Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy announced that the company is shifting its focus towards designing products for "non-human" patrons, indicating a move towards agentic AI development. He emphasized Amazon's goal to be the leader in this field, citing concerns about customers' ability to deploy agents into production securely and scalably.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is exploring the development of new discrete neural processing units (NPUs) to power artificial intelligence (AI) applications, a move that could provide a new source of revenue. AMD's Client CPU Business Head Rahul Tikoo confirmed talks with customers about potential use cases for NPUs, which would be similar to its standalone graphics processing units (GPUs). This development could challenge Nvidia's dominance in the AI GPU market, as AMD aims to appeal to consumers who don't require as much power as Nvidia's AI GPUs. AMD stock has seen a 48.37% year-to-date gain and a 35.44% over-the-year performance, with analysts' consensus rating for Moderate Buy and an average stock price target of $156.47.
Apple is increasing its investment in AI technology under new leadership, with CEO Tim Cook confirming plans to acquire smaller companies and make larger acquisitions to bolster its capabilities. The company has released over 20 AI features, including visual intelligence and writing aids, and plans to launch a real-time translator and an AI-based sports companion by the end of the year. Despite a partnership with OpenAI, Apple's efforts have been rocky, but Cook disagrees with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's statement that AI glasses will be the main way people use new technology, instead predicting iPhones will remain relevant alongside other devices.
Atombeat Accelerates AI-Driven Drug Discovery Efforts
8.1.25
Atombeat's platform accelerates AI-driven drug discovery by leveraging its proprietary Hermite software and RiDYMO platform to explore a vast digital library of over one trillion potential peptide compounds. The platform uses advanced computer modeling, artificial intelligence, and specialized data to rapidly filter and prioritize compounds based on developability traits such as membrane permeability, saving time, cost, and effort in the early stages of drug discovery.
The European Competition Network has seen encouraging results in curbing Big Tech's power through the Digital Markets Act. Guersent notes that acquisitions of staff from AI start-ups, such as Microsoft's $650 million deal to hire Inflection's staff and Google's poaching of Character.AI employees, have been considered mergers due to the transfer of staff being part of a company's assets.
Bloomberg's AI Tools Disrupt Law Firm Business Model
8.1.25
Bloomberg, a leading provider of business and financial information, is expanding its use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in various areas, including law firms. The company's AI-powered tools are being used to analyze cases, identify patterns, and provide insights that can help lawyers make more informed decisions. This shift towards AI adoption could potentially speed up the demise of billable hours, a common practice in the legal industry where lawyers charge clients by the hour for their work. However, some lawyers have raised concerns about the use of AI-generated citations, citing issues with accuracy and attorney misconduct.
China Offers AI Training to Developing Countries Globally
8.1.25
China is promoting its "openness" in governance, which may appeal to developing countries that lack resources to create their own AI models. Indonesia's government has expressed appreciation for China's initiative, with plans to roll out AI curricula across 400,000 schools and train 60,000 teachers on the tech. This approach contrasts with the US, where President Trump's plan emphasizes objective systems free from ideological bias. South Africa's minister of communications, Solly Malatsi, suggests a middle ground, advocating for an integration of both approaches.
CIOs must adopt an HR-like approach to manage agentic AI entities, providing onboarding, training, clear expectations, and continuous evaluation to ensure they operate effectively and responsibly. This includes defining scope of responsibility, controlling access to data and systems, and outlining performance metrics such as speed, accuracy, cost savings, and alignment with business goals. Without structured oversight, agentic AI tools can create confusion, make flawed decisions, or introduce bias and compliance risks, highlighting the need for CIOs to establish clear success criteria and metrics to measure their performance.
Digital Dubai is launching an initiative to leverage AI for a more resilient and people-centric digital future, aligning with its broader goals of enhancing quality of life and promoting human well-being in the city.