Microsoft has launched the first version of its lightweight AI model series Phi-3. The company claims that the series offers performance comparable to models like GPT-3.5 while being suitable for mobile devices. Additionally, Phi-3 models are significantly cheaper than models with similar performance.

Commentary: Small language models are designed to perform simpler tasks, making them more suitable for companies with limited resources.

2. AI Drug Startup Secures $1 Billion Financing

Xaira Therapeutics, a drug development startup, has secured $1 billion in financing this week, with investments from several Silicon Valley giants, including Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Led by former Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the company utilizes AI models to discover new drugs.

Commentary: Medicine is one of the key areas of AI application, and this investment highlights the potential of the field.

3. Perplexity AI Achieves Unicorn Status

Perplexity AI, a US-based AI search company and competitor to Google, has raised approximately $63 million in a new funding round, valuing the company at over $1 billion, and reaching unicorn status for startups. This funding doubles Perplexity's valuation from three months ago.

Commentary: Perplexity stands out among AI startups for its emphasis on accuracy, posing a challenge to Google's dominance in the search domain.

4. Microsoft, Amazon AI Investments Face UK Antitrust Assessment

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that it will be gathering information on Amazon's $40 billion investment in AI firm Anthropic to assess whether the partnership poses a threat to competition in the UK. The agency will also investigate Microsoft's partnerships with Mistral and Inflection AI.

Commentary: Investments by tech giants in AI startups could lead to increased concentration in the industry, but excessive regulation could stifle innovation.

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