AI Weekly Brief – Week 36

1. Meta partners with Midjourney to boost generative AI

Meta is licensing Midjourney’s image and video generation models to power future products, including Instagram features and research tools. The deal supports Meta’s broader visual AI strategy tied to its upcoming “Hyperion” AI infrastructure.

Why it matters: If you work in content, media, or design, expect Meta’s platforms to shift toward high-volume, AI-generated visuals. This deal signals a strategic move to dominate visual AI in consumer-facing apps.

Source: Reuters

2. Apple in talks to use Google’s Gemini to upgrade Siri

Apple is exploring a deal to integrate Google’s Gemini model into a reimagined Siri, moving away from its usual preference for in-house AI development. Talks are early, but a decision is expected soon.

Why it matters: For anyone building on Apple’s ecosystem, this could be the first major leap in Siri’s capabilities in over a decade. It signals that closed AI stacks may no longer be viable, even for Apple.

Source: Reuters

3. Perplexity launches $42.5M revenue programme for publishers

Perplexity’s new Comet Plus initiative will share AI search revenue with publishers, offering 80% of subscription income and payment for snippet use in its answers. It’s an attempt to directly fund content creators in the age of AI-driven search.

Why it matters: If you’re a publisher or content owner, this sets a new model for monetising AI platforms without lawsuits. It also pressures larger players to follow with their own revenue-sharing frameworks.

Source: Bloomberg

4. xAI open-sources Grok 2.5 model

Elon Musk’s xAI has released the full weights of Grok 2.5 and announced Grok 3 is six months away. The open-source release makes xAI’s model available for experimentation and development by researchers and developers.

Why it matters: For AI teams and startups, this opens new opportunities to build on a capable, freely accessible large language model. It’s also a direct challenge to more closed competitors like OpenAI.

Source: Reuters

5. xAI sues Apple and OpenAI over competition concerns

In a separate move, xAI has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, accusing them of manipulating app store rankings and restricting competition. The case argues these practices block new AI entrants from reaching users.

Why it matters: This lawsuit could reshape AI platform policies and app store dynamics. Developers and investors should watch closely – outcomes here may redefine who controls AI access on mobile.

Source: Reuters