Latest news with #MayHabib
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meet the minds shaping AI: TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 AI Stage revealed
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the AI Stage comes alive with the voices shaping the future of technology, creativity, and security. Top VCs reveal what it takes to win funding in a rapidly evolving landscape, as they place bets on the next wave of AI founders. Hear groundbreaking insights from leaders at visionary startups like Apptronik, ElevenLabs, Hugging Face, Runway, Wonder Dynamics, Writer, and Wayve — pioneers redefining the future of tech. These leaders, and many more below, represent the cutting edge of AI's growing impact. On the AI Stage at Disrupt, get an inside look at how breakthroughs are transforming industries, user experiences, and what startups and investors must know to stay ahead. More sessions and speakers are coming soon. In the meantime, secure your ticket for Disrupt 2025 and get ready to lean into dynamic conversations happening on the AI Stage, along with four other industry stages — Space, Builders, Going Public, and Disrupt — from October 27–29. Save up to $675 before prices jump after July. Register here to save big. Introducing the AI Stage lineup Speakers to be announced. From model infrastructure to niche applications, AI is producing a new breed of founders and a new set of investor expectations. In this candid conversation, top VCs share what's catching their eye (and what's not), how they're thinking about defensibility in a world of AI monopolies, and what founders need to show to get that next term sheet. Nikola Todorovic, co-founder and CEO, Wonder Dynamics; and more speakers to be announced AI is no longer just optimizing workflows; it's co-creating art, media, and experiences in ways we're only beginning to understand. Wonder Dynamics CEO Nikola Todorovic joins a panel of creative technologists to explore how AI is reshaping the creative process, blurring the lines between artist and algorithm, and opening up new frontiers for storytellers, designers, and dreamers alike. May Habib, co-founder and CEO, Writer What happens when AI learns to write with purpose, personality, and persuasion? Writer CEO May Habib joins us to talk about the evolving relationship between language and machines and what the rise of generative content means for the future of brand, business, and beyond. Edo Liberty, founder and CEO, Pinecone In a world overflowing with data, finding what matters is everything. Pinecone founder Edo Liberty unpacks why infrastructure, not algorithms, might be the biggest unlock in AI, and what's coming next in the race to power smarter applications at scale. Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO, Apptronik; and Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO, Waabi AI in the physical world hasn't had its ChatGPT moment…yet. Waabi CEO Raquel Urtasun and Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas join us to explore and demonstrate what it takes to bring intelligence into motion, whether it's behind the wheel or on two legs. From simulation to sensors to scaling safely, this panel explores the breakthroughs driving the next generation of physical machines. Ethan Thornton, founder and CEO, Mach Industries From stealth mode to center stage, Mach Industries is bringing AI into one of the world's most complex and controversial sectors: defense. CEO Ethan Thornton joins us to talk about what it takes to build in high-stakes environments, where speed and autonomy matter most, and why next-gen infrastructure starts with rethinking the fundamentals. Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO, Wayve From self-driving cars to self-learning systems, Alex Kendall is rethinking how machines perceive and act in the world. The Wayve CEO joins us to explore how real-world autonomy is shaping the next chapter of AI, and why breakthroughs on the road may unlock progress far beyond it. Alejandro Matamala Ortiz, co-founder and chief design officer, Runway Creatives aren't being replaced, they're being rearmed. Alejandro Matamala Ortiz, co-founder of Runway, shares how creative work is being reshaped by machine learning, what AI-native tools mean for visual storytelling, and why this is just the beginning of a new creative era. Shaping the AI Stack Thomas Wolf, co-founder and CSO, Hugging Face From models and datasets to ethics and infrastructure, Hugging Face is helping define what building responsibly with AI actually looks like. Co-founder and CSO Thomas Wolf joins us to talk about the shifting power dynamics in the AI ecosystem, the rise of community-led innovation, and what it takes to stay open while moving fast. Mati Staniszewski, co-founder and CEO, ElevenLabs From audiobooks to avatars, synthetic speech is having a moment. ElevenLabs is helping lead the charge. CEO Mati Staniszewski joins us to explore what it takes to build AI that speaks like us and how voice technology is reshaping the creative industries, accessibility, and entertainment. Mark Kantor, head of product and Innovation, Match Group; Eugenia Kuyda, CEO, Replika; and more speakers to be announced. AI is changing the way we meet, match, and fall in love, sometimes in ways we don't even notice. This panel explores how technology is reshaping modern relationships, for better or worse. From dating apps to digital soulmates, we'll look at where things are headed and what that means for the human heart. Sri Chandrasekar, managing partner, Point72; Justin Fanelli, CTO, The Navy; and Kathleen Fisher, director, DARPA From defense labs to Wall Street and naval operations, AI is reshaping how countries protect themselves and project power. DARPA's Kathleen Fisher, Point72's Sri Chandrasekar, and Navy CTO Justin Fanelli dive into the cutting-edge AI breakthroughs driving security innovation. They'll discuss what it means for entrepreneurs, investors, and the future of global stability. Step into the future of AI at Disrupt 2025 Don't miss your chance to be part of the conversation shaping the future of AI at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. For over two full days, the AI Stage will feature nonstop sessions with visionary founders, top VCs, and industry leaders — alongside four other cutting-edge stages: Space, Builders, Going Public, and Disrupt — from October 27 to 29 in San Francisco's Moscone West. Secure your ticket now to save up to $675 before prices rise after July, and get ready to unlock the next wave of AI innovation redefining technology, creativity, security, and much more. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Writer CEO May Habib to take the AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
