John Schulman, a key figure in the creation of OpenAI's ChatGPT, has announced his departure from the company to join Anthropic, OpenAI's primary competitor. Schulman’s exit marks the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the prominent AI company in recent months.

Zoom has introduced Zoom Docs, an AI-first collaborative document solution designed to enhance productivity and seamless teamwork within Zoom Workplace. Powered by the generative AI assistant, Zoom AI Companion, Zoom Docs is available at no additional cost to help streamline various work processes.

Kelpi is making waves in the sustainable packaging sector. The startup harnesses the power of seaweed to create bioplastic materials that challenge traditional, fossil-fuel-based plastics. These seaweed-derived coatings excel in providing robust barriers against water, oxygen, grease, and acids, making them ideal for a diverse range of packaging applications. 

Murf AI, renowned for its text-to-speech innovations, unveiled Murf Speech Gen 2, its latest and most sophisticated speech model. This new iteration marks a notable advancement in AI voice technology, blending lifelike realism with extensive customisation features designed to cater to the complex demands of modern enterprises.

The emergence of AI has brought with it unusual professional and business development opportunities, but it has also revealed the importance of tackling new socio-economic and regulatory challenges. International leaders from more than 41 countries participated in the eighth edition of Digital Enterprise Show (DES), the largest European summit dedicated to exponential technologies held in Malaga, Spain. 

Cognizant has unveiled a companion analysis to its 2023 comprehensive study with Oxford Economics. The new report, "New Work, New World: Quantifying Global Gen AI Momentum," highlights cautious optimism as a key driver for the current market adoption of generative AI across various industries and regions.

Aloha, a startup based in Cyprus, has unveiled its privacy-centric AI assistant, integrated directly into the browser and available across Windows, macOS, iOS, iPad, and Android platforms, thereby reaching millions of users globally.

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global cybersecurity company, has reached significant milestones in the expansion and growth of its cybersecurity platform, Trend Vision One. The platform now supports over 10,000 enterprise customers across the globe. Additionally, it has been extended to assist small- and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) in managing their cyber risk more effectively.

A new report from the University of Northampton (UON) will scrutinise the economic strengths and weaknesses of Northamptonshire, aiming to harness the burgeoning startup scene in the county.

Hull-based healthtech company MediMusic, which has developed AI technology to prescribe music as medication to ease pain, anxiety, and stress for people with dementia, won the Startup of the Year award at a global music tech summit.

Eleven pioneering semiconductor startups, specialising in advanced AI and groundbreaking healthcare technologies, have been inducted into the ChipStart incubator, a government-endorsed support programme designed to commercialise their cutting-edge research.

Business for Health is collaborating with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to enhance the ONS Health Index. This tool aids businesses, local authorities, Integrated Care Boards, and the government in making informed decisions that promote health and economic growth. Additionally, it provides the Treasury with crucial data on the economic benefits of preventive measures.

Fiverr recently revealed its acquisition of AutoDS, a platform offering a comprehensive subscription-based solution for dropshippers. AutoDS streamlines the dropshipping process with features like product research and sourcing, inventory management, and automated fulfilment.

Sage, renowned for its accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology tailored for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), recently announced a new collaboration with Virgin StartUp, the arm of Virgin committed to aiding UK founders in their entrepreneurial journeys.

Kallikor has launched, a new venture helmed by a team with a decade of expertise in AI, simulation, and virtual world-building, has been launched to revolutionise automation and robotics adoption in addressing supply chain complexities and productivity issues.

On 1st August, With Life Cultivator was launched as the world's first incubator dedicated to supporting startups and established organisations through periods of substantial growth and transformation.

Meta and Startupbootcamp have joined forces to invigorate the MENA startup ecosystem with a focus on advanced AI technologies. Their collaborative initiative, Llama Design Drive, is tailored to meet the unique needs of startups in the region.

At an event in Paris, Alibaba.com announced its partnership as the first worldwide Olympic and Paralympic e-commerce partner to join the Athlete365 Business Accelerator programme's fourth edition. This International Olympic Committee (IOC) led initiative aimed to aid athletes in their dual-career and career-transition phases by equipping them with entrepreneurial skills.

Thredd, a swiftly growing global payments platform, has reported significant industry-wide growth in fintech-driven digital payments. Adding to this positive outlook, Thredd has also renewed its partnership with Zilch, the pioneering ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN).

South Summit, the benchmark meeting for the entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem, continues to take steps to ensure that innovation and entrepreneurship are available to everyone. In this sense, South Summit has updated its website so that people with disabilities can navigate with full accessibility and without barriers.