ChatGPT's Ghibli-style AI art generation feature leads to record surge in users

OpenAI finalizes $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank at a $300 billion valuation

Qualcomm expands generative AI capabilities with acquisition of VinAI Division

Rice University launches AI Venture Accelerator in collaboration with Google

UX design in 2025 focuses on AI integration, AR/VR experiences, and accessibility

Construct Capital raises $300M to back industrial tech startups in manufacturing and logistics

ChatGPT Usage Hits Record After Rollout of Viral Ghibli-Style Feature
The frenzy to create Ghibli-style AI art using ChatGPT's image-generation tool has led to a record surge in users for OpenAI's flagship product.

The feature, which generates images in the distinctive style of Studio Ghibli animations, has gone viral across social media platforms, attracting both existing users and newcomers to the platform.

This phenomenon demonstrates how specialized creative tools can drive mainstream AI adoption.
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OpenAI Closes $40 Billion Funding Round, Valuing ChatGPT Maker at $300 Billion
OpenAI has raised $40 billion in a new funding round led by SoftBank Group, valuing the ChatGPT maker at $300 billion.

This massive investment will be used to advance AI research and development, particularly in areas requiring substantial computational resources.

The funding solidifies OpenAI's position as one of the most valuable private companies in the world and highlights the extraordinary investor confidence in generative AI's future.

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Qualcomm Expands Generative AI Capabilities With Acquisition of VinAI Division
Qualcomm has announced the acquisition of VinAI, a leading AI research and development division based in Vietnam.

This strategic move enhances Qualcomm's generative AI capabilities and expands its global AI talent pool.

The acquisition is part of Qualcomm's broader strategy to integrate advanced AI capabilities into its mobile and edge computing platforms, strengthening its position in the competitive AI hardware market.

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Rice Launches AI Venture Accelerator to Fuel Industry Innovation
Rice University has announced the launch of the Rice AI Venture Accelerator (RAVA) in collaboration with Google.

The program is designed to drive early-stage artificial intelligence innovation and entrepreneurship, providing resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities for AI startups.

This initiative highlights the growing role of academic institutions in fostering AI ecosystem development and commercialization.

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Sturdy provides an AI-powered platform that analyzes customer interactions across various channels to identify patterns, sentiment, and actionable insights that help businesses improve customer relationships and reduce churn.

The Portland-based startup stands out for its innovative approach to customer success intelligence, using advanced natural language processing to extract meaningful insights from unstructured data.

Unlike traditional customer analytics tools that focus on quantitative metrics, Sturdy's platform can understand context, emotion, and subtle signals in customer communications that often predict future behavior.

The company has already demonstrated impressive results for early clients, with some reporting up to 30% reduction in customer churn.

Just raised $6 million in funding to expand its AI-powered customer interaction analysis platform.

OpenAI raised $40B
Led by: SoftBank Group
What they do: Creator of ChatGPT and other advanced AI systems
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Construct Capital raised $300M for Fund III
Led by: Undisclosed
What they do: Venture capital firm investing in tech-driven industrial startups in manufacturing, logistics, and defense

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Zepz secured €152M financing
Led by: Undisclosed
What they do: Global payments group behind WorldRemit and Sendwave for cross-border remittances

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Sturdy raised $6M
Led by: Undisclosed
What they do: AI-powered platform that analyzes customer interactions to identify patterns and actionable insights

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EA Ventures and Plug and Play launched €20M fund
Led by: Kazakhstan's EA Ventures and Plug and Play
What they do: Fund to support European startups with focus on technology innovation

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The UX industry in 2025 is seeing a significant shift toward AI-driven personalization and adaptive interfaces that respond to user behavior in real-time.

Leading design teams are focusing on creating systems that learn from user interactions to deliver increasingly tailored experiences while maintaining transparency about AI involvement.

Key takeaway: Successful UX designers must now balance AI capabilities with ethical considerations and clear user communication about AI-driven features.

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The latest UI/UX design trends include AR/VR integration, voice user interfaces, 3D elements, and dark mode optimization.

These approaches are reshaping how users interact with digital products across devices and contexts, with particular emphasis on creating immersive, multi-sensory experiences.

Key takeaway: Designers must develop expertise in multimodal interfaces that combine traditional visual design with emerging technologies like spatial computing.

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B2B SaaS platforms are undergoing a UX revolution with the rise of AI-driven personalization, no-code/low-code capabilities, and contextual guidance systems.

These developments are making complex enterprise software more accessible and user-friendly while increasing productivity and adoption rates.

Key takeaway: The line between consumer and enterprise UX is blurring as B2B products adopt more intuitive, personalized approaches previously reserved for consumer applications.

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UK Project-Based Businesses See AI as Key to Meeting 2025 Targets
A new Deltek research report reveals that UK project-based businesses are increasingly turning to AI and automation to drive profitability and meet ambitious 2025 targets.

The study found that 68% of organizations view technology and automation as potential top drivers of profitability, with AI implementation becoming a strategic priority across architecture, engineering, and consulting firms.
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Book Plumbs AI's Potential to Reinvigorate the Humanities
A new book by Cornell University researchers explores how artificial intelligence could help revitalize humanities research and education.

The authors argue that AI tools can assist with text analysis, translation, and pattern recognition in large corpora, enabling new forms of scholarship while preserving the critical human elements of humanities disciplines.

This perspective offers a counterpoint to concerns about AI replacing human creativity and critical thinking.

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AI-Media Partners with AudioShake to Revolutionize Live Sports Audio
AI-Media has announced a partnership with AudioShake to develop innovative AI-powered solutions for live sports audio and voice translation.

The collaboration aims to enhance accessibility and global reach of sports broadcasts by providing real-time translation and audio customization features.

This development highlights the growing role of AI in transforming media consumption experiences and breaking down language barriers in global entertainment.

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Top UX/UI Design Tools for 2025 by Sessions College
A comprehensive guide to the cutting-edge software tools that UX/UI designers are using in 2025 to create smooth, user-centric experiences.

The resource covers prototyping tools, design systems, accessibility checkers, and AI-assisted design platforms.
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Top 10 UI/UX Design Conferences in 2025 by DesignRush
A curated list of the most valuable design conferences happening this year, featuring events like UX360 Research Summit and Pixel Perfect 2025.

Perfect for designers looking to network and stay updated on the latest industry trends.

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Rice AI Venture Accelerator (RAVA) Application Portal
The newly launched Rice AI Venture Accelerator is accepting applications from early-stage AI startups.

The program offers mentorship, funding opportunities, and resources in collaboration with Google.

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