Welcome to AI Insider’s The Week Ahead in AI. See the key developments and events we’re watching Feb. 15-Feb. 21.
Weekend AI News Briefs
OpenClaw Creator Peter Steinberger Joining OpenAI, Altman Says
According to CNBC, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the creator of viral AI agent OpenClaw is joining the company, with the project set to continue as an open-source foundation initiative supported by OpenAI. The move comes as competition intensifies in agentic AI, with OpenClaw gaining traction globally and major labs including OpenAI and Anthropic racing to attract top talent and expand enterprise-focused AI capabilities. (CNBC)
Guest Post — 2026 Global Strategy Briefing on AI And Quantum For Boards
Marvin Cheung, Co-Managing Director at Quantum Oaks at Unbuilt Labs, outlines key AI concepts — from large language models and agentic systems to emerging world models and quantum AI — while examining how export controls and shifting geopolitics are reshaping access to advanced technologies. He urges boards to build strategic relationships with AI and quantum providers and to upskill around creative, strategic and governance capabilities that are less susceptible to automation. (AI Insider)
OpenAI Retires GPT-4o and Older ChatGPT Models in Platform Update
OpenAI is removing access to several legacy ChatGPT models, including GPT-4o, GPT-5, GPT-4.1 and related variants, as part of a broader consolidation toward newer AI systems. The move follows prior safety and legal scrutiny around GPT-4o and reflects OpenAI’s effort to streamline its model lineup as usage shifts to updated offerings. (AI Insider)
‘The Dark Side of AI’: Wall Street Weighs Recent Stock Sell-Off Over Disruption Fears
According to Yahoo Finance, investor concerns about AI disruption triggered a broad market sell-off last week, spreading from software stocks into logistics and wealth management as fears grew that automation could pressure high-fee service models. Major indexes declined amid the volatility, though some strategists said the pullback may be overdone and pointed to continued strength outside tech and longer-term opportunities tied to AI adoption across sectors. (Yahoo Finance)
Airbnb Expands AI Customer Support and Prepares AI-Native Travel Experience
Airbnb is expanding AI across its platform, with CEO Brian Chesky saying a custom-built agent now handles about one-third of customer support requests in North America and is set for broader global rollout. The company is integrating large language models into search, trip planning and host tools as it builds a more AI-native experience, reporting $2.78 billion in fourth-quarter revenue. (AI Insider)
Guest Post: How Market Shaping Supercharges AI GTM Automation for Series A Startups
Guest contributor Mark M.J. Scott, president of Northern Pixels Inc., argues that while AI-powered go-to-market tools have dramatically expanded founders’ reach, most Series A startups still fail to scale because they amplify weak positioning rather than a clear market-shaping strategy. He contends that enterprise growth beyond $10 million to $25 million in revenue requires credible proof points, category definition and buyer-aligned messaging before automation can truly accelerate results. (AI Insider)
xAI Reorganization Triggers Co-Founder Departures as Company Scales AI Development
xAI is undergoing a restructuring that has led to the departure of several engineers and co-founders, leaving half of its original founding team as Elon Musk moves to streamline execution amid rapid growth. The changes come as the company expands development of its Grok systems, hires aggressively and competes with OpenAI, Anthropic and Google under increasing regulatory scrutiny. (AI Insider)
Complyance Raises $20M Series A Led by GV (Google Ventures) to Modernize Enterprise GRC with Agentic AI
Complyance raised $20 million in a Series A round led by GV, with participation from Creandum, HV Capital, Speedinvest and Everywhere Ventures, to scale its AI-native governance, risk and compliance platform. The company plans to expand go-to-market efforts and launch more than 30 new AI agents in 2026 as enterprises increasingly automate vendor assessments, evidence review and risk tracking through AI-driven compliance tools.(AI Insider)
Upcoming Events
MassRobotics: Discover How Physical AI is Transforming Industrial Automation
Feb. 18, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. EST, Virtual. Universal Robots and NVIDIA will host a webinar featuring live demonstrations from SICK and Inbolt focused on applying physical AI to industrial automation. The session will highlight how AI-driven robotics can improve adaptability and deployment speed in production environments while showcasing advances in sensing and adaptive motion. (MassRobotics)
AI DevWorld
Feb. 18-20, San Jose, Calif. AI DevWorld, billed as the world’s largest AI developer conference, is bringing together software engineers and data scientists across tracks including chatbots, machine learning, open-source tools and enterprise AI. The event focuses on emerging developer technologies underpinning applications such as autonomous vehicles, healthcare analytics and advanced neural networks. (AI DevWorld)
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