anthropic unveils new tools as nvidia ships new models

AI company Anthropic has seen its valuation soar to $380 billion after securing $30 billion in new funding. This significant investment round was led by Singapore's GIC and Coatue, with notable contributions from Nvidia and Microsoft. Anthropic, known for its chatbot Claude, plans to utilize these funds to develop more advanced AI products, models, and expand its infrastructure. The company anticipates reaching $14 billion in sales next year, indicating strong demand for its enterprise AI solutions. Claude is widely adopted in fields like coding, finance, and cybersecurity, directly competing with OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Beyond Anthropic, investor interest in AI remains robust across various sectors. Defense startup Shield AI is reportedly seeking $1 billion in funding, which could value the company at up to $12 billion, highlighting strong demand for AI-powered autonomous vehicles and drones like its X-BAT fighter jet and V-BAT surveillance drone used by the US military. This surge in AI development also fuels the hardware sector; Applied Materials, a major chipmaking equipment company, expects higher second-quarter sales and profit, forecasting around $7.65 billion in sales, driven by the immense demand for AI processors.

Celestica is also committing $1 billion by 2026 to expand its capacity, responding to the growing need for AI infrastructure, particularly in AI data center networking, which saw its communications revenue jump 79% in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, companies are integrating AI into their operations in diverse ways. Lionsgate Studios appointed Kathleen Grace as its first Chief AI Officer to leverage AI in film production, marketing, and content rights management, aiming to control costs despite a recent net loss of US$46.2 million.

In the financial sector, Inference Research, a new firm specializing in AI-driven quantitative trading, secured $20 million in seed funding from Avenir Group. Founder Luke Li intends to use next-generation AI to develop trading strategies across various markets, including crypto, stocks, and futures. Despite these positive developments, AI fears have caused volatility in certain markets, leading to struggles for trucking and real estate stocks, partly due to new AI tools. However, some experts, like Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, believe the negative outlook on software stocks due to AI is largely overstated.

Key Takeaways

  • Anthropic's valuation reached $380 billion after raising $30 billion in new funding from investors including Singapore's GIC, Coatue, Nvidia, and Microsoft.
  • Anthropic's chatbot Claude competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, with the company expecting $14 billion in sales next year and strong enterprise adoption in coding, finance, and cybersecurity.
  • Applied Materials forecasts Q2 sales of approximately $7.65 billion, driven by high demand for AI processors and investments in AI computing.
  • Celestica plans a $1 billion investment in 2026 to expand capacity, fueled by explosive growth in its Connectivity & Cloud Solutions segment from AI data center networking.
  • Defense startup Shield AI is seeking $1 billion in funding, potentially valuing it at $12 billion, for its AI-powered autonomous vehicles and drones like the X-BAT fighter jet and US military's V-BAT.
  • Lionsgate Studios appointed Kathleen Grace as its first Chief AI Officer to integrate AI into film production, marketing, and content rights management, aiming to control costs.
  • Inference Research secured $20 million in seed funding from Avenir Group to develop AI-driven quantitative trading strategies across crypto, stocks, and futures markets.
  • Fears surrounding AI's impact led to struggles for trucking and commercial real estate stocks, though some analysts believe the negative outlook on software stocks is exaggerated.
  • Anthropic established a $20 million group dedicated to shaping AI regulations in the United States.
  • Applied Materials expects DRAM and 3D chiplet stacking to be its fastest-growing areas in 2026 due to AI demand.

Anthropic's value soars to $380 billion

AI company Anthropic is now valued at $380 billion after raising $30 billion in new funding. Singapore's GIC and Coatue led the investment round, which also included money from Nvidia and Microsoft. Anthropic, which makes the chatbot Claude, plans to use the funds to create more advanced AI products and models. The company expects to reach $14 billion in sales next year and is competing closely with OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. Anthropic also started a $20 million group to help shape AI rules in the United States.

