This week in review spans major deals, funding rounds, and industry signals shaping the artificial intelligence market as 2025 drew to a close. The headlines include SoftBank’s $40 billion investment in OpenAI, Meta’s agreement to acquire autonomous agent startup Manus, Octopus Energy’s planned spinout of its AI platform Kraken Technologies, and SoftBank’s separate move to acquire DigitalBridge to expand AI infrastructure capacity.
Beyond large transactions, the week also featured AI Insider’s Expert Predictions on Artificial Intelligence, Parts One and Two, alongside the Robotics Funding Year in Review. Startup activity remained active, with funding announcements from Moonshot AI, Hypereal AI, Block Security Arena, and Aidoptation, while the calendar turns toward CES 2026 in Las Vegas as the next major industry gathering.
Industry & Enterprise
SoftBank Completes $40B OpenAI Investment, Securing 10% Stake in Landmark AI Deal
SoftBank Group has finalized a $40 billion investment in OpenAI, acquiring just over a 10% stake at an estimated $260 billion pre-money valuation, marking one of the largest single investments ever made in an AI platform. Enabled in part by SoftBank’s exit from a $5.8 billion Nvidia position, the deal signals a strategic shift toward foundational AI software and infrastructure, strengthening OpenAI’s compute expansion and intensifying competition with Google DeepMind and Anthropic. (AI Insider)
Meta Acquires AI Agent Startup Manus in $2B Deal to Accelerate Agentic AI Strategy
Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Singapore-based AI startup Manus for about $2 billion, valuing the company in line with its planned next funding round following rapid commercial traction, according to reports. Founded by Chinese entrepreneurs under parent company Butterfly Effect, Manus is known for autonomous AI agents and will continue operating independently while its technology is integrated across Meta’s platforms, with the company severing ties to Chinese investors and exiting China post-acquisition. (AI Insider)
Octopus Energy to Spin Out AI Platform Kraken Technologies Following $1B Funding Round
British renewable energy group Octopus Energy is preparing to spin out its AI-powered software arm Kraken Technologies after a $1 billion standalone funding round that values the business at $8.65 billion, positioning it for potential public market access by mid-2026, according to major shareholder Origin Energy. Led by CEO Amir Orad, Kraken provides AI-driven operating systems for utilities such as EDF and E.ON, has more than doubled contracted annual recurring revenue over the past 18 months, and will see Octopus retain a 13.7% stake while Origin holds 22.7% post-spinout.(AI Insider)
SoftBank Group to Acquire DigitalBridge for $4B to Scale Next-Gen AI Infrastructure
SoftBank Group Corp. has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group, Inc. for an enterprise value of about $4 billion, gaining control of large-scale data center, fiber, tower, and edge assets to support its push toward artificial super intelligence. The $16-per-share all-cash deal, a roughly 15% premium, gives SoftBank direct control over critical AI infrastructure capacity, with DigitalBridge continuing to operate as a separate platform under Marc Ganzi following an expected close in the second half of 2026. (AI Insider)
Insights
AI Insider’s Expert Predictions on Artificial Intelligence: Part One
2025 was a pivotal year for artificial intelligence, marked by rapid advances and growing real-world impact across industries. To understand what comes next, we asked people working on the front lines of AI where they see the technology heading in 2026, and the volume of insight was so strong that the outlook is being presented in two parts.. (AI Insider)
AI Insider’s Expert Predictions on Artificial Intelligence: Part Two
Part Two of AI Insider’s expert outlook looks ahead to 2026 after a pivotal year for artificial intelligence, drawing on predictions from people working every day to shape where the technology is headed. The response was so extensive it was split into two parts—if you missed Part One, catch up there. Here is AI Insider’s Expert Predictions on Artificial Intelligence: Part Two. (AI Insider)
AI Insider’s Robotics Funding Year in Review
Record investments flowed into leading humanoid robotics developers, underscoring strong investor confidence in scalable, AI-integrated robots despite growing concerns about a potential bubble. China led enthusiasm with multiple $100 million-plus rounds focused on manufacturing and service robots, while U.S. and European firms emphasized autonomy platforms and hardware-agnostic embodied AI, backing real-world deployments even as some investors warned of overhype. (AI Insider)
Startups & Capital
Moonshot AI Raises $500M Series C, Valuation Reaches $4.3B as Kimi Models Gain Global Traction
Beijing-based Moonshot AI has raised $500 million in a Series C round led by IDG Capital, with participation from Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings, valuing the company at $4.3 billion and boosting its cash reserves to more than 10 billion yuan. Founded by Yang Zhilin, Moonshot AI develops the Kimi family of large language models and plans to use the funding to scale research and global adoption, with no near-term IPO planned. (AI Insider)
Hypereal AI Secures Seed Funding to Power Fast, Cost-Efficient AI Image and Video Generation for Developers
Hypereal AI has closed a seed funding round with undisclosed terms to accelerate development of its high-performance API for AI image and video generation designed for production-scale use. The company is positioning its platform as generative media infrastructure, using the funding to expand model offerings, improve image and video pipeline performance, and grow a developer-first ecosystem focused on predictable latency, cost efficiency, and scalability. (AI Insider)
Block Security Arena Raises Seed Funding at $30M Valuation to Build AI-Native Web3 Security Infrastructure
Block Security Arena (BSA) has closed a seed funding round at a $30 million valuation backed by Hotcoin Labs, Starbase, Onebit Ventures, and Apus Capital to accelerate development of its AI-driven Web3 security ecosystem. BSA is building an integrated platform that combines AI-powered security tools, gamified training, attack simulations, automated audits, and a decentralized white-hat response layer aimed at making Web3 security more adaptive, scalable, and economically sustainable. (AI Insider)
Aidoptation Secures €20M to Scale AI-Driven Autonomous Systems for Commercial and Defense Use
Belgian-American startup Aidoptation has raised an additional €20 million to accelerate development and industrialization of AI-powered autonomous systems, with backing from SFPIM, John Cockerill Defence, Ethias Ventures, and Belfius Bank & Insurance. Founded in 2025 as a spin-off from the Indy Autonomous Challenge, Aidoptation develops high-performance autonomous driving technology for commercial, emergency, and defense-relevant vehicles, and will use the funding to scale AI research, industrial deployment, and international partnerships. (AI Insider)
Upcoming Conferences & Events
Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026)
Jan. 6-9, Las Vegas, Nevada, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) remains a central meeting point for the global technology industry, where major companies, startups, and investors gather to showcase products, form partnerships, and assess emerging trends across the tech sector. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association, Consumer Electronics Show 2026 will take place Jan. 6–9 in Las Vegas, continuing its role as a broad, market-facing snapshot of where consumer and enterprise technologies are heading. (CES)
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