Your weekly briefing on all things AI

When it comes to AI, businesses and investors should focus on how AI can improve core services and drive competitive advantage through thoughtful integration rather than rushing to deploy flashy, less refined technologies. While Apple was perceived as lagging in the AI race compared to more vocal competitors like Google, it was quietly building a robust AI ecosystem behind the scenes. Through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, Apple has been able to deliver some of the most frictionless consumer applications of AI today.

In an increasingly critical environment, frictionless experiences for consumers = sustained market leadership. The risk of rushing at the expense of customer experience… well do you remember Bard?

Let’s dive in:

> iPhone16 Pro Releases Siri Updates With AI Capabilities

> You.com Raises $50M From Nvidia & Salesforce Amongst Others

> FraudGCN: AI Outperforms Traditional Fraud Detection

> AI Agent for Managing Notifications & To-do Lists

> Transform Your CRM with These Smart Prompts

Apple Updates: Siri is Getting Serious

Apple’s latest release introduces Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered features designed to enhance productivity, creativity, and personalization across its devices. Built into the iPhone 16 lineup, macOS Sequoia, and iPadOS 18, this new system integrates visual recognition, smarter Siri interactions, and privacy-first AI solutions.

For creatives, the iPhone 16 Pro brings powerful tools like Visual Intelligence and Pro Creativity, enabling seamless photo and video editing at a professional level. In everyday use, Siri now handles more complex, multi-app tasks with better contextual awareness, simplifying tasks like scheduling and content management. (Link)

More Stories

• YouTube is working on AI detection tools for music and faces, as well as creator controls for AI training. (Link)

• Elon Musk’s xAI introduces Colossus, the world’s most powerful AI cluster. (Link)

• OpenAI plans to develop its own AI chips. (Link)

• The UK’s first 'teacherless' AI classroom is set to open in London. (Link)

• Neko Health, a body-scanning AI health startup led by Spotify’s Daniel Ek, opens a new location in London. (Link)

• Amazon unveils a new Alexa version powered by Anthropic’s Claude AI models. (Link)

• The Cosmos Institute, founded by Anthropic's Jack Clark, launches new grant programs and an AI lab. (Link)

• Mintlify is building an advanced platform for creating software documentation. (Link)

• Medical startup Paige introduces Alba AI, an all-in-one assistant for pathology research. (Link)

• 'Emotion AI' is a growing frontier in business software according to Pitchbook Q2 report.. (Link)

|| Healthcare

AlphaProteo Advances Protein Design for Drug Discovery and Research

AlphaProteo, a cutting-edge AI system, is transforming protein design by creating highly effective protein binders with exceptional precision. This technology promises to significantly enhance drug development and disease research. By leveraging extensive protein data, AlphaProteo achieves superior binding affinities and success rates compared to current methods. It has successfully designed binders for complex targets such as VEGF-A and viral proteins. Independent validation confirms its accuracy and practical value. Despite some challenges, like designing binders for particularly difficult targets, AlphaProteo is developed with stringent biosecurity measures and is being explored further in collaboration with the scientific community. (Link)

|| Real Estate

Revive Unveils AI-Powered Platform for Enhanced Property Valuation

Revive has launched its innovative Revive Vision AI platform, offering free access to advanced property valuation tools for both homeowners and real estate agents. This cutting-edge platform features the After Renovation Value (ARV) tool, which estimates a home's potential worth after strategic improvements, helping sellers make informed renovation decisions. Utilizing computer vision and machine learning, Revive Vision AI provides accurate, real-time insights into both current and future property values, as well as neighborhood conditions. Available on any device, the platform generates detailed property reports to guide sellers in maximizing their home’s market value and avoiding financial loss. (Link)

|| Finance

New AI-Powered System FraudGCN Aims to Enhance Financial Fraud Detection

Researchers have introduced FraudGCN, an AI-powered system designed to detect accounting fraud by analyzing financial data and corporate networks. By employing graph theory and machine learning, FraudGCN identifies suspicious patterns and relationships between firms, auditors, and industry peers. Tested on data from Chinese-listed companies, the system outperformed traditional methods, with improvements ranging from 3.15% to 3.86%. As financial institutions face growing threats from evolving fraud tactics, this innovation highlights AI's expanding role in both preventing and potentially facilitating fraud, underscoring the need for more advanced detection methods. (Link)

