anthropic unveils new tools as microsoft ships new models

Key Takeaways

• Anthropic launched 10 new AI agents for financial services, automating tasks like pitchbooks and credit memos, and improved Claude's integration with Microsoft 365.
• Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned that software companies not adapting to AI could completely go bust, calling the AI boom a bubble but stressing infrastructure needs.
• OpenAI's report shows frontier firms use 3.5 times more AI per worker than typical organizations, up from 2 times a year ago, and are 16 times more likely to use coding tools like Codex.
• Peter Thiel backed Panthalassa, which raised $140 million to build wave-powered AI data centers at sea, with commercial operations planned for 2027.
• Celestica's stock soared over 300% in the past year due to AI data center demand.
• Coinbase laid off 14% of staff as CEO Brian Armstrong said the company is rebuilding as an intelligence, with similar AI-related layoffs at Meta, Block, and Amazon.
• Oracle's AI Database now offers near-zero downtime with failover under three seconds and post-quantum security at no extra charge.
• Google's Gemma 4 model is now three times faster using Multi-Token Prediction drafters, available under Apache 2.0 license.
• Options traders are betting on Super Micro Computer's comeback, with almost five times more calls than puts traded and shares up nearly 50% since March.
• A CBRE report says the AI infrastructure build-out could rival the railroad expansion of the 1850s in relative scale.

Anthropic launches 10 new AI agents for banks and financial firms

Anthropic released 10 new AI agents designed to help banks and financial services companies automate common tasks. The agents can build pitchbooks, close accounts, draft credit memos, and more. This move is part of Anthropic's plan to grow its business with large companies before a possible initial public offering this year. The company also made its Claude AI work better with Microsoft 365 software and partnered with financial data platforms like Dun & Bradstreet and Moody's.

Anthropic rolls out new Claude financial agents as OpenAI rivalry grows

Anthropic launched a new set of AI agents for banks, investment managers, and insurers, intensifying competition with OpenAI. The agents help employees build presentations, analyze data, create financial models, and complete other tasks. This comes after Anthropic announced a partnership with Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, and Hellman & Friedman to expand Claude across midsize companies. Both Anthropic and OpenAI are planning initial public offerings as soon as this year, with Anthropic valued at $380 billion and OpenAI at $852 billion.

Anthropic targets financial services with new AI agents

Anthropic introduced ten new AI agents for banks and financial services groups to automate tasks like preparing pitchbooks and drafting credit memos. The company also improved Claude to work better with Microsoft 365 software and expanded partnerships with Dun & Bradstreet and Moody's. Anthropic first entered the financial sector last summer with Claude for Financial Services and counts Goldman Sachs, Citadel, Citi, and AIG among its customers. The company aims to bridge the gap between AI development and financial firms' ability to use the technology.

Anthropic CEO warns software companies could go bust without AI

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned that software companies that do not use AI could completely go bust. He made the comments at Anthropic's The Briefing Financial Services event. Amodei said the AI boom is a classic example of a bubble fueled by hype and speculation. He added that the real challenge is not just building AI systems but also building the infrastructure to support them.

Anthropic CEO warns some software companies will completely go bust

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned that some software companies will completely go bust if they do not adapt to changes caused by AI. He made the comments during a recent interview, emphasizing the need for companies to innovate and stay ahead. The warning comes as the tech industry deals with AI's impact on jobs, with some experts predicting AI could displace up to 30% of jobs in the next decade. Amodei said companies need to think about how to ensure everyone has a good job and the opportunity to learn and grow.

OpenAI report shows frontier firms pulling ahead with AI

OpenAI's B2B Signals report reveals that the gap between AI leaders and laggards in business is widening. Frontier firms now use 3.5 times more AI intelligence per worker than typical organizations, up from 2 times a year ago. These leading companies are using advanced tools like agentic workflows and are 16 times more likely to use coding tools like Codex. Cisco, for example, reduced build times by about 20% and saved over 1,500 engineering hours monthly by using Codex.

