Top AI news of the week #12: Advsr AI Spotlight

Advsr AI Spotlight

Highlighting notable AI moves at the intersection of strategic operating companies and emerging startups. Big ideas in the works.

Strategic Deployments of AI 

• Global energy technology company SLB and AIQ, the Abu Dhabi-based AI champion for the energy sector, partnered to advance AIQ’s continued development and deployment of its ENERGYai agentic AI solution across ADNOC’s subsurface operations
• Wells Fargo & Company and Google Cloud expanded their strategic partnership to deploy agentic AI tools across the bank
• Ainos, an AI-powered scent digitization company, secured a three-year subscription-based order valued at $2.1 million with ASEH, a provider of semiconductor assembly and test services. The agreement represents the first commercial success of Ainos’ proprietary AI Nose platform in semiconductor manufacturing
• LivePerson, a provider of trusted enterprise conversational AI and outcome-driven digital transformation, expanded its partnership with Google Cloud to integrate its AI capabilities directly into the LivePerson Connected Experience Platform
• The state of California partnered with Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft to boost generative AI education, resources and skills. The companies will work with the state to train California’s workforce for jobs in AI. The plan also includes preparing students in grades nine through 12, community colleges and the California State University System for careers in AI
• NiCE, provider of purpose-built AI-powered platforms automate engagements, partnered with RingCentral, an AI-powered business communications platform, through a multi-year extension of their long-term agreement to market and sell RingCentral Contact Center
• Atlassian, a provider of team collaboration and productivity software, partnered with Google Cloud to accelerate cloud transformation and deliver advanced AI capabilities for customers worldwide. The partnership will bring Atlassian’s AI-powered teamwork platform and apps such as Jira, Confluence, and Loom to Google Cloud’s AI-optimized infrastructure. It will also fuel integrations between Google and Atlassian products, leveraging Gemini models and Vertex AI, to empower customers to build AI agents that boost productivity, increase collaboration, and accelerate innovation
• Bitfarms, a global energy and compute infrastructure company, partnered with T5 Data Centers to advance HPC/AI development at its Panther Creek campus in Pennsylvania
• ZAITRA, a a Czech space startup, and Xiphos, developer of high-performance, radiation-tolerant COTS-based embedded computing systems for space, partnered to advance high-performance edge-AI processing for smallsats
• Cybersecurity company F5 expanded its partnership with Equinix, a provider of data center services for companies, businesses, and organizations, to simplify the deployment and security of modern, distributed applications and AI workloads across hybrid multicloud environments
• Tata Consultancy Services, a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, expanded its partnership with Weatherford International, a multinational oilfield service company, to use TCS’s expertise in automation, artificial intelligence, and digital optimization to drive enterprise-wide business transformation initiatives for Weatherford
• Maybank, a Malaysian financial services group, partnered with Microsoft, to accelerate its digital transformation journey through Microsoft’s collaboration suite, cloud, AI, and security capabilities