• Sakana AI Secures $100M to Compete with Leading AI Labs. (Link)

• You.com Raises $50M, Predicts More AI Agents Than People by 2025. (Link)

• SparkLabs Launches $50M Fund to Support AI Startups. (Link)

• Sedric Raises $18.5M to Improve Fintech Compliance. (Link)

• Re-Leased Gets $12.5M to Enhance AI in Real Estate. (Link)

• All Hands AI Acquires $5M to Build Open Source AI Agents. (Link)

• Anytime AI Secures $4M for an AI Legal Assistant for Plaintiff Lawyers. (Link)

Sixty: The Smart Way to Stay Organized and Connected

Sixty is your invisible assistant, working behind the scenes to streamline your day. It intelligently manages your messages, alerts, and invites, notifying you only when something truly needs your attention. With personalized briefings and easy-to-read agendas, you’re always prepared for meetings and can focus on your priorities. Sixty’s advanced email filtering makes sure you only see relevant messages, while quietly sorting the rest for later. Its outreach feature keeps your relationships strong by reminding you of important dates, ensuring you never miss a birthday or opportunity to reconnect.  By managing these details seamlessly, Sixty lets you stay present and productive throughout your day.

More tools to try:

• Mockup AI: create aesthetic wireframes fast with 100+ templates and no design experience.

• Infinity AI: easily turn headshots into talking avatars.

• Storydoc: create interactive slide decks that captivate, engage, and win customers.

• Humata: quickly summarizes, compares, and searches through long technical papers for you.

• izTalk: real-time voice translation with a personalized AI voice clone.

• Spotter Studio: helps YouTube creators efficiently brainstorm, research, and plan high-performing videos.

• Plotzy: easily find and evaluate properties with zoning filters, tax info, and owner contacts.

• KeyMentions: converts Reddit traffic into customers by tracking brand mentions and sending real-time alerts. 

• Parakeet AI: boost your interview performance with real-time AI assistance.

• Postiz: all-in-one tool for social media scheduling, audience building and business growth.

• Basejump: lets you chat directly with your database for instant insights.

Optimizing Your CRM for Maximum Efficiency

A CRM system is only as effective as the strategy behind its use. To truly benefit from your CRM, focus on optimizing it to enhance customer relationships and drive business success. Follow this structured approach to get the most out of your CRM system:

1. Assess and Organize Customer Data:

   • Prompt: "How can I audit and organize our customer data to ensure it is accurate and useful? What are the best practices for maintaining this data?"

2. Design Custom Dashboards:

   • Prompt: "How can I create dashboards that provide the most relevant insights for my team? What key metrics and reports should be included for sales, marketing, and customer service?"

3. Enhance Customer Communication:

   • Prompt: "How can I use our CRM to personalize and automate customer interactions? What workflows and templates should we set up for different customer segments?"

4. Track and Analyze Sales Performance:

   • Prompt: "How can I use CRM tools to track sales performance and identify areas for improvement? What reports and KPIs should I monitor?"

5. Integrate CRM with Other Tools:

   • Prompt: "How can I integrate our CRM with other business tools like email marketing platforms and customer support systems? What steps should I take to ensure smooth data flow?"

Why This Works:

These prompts help transform your CRM from a basic database into a powerful tool for managing customer relationships and driving growth. By focusing on data organization, dashboard design, communication, performance tracking, and tool integration, you ensure your CRM is efficient and effective in meeting your business needs.