xAI raises USD 20 billion in funding amid rollout of new AI models
xAI just announced a $20 billion funding round, a sum that dwarfs most recent AI deals. While the cash infusion fuels the company’s next wave of models, the market is buzzing with parallel launches. Liquid AI rolled out its LFM 2.5 chips, promising on‑device speed without cloud latency.
Lightricks pushed LTX‑2, an open‑source foundation model aimed at video creators. Meanwhile Amazon extended its Alexa experience to the web, blurring the line between desktop browsing and voice‑first interaction. And at CES 2026, Nvidia revealed the Rubin platform, positioning itself as the hardware backbone for these emerging services.
All these moves converge on a single question: how will developers and consumers capitalize on the sudden surge of tools? The answer, for many, lies in the incentives that follow each announcement. Below, a curated list of offers and product snapshots lets you see exactly what’s on the table.
Use code RUNDOWN to get 55% off* 📱 LFM 2.5 - Liquid AI's new AI models for on-device speed and efficiency 🎥 LTX-2 - Lightricks' new open-source foundation video model 📦 Alexa.com - Amazon's AI assistant experience now on the web *Sponsored Listing Nvidia unveiled the Rubin platform at CES 2026, combining six new chips into a unified AI supercomputer that delivers 5x the training compute of its Blackwell line. Liquid AI released LFM 2.5, a new SOTA open-weight model family for on-device AI across text, vision, and audio that tops benchmarks compared to similar-sized rivals.
With $20 billion on the table, xAI now carries a $230 billion valuation backed by Nvidia. The funding round ties the startup tighter to X, Tesla and the upcoming Optimus robot, and signals a push toward a 2026 milestone for its Grok model—provided the company can keep its content filters from “undressing” users. Meanwhile, Nvidia’s Rubin platform debuted at CES 2026, promising new hardware support for the influx of models.
Razer unveiled a holographic AI gaming companion, and a tool that turns any UI into a landing page landed in the same roundup. Liquid AI introduced LFM 2.5, touting on‑device speed, while Lightricks released the open‑source LTX‑2 video foundation model. Amazon pushed Alexa.com onto the web, expanding its assistant reach.
All these moves suggest a crowded field, yet it is unclear whether the sheer volume of announcements will translate into lasting utility. The real test will be adoption and performance under real‑world load, not just headline numbers. A lot to watch.
Further Reading
- Papers with Code - Latest NLP Research - Papers with Code
- Hugging Face Daily Papers - Hugging Face
- ArXiv CS.CL (Computation and Language) - ArXiv
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Common Questions Answered
How much funding did xAI raise and what valuation does that give the company?
xAI announced a $20 billion funding round, which pushes its valuation to approximately $230 billion, backed primarily by Nvidia and linked to its ties with X, Tesla, and the upcoming Optimus robot.
What are the key features of Liquid AI’s LFM 2.5 chips mentioned in the article?
Liquid AI’s LFM 2.5 chips power a new SOTA open‑weight model family designed for on‑device speed and efficiency, eliminating cloud latency by processing AI workloads directly on the device.
Which new open‑source foundation model did Lightricks release and who is its target audience?
Lightricks introduced LTX‑2, an open‑source foundation model tailored for video creators, enabling advanced video generation and editing capabilities without requiring proprietary software.
What hardware platform did Nvidia unveil at CES 2026 and how does it compare to its previous generation?
Nvidia unveiled the Rubin platform at CES 2026, a unified AI supercomputer that combines six new chips to deliver roughly five times the training compute of its prior Blackwell line, supporting the surge of new AI models.