5 articles on VFF - The signal in the noise
Anthropic said its Claude AI model helped discover a previously unknown molecular system that could function as a new gene-editing tool comparable to CRISPR. The discovery was announced by CEO Dario Amodei on X, though he cautioned about the precision of the findings. The potential tool could advance gene therapy development if validated.
Blue Origin is raising $10 billion at a $130 billion valuation, marking the first time Jeff Bezos has brought outside capital into the space company after 25 years of sole funding from his Amazon fortune. The funding round represents a significant shift in the company's capital structure as it scales operations. The move signals confidence in Blue Origin's commercial trajectory and business model.
John Jumper, Google DeepMind Vice President and 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry co-winner, is departing the company to join Anthropic. The move represents a significant talent shift in the AI industry and follows another high-profile Google researcher departure earlier in the week. Jumper announced the change on X on Friday.
Helion Energy, a nuclear fusion startup backed by Sam Altman, raised $465 million in a funding round led by Thrive Capital, valuing the company at $15.5 billion, nearly triple its $5.43 billion valuation from January 2025. The Everett, Washington-based company aims to produce electricity for data centers and other customers, though it has not yet demonstrated commercial electricity generation. The round included investors such as Alta Park Capital, Anti Fund, BoxGroup, Lux Capital, Peak XV Partners, and Bill Ford, alongside existing backers including Lightspeed Venture Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Mithril Capital.
The NSA is using Anthropic's Mythos Preview model despite the Department of Defense attempting to blacklist the AI startup from government contracts, according to Axios. The report does not specify how the NSA is deploying Mythos or the scope of its use. This creates a notable tension between DoD policy and actual NSA operations, raising questions about enforcement and coordination across defense agencies.