Welcome to Discover Daily by Perplexity , an AI-generated show on tech , science and culture . I'm Isaac . Today we're exploring a massive AI infrastructure project that could reshape the technological landscape of the United States . But first let's look at what else is happening across the AI and tech sectors .
Across the AI and tech sectors First up , mistral AI , the Paris-based artificial intelligence startup , has announced plans to pursue an initial public offering . Ceo Arthur Mensch made this announcement during an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21 , 2025 .
While no specific timeline was provided , mensch confirmed that an IPO is , of course , the plan for the rapidly growing French AI startup . This decision underscores Mistral's commitment to independence , with Mensch explicitly stating that the company is not for sale .
As the company prepares for its public debut , it continues to expand globally , with plans to open an office in Singapore to focus on the Asia-Pacific region , while growing its presence in Europe and the United States .
Mistral recently signed a contract with a NASDAQ-listed blue-chip company and inked a multi-million-euro deal with French media company Agence France-Presse to incorporate its articles into its chatbot . The company has also begun ramping up hiring efforts in Palo Alto to establish a strong transatlantic presence . Founded in 2023 by former Meta and Google DeepMind employees .
Mistral has experienced exponential growth , raising approximately $1.25 billion in funding since its inception . The company's latest funding round , in June 2024 , valued it at $6 billion . Moving on to our second story , the CIA has developed an AI-powered chatbot capable of simulating interactions with foreign leaders .
This marks a significant advancement in the use of artificial intelligence for intelligence analysis and strategic decision-making . The CIA's AI chatbot represents a leap in intelligence analysis , leveraging advanced language models to simulate conversations with foreign leaders .
This tool allows analysts to interact with virtual representations of world leaders , providing rapid insights into their potential reactions and decision-making processes .
Developed over the past two years as part of CIA Director William J Burns' initiative to modernize the agency's technology , the chatbot exemplifies the CIA's commitment to harnessing AI for national security purposes . The chatbot assists in creating detailed profiles of foreign leaders , predicting their behavioral patterns and potential responses to various situations .
This tool significantly improves the efficiency of processing large volumes of intelligence data , providing faster and more cost-effective analysis . To support these technological advancements , the CIA has undergone significant organizational changes .
A key figure in this transformation is Nand Mulchandani , the agency's first chief technology officer , who brings Silicon Valley expertise to the traditionally secretive organization .
Under Mulchandani's leadership , the CIA has established CIA Labs , which builds partnerships and sponsors consortium research projects with universities , laboratories and companies working on emerging technologies . Now let's dive into our main story of the day the Stargate Initiative Announced on January 21 , 2025, .
This is a $500 billion collaboration led by SoftBank and OpenAI to establish cutting-edge AI infrastructure across the United States . The project will begin with an immediate deployment of $100 billion and aims to secure national leadership in artificial intelligence , foster clean energy innovation and create significant economic and job growth opportunities .
The Stargate project brings together a powerhouse of tech industry leaders , with initial equity funders including SoftBank , openai , oracle and MGX . Masayoshi Son , softbank's CEO , will serve as chairman , with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI taking charge of operational responsibilities .
The project's AI infrastructure development focuses on creating a network of advanced data centers across the United States . It will begin in Texas , where 10 buildings are currently under construction , each spanning half a million square feet , with plans to expand to 20 buildings .
Oracle's CTO , larry Ellison , has confirmed that the project will extend beyond Texas to multiple states . The initiative aims to prevent US dependence on foreign AI infrastructure while promoting clean energy production to power AI development .
Given the significant power requirements , the companies are exploring alternative energy sources , including nuclear power , to support the massive computational needs of these facilities . Elon Musk cast doubt on the Stargate project's financial viability , claiming SoftBank has well under $10 billion secured of the promised $500 billion investment .
Meanwhile , microsoft CEO Satya Nadella swiftly defended the project's funding , highlighting his company's commitment of $80 billion for global AI infrastructure . As the Stargate initiative unfolds , it will be crucial to monitor its progress and impact on the US AI landscape .
Key areas to watch include the development of the initial Texas data centers , the expansion to other states and the project's ability to attract and retain top AI talent . Thank you on the go . With the mobile app available for both Android and iOS . There's also the Perplexity desktop app for macOS .
In other Perplexity news , the company has launched Sonar and Sonar Pro APIs , enabling developers to integrate real-time AI search capabilities into their applications with unparalleled factual accuracy .
The new offering stands out for its affordability and advanced features , including double the citations of standard search and the ability to customize trusted sources , with companies like Zoom already leveraging the technology to enhance their video conferencing platform . We'll be back with more stories that matter . Until then , stay curious .