AI Weekly Brief

This Week in AI: Business is Moving, Fast

1. Microsoft Doubles Down on Asia

Microsoft just launched a new AI lab in Singapore, their first in Southeast Asia. The goal? World-class research in healthcare, logistics, finance, and yes, training the next wave of AI talent.

Translation: Asia’s not just in the race, it’s setting the pace.

2. Reka Raises $110M for Multimodal Mayhem

Startup Reka just scored $110M to build AI that can process text, images, and audio like a pro. Think: one model to rule all formats.

If you’re a founder or SME playing with content, customer support, or automation, keep an eye on this one.

3. U.S. Drops a High-Stakes AI Action Plan

Trump’s new AI policy is all about deregulation, private-sector innovation, and boosting exports. It also calls out AI bias and threatens to cut funding to states with “restrictive” AI laws.

AI is now officially a political football; brace for more headline heat.

4. Amazon Closes Billion-Dollar AI Lab in China

Despite generating nearly $1B in sales, Amazon just shuttered its Shanghai AI lab. Microsoft and IBM have already made similar exits.

The East vs. West AI landscape is shifting, and fast.

5. AI Touches Everything: From Fashion to Fission

• Google x Westinghouse: Using AI to design modular nuclear reactors (big brains, big energy).
  

• OpenAI: Quietly testing in-chat e‑commerce in ChatGPT.
  

• WeTransfer: Backtracks on training AI with user files after creators pushed back hard.

Our Take:

This week’s keyword? Acceleration.

AI isn’t something on the horizon anymore, it’s in policy, power plants, product design, and your inbox.

If you’re not thinking about how to embed it in your workflow, someone else already is.