Peter Thiel backs $140M wave-powered AI data center startup Panthalassa

Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel backed Panthalassa, a startup that raised $140 million to build wave-powered AI data centers at sea. The company's Ocean-3 nodes are autonomous platforms that house AI infrastructure and generate electricity from ocean waves. Each lollipop-shaped node uses the motion of waves to produce power around the clock and transmits data via satellite. Panthalassa plans to deploy pilot nodes in the northern Pacific Ocean and begin commercial operations in 2027.

Celestica stock soars over 300% on AI data center demand

Celestica's stock has soared by more than 300% over the past year, driven by the aggressive build-out of AI data centers. The company has expanded its data center footprint rapidly and focused on high-growth markets. Celestica has also invested heavily in research and development for AI and machine learning. The company's strong balance sheet and focus on high-growth markets position it well for continued growth.

Coinbase lays off 14% of staff as CEO says company is rebuilding as an intelligence

San Francisco-based Coinbase announced it will lay off 14% of its staff as the company changes how it operates. CEO Brian Armstrong said in an email to employees that the company is rebuilding as an intelligence with humans around the edge aligning it. Tech layoffs expert Roger Lee said there has been an uptick in tech layoffs attributed to AI, with similar announcements from Meta, Block, and Amazon. Experts say AI will not take jobs, but people who know how to use AI will take jobs.

Oracle advances AI database strategy with near-zero downtime and post-quantum security

Oracle announced new enhancements to its AI Database that provide near-zero downtime and post-quantum security. The new Platinum-tier availability ensures disaster failover times typically under 30 seconds, while Diamond-tier availability offers failover under three seconds for demanding applications. Oracle also introduced Post-Quantum Cryptography to protect against future quantum computing threats and Deep Data Security to prevent AI agents from accessing other users' data. These features are available at no extra charge for customers upgrading Oracle Database and Exadata.

Report says AI build-out could rival historic rail expansion

A report from CBRE says the build-out of AI infrastructure could eclipse the railroad expansion of the 1850s in relative scale. The report highlights the massive investment and construction needed to support AI data centers. Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, is shown at the Stargate AI data center project in Abilene, Texas. The comparison underscores the enormous scale of the current AI infrastructure build-out.

Google makes Gemma4 3x faster with multi-token prediction drafters

Google released Multi-Token Prediction drafters for its Gemma 4 model, making it 3 times faster. The technology uses speculative decoding, where a lightweight drafter model predicts several tokens ahead and a heavier target model verifies them in parallel. This approach is especially useful for on-device use cases like coding assistants and voice applications. The MTP drafters are available under the Apache 2.0 license on Hugging Face and Kaggle.

Traders bet big on Super Micro Computer comeback

Options traders are betting heavily on a comeback for Super Micro Computer, with almost five times more calls than puts traded. One trader spent $1.4 million on call options expiring in January next year. Super Micro shares are up almost 50% since March, when they crashed 30% after reports about its cofounder and a contractor. The company issued strong guidance for earnings, helping to turn the story around despite revenue coming in below estimates.

Sources

• Anthropic Releases New AI Agents for Financial Services Firms
• Anthropic rolls out new Claude financial agents as OpenAI rivalry escalates
• Anthropic targets financial services with new AI agents
• Anthropic CEO warns software companies can 'go bust' without AI
• Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns some software companies will 'completely go bust'
• OpenAI: AI Advantage Compounds for Frontier Firms
• Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel backs $140M wave-powered AI data center startup — Panthalassa aims to run offshore compute nodes using ocean energy
• This Super Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Has Soared by More Than 300%. Here's Proof That It Is Headed Even Higher.
• SF-based Coinbase announces layoffs over AI, CEO says they're rebuilding as an 'intelligence'
• Oracle Advances AI Database Strategy with Near-Zero Downtime and Post-Quantum Security
• Report: Artificial intelligence build-out could rival historic rail expansion
• Google Makes Gemma4 3x Faster Through Multi-Token Prediction Drafters
• This AI stock was left for dead. Now traders are betting big on a comeback