DeepSeek R-1 ranks high as Anthropic Claude Code grows

Key Takeaways

• The WTO projects AI equipment trade will account for 42% of the increase in goods trade for 2025, potentially boosting global commerce beyond current forecasts.
• The United States and China collectively hold 65% of global AI investment.
• Humans& secured $480 million in funding.
• Eleven Labs launched ElevenLabs Album, a new AI music platform featuring artists like Art Garfunkel.
• DoorDash implemented SafeChat, an AI-powered safety system that reduced low- and medium-severity safety incidents by approximately 50%.
• South Korea passed a comprehensive AI transparency law, mandating risk assessments, data management, and human oversight for high-risk AI systems.
• Chinese AI models, including DeepSeek R-1 and Alibaba's Qwen, are gaining global adoption, with Pinterest and Airbnb using them, and they are popular on Hugging Face.
• Anthropic's Claude Code is seeing rapid user growth for generating computer code for daily tasks, such as creating a laundry sorting program.
• A DuckDuckGo survey indicated that 93% of its users reject AI, raising concerns for AI stocks like Nvidia and Google.
• Google's AI overviews are impacting businesses by reducing website traffic, and Amazon is increasingly utilizing robots.

WTO Chief Sees AI Trade Boosting Global Commerce

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, head of the World Trade Organization, believes AI equipment trade could boost global commerce beyond current 2025 forecasts. AI-related investments make up 42% of the expected increase in goods trade for 2025, which includes computer hardware and software. The WTO had predicted only 0.5% growth, but AI's rapid pace could lead to higher numbers. The United States and China hold 65% of global AI investment, and smaller nations should form alliances. Kristalina Georgieva of the IMF warned that AI will affect 60% of jobs in advanced economies, with entry-level positions most at risk.

WTO Head Says AI Trade May Boost Global Commerce

The World Trade Organization chief, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stated that the growing trade in artificial intelligence equipment could raise global commerce beyond current estimates this year. This is despite ongoing concerns about American tariffs. She noted that AI-related investments are expected to account for 42% of the increase in goods trade for 2025.

Humans& Raises Funds Eleven Labs Creates AI Music

Humans& recently raised $480 million in funding. Eleven Labs launched its new AI music platform, called ElevenLabs Album, which includes work from artists like Art Garfunkel. Separately, Xreal is suing Viture. Higgsfield also introduced a new strategy with its AI Influencer Studio for creating digital characters and Higgsfield Earn, a marketplace connecting creators with brands for paid campaigns.

Stanley Kubrick's AI Vision Explored in Film

Ian Watson discusses Stanley Kubrick's early ideas for the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence, which Steven Spielberg later directed. Watson, who created the character Gigolo Joe in 1990, worked with Kubrick on the story. The film combined Brian Aldiss's Supertoys Last All Summer Long with Pinocchio to tell a futuristic fairy tale about a robot boy wanting to be real. Kubrick, known for 2001: A Space Odyssey and its AI HAL 9000, focused on loving AI creations rather than fearing them. He emphasized that robots in the film should speak simply, reflecting their programmed nature.

E& Enterprise Partners With Emergence for AI Services

E& Enterprise announced a new partnership with the US company Emergence. E& Enterprise will now distribute and implement Emergence's agentic AI products and services. This collaboration aims to offer advanced autonomous AI agents to businesses in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkiye region. The goal is to help organizations improve their efficiency, gain quick insights, strengthen their management, and boost productivity.

DoorDash Uses AI SafeChat to Boost User Safety

DoorDash has launched SafeChat, an AI-powered safety system to improve interactions between Dashers and customers. This system moderates chat messages, images, and voice calls, successfully cutting low- and medium-severity safety incidents by about 50 percent. SafeChat uses a layered AI approach, combining machine learning models with human review for serious issues. It handles millions of interactions daily, quickly processing text, images, and voice communications. The system can block unsafe messages, end calls, or even suspend accounts for repeated violations, creating a safer experience for everyone.

South Korea Passes Strict New AI Transparency Law

South Korea has passed a new comprehensive law to regulate artificial intelligence, moving ahead of Western nations like the US and EU. The law, approved by the National Assembly, requires companies to be transparent about how and when they use AI systems. It aims to address concerns about AI's ethical impacts, including bias, privacy, and job loss, while building public trust. Key parts of the law include requirements for risk assessments, data management, and human oversight for high-risk AI. An AI committee will oversee its implementation, which will happen in phases.

Chinese AI Models Gain Ground Globally

Chinese AI models are gaining significant traction globally, with companies like Pinterest and Airbnb using them. Pinterest is experimenting with China's DeepSeek R-1, and Airbnb uses Alibaba's Qwen for customer service, praising its quality, speed, and low cost. Chinese open-source models, including DeepSeek R-1 and Qwen, offer advantages like free customization and higher accuracy at a much lower price. A Stanford University report suggests Chinese AI models have caught up or even surpassed global counterparts in capability and usage. On platforms like Hugging Face, Chinese models frequently rank among the most downloaded and liked.

DuckDuckGo Users Reject AI Raising Stock Concerns

A recent DuckDuckGo survey revealed that 93% of its users overwhelmingly reject AI, sparking questions about the future of AI stocks like Nvidia and Alphabet. Despite trillions invested in AI, public concerns are growing over job displacement and AI's impact on creative industries, leading to boycotts. Companies like Amazon are increasingly using robots, and Google's AI overviews are affecting businesses by reducing website traffic. While AI seems inevitable, Large Language Models specifically face challenges like poor economics, intense competition, and a fading value proposition. However, companies like Nvidia are diversified beyond just LLMs, powering various technological advancements.

People Use Claude Code AI for Daily Tasks

Anthropic's AI tool, Claude Code, which generates computer code from prompts, is experiencing rapid growth. Users discovered its capabilities during the holidays, leading to increased experimentation. One example is Sam Hindes, an assistant principal and father from Melbourne, Australia. He used Claude Code to create a program that identifies his daughters' clothes for easier laundry sorting. Hindes is also developing another program with Claude Code to help his daughters follow their morning routines like a game.

Sources

• AI trade boom could lift global commerce beyond forecasts in 2026, WTO chief says
• AI trade boom could lift global commerce beyond forecasts in 2026, WTO chief says |
• Humans& Raises $480 Million, Eleven Labs Launches AI Music, Xreal Sues Viture
• What Stanley Kubrick Got Right About Artificial Intelligence
• E& Enterprise becomes distributor for Emergence agentic AI products
• DoorDash Applies AI to Safety Across Chat and Calls, Cutting Incidents by 50%
• South Korea Issues Strict New AI Rules, Outpacing the West
• Is China quietly winning the AI race?
• ‘Yes or No AI’: 93% of DuckDuckGo Users Overwhelmingly Reject AI, So What Does This Mean for the Future of Nvidia, Alphabet, and Other AI Stocks?
• Five Ways People Are Using Claude Code