Strategic and AI Startup Collaborations

• MILIZE, an AI transformation and digital advisory platform, partnered with SmythOS, an open-source, kernel-like runtime for building portable, secure, and enterprise-grade AI agents. Through this collaboration, MILIZE will provide localized onboarding, AI expertise, and strategic market insights to help Japanese enterprises move beyond experimentation and deploy scalable AI agents into real-world production environments
• The City of Bellevue, Washington partnered with Govstream.ai to pilot and test tools to streamline and accelerate the permitting process using artificial intelligence. Through this partnership, new AI tools are being developed by Govstream.ai and piloted by the city to improve efficiency and create a more consistent, user-friendly permitting experience for the community
• Zoomcar, India’s largest peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace, partnered with Google Cloud to integrate Generative AI and Machine Learning into its platform, enhancing how guests book, hosts onboard, and how Zoomcar ensures safety at scale
• Spendwell.AI, a provider of spend management and fiscal accountability solutions, and Carahsoft Technology Corp., which enables government agencies and systems integrators to harness the power of AI, partnered so Carahsoft will serve as Spendwell.AI’s Master Government Aggregator, making its accountability-driven spend management platform available to the Public Sector through Carahsoft’s reseller partners
• VIP Play, a provider of immersive sports entertainment technology, and Decentral AI, a universal AI orchestration platform, partnered to redefine the future of entertainment through responsible, scalable, compliant, and intelligent AI deployment
• Reality Defender, a deepfake detection platform, and ActiveFence, a provider of AI security and safety solutions for online experiences, partnered to integrate deepfake detection capabilities into ActiveFence’s AI safety infrastructure
• DEEPX, an AI semiconductor company specializing in low-power on-device AI, partnered with global AI company Baidu, and will begin strategic cooperation to spread AI solutions applicable to global industrial sites
• Arria NLG, a provider of Natural Language Generative AI and Agentic AI, partnered with Resolute, an advisory firm specializing in dual-use technologies, defense innovation, and commercial strategy
• PeopleReign, a provider of AI-powered employee service automation, partnered with Technology Partners, a technology, services, talent, and innovation partner for hundreds of organizations
• KUKE Music, a classical music content service provider, partnered with Naxos Music Group, an independent classical music group. Under this partnership, Naxos will leverage its content resources and service infrastructure to support KUKE Music’s exploration of (AI innovations, blockchain and Real World Assets in classical music
• Sheeva.AI, a provider of location-based in-vehicle payments and services, partnered with Velocity Logic Group, a rewards and loyalty program management group for oil brands and convenience stores. Tes collaboration aims to create a seamless in-vehicle payment and loyalty driver experience for retailers and their customers

AI Startup Acquisitions

• Meta acquired WaveForms AI, a startup focused on AI that can recognize and replicate emotion in audio
• Tech-powered travel agency Fora acquired AI-focused data platform Legends
• SentinelOne, an AI-native cybersecurity company, acquired AI security company Prompt Security
• Doximity, a digital platform for U.S. medical professionals, acquired Pathway Medical Inc., a startup specializing in medical AI and evidence-based clinical reference
• Perplexity, an AI search startup, acquired Invisible, a company developing advanced job-level AI agents
• Destinus, a developer of flight systems for civil and defense applications, acquired Daedalean, a developer of certifiable AI software solutions for avionics to expand artificial intelligence capabilities in flight systems
• Messier 42, a global artificial intelligence technology and digital transformation company, acquired Q-AI LLC, a developer of enterprise ready and bespoke AI solutions focused on delivering efficiency across enterprises
• Voyager Technologies, a defense and space technology company, acquired ElectroMagnetic Systems, a developer of AI and machine learning-based automated target recognition software and intelligence analytics for space-based radar systems
• Largo.ai, a developer of AI-driven solutions for the film, TV and advertising industries, acquired market research technology and consultancy firm QuMind
• Global accounting and consulting firm KPMG acquired Q.V., which develops AI-integrated technology solutions designed to improve processes and enhance user experience in SAP-based corporate information systems
• Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company, a developer of technology enabled musculoskeletal outcomes management and value-based care, acquired Caro Health, an AI-powered digital health company
• Nexscient, a provider of AI applications and intelligent enterprise solutions, acquired Flipside Digital Content Company, a provider of data labeling, annotation, and digital transformation services
• Smart Communications, a company focused on helping highly-regulated organizations engage in more meaningful customer conversations, acquired Pendula, a provider of intelligent orchestration and digital delivery technology, to accelerate AI-Powered conversations

AI Outtakes

• Last year, during the annual WWDC event, Apple promised to overhaul its digital assistant Siri with a flagship and next-gen AI experience. It also unveiled Apple Intelligence, the answer to Microsoft’s Copilot, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Google’s Gemini. A year later and the new digital assistant is still pending, in fact delayed to 2026. Google capitalized on the moment with an advertisement (soundtracked to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s The Next Episode) for its upcoming flagship Pixel 10 phone (via artificial intelligence on IG): “If you buy a new phone because of a feature that’s ‘coming soon,’ but it’s been ‘coming soon’ for a full year, you could change your definition of ‘soon’ — or you could just change your phone.” The ad then flashed “Ask more of your phone” text alongside the launch date, which is slated for August 20, 2025. 

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or advice. Links to third party websites are provided for reference and convenience purposes. This information has not been independently verified.