AI Journal 184th Edition

Your weekly edge in the world of artificial intelligence.

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AI Journal
October 31, 2025

Today’s Highlights

AI Founder Says PhDs Are Obsolete in Fast-Tech Era

Jad Tarifi, founder of Google’s first generative AI team, warns that PhDs risk obsolescence in fast-evolving AI. He says only those obsessed should pursue doctorates, as AI problems may be solved before completion. Instead, he urges real-world adaptability, niche focus, and emotional intelligence development outside academia

OpenAI Unveils Customisable AI Safety Models

OpenAI has introduced “gpt-oss-safeguard,” open-weight AI models letting developers create and control custom safety policies. Available under Apache 2.0, they enable transparent, adaptable content classification with full reasoning visibility, giving developers flexibility to define safety rules without retraining

Zuckerberg: Meta’s AI Investments Will Pay Off Big Over Time

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the company’s massive AI spending, including a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, saying overinvesting is safer than underinvesting. Meta raised its 2025 capex forecast to $70–72 billion to expand computing power for its new Superintelligence Labs, expecting long-term profitability as AI boosts ads and app recommendations.

Microsoft TechSpark Partners to Accelerate Scientific Discovery

Microsoft's TechSpark program partners with TitletownTech and New Jersey AI Hub to launch Microsoft Discovery, an advanced AI platform. This collaboration combines startup agility, university expertise, and AI tech to accelerate breakthroughs in science, manufacturing, and energy, fostering inclusive innovation and community impact.

Ex-Googlers Launch Agentic Lakehouse Optimization for Databricks

Espresso AI, founded by ex-Googlers from Google DeepMind, offers an AI-driven platform that transforms Databricks into an agentic lakehouse, cutting costs by 50% via autoscaling, smart query routing, and SQL optimization. It boosts efficiency without manual effort, helping Databricks compete with Snowflake adoption

AI FUNDING

  • Fireworks AI has raised $250 million in a Series C round led by Lightspeed, Index Ventures, and Evantic, valuing the startup at $4 billion. The funding comes as the AI industry shifts focus from model training to large-scale inference operations. Link

  • Enterprise Voice AI startup Smallest.ai raised $8 million in seed funding led by Sierra Ventures, with participation from 3one4 Capital and Better Capital. The company will expand globally and enhance its lightning-fast AI voice automation stack for enterprise adoption across regulated industries. Link

  • Paygentic raised $2 million in pre-seed funding led by MiddleGame Ventures to expand its team and build flexible billing infrastructure, helping AI-native businesses monetise dynamic, usage-based models beyond traditional SaaS pricing constraints. Link

INTERESTING POSTS

NEO, a $20K humanoid robot by 1X Technologies, is a 66-pound home assistant with human-level dexterity, capable of lifting 154 pounds and carrying 55. It features AI-powered conversation, chore automation, memory, and contextual awareness, available for pre-order with deliveries starting in 2026.

Albania’s AI minister Diella will “give birth” to 83 AI assistants linking governance and technology, aiming to eliminate corruption, enhance transparency, and modernize public administration with data-driven, ethical decision-making.

Nvidia became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market valuation, powered by an AI boom and $500 billion in AI chip orders. This milestone highlights Nvidia’s dominance in AI hardware and its rapid growth from $1 trillion to $5 trillion valuation in just over two years.

Vinod Khosla proposed that the U.S. government take a 10% stake in all public companies to redistribute AI-generated wealth, advocating bold reforms to ensure equity amid accelerating automation and widespread job displacement.

AI JOURNAL

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AI IN EDUCATION

An Oxford University Press study found 80% of UK students use AI for schoolwork, yet 62% fear it harms learning and creativity, prompting calls for more teacher guidance on responsible AI use

Purdue's online Master's in Artificial Intelligence offers two majors: AI & Machine Learning and AI Management & Policy. It is flexible, rigorous, and emphasizes ethics, governance, and real-world AI application for career growth.

Over 60% of Indian higher education institutions allow students to use AI tools, impacting curriculum design, assessment models, and classroom engagement strategies, according to recent reports.

That’s a wrap for this week’s AI insights! Stay curious, stay informed, and don’t forget next Friday brings more breakthroughs your way

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