Wishpond SalesCloser AI, Pallet AI Funding, Azure AI Foundry Agent Service, Orb Mini

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) market is expected to experience significant growth from 2025 to 2032, driven by advancing technologies, changing consumer behavior, and evolving market dynamics. However, APAC consumers are struggling with trust issues related to AI, citing concerns about security risks, ethical use, and job security. Despite these concerns, companies like Wishpond and Pallet are achieving milestones with their AI-powered platforms, with Wishpond's SalesCloser AI reaching $1 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and Pallet raising $27 million in a Series B funding round. Meanwhile, Capgemini and SAP are collaborating to deploy custom AI models for regulated organizations, and General Catalyst is planning to use AI to transform the healthcare industry. The use of AI is also being explored in other areas, such as logistics and human verification, with the launch of Azure AI Foundry Agent Service and the development of a robotic human verification device called the Orb Mini. Former Meta executive Nick Clegg has weighed in on the issue of AI copyright laws, suggesting that it would be impractical to require companies to get permission before training models. As AI continues to revolutionize various industries, it is likely to have a significant impact on the way businesses operate and interact with customers.

Key Takeaways

  • The global AI market is expected to experience significant growth from 2025 to 2032.
  • APAC consumers are struggling with trust issues related to AI, citing concerns about security risks, ethical use, and job security.
  • Wishpond's SalesCloser AI has reached $1 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR).
  • Pallet has raised $27 million in a Series B funding round to scale its AI infrastructure.
  • Capgemini and SAP are collaborating to deploy custom AI models for regulated organizations.
  • General Catalyst is planning to use AI to transform the healthcare industry.
  • Azure AI Foundry Agent Service has been launched to support multi-agent workflows.
  • A robotic human verification device called the Orb Mini has been developed to confirm a person's humanity.
  • Former Meta executive Nick Clegg has suggested that it would be impractical to require companies to get permission before training AI models.
  • AI is expected to have a significant impact on various industries, including logistics, healthcare, and sales.

AI Market to See Notable Growth

The global Artificial Intelligence (AI) As A Service market is expected to register notable growth from 2025 to 2032. Key drivers such as advancing technologies, changing consumer behavior, and evolving market dynamics are poised to shape the trajectory of this market. The AIaaS market is experiencing rapid expansion, driven by increasing enterprise demand for scalable AI solutions without the burden of heavy infrastructure investments. As more organizations integrate AI into operations, AIaaS enables faster deployment, reduced costs, and flexible usage.

APAC Consumers Struggle with AI Trust

A new study by F5 reveals an AI paradox in APAC, where consumers are enthusiastic about AI's potential but remain wary of its risks. The study identified five key paradoxes influencing consumer trust in AI, including empowerment vs control, tech savviness vs skepticism, and efficiency vs job security. To drive broader adoption, building trust through transparency, security, and responsible use is key. APAC consumers recognize AI's benefits but remain cautious about security risks, ethical use, and its long-term impact on jobs and society.

Wishpond's SalesCloser AI Achieves Milestone

Wishpond Technologies Ltd. announced that its SalesCloser AI platform achieved a key milestone with $1 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). The platform has demonstrated exciting growth, with over 150 customers and over 2,600 AI-powered agents deployed to date. SalesCloser AI is a virtual sales assistant that helps businesses increase conversions, reduce customer acquisition costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. The company plans to continue innovating and expanding its platform's capabilities.

Capgemini and SAP Team Up with Mistral

Capgemini is collaborating with SAP to deploy custom AI models by Mistral AI for regulated organizations. The partnership provides a secure environment to deploy custom AI solutions within regulated industries. This collaboration aims to help organizations leverage AI to improve their operations and decision-making processes. Capgemini and SAP will work together to provide AI-powered solutions that meet the specific needs of regulated organizations.

Former Meta Exec on AI Copyright Laws

Former Meta executive Nick Clegg says the UK's AI industry will be killed if tech companies must ask artists for permission to use their work when training models. Clegg believes it would be reasonable to let artists 'opt out' of having their work used, but it would be impractical to require companies to get permission before training models. The UK government has introduced the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which allows companies to train AI on creative works unless the copyright holder opts out.

VC Firm to Use AI in Main Street America

General Catalyst's Hemant Taneja wants to use Main Street America as an AI lab by buying and running a hospital to inject tech and artificial intelligence into the healthcare process. The firm aims to transform the healthcare industry by leveraging AI to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance patient care. Taneja believes that AI can revolutionize the healthcare sector, and his firm is committed to making it happen.

AI Powers Sales Productivity

AI is revolutionizing sales operations by enabling leaders to unify workflows, automate decisions, and generate real-time insights. A centralized AI command center can coordinate all AI agents, assistants, and workflows into a single, intelligent system. AI can also empower autonomous decision-making and execution, and provide unified customer data for real-time 360-degree insights. By 2026, 83% of executives anticipate AI agents will autonomously execute actions based on operational metrics and transaction histories.

Apple Faces Tariffs, AI Troubles, and Fortnite

Apple is facing multiple challenges, including tariffs, AI troubles, and a legal battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games. The company is struggling to integrate generative artificial intelligence into its products, and its competitors are suffusing every aspect of their new flagship phones with AI. Apple's grip on its tightly controlled software ecosystem is also loosening, which may lead to an avalanche of developers eschewing in-app purchases and payments.

Logistics Startup Pallet Raises $27 Million

Pallet, an AI-powered logistics software startup, has raised $27 million in a Series B funding round led by General Catalyst. The company's flagship AI platform, CoPallet, automates manual back-office operations for logistics providers, such as order entry, quoting, and portal updates. The funding will support Pallet's efforts to scale its AI infrastructure and continue building a new operating system for the logistics industry.

Azure AI Foundry Agent Service Launches

Microsoft's Azure AI Foundry Agent Service is now generally available, offering developers a robust platform for building and managing AI agents. The service supports multi-agent workflows, enabling the coordination of specialized agents on high-level tasks, enhancing enterprise productivity. The platform allows developers to create agents quickly using either OpenAI SDKs or Azure AI Foundry SDKs, and integrates seamlessly with over 1,400 Azure Logic Apps workflows.

Sam Altman's Venture Builds Human Verification Robot

Tools for Humanity, co-founded by Sam Altman, has launched a robotic human verification device called the Orb Mini. The device scans irises and creates blockchain-based World IDs to confirm a person's humanity. The company plans to roll out 7,500 Orb Mini devices across the US by the end of the year, and has partnered with major brands to bring biometric IDs to finance, dating, and gaming. The goal is to create a verified human internet, where users can trust that they are interacting with actual humans.

Sources

Artificial Intelligence AIaaS Machine Learning Deep Learning Natural Language Processing AI Adoption