The artificial intelligence landscape is rapidly evolving, with companies focusing on both growth and practical applications across various sectors. A new poll by ePlus indicates that revenue generation, rather than cost savings, is now the primary driver for AI adoption among IT and industry leaders, though many organizations still grapple with security, infrastructure, and talent shortages. Agentic AI is emerging as a key area for growth, but readiness remains low. In the financial sector, startups like Hebbia are providing AI tools to investment banks, compressing hours of work into minutes by automating tasks like data analysis and slide deck creation for clients such as KKR and T. Rowe Price. Similarly, Epiminds has raised $6.6 million in seed funding for its AI marketing bot, 'Lucy,' which uses autonomous agents to streamline campaign analysis and planning, allowing marketers to focus on strategy. TradeSmith's AI Super Portfolio is also entering the market, aiming to offer individual investors hedge fund-level gains through AI-driven stock projections and portfolio management. Scientific research is also set to benefit from AI, with calls for scientists to view AI as partners that can handle tedious tasks, freeing them for creative problem-solving. However, challenges persist in making these tools accessible and affordable for all research labs. Meanwhile, major tech players are investing in AI talent and research. Google is funding AI research in Paris, a city recognized for its strong AI talent pool, with many researchers choosing to stay in Europe due to a competitive research ecosystem. Security and scalability remain paramount. WitnessAI has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, underscoring its commitment to secure AI platform development. API platforms are also highlighted as critical for operationalizing AI, acting as the 'limbs' for AI's 'brain' to enable real-time actions and reliable scaling, as emphasized by Kong. Patient care and consumer services are also seeing AI integration. Mass General Brigham is using an AI app, 'Care Connect,' to help patients find primary care physicians and reduce wait times. Yelp has launched an AI assistant in its apps to answer user questions about local businesses, drawing information from reviews and business data. In regulatory and ethical spheres, Anthropic is reportedly engaging with the White House to address concerns about its AI development practices.
Key Takeaways
- Most IT and industry leaders now prioritize revenue growth over cost savings for AI adoption, according to an ePlus poll.
- Epiminds, a marketing tech startup, has secured $6.6 million in seed funding for its AI-powered bot, 'Lucy.'
- Hebbia offers AI tools to financial services firms like KKR and T. Rowe Price, significantly reducing time spent on data analysis and report generation.
- TradeSmith's AI Super Portfolio aims to provide individual investors with hedge fund-level returns using AI projections.
- Scientists are encouraged to use AI as partners to automate tedious tasks and focus on complex problem-solving.
- France is fostering AI talent, with Google investing in AI research in Paris, a hub for AI expertise.
- WitnessAI has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, highlighting its focus on AI platform security.
- API platforms are crucial for operationalizing AI, enabling real-time actions and scalability for agentic AI.
- Mass General Brigham uses an AI app, 'Care Connect,' to help patients find primary care physicians and shorten waitlists.
- Yelp has launched an AI assistant in its mobile apps to answer user questions about local businesses.
- Anthropic is reportedly addressing concerns raised by the White House regarding its AI development.
Hebbia AI tool aims to transform investment banking work
Hebbia, a five-year-old startup, offers AI-powered tools to financial services firms, aiming to speed up and deepen their work. The platform, which has clients like KKR and T. Rowe Price, allows users to query large datasets in multiple ways to generate insights. It can also help create entire slide decks and identify potential acquirers, compressing hours of work into minutes. Hebbia's goal is to free up analysts to focus on more critical tasks, rather than spending time on repetitive work.
Epiminds uses AI to streamline marketing, raises $6.6 million
Epiminds is a new marketing technology startup that uses AI to help marketers be more efficient. Their AI-powered bot, named 'Lucy,' uses over 20 autonomous agents to handle tasks like analyzing ad performance and planning campaigns. Marketers can email Lucy for reports or ask her to draft and publish new campaigns. The company, founded by Elias Malm and Mo Elkhidir, aims to empower marketers to focus on strategy and client relationships rather than repetitive tasks. Epiminds has secured $6.6 million in seed funding to expand its services.
AI trading system offers hedge fund-level gains to investors
A new AI trading program called TradeSmith's AI Super Portfolio aims to provide individual investors with the same advantages previously held by elite hedge funds. The system uses AI to project stock prices and suggest a five-stock portfolio, which users rotate as the AI advises. Backtesting shows this strategy could yield significant average annual gains, such as 374% over five years. This technology, inspired by early machine learning experiments from 1951, seeks to level the playing field in investing.
