xAI Raises $6B at $24B Valuation

Today’s newsletter is 499 words - a 2-minute read (4-minute if you take your time…🐌)

Welcome back everyone!

Excited to have you join us: We’re Chris & Nolan (@chrisnolansf), and welcome to SF Whisper - a newsletter covering the most interesting business and local news of San Francisco.

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Anyways. Let’s get started -

xAI Raises Largest Series B in Global History

The incredibly short journey thus far:

$6 billion dollars from Valor Equity, Vy Capital, a16z, Sequoia, Fidelity, and others. Wrap your head around the fact that this Company was announced in July 2023. That’s 10 months ago. From July to November, xAI released Grok-1 to some users on X and have continued to improve the model’s capabilities. Even with the massive AI-funding rounds in recent months, Elon is showing he’s on a different level when it comes to fundraising.

What’s in store with this massive war chest?

With the recent introduction of Grok-1.5V featuring image understanding and prior version Grok-1.5 with long context capabilities, xAI is continually advancing its tech and product offerings. Fresh funds will drive initial product launches, develop core infrastructure, and fuel deep research. Elon (as we’ve seen with X), is fully committed to objective honesty & truthful systems. He has previously accused competitors OpenAI and Google for betraying their mission statement and coding bias into AI products.

Bay Area Allergy Season Hits Hard

Pollen party

We have been sneezing extra hard over the past week. If you're in the Bay Area and find yourself reaching for tissues more often than usual, you're not alone. Thanks to a particularly wet season, the abundance of rain has spurred extra vegetation growth, bombarding the air with pesky pollen from trees and grasses.

Allergy season in full swing:

Many are suffering from sneezing, sinus congestion, and itchy eyes. Doctors recommend keeping windows shut, using air conditioners to filter out pollen, and limiting outdoor activities on windy days when pollen counts spike. Taking showers after returning indoors can also help wash away allergens. For those struggling with symptoms, antihistamines, saline sprays, and consistent use of nasal steroids are recommended. Asthma patients should consult their doctor if allergies exacerbate their condition.

When will the misery end??

Relief is on the horizon with the onset of summer in late June expected to clear the air. Until then, Bay Area residents might just have to brace themselves and keep their tissue boxes handy.

Catch up on the latest:

• Lawyers representing FTX bankruptcy and others make $300M+ (Link)

• Nvidia’s revenue soars 262% on record AI chip demand (Link)

Today’s whisper:

^{Off The Grid - Fort Mason Center is back with its 14th season} 🥳 

^{They’ll be at the Fort Mason Center parking lot on Friday evenings from 5-10pm with groumet food trucks this summer & fall.}

^{Exact dates TBA!}