AI is reshaping industries at a blistering pace—from Meta bringing generative editing to Instagram Stories, to Microsoft giving Copilot a face and voice through its new Mico avatar. OpenAI’s acquisition of a Mac-native AI interface, PayPal’s commerce push in ChatGPT, and Pinterest’s AI-personalized shopping tools all point to the deepening integration of agentic AI across consumer platforms.
In the enterprise space, Bahrain is betting big on AI-powered biotech with SandboxAQ, while Mercor and Aragorn AI are building new talent and HR paradigms around agentic workflows. From billion-dollar chip orders to protein prediction breakthroughs and data protection advances, this week’s news highlights the escalating race to embed AI at every layer of digital and operational infrastructure.
Industry & Enterprise
Meta Expands AI Editing Capabilities Directly into Instagram Stories
Meta has launched AI-powered photo and video editing tools in Instagram Stories, allowing users to modify media with natural language prompts directly in the Restyle menu. The update expands creative flexibility and accessibility without requiring interaction with the Meta AI chatbot. (AI Insider)
Mumtalakat and SandboxAQ Announce Strategic Partnership to Catalyse Bahrain’s Biotech Ecosystem
Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat has partnered with SandboxAQ to launch a biotech initiative using AI and quantum technologies to accelerate drug discovery and develop novel therapeutics. The three-year collaboration aims to position Bahrain as a regional biotech hub and generate over $1 billion in value through innovative IP and biotech assets. (AI Insider)
OpenAI Acquires Software Applications, Inc. to Accelerate Mac-Based AI Experiences
OpenAI has acquired Software Applications, Inc., the maker of Sky, an unreleased AI-powered natural language interface for Mac that enables context-aware assistance across desktop apps. The deal brings in the team behind Apple’s Shortcuts and signals OpenAI’s push toward agentic AI integration in everyday workflows.. (AI Insider)
Pinterest Introduces New AI-Powered Personalization Features to Transform User Boards
Pinterest is rolling out AI-powered features like “Styled for You” and “Boards Made for You” to turn user boards into personalized, shoppable style assistants. Initially launching in the U.S. and Canada, the update combines editorial curation with AI to enhance visual discovery, outfit inspiration, and content organization. (AI Insider)
PayPal to Enable In-Chat Payments in ChatGPT Through OpenAI Commerce Integration
PayPal and OpenAI are partnering to enable in-chat purchases via ChatGPT starting in 2026, using the new Agentic Commerce Protocol and Instant Checkout. Users will be able to pay with PayPal or cards, while merchants’ catalogs will become automatically discoverable in ChatGPT without extra integration. (AI Insider)
Microsoft Introduces Mico, a New AI Avatar Bringing Copilot to Consumers
Microsoft has introduced Mico, a customizable AI avatar for its Copilot assistant that adds voice, visual expressions, and memory to create a more personal user experience. Launching in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., Mico is part of a broader update that includes tutoring features and a “Real Talk” mode for more natural communication. (AI Insider)
Grammarly Rebrands as Superhuman, Launches Unified AI Productivity Platform
Grammarly has rebranded as Superhuman, merging with Coda and Superhuman Mail to form an AI-native productivity suite. The platform features writing, collaboration, and email tools, along with Superhuman Go—an AI assistant that coordinates agents across workflows. Go debuts with connector, writing, and partner agents, an open SDK in beta, and strong privacy protections. (AI Insider)
Leading Foundations Launch “Humanity AI,” a $500M Initiative to Ensure AI Serves People and Communities
A coalition of ten major U.S. foundations has launched Humanity AI, a $500 million, five-year initiative to ensure AI strengthens democracy, labor, education, and cultural expression. Starting fall 2025, the effort will fund projects that prioritize community needs over tech industry dominance, with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors managing pooled funds from 2026. (AI Insider)
Research & Innovation
Researchers Build AI Model to Predict Protein Interactions Using Supercomputer Built for Physics
University of Glasgow researchers have introduced PLM-interact, an AI model that outperforms AlphaFold3 in predicting protein-protein and virus-host interactions. Trained on over 421,000 protein pairs using the DiRAC supercomputer, the model uses language-modeling techniques to decode molecular communication. Funded by EU and UK agencies, it could accelerate drug discovery and help anticipate future pandemics. (AI Insider)
Upcoming Conferences & Events
2025 AAAI Fall Symposium Series
Nov. 6 – 8 , Arlington, VA, the 2025 AAAI Fall Symposium Series will take place , bringing together the AI research community for collaborative discussion across emerging domains. This year’s program includes six focused symposia on topics such as AI for social good, safety-critical systems, trustworthy AI in complex contexts, health AI, robotics, and a first-ever event on quantum information and machine learning. (AAAI)
Startups & Capital
Aragorn AI Raises $4.3M Seed Round to Usher HR into the Intelligence Era
Aragorn AI has raised $4.3M in seed funding led by LiveOak Ventures to scale its unified HR data and AI assistant platform. Designed as a “People Ops Operating System,” the tool consolidates fragmented workflows and delivers real-time insights and agentic AI via Slack or Teams, enabling HR teams to be more proactive and data-driven. (AI Insider)
NVIDIA Plans Up to $1B Investment in AI Coding Startup Poolside
Nvidia is reportedly planning to invest $500 million to $1 billion in AI startup Poolside as part of a $2 billion round that would value the company at $12 billion. This would be Nvidia’s second investment in Poolside, reinforcing its strategy of backing key players in the AI development ecosystem. The move follows other major investments, including a $500 million stake in Wayve and a $5 billion position in Intel. (AI Insider)
Tachyum Signs $220M Funding and $500M Purchase Order
Tachyum has secured $220 million in Series C funding and a $500 million purchase order for its Prodigy chips, accelerating its path toward an IPO by 2027. The company is capitalizing on growing global demand for efficient hyperscale AI infrastructure, with Prodigy’s universal processor architecture aiming to cut data center costs while boosting AI performance. (AI Insider)
Mercor Raises $350M to Scale Expert-Driven AI Training, Reaching $10B Valuation
Mercor has raised $350 million at a $10 billion valuation to expand its expert-driven AI training marketplace, connecting foundational model developers with domain specialists. Backed by Felicis Ventures and others, the company pays over $1.5 million daily to 30,000+ experts and aims to automate matching and scale with rising enterprise AI demand. (AI Insider)
Matters.AI Announces $6.25M Funding to Launch the First AI Security Engineer That Keeps Enterprise Data Security on Autopilot
Matters.AI has raised $6.25 million to develop its autonomous AI-native data security platform that acts as a proactive “AI Security Engineer” for enterprises. The system intelligently monitors and protects sensitive data across cloud, SaaS, and endpoints, aiming to prevent misuse before it happens. The funding will fuel U.S. expansion, predictive defense research, and scaling to meet enterprise demand. (AI Insider)
Sage Care Emerges From Stealth with $20M in Funding for an AI-Powered Care Navigation System
Sage Care launched with $20 million in funding led by Yosemite to modernize healthcare navigation using AI-driven triage, scheduling, and care coordination. Founded by veterans from Carbon Health, Uber, and Apple, the platform has shown 15–20% revenue gains for health systems and aims to reduce provider burnout and improve patient access through intelligent automation. (AI Insider)
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