November 6, 2024

Embodied

Hi there, 

OpenAI's latest moves signal more big bets on robotics AI:

• On Monday, it backed robot “brain” startup Physical Intelligence’s $400M Series A at a $2.4B valuation. The OpenAI Startup Fund also backed its seed round in March. 
• This week, OpenAI also hired the former head of Meta’s AR glasses initiative Orion, Caitlin Kalinowski. She will lead robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI (with an initial focus on robotics). 

Bigger picture

While most of OpenAI’s investments go to enterprise software players, some of the biggest investments have been in physical-world applications for AI.

This includes humanoid robotics developers like Figure ($675M Series B in February) and 1X ($23.5M Series A extension in March 2023).

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Both have partnered with OpenAI to integrate AI into their robots to enable reasoning, learning, and even language.

Behind the data

Integrating AI systems with robots requires lots of $$$ and time. 

Instead of building robotics hardware directly (at least so far), OpenAI is developing a web of partnerships via its investments and internal robotics research. 

Earlier this year, the company restarted its robotics division to “unlock new capabilities for our partners’ robots” per job listings. 

CB Insights customers can get our analysis on what OpenAI’s acquisitions and investments mean and what it could target next here.

From sea to shining sea

The US continues to lead in AI, drawing 68% of global AI funding and 45% deals in Q3’24.

And within the US, Silicon Valley still dominates AI funding and deals.

But other metros are gaining ground. 

In Q3, Los Angeles and New York saw their AI deal counts rise QoQ — meanwhile, Silicon Valley watched its count drop for the second sequential quarter.

Dive deeper into AI trends within the US and beyond in our State of AI Q3’24 Report.

Tomorrow, tomorrow

What will the hospitals of the future look like? 

Mayo Clinic’s AI bets signal where they're headed.

The health system is concentrating its AI deals on monitoring and diagnostics companies.

By enabling faster and more accurate data collection and analysis, their tools could drive earlier disease detection, more precise and less invasive diagnosis, and faster intervention.

Explore how AI is shaping the next generation of healthcare in The Future According to Mayo Clinic.

Chatty execs

Retail media networks allow brands to run targeted ad campaigns across a retailer’s online and offline channels.

And the $140B global retail media market is eyeing AI for growth.

Discussions of RMNs and AI are picking up momentum among execs from retailers, agencies, and digital media companies.

Beyond retailers, the likes of Uber and PayPal are also launching ad networks to capitalize on their customer data.

And players from Visa to Walmart are deploying AI to optimize media spending, generate content, and personalize digital experiences.

Dive into the opportunities this presents for advertisers, retailers, and others in this research brief.

Industry Standard

Vogue Business. Jessica Binns (@peripateticchef) explores how AI startups tackle fashion's inventory issues, drawing on insights from Laura Kennedy, principal analyst at CB Insights.

VentureBeat. Louis Columbus (@LouisColumbus) reports on the Q3’24 AI deal boom using CB Insights research.

San Mateo Daily Journal. Alyse DiNapoli (@ap_dinapoli) reports on venture trends in the Bay Area using CB Insights data. 

I love you.

Anand

@asanwal 

Co-Founder & Exec Chair

P.S. Last week, we held a roundtable on 9 technologies that will change the world in the next decade. You can download a recording of the session here.

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