Anthropic's value reaches $380 billion

AI company Anthropic's value has grown to $380 billion, driven by strong demand for its enterprise AI products. The company raised new funding, led by Singapore's GIC and Coatue, with contributions from Nvidia and Microsoft. Anthropic will use these funds for research, product development, and expanding its infrastructure. Its run-rate revenue has reached $14 billion, and many more customers are now spending over $100,000 or $1 million annually on its Claude AI. Claude is used in various fields like coding, finance, and cybersecurity.

Applied Materials predicts strong sales from AI chips

Applied Materials, a major U.S. chipmaking equipment company, expects its second-quarter sales and profit to be higher than predicted. This positive outlook comes from the huge demand for AI processors, which boosts sales of its equipment. The company's shares rose significantly after the announcement. CEO Gary Dickerson stated that investments in AI computing are driving this growth. Applied Materials forecasts about $7.65 billion in sales and $2.64 adjusted profit per share for the second quarter. They also expect DRAM and 3D chiplet stacking to be their fastest growing areas in 2026.

AI fears impact trucking and real estate stocks

On Friday, fears about artificial intelligence caused trucking and real estate stocks to struggle. A new tool from the AI company Algorhythm Holdings contributed to these concerns, leading to a sell-off in logistics stocks like RXO Inc. Commercial real estate companies also saw their stocks drop for a second day. While software stocks were mixed, they too have been affected by AI worries. Experts from UBS suggest diversifying investments across different sectors to benefit from AI's potential. However, Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities believes the negative outlook on software stocks due to AI is greatly exaggerated.

Lionsgate appoints Kathleen Grace as first AI Chief

Lionsgate Studios named Kathleen Grace as its first Chief AI Officer. She will focus on using artificial intelligence in film production, marketing, and managing content rights. This move comes as Lionsgate reported significant financial losses, with a net loss of US$46.2 million in the third quarter. Grace will report to CEO Jon Feltheimer and her background suggests a strong focus on protecting intellectual property and managing AI-related contracts. The company hopes AI will help control costs and earn more from its content library, despite facing financial challenges.

Inference Research raises $20 million for AI trading

Inference Research, a new company focused on AI-driven quantitative trading, secured $20 million in seed funding. Avenir Group, an investment firm from Singapore, led this funding round. Founder Luke Li, who previously co-founded Amber Group, aims to use next-generation AI to create and test trading strategies across various markets like crypto, stocks, and futures. The company plans to use the new funds to improve its technology, expand research, and hire more experts in quantitative research, engineering, and AI. They believe AI-native systems can adapt faster and find opportunities traditional strategies miss.

Shield AI seeks $1 billion funding at $12 billion value

Defense startup Shield AI is discussing plans to raise $1 billion, which would value the company at up to $12 billion. This shows strong investor interest in both defense technology and artificial intelligence. Shield AI creates AI-powered software for autonomous vehicles and hardware like drones. The company unveiled its X-BAT autonomous fighter jet in October, which can take off and land vertically. The US military also uses Shield AI's V-BAT drone for surveillance and reconnaissance, also featuring vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.

Celestica invests $1 billion for AI growth

Celestica plans to invest $1 billion in 2026 to expand its capacity, showing strong confidence in the growing AI market. The company sees increasing demand for its services due to major companies spending more on AI infrastructure. Celestica's Connectivity & Cloud Solutions segment is experiencing explosive growth, especially from AI data center networking. Its revenue from communications jumped 79% in the fourth quarter, driven by high-speed networking equipment for AI. Management expects this strong growth to continue through 2026 and into 2027, funding the expansion with its own cash flow.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

Anthropic AI Funding Claude Chatbots AI Products AI Models Enterprise AI Nvidia Microsoft OpenAI Applied Materials AI Chips Chipmaking Equipment AI Computing AI Market Stock Market Impact Lionsgate Chief AI Officer AI in Film Production Intellectual Property Inference Research AI Trading Quantitative Trading Shield AI Defense AI Autonomous Vehicles Drones Celestica AI Infrastructure Data Centers High-Speed Networking AI Regulation Valuation Revenue Growth Capacity Expansion GIC Coatue Avenir Group Algorhythm Holdings Logistics Real Estate

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