Voice‑AI startup ElevenLabs announced a $500 million financing led by Sequoia Capital, pushing its valuation to $11 billion. Existing backers a16z, Iconiq and several others increased their stakes, while new investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners, EvanticCapital and Bond joined the round. The capital will fund research, product development and international expansion into markets like India, Japan, Singapore, Brazil and Mexico. Co‑founder Mati Staniszewski highlighted plans to broaden the company’s offerings beyond voice, including video content and multi‑modal AI agents. The company closed the prior year with $330 million in annual recurring revenue. Read more →

China’s top internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), requires every AI tool with public‑opinion or social‑mobilization capabilities to be filed in a public algorithm registry. The resulting database reveals thousands of generative‑AI and deep‑synthesis tools spread across major tech hubs such as Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou, as well as emerging centers like Chongqing, Hefei and Guizhou. State‑linked firms account for a significant share of filings, while foreign companies represent a tiny fraction. Competition is diverse, with six “AI tigers” backed by Alibaba or Tencent, and a wave of startups applying AI to education, traditional medicine, carbon accounting, robotics and immersive entertainment. Many of these firms are already eyeing overseas markets, illustrating China’s growing global AI footprint. Read more →

Google is broadening its AI‑driven travel tools in Search. The company is rolling out the Flight Deals feature to more than 200 countries and territories, adding support for over 60 languages. In AI Mode, users can now employ the Canvas side panel to organize trip details, view real‑time flight and hotel data, and receive personalized suggestions for accommodations, restaurants, and activities. Agentic booking capabilities that let users request restaurant reservations and other appointments are also being extended to all U.S. users, with future plans to enable complete flight and hotel bookings within AI Mode. Read more →