Scientists should use AI as partners, not competitors
AI systems can significantly advance scientific research if made more accessible and intuitive for scientists. Automation and AI partners can handle tedious tasks, allowing researchers to focus on creative thinking and complex problem-solving. While AI has evolved from simple scripts to sophisticated closed-loop systems, challenges remain in making these tools user-friendly and affordable for all labs. Developers need to create platforms that speak the scientist's language and offer modularity to ensure wider adoption and prevent a gap between well-funded and smaller research teams.
AI focus shifts to growth, ePlus poll finds
A new poll by ePlus reveals that most IT and industry leaders now prioritize revenue growth over cost savings as the main reason for adopting AI. However, many organizations are still in the early stages of AI implementation, facing challenges with security, infrastructure readiness, and a shortage of skilled talent. Agentic AI is emerging as a frontier for growth, but awareness and readiness are still low. ePlus aims to help organizations overcome these hurdles and scale their AI initiatives effectively.
France and Europe foster AI talent
France is recognized for having a significant number of expert AI researchers, making Paris-Saclay University a key training ground. Many students and researchers are choosing to stay in Europe for AI careers, citing a competitive research-focused ecosystem despite high salaries in the US. Major tech companies like Google are investing in AI research and funding in Paris. While a talent shortage exists, the growing AI ecosystem and research opportunities are attracting skilled individuals to France and Europe.
WitnessAI achieves security compliance for AI platform
WitnessAI has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, demonstrating its commitment to robust security practices for its AI platform. This certification validates the company's controls for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. The WitnessAI platform is designed to help enterprises adopt AI securely by embedding security controls at every layer. This achievement reinforces their mission to enable businesses to innovate with confidence, knowing their AI systems and data are protected.
API platforms are key for secure and scalable AI
Application programming interfaces (APIs) are becoming crucial for operationalizing artificial intelligence, especially for agentic AI which requires real-time context and action-taking. Reza Shafii from Kong emphasizes that APIs act as the 'limbs' for AI's 'brain' (LLMs), enabling them to retrieve information and perform tasks. A solid API foundation is necessary for reliable AI behavior and scaling. Kong's platform allows teams to combine multiple backend APIs to create new tools quickly, simplifying complexity and closing skill gaps for safer AI development.
Mass General Brigham uses AI to connect patients with doctors
Mass General Brigham is using an AI-powered app called 'Care Connect' to help patients find primary care physicians, addressing two-year waitlists. The app uses AI to triage symptoms, gather background information, and match patients with suitable providers. For patients like Rocco Giuliano, this system provided a quick connection to a doctor for prescription refills. While some doctors express safety concerns about AI in healthcare, the system aims to improve access and continuity of care for patients.
Yelp's AI assistant answers business questions
Yelp has launched an AI assistant within its iOS and Android apps that can answer user questions about local businesses. The assistant draws information from reviews, business-provided details, and websites, highlighting relevant sections and photos. Users can ask about parking, vegan options, or the best times to visit. Yelp's AI also features 'Popular Offerings' to highlight frequently mentioned goods and services. This AI is designed to provide evidence-based answers and improve natural language search capabilities on the platform.
Anthropic addresses White House concerns
Anthropic is working to address concerns raised by the White House regarding its AI development and practices. The company is engaging with officials to clarify its position and mitigate potential backlash. Specific details about the nature of the concerns or Anthropic's response were not provided in the article.
Sources
- I demoed a buzzy AI startup and got a glimpse of what investment bankers' jobs might start to look like
- Read the 7-page pitch deck an AI marketing tech startup used to raise $6.6 million
- What a Game of Checkers in 1951 Can Teach You About AI
- Scientists Must Leverage, Not Compete with, AI Systems
- New ePlus AI Industry Pulse Poll Reveals Strategic Shift: AI Moves from Efficiency to Expansion
- France and Europe: fertile AI training ground?
- WitnessAI Achieves SOC 2 Type II Compliance, Reinforcing Commitment to Security and Trust
- API platform for AI: Foundations, security and scale
- Mass General Brigham is banking on AI to help patients find a doctor
- Yelp’s AI assistant can now answer questions about local businesses
- Anthropic tries to defuse White House backlash
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