AI job postings surge 68%

👋 Good morning/evening (wherever you are). It’s Tuesday. Employers want workers with AI skills, but what exactly does that mean?

Excerpts from ZDNET (Originally from WSJ, but they’re paywalled):

Employers aren't looking just for AI developers and tech gurus. They're also in search of people who can integrate AI into existing jobs, Thomas Vick, senior regional director at staffing firm Robert Half, told the WSJ. For example, a company may want a cybersecurity engineer who can use AI to better evaluate potential security threats.

The need for professionals with AI skills and experience is a boon for tech workers. That's because such jobs bring with them higher salaries and increased job security, Andy Challenger, senior vice president at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, told the WSJ. "I'm not seeing a lot of people with cutting-edge AI skills come through our programs right now, which means that companies are hanging onto them," Challenger said.

Besides that…here’s 3 things I can’t stop thinking about:

1.) Will the first “sign” of AGI be reflected in finance? What’s stopping the world’s top traders from training AI agents to become world class traders? Never underestimate human greed…and stupidity…which leads me to the next point…

2.) What if all the tech CEOs are wrong about the future of AI? Genius has failed in the past…but can it fail to this degree? Dot-com bubble flashbacks.

3.) Is Taco (and Tequila) Tuesday the greatest weekly food ritual of all time?

OK let’s get back on track ↓

Here’s what you should know:

• FanDuel Launches First A.I. Sports Betting Chat Experience

  Now, FanDuel is unveiling a tool that will aid customers in optimizing the bet construction process. On Tuesday, FanDuel launched AceAI, an innovative platform that is billed as the first generative AI sports betting chat experience in the gambling industry. A simple query on assists by Dončić over his last five games can be answered by Ace within the snap of a thumb.

• Meta begins testing its first in-house AI training chip

  The push to develop in-house chips is part of a long-term plan at Meta to bring down its mammoth infrastructure costs as the company places expensive bets on AI tools to drive growth.

• Newsweek Launches Editorial Series to Demystify Hype Around AI

  The first piece and video in the series, titled "The Myth Buster: Rodney Brooks Breaks Down the Hype Around AI," can be found here.

• Will AI doctors become a thing?

  A new study in AI-driven healthcare highlights a potential shift in medical AI. Google's Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer (AMIE) is not just improving diagnostics…it’s demonstrating the ability to manage disease over time. Rather than merely identifying conditions, AI is evolving into a partner in longitudinal disease management.

• CONVERGE LIVE updates: Ray Dalio, Marc Benioff and Alibaba’s Tsai to talk AI, markets and more

  CNBC will have live coverage - good to have running on a second monitor.

• OpenAI launches new tools to help businesses build AI agents

  If you’re too lazy to read, then watch it on X (~20 min)

The numbers:

• AI Robotics Startup Dexterity Lands $1.65 Billion Valuation

  The startup is one of a growing number of companies that want to remake warehouses using AI.

• Nirvana, an AI-powered trucking insurance platform, secures $80 Million in Series C funding.

  This latest round values the San Francisco-based company at nearly $850 million. The raise was led by General Catalyst, with continued support from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Valor Equity Partners.

• Sola emerges from stealth with $30 Million to build the ‘Stripe for security’

  That’s a solid seed round. S Capital (the firm founded by the team that started Sequoia Israel) and former long-time Sequoia VC Mike Moritz are co-leading the round, with S32, Glilot Capital Partners, and unnamed angel investors participating. (Sola has been around for about a year, and some of the details of this round leaked out while it was still in the works and the company had yet to unveil any details about its product.)

Thought starters:

• The case for using your brain — even if AI can think for you

  Digital dependence is reshaping our brains. But we can fight it.

Thanks for reading,

Eddie

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