xAI, the AI lab founded by Elon Musk, revealed details of its product roadmap and organizational changes during a public all-hands meeting, while OpenAI disbanded its mission alignment team, and Uber Eats launched an AI-powered grocery shopping assistant. These developments highlight the rapid evolution and shifting landscape of the artificial intelligence industry, as reported by multiple sources.
xAI's all-hands meeting, a rare move for the company, was published on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, according to TechCrunch. The 45-minute video provided insights into Musk's plans for the AI lab, including its product roadmap and its ongoing ties to the X platform. The meeting also addressed employee departures, which Musk described as layoffs resulting from a changing organizational structure. The company was formed just 30 months ago.
Meanwhile, OpenAI, another major player in the AI field, disbanded its mission alignment team, as reported by TechCrunch. The team, formed in September 2024, was responsible for communicating the company's mission to the public and its employees. The team's former leader has been appointed as the company's chief futurist. An OpenAI spokesperson stated that the team served as a support function to help employees and the public understand their mission and the impact of AI.
In other AI-related news, Uber Eats introduced a new AI feature called Cart Assistant, designed to streamline the grocery shopping process. The beta version of the feature is now available in the app, according to TechCrunch. Users can use the chatbot by searching for a grocery store in the Uber Eats app and tapping the Cart Assistant icon on the stores page. Customers can enter a list or upload an image of one, and Cart Assistant will automatically add the necessary items to their basket.
The AI landscape is also seeing significant investment. Modal Labs, an AI inference infrastructure startup, is in talks to raise a new round at a valuation of approximately $2.5 billion, according to TechCrunch. If the deal closes at these terms, the funding round would more than double the company's valuation from its previous $1.1 billion valuation announced less than five months ago. General Catalyst is reportedly in talks to lead the round.
Furthermore, the ownership of the AI layer within companies is becoming a key consideration. Glean, an AI work assistant, aims to connect to internal systems, manage permissions, and deliver intelligence wherever employees work, as reported by TechCrunch. Glean's CEO, Arvind Jain, explained how enterprises are thinking about AI architecture. The startup raised $150 million last year at a $7.2 billion valuation.
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