AI’s Biggest Power Plays This Week

Author

Michael Kleinman
August 11, 2025

🚨 This Week in AI — Don’t Miss Out
The AI landscape is moving faster than ever, and every week you fall behind is a week your competition pulls ahead. In this edition of AI Top Tools, we’ve handpicked the most groundbreaking innovations, hottest market moves, and must-know tools shaping the future right now. Whether you’re building, investing, or just hungry to stay ahead, what’s inside could be the edge you’ve been waiting for.

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Overview — Quick, High-Impact Takeaways

  • GPT‑5 has arrived: OpenAI's new model claims PhD-level reasoning in ChatGPT and powers Microsoft Copilot.
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  • Fundraising spree: Periodic Labs raised $200M at a $1B valuation; Chai Discovery snagged $70M for AI-driven drug discovery; Rillet secured $70M to automate accounting.
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  • Meta bets $29B on AI infrastructure expansion—huge leverage of private credit and equity.
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  • India invests with purpose: GigaML raised $40M at a $350M valuation, Atomicwork got $25M, and Graas AI secured $9M for e-commerce AI.
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  • Macro momentum: VC dynamics shift—startups from applications to enterprise grow with leaner seed rounds thanks to AI cost efficiencies.
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Today’s Highlights — Trending in AI

  • GPT‑5 officially launches, with “Thinking” and “Pro” variants for advanced reasoning, now available to developers and integrated into Copilot. Early feedback praises leaps in coding, analysis, and multi-step tasks.
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  • GitHub CEO endorses AI usage tracking as a metric for productivity—not volume—but fosters proactive AI adoption. Meanwhile, he announced he’ll step down by year’s end.
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Deep Dive — Critical Stories You Should Bookmark

1. Periodic Labs: AI Meets Materials Science

Backed by a16z, ex‑OpenAI leaders raised $200M at a $1B valuation for Periodic Labs—murky startup moonshoting AI‑driven discovery of novel materials at scale. This blends generative AI’s potential with real-world industrial impact.
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2. Meta’s $29B Infrastructure Bet

Meta’s mammoth deal—$26B in private credit plus $3B equity—will dramatically expand AI-ready data-center infrastructure. It signals a new era: AI isn’t just software, it’s heavy-duty infrastructure with geopolitical and financial stakes.
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Global AI Scene — Beyond the US Headlines

  • India’s AI ascent: GigaML, Atomicwork, and Graas AI are not just funding darlings—they reflect regional ambition in secure enterprise-grade LLMs, agentic customer service, and e-commerce efficiency.
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Market Pulse — Where AI Is Seeing Capital Influx

  • Chai Discovery raised $70M to build Chai‑2—an AI that targets 1 in 6 proteins vs. traditional 1 in 1,000 hit rate. Elevating drug discovery with AI model science.
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  • Rillet’s breakthrough in fintech: $70M Series B led by a16z/ICONIQ, doubling ARR in 12 weeks by automating accounting workflows for firms like Salesforce and Stripe.
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  • Macro VC Shift: AI lowers founder costs substantially—startups now pushing to Series A with a fraction of traditional seed budgets, altering equity dynamics.
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What This Means for You — Strategic Insight

  • AI’s new battleground is both bricks and bytes—cutting-edge models and infrastructure. Investors and leaders should ask: Are we livable in both domains?

  • Therapeutics-wise, the bar for AI success has never been higher—Chai's 1-in-6 milestone isn’t hype—it’s discipline.

  • Efficiency-first era: If AI means building faster and cheaper startups, you're either riding the wave or being left behind.

  • Embed AI to stay competitive: Tools like Rillet and Endex (Excel agent) embed deep value where your users live—and that’s unbeatable.

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