Bitcoin crosses $100K, Sam Altman says he isn’t worried about Elon Musk, and Italy hates those Airbnb key boxes

StrictlyVC Briefing Doc - December 5, 2024 Main Themes: AI advancements and impact: This issue highlights the rapid progress in AI, particularly with Google DeepMind's weather forecasting model and the rise of "digital labor" through AI agents like Salesforce's Agentforce. Funding Landscape: A diverse range of startups secured funding, showcasing investor confidence across sectors like biotech, climate tech, and fintech. Notably, secondary share sales are gaining traction, evidenced by Veeam's successful transaction. Evolving Venture Ecosystem: The transformation of 1863 Ventures into New Majority Ventures signals a shift in venture capital models towards more inclusive and mission-driven approaches. Tech Leader Perspectives: Insights from industry leaders like Sam Altman (OpenAI) and Tim Cook (Apple) offer contrasting views on the future impact of AI, while Jerome Powell (Federal Reserve) draws an interesting parallel between Bitcoin and gold. Most Important Ideas/Facts: AI Dominance in Weather Forecasting: Google DeepMind's weather model boasts an impressive 97.2% accuracy rate, surpassing existing forecasting services. This development signifies AI's growing capabilities in complex scientific applications. Rise of "Digital Labor": Salesforce's Agentforce platform is experiencing explosive growth, with CEO Marc Benioff predicting the deployment of one billion AI agents by customers within the next year. This trend underscores the potential for AI agents to revolutionize workforce dynamics. Bitcoin Milestones: Bitcoin finally breaches the $100,000 mark, signifying its growing mainstream acceptance and potential as a store of value. Secondary Share Sales Gain Momentum: Veeam's $2 billion secondary share sale at a $15 billion valuation demonstrates the increasing appeal of this exit strategy for investors and companies alike. Shifting Venture Capital Models: The emergence of New Majority Ventures, a non-fund model focused on investing in underrepresented founders, highlights the evolving landscape of venture capital and its commitment to social impact. Notable Quotes: On AI agents as collaborators: "These agents are not tools. They are becoming collaborators. They’re working 24/7 to analyze data, make decisions, take action. Salesforce has become, right out of the gate here, the largest supplier of digital labor, and this is just the beginning." - Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce On AI's impact on the average person: "Artificial general intelligence would “matter much less” to the average person than currently thought." - Sam Altman, Co-Founder and CEO of OpenAI On Bitcoin's nature: "Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell believes that bitcoin is more akin to gold than the U.S. dollar." Key Takeaways: AI is rapidly advancing, impacting various industries from wea