AI agents are reshaping how work gets done across industries, and at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, one of the leading voices in that transformation is stepping onto the AI Stage. May Habib, CEO and co-founder of Writer, will join us in San Francisco, October 27-29, for a fireside chat that dives deep into how enterprises are operationalizing AI — at scale and with speed. With more than 10,000 startup and VC leaders attending the event, this session is set to be one of the most timely and talked-about conversations on the agenda. As the CEO of Writer, Habib has led one of the fastest-growing generative AI companies in the world. From financial services to clinical research to global e-commerce, companies like Uber, Intuit, Accenture, and Vanguard are using Writer's AI agent platform to transform mission-critical operations. These aren't just tools — they're intelligent systems built with domain-specific language models that adapt, learn, and deliver results. Habib is also the driving force behind Palmyra, Writer's family of enterprise-grade LLMs that power these AI agents. Known for their transparency, reliability, and performance, Palmyra models have set new standards for what enterprise grade really means in the AI era. Under Habib's leadership, Writer has raised more than $326 million, reached a $1.9 billion valuation, and built the world's only enterprise-specific AI research lab. This fireside chat will go beyond the headlines to explore how enterprise AI agents are being deployed right now, what it takes to scale them responsibly, and how companies are preparing for what comes next. This conversation will offer real-world insight into how AI is moving from experimentation to execution. Catch it live on the AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. It's all happening October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Register now to join more than 10,000 startup and VC leaders and save up to $675 before prices increase. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
03-07-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Writer CEO May Habib to take the AI stage at Disrupt 2025
AI agents are reshaping how work gets done across industries, and at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, one of the leading voices in that transformation is stepping onto the AI Stage. May Habib, CEO and co-founder of Writer, will join us in San Francisco, October 27-29, for a fireside chat that dives deep into how enterprises are operationalizing AI — at scale and with speed. With more than 10,000 startup and VC leaders attending the event, this session is set to be one of the most timely and talked-about conversations on the agenda. Inside the enterprise AI revolution As the CEO of Writer, Habib has led one of the fastest-growing generative AI companies in the world. From financial services to clinical research to global e-commerce, companies like Uber, Intuit, Accenture, and Vanguard are using Writer's AI agent platform to transform mission-critical operations. These aren't just tools — they're intelligent systems built with domain-specific language models that adapt, learn, and deliver results. Habib is also the driving force behind Palmyra, Writer's family of enterprise-grade LLMs that power these AI agents. Known for their transparency, reliability, and performance, Palmyra models have set new standards for what enterprise grade really means in the AI era. Under Habib's leadership, Writer has raised more than $326 million, reached a $1.9 billion valuation, and built the world's only enterprise-specific AI research lab. What to expect on the AI Stage This fireside chat will go beyond the headlines to explore how enterprise AI agents are being deployed right now, what it takes to scale them responsibly, and how companies are preparing for what comes next. This conversation will offer real-world insight into how AI is moving from experimentation to execution. Catch it live on the AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. It's all happening October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Register now to join more than 10,000 startup and VC leaders and save up to $675 before prices increase.
CNBC
10-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
22. Writer
Founders: May Habib (CEO), Waseem AlshikhLaunched: 2020Headquarters: San FranciscoFunding: $326 millionValuation: $1.98 billionKey Technologies: Artificial intelligence, deep neural networks/deep learning, generative AI, machine learningIndustry: Enterprise technologyPrevious appearances on Disruptor 50 list: 0 As businesses race to integrate generative AI, Writer has carved out a niche by claiming to have brand-safe, compliant technology that can be tailored for enterprise use. More than 300 major organizations including Accenture, L'Oréal, Mars, Prudential, Salesforce, Vanguard Group, and Uber have adopted its technology, with what the company says is an average nine times return on investment. Writer offers a generative AI platform that allows companies to build and train AI apps and agents using their own internal data and the startup's large language models (LLMs). They can input documents, style guides, and other organizational knowledge to teach customized AI systems to have "on-brand" outputs within regulatory bounds. Unlike mass market versions of AI tools like OpenAI's public ChatGPT, Writer's systems are designed to integrate with existing workflows via APIs and low-code solutions. "Companies are struggling to adopt generative AI at scale," Writer co-founder and CEO May Habib told CNBC in an interview last October. "What we do we call a full-stack approach to generative AI. It's the large language models plus the critical tools companies need to customize those models for their data for their workflows." Last year, Writer launched an LLM called Palmyra X4 meant to compete with enterprise offerings from fellow Disruptors OpