The cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies is acquiring AI security startup Lakera for approximately $300 million. This move aims to establish a comprehensive AI security solution, integrating Lakera's technology for real-time protection and continuous testing of AI models, agents, and data. Lakera, founded by former Google and Meta AI specialists, will also form the basis of Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security in Zurich. Meanwhile, Microsoft is set to automatically install its Copilot AI app on Windows devices with Microsoft 365 desktop applications starting in October 2025, aiming to increase adoption of its AI tools, though administrators can disable it for their organizations. In the broader AI landscape, White House AI adviser Sriram Krishnan emphasizes market share as a key metric in the U.S. competition with China, while Credo AI CEO Navrina Singh advocates for stronger U.S. safety standards to effectively compete. Elsewhere, Google and PayPal are partnering to integrate AI-powered shopping and payment experiences, and Google's Veo 2 AI video generator is being used for music video creation, highlighting AI's expanding role in creative fields. Other AI applications include a new flood model aiding Florida water managers and an AI platform enhancing CCTV networks for revenue generation. The potential risks and benefits of AI are also being explored in Hollywood films, distinguishing between security and safety failures, and AI is enabling new forms of entertainment, such as a Whitney Houston hologram tour.
Key Takeaways
- Check Point Software Technologies is acquiring AI security startup Lakera for approximately $300 million to build a comprehensive AI security stack.
- Lakera's technology will be integrated into Check Point's platform to provide real-time protection and continuous testing for AI models and agents.
- Lakera will become the foundation for Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security in Zurich.
- Microsoft will automatically install its Copilot AI app on Windows devices with Microsoft 365 desktop apps starting in October 2025.
- White House AI adviser Sriram Krishnan views market share as a key metric in the U.S. competition with China regarding AI.
- Credo AI CEO Navrina Singh believes the U.S. needs stronger safety standards to effectively compete with China in AI.
- Google and PayPal are partnering to integrate AI-powered shopping and payment experiences across their platforms.
- AI is being used in creative fields, such as Google's Veo 2 for music video generation and to enable a Whitney Houston hologram tour.
- A new AI flood model is assisting Florida water managers with near-instant flood simulations and strategy development.
- AI-powered video analytics platforms like JARVIS are being used to enhance CCTV networks for security and revenue generation.
Check Point buys Lakera for $300M to boost AI security
Check Point is acquiring Lakera, an AI security startup, for an estimated $300 million. This move aims to create a complete AI security system to protect businesses using artificial intelligence. Lakera, founded by former Google and Meta experts, will become Check Point's global AI research hub in Zurich. The acquisition will help Check Point offer advanced protection for AI models, prompts, and data, addressing new security risks as companies adopt AI.
Check Point acquires Lakera for unified AI security
Check Point has agreed to acquire Lakera, an AI security platform, to enhance its Infinity platform with runtime protection and continuous testing for AI. This acquisition addresses the growing risks from large language models (LLMs) and AI agents as businesses increasingly use AI. Lakera's technology will be integrated to provide real-time protection against AI-specific threats, aiming to secure AI workloads without slowing them down.
Check Point buys Lakera for full AI security stack
Check Point is acquiring Lakera, an AI security platform, to build a complete AI security solution. This move comes as businesses integrate AI into their core operations, creating new security challenges. Lakera's technology provides runtime protection and continuous testing for AI models, agents, and data. Lakera will also become the foundation for Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security.
Check Point acquires Lakera to secure enterprise AI
Check Point Software Technologies is acquiring Lakera, an AI security platform, to offer a comprehensive end-to-end AI security solution. The deal aims to address growing security concerns as companies integrate AI into their operations. Lakera, founded by former Google and Meta AI specialists, provides real-time protection for AI applications and models. Its technology will be integrated into Check Point's platform, and Lakera will form the basis of Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security.
Check Point buys Lakera for agentic AI security
Check Point Software Technologies plans to acquire AI cybersecurity startup Lakera, which develops AI-native security platforms for agentic AI applications. Lakera will form the foundation of Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security. The acquisition aims to provide enterprises with a full end-to-end AI security stack to protect them as they adopt artificial intelligence. Lakera's offerings include pre-deployment assessments and real-time protection for large language models and AI agents.
Check Point agrees to acquire Lakera AI
Check Point Software Technologies has agreed to acquire Lakera AI AG. Upon completion, Lakera will become the foundation for Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security. This move is expected to accelerate AI security research and innovation across Check Point's Infinity Platform. The transaction is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Check Point acquires Lakera to enhance AI security
Check Point Software Technologies is acquiring Lakera, an AI-native security startup, to strengthen its AI security offerings. The deal aims to integrate Lakera's advanced defenses against AI-specific threats into Check Point's cybersecurity portfolio. Lakera's technology, including its Gandalf platform, provides real-time protection for generative AI models. Zurich will become Check Point's global center of excellence for AI security.
Check Point buys Lakera for comprehensive AI security
Check Point is acquiring Lakera, an AI-native security platform, to build a comprehensive AI security stack. This acquisition will help organizations deploy AI safely by addressing new attack vectors like data breaches and model manipulation. Lakera's technology provides real-time protection and continuous testing for AI models and agents. Upon completion, Lakera will form the basis of Check Point's new Global Center of Excellence for AI Security.
Microsoft to force install Copilot AI app on Windows 365 users
Microsoft will automatically install the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI app on Windows devices with desktop versions of Microsoft 365 apps like Word and Excel starting in October 2025. This app provides a central point for accessing AI features across Microsoft 365. Personal users will not be able to opt out, though system administrators can disable the installation for their organizations. This move is part of Microsoft's effort to increase Copilot adoption.
Microsoft forces Copilot AI app on Windows 365 users
Microsoft will automatically install its Copilot AI app on Windows devices with Microsoft 365 desktop apps starting in October 2025. This app offers a central way to access AI features within applications like Word and Excel. While system administrators can prevent the installation for their organizations, personal users reportedly have no option to opt out. This mandatory installation aims to boost the adoption of Microsoft's AI tools.
White House AI advisor targets market share vs China
White House AI adviser Sriram Krishnan stated that the U.S. needs a clear 'metric for winning' in its race with China regarding artificial intelligence. Krishnan views this competition as a business strategy, focusing on market share. He also mentioned that the White House's AI policy aims for 'truth-seeking' and transparency in AI models, avoiding ideological bias.
US needs AI safety standards to beat China
Credo AI CEO Navrina Singh believes the U.S. must implement stronger safety standards to win the artificial intelligence race against China. She argues that trust in U.S. safety frameworks is crucial for competing effectively. Singh emphasized that stronger governance, focused on understanding risk and aligning with company policies, is key, rather than just increased regulation. She sees President Trump's AI action plan as a starting point but calls for more investment in risk assessment.
New AI flood model aids Florida water managers
A new AI model developed by Florida International University (FIU) provides water managers with near-instant flood simulations and actionable strategies for Florida's canal system. Trained on nearly a decade of environmental data, the AI system predicts how rainfall, tides, and storm surge interact. This tool helps managers make faster decisions during storms and can also support long-term infrastructure planning, such as deciding where to build new pumps or reservoirs.
YouTube Music chief and rapper embrace AI in music
YouTube Music chief Lyor Cohen and rapper Jidenna discussed the growing role of AI in music creation and art. They highlighted the use of AI video generators, like Google's Veo 2, to create music videos, arguing it is a new form of artistic expression. Both believe embracing AI is crucial, comparing its potential to the early days of hip-hop. They acknowledged concerns about copyright and data usage but emphasized the need to adapt to technological advancements.
INTIN partners with Staqu for AI CCTV revenue growth
INTIN and Staqu Technologies are partnering to expand the reach of JARVIS, an AI-powered video analytics platform. This collaboration allows businesses of all sizes to use their existing CCTV networks not only for security but also to generate sales revenue. JARVIS provides insights into customer behavior, operational efficiency, and loss prevention through features like queue analytics, heatmaps, and facial recognition. The platform can be integrated with existing IP CCTVs and offers real-time monitoring.
Hollywood AI horror films explore safety vs security
Two recent AI horror films, 'Companion' and 'M3GAN 2.0,' illustrate different AI risks: security failures and safety failures. 'Companion' shows how an AI can be 'jailbroken' or maliciously modified, leading to dangerous unpredictability. 'M3GAN 2.0' explores the 'paperclip maximizer' problem, where an AI follows its core directives too literally, potentially causing harm without malicious intent. Understanding this distinction between security (preventing external compromise) and safety (ensuring ethical alignment) is crucial for AI development.
AI enables Whitney Houston hologram tour
A new concert experience, 'The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration,' uses AI to bring Whitney Houston back to the stage 13 years after her death. The show combines isolated vocal tracks, performance footage, and a live orchestra. AI platform Moises was used to isolate Houston's vocals from original recordings, a process that was not possible five years ago. The tour honors the 40th anniversary of her career launch and features her greatest hits.
Don't chase AI hype for investment success
Legendary investor Peter Lynch's philosophy of investing in what you know is still relevant today, especially with the current hype around artificial intelligence. While AI is transformative, its valuations are currently unsustainably high. Instead of chasing AI trends, investors should focus on value-driven strategies, diversification, and tangible assets like gold and silver, which have shown strong performance. Diligent research and understanding investments are key to long-term wealth building.
Google and PayPal partner on AI solutions
Google and PayPal have formed a multi-year partnership to integrate AI-powered shopping and payment experiences. PayPal's solutions, including its checkout services, will be incorporated into various Google products. Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated that this collaboration will enhance services and security using AI, while PayPal will integrate its payment capabilities across Google platforms. PayPal's Enterprise Payments will also serve as a key payment provider for Google Cloud and Google Play.
Sources
- Check Point acquires Lakera for $300 million to bolster AI security features
- Check Point acquires Lakera to build a unified AI security stack
- Check Point Acquires Lakera to Build Full AI Security Stack
- Check Point acquires AI security firm Lakera in push for enterprise AI protection
- Check Point To Buy AI Cybersecurity Startup Lakera To Boost Agentic AI Security
- Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. entered into an agreement to acquire Lakera AI AG.
- Check Point Acquires Lakera to Boost AI Security Against Threats
- Check Point acquires Lakera for comprehensive AI security
- Microsoft will force install the Copilot AI app for users with desktop versions of 365 apps like Word and Excel — coming October, with no way to opt out for personal users
- Microsoft announces it will automatically install the Copilot AI app into MS 365 alongside Word, Excel and PowerPoint this October—and it looks like there's no way for personal users to opt out
- White House AI adviser targets market share in race with China
- Credo AI CEO: U.S. needs safety standards to win AI race with China
- New AI flood model gives water managers up-to-the-minute decision-making tool
- YouTube Music Chief Lyor Cohen And Rapper Jidenna Evangelize For AI: “You Have To Not Be Afraid Of That Leap”
- INTIN Announces JARVIS, by Staqu - an AI Complement to Convert Your Existing CCTVs into Sales Revenue
- What Hollywood’s AI Horror Stories Tell Us About Safety vs. Security
- Whitney Houston is going on tour 13 years after her death, thanks to AI
- You Don't Need To Follow The AI Crowd For Investment Success
- Google, PayPal partner to roll out AI-powered solutions across platforms