AI21 Raises $300M to Power Reliable AI

PLUS: States chase $100B AI boom, eyeing jobs and growth; Big tech builds future-ready AI, fueling science and messaging.

May 12, 2025

Leader, welcome back. Today’s updates:

  • Stop writing guides - show what to do in seconds with video.* Try now

  • AI21 Labs secures $300M to scale trustworthy enterprise AI.

  • States race to host OpenAI’s $100B Stargate project.

  • AI infrastructure race accelerates despite concerns over hype and cost.

  • Practical tools + must-read resources. Dive in ⬇️

In Partnership

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NEWS UPDATES

$300M Bet on Reliable Enterprise AI

AI21 Labs, an Israeli AI startup, raised $300M in Series D funding from backers including Google and Nvidia, bringing its total to $636M. The company builds large language models for enterprise clients like Capgemini and Wix, focusing on reliability over raw scale. Its new “Maestro” platform coordinates multiple AI systems to reduce errors - a key need as businesses move from AI pilots to real use.

States Compete for AI Gold Rush

OpenAI's $100B Stargate project is drawing bids from over 20 U.S. states to host AI data centers, promising jobs and investment. Backed by Oracle and SoftBank, the initiative has sparked debate over tax breaks and utility strain. Site picks begin this spring. As competition grows, expect closer scrutiny on long-term returns for local economies.

AI Race Risks Overheating

Top tech firms are spending over $320B to build AI infrastructure, but leaders like Meta’s Zuckerberg and Microsoft’s Peter Lee warn it may be moving too fast. While current results may not match the hype, AI is already advancing science and business messaging, and many believe its biggest breakthroughs are still ahead, promising a strong long-term future.

BEST LINKS

Productivity Tools

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Useful Resources

  • What is art in the age of AI? (link)

  • Introducing OpenAI for countries (link)

  • AI agents: from co-pilot to autopilot (link)

  • AI-powered talent: The future is now (link)

  • Winiarsky: The enduring dilemmas of AI (link)

  • SAS innovate 2025: Pursuing pragmatic AI (link)

  • Over 25 new genAI apps arrive on Slack marketplace (link)

  • Development through the lens of artificial intelligence (link)

  • This quiet AI upgrade actually changed the writer’s life (link)

  • Artificial intelligence could revolutionize homebuilding (link)

P.S. You can still get the Prompting Playbook (free for you)

STRATEGIC AI DECISION

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MARKET

💰 Funding

💼 Who’s Hiring in AI

  • Product marketing manager at Meta (US)

  • Senior ML engineer, home podcast at Spotify (Remote)

🐦 LLM Power Packed:

PROMPT TUTORIAL

Creating a Lead Generation Plan

Create a comprehensive lead generation plan that targets [Industry/Niche] by identifying key demographics, leveraging [Marketing Channels], and crafting compelling offers. Outline steps to nurture leads through [Specific Funnel Stages], ensuring maximum conversion. Consider the current trends in [Market Trends] to optimize your strategy.

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Stay curious, leaders!

PS. If you missed yesterday’s issue, you can find it here.

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