Welcome back to 4IR. Here's today's lineup:
South Korea bets $72 billion to become an AI superpower - Largest per-person AI investment ever aims to challenge US and China
OpenAI opens India office with ChatGPT at just $4.60/month - Making AI affordable for a billion potential users
Stanford study: AI is replacing junior programmers - Entry-level coding jobs down 13% while experienced developers thrive
First Lady launches nationwide student AI competition - Preparing kids for a world where "AI will drive every business"
đ„ TOP STORY: South Korea drops $72 billion bombshell to join the AI race
The story: South Korea just made the boldest AI move of any country relative to its size, announcing a massive $72 billion fund on August 26. The money will power 30 major AI projects designed to push Korea into the world's top three AI nations, right alongside the US and China. This isn't just government spendingâit's a coordinated push with Samsung, LG, and Hyundai to transform the country that dominates global memory chip production into an AI powerhouse.
What we know:
The fund represents the world's largest per-capita AI investment
30 major projects will get funding, from AI research labs to quantum computers
Korea dominates global memory chip production through Samsung and SK Hynix
Major Korean companies partnering directly with government on the initiative
Aims to vault Korea into top three global AI powers
Why it matters: Think of it this way: Korea makes the memory chips that every AI company needs to survive. Now they're using that leverageâand a mountain of cashâto ensure they're not just suppliers but leaders. This is like Saudi Arabia using oil money to become an energy technology leader, except Korea's actually pulling it off. No country has ever bet this much on a single technology relative to their economic size.
The genius here is timing. While America and China are locked in their AI cold war, Korea is positioning itself as the essential third playerâthe one neither side can afford to alienate because they need Korean chips. This could inspire similar massive bets from countries like Japan or Germany who don't want to become digital colonies. Korea is essentially saying: "We're not going to just watch the AI revolution happen. We're going to help lead it."
đïž POLICY: Melania Trump tells students: AI will run everything soon, so start learning now
The story: First Lady Melania Trump launched a nationwide AI competition for students on August 26, open to everyone from kindergarten through high school. The Presidential AI Challenge teaches kids how artificial intelligence works, why it matters, and how to use it responsibly. Her announcement was blunt: "In just a few short years, artificial intelligence will be the engine driving every business sector across our economy." Winners get recognized at the White House and mentored by tech industry leaders.
What we know:
Any K-12 student in America can participate
Teaches AI basics, ethics, and real-world uses
Winners receive White House recognition and tech mentorship
Major tech companies and schools are partnering on curriculum
Launches as federal government signs massive deal for Google's AI tools at $0.47 per agency
Why it matters: This is the administration admitting that kids who don't understand AI will be at a massive disadvantage in tomorrow's job market. By having the First Lady lead this instead of education officials, they're making it a cultural priorityâlike when previous First Ladies championed reading or fitness. The message to parents is clear: your kids need to understand AI like they need to understand math.
What's fascinating is how direct the messaging is. No sugar-coating about "AI might be important someday"âthey're saying AI will run everything, period. This could trigger a nationwide scramble as schools rush to add AI to their curriculum. We might look back on this as the moment AI education became as standard as computer class. The timing with the federal Google AI deal shows this isn't just talkâthe government is going all-in on AI adoption while simultaneously preparing the next generation to use it.
đ° FUNDING: AI startups raise $190 million in one day as investors double down
The story: August 26 saw an extraordinary flood of money into AI companies, with over $190 million invested in a single day. The biggest winner was Attio, which got $52 million from Google Ventures for software that uses AI to completely reimagine how businesses manage customer relationships. Meanwhile, Aurasell raised $30 million in just 28 hoursâinvestors were literally racing to get in. The money went everywhere: AI for shipping freight, AI for beauty products, even AI that can test your vision in 90 seconds.
What we know:
Google Ventures is leading multiple investments, competing with traditional investors
L'Oréal's BOLD investment fund is betting big on beauty and AI combinations
Healthcare AI is hotâboth vision testing and beauty/wellness got major funding
Business software dominated with two customer management platforms raising $82 million combined
Big brands like Tropicana and Kellanova are already using these AI shipping tools
Why it matters: This isn't venture capitalists throwing money at anything labeled "AI" anymore. These are specific solutions to real problems: getting your glasses prescription without waiting weeks for an eye doctor, managing business relationships without complex software, or shipping products more efficiently. The fact that one company raised $30 million in 28 hours shows how desperately investors want to own the companies that will define how we use AI daily.
The speed and variety here reveals something important: we've moved from "AI is the future" to "AI is solving problems right now." A machine that gives you a perfect eyeglass prescription in 90 seconds? That's not sci-fi, it's a business that could be in every mall next year. Two competing AI customer management companies raising huge rounds suggests investors believe the entire business software industry is about to be rebuilt with AI at its core. Watch for major acquisitions soonâestablished companies will need to buy their way into this AI transformation.
⥠QUICK HITS
Meta spending "tens of millions" on pro-AI super PAC - Supporting California politicians who want fewer AI restrictions
Apple Services chief pushed to buy Mistral AI and Perplexity - Eddy Cue advocating acquisitions to strengthen AI capabilities
NASA and IBM create AI that predicts solar flares two hours early - Surya model achieves 16% better accuracy than previous methods
Texas investigates Meta and Character.AI for targeting kids - Attorney General alleges deceptive AI mental health services
ROVR releases "see it like a human driver" data for self-driving cars - First dataset showing the road from actual human perspective