Foundations by Axented
OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video App and Ends $1bn Disney Partnership, Google’s TurboQuant Breakthrough Shrinks AI Models, Deccan AI Raises $25M
Table of Contents:
AI | Artificial Intelligence
Google’s TurboQuant Breakthrough Shrinks AI Models While Preserving Performance
OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video App and Ends $1bn Disney Partnership
VC | Startup & Funding
Conntour Secures $7M to Turn Security Footage into Searchable AI Data
Deccan AI Raises $25M to Scale Human Workforce Powering AI Training
HI | Hardware & Infrastructure
UK Tax Authority Backs AWS Transition from Data Centres to Cloud
ABB and VoltaGrid Deepen Partnership to Power Next-Generation Data Centres
Google’s TurboQuant Breakthrough Shrinks AI Models While Preserving Performance
Google researchers introduce TurboQuant, a new compression technique that significantly reduces the size and computational demands of large AI models while preserving performance. The approach combines aggressive quantization with optimization strategies that maintain accuracy across key benchmarks.
This enables faster inference and lower energy use, making advanced AI more practical for deployment on limited hardware. The work reflects ongoing efforts to make AI systems more efficient and scalable without requiring ever-increasing compute resources.
Source: Google Research
OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video App and Ends $1bn Disney Partnership
OpenAI has discontinued its Sora video-generation app less than two years after its high-profile launch, alongside cancelling a planned $1bn content deal with Disney.
The company said it is shifting focus toward areas like robotics and autonomous “agentic” AI, moving away from video-generation tools entirely. Sora struggled with monetisation, generating far less revenue than ChatGPT, while also facing issues around misinformation, copyright, and misuse.
The closure reflects growing competitive pressure and strategic reprioritisation as OpenAI seeks more sustainable and scalable AI applications.
Source: BBC
Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!
Conntour Secures $7M to Turn Security Footage into Searchable AI Data
Startup Conntour has secured $7 million in funding led by General Catalyst and Y Combinator to develop an AI-powered search engine for security video systems.
Its platform aims to make large volumes of surveillance footage searchable using natural language queries, improving efficiency for enterprises and security teams.
The company positions its technology as a way to extract actionable insights from otherwise underutilized video data. The funding will support product development and expansion into new markets.
Source: Tech Crunch
Deccan AI Raises $25M to Scale Human Workforce Powering AI Training
Deccan AI has raised $25 million to expand its workforce focused on training and refining AI models, leveraging talent based in India. The company provides human-in-the-loop services that help improve model accuracy, particularly for complex or domain-specific tasks.
Investors see growing demand for high-quality data annotation and model evaluation as AI adoption accelerates. The funding will be used to scale operations and enhance training infrastructure.
Source: Tech Crunch
UK Tax Authority Backs AWS Transition from Data Centres to Cloud
HM Revenue & Customs is facilitating Amazon Web Services’ transition from traditional data centres to cloud-based infrastructure as part of a broader modernization effort. The move is expected to improve efficiency, reduce operational costs, and align with sustainability goals.
HMRC’s involvement includes regulatory and logistical support to ensure compliance and smooth implementation. The shift reflects a wider trend among large organizations moving toward scalable cloud solutions.
Source: Data Centre Magazine
ABB and VoltaGrid Deepen Partnership to Power Next-Generation Data Centres
ABB and VoltaGrid have extended their collaboration to deliver advanced power infrastructure solutions for data centres, addressing rising energy demands driven by AI and digital services. The partnership focuses on integrating flexible, scalable energy systems to improve reliability and efficiency.
Both companies aim to support rapid data centre expansion while managing environmental and operational challenges. The agreement underscores the critical role of power innovation in sustaining digital growth.
Source: ABB News
Foundations is written by the Axented team.
Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.
If you’re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at axented.com.
