AI news and funding updates from the last 24 hours(22nd April 2025):
✅ OpenAI
- Native Shopping in ChatGPT: Evidence in production assets shows OpenAI is adding a built‑in shopping experience powered by Shopify, letting users browse and purchase without leaving the chatbot interface. This follows its move away from third‑party plugins and mirrors integrations by rivals like Microsoft and Perplexity.
- Europe Search Growth: OpenAI reports ChatGPT’s web‑powered search feature grew from ~11.2 M to 41.3 M monthly users in six months—nearing the 45 M‑user threshold that would trigger “very large online platform” status under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
✅ Figma
- AI‑Assisted Design: Figma is building features to generate apps from text prompts and uploaded files using Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet model.
- Figma Sites: A drag‑and‑drop tool for creating responsive websites, further embedding AI into Figma’s design workflow to stay competitive amid rising AI coding tools.
✅ ByteDance
- Trae IDE Update: The AI‑powered Trae is introducing “@Agent,” customizable AI specialists with rule‑based coding preferences, plus Model Context Protocol support and deeper chat integration with its native “Builder” agent. Currently free on macOS/Windows, with Linux support on the roadmap.
✅ Perplexity
- DOJ Antitrust Testimony: The AI search start‑up has been asked to testify in the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust suit against Google. Perplexity opposes splitting up Google or forcing sales of Chrome, advocating instead for open user choice in search defaults.
✅ Google DeepMind
- Healthcare Revolution: CEO Demis Hassabis predicts AI will accelerate drug discovery to a degree that diseases could be eliminated within a decade, while cautioning on risks from misuse and urging strong human oversight and ethical frameworks.
✅ Boeing
- Leadership in India: Stacie Sire—after 27 years at Boeing—becomes VP & Managing Director of Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center in Bengaluru and chief engineer for Boeing India, succeeding Ahmed Elsherbini and steering technical strategy locally.
✅ ideaForge Technology
- Wildlife Rescue with Drones: Mumbai‑based ideaForge deployed thermal‑imaging drones over two days, in coordination with the Telangana Forest Department and ICRISAT security, to safely locate, capture, and relocate a leopard on the ICRISAT campus—prompting plans for permanent drone surveillance there.
✅ Huawei
- Ascend 910C AI Chip: Huawei plans mass shipments of its dual‑processor Ascend 910C to Chinese customers in May, providing a domestic alternative to NVIDIA chips restricted by U.S. export controls and supporting China’s AI ambitions despite supply challenges.
✅ Bharti Airtel
- 5G Spectrum Acquisition: Bharti Airtel and subsidiary Bharti Hexacom will acquire 400 MHz in the 26 GHz band from Adani Data Networks across six circles (including Gujarat and Mumbai), pending regulatory clearance, to expand urban 5G capacity.
✅ Rivian
- Board Appointment: Aidan Gomez—CEO of AI firm Cohere—joins the board of electric‑vehicle maker Rivian. His AI expertise is expected to bolster Rivian’s in‑house AI assistant development and its software partnership with Volkswagen.
✅ Manychat
- $140 M Series B: Messaging‑automation platform Manychat raised $140 M to fuel deeper AI integration and global expansion. Serving 1.5 M businesses, it automates Instagram, WhatsApp, and other messaging‑app conversations for engagement and conversion.
✅ Chatbot Arena
- Evaluation Ethics Under Scrutiny: The crowdsourced model‑comparison platform faces criticism for unclear metrics, potential marketing misuse, and reliance on unpaid volunteer work. Experts call for more rigorous, professional benchmarks and ethical safeguards alongside community feedback.
