Pipeline Management:

Create a detailed sales funnel and pipeline management strategy for a [Company Type] that focuses on [Key Objective] by analyzing [Specific Metrics]. Provide actionable steps to optimize each stage of the funnel, ensuring alignment with the medium growth targets.

Company Type: [Insert here]

Key Objective: [Insert here]

Specific Metrics: [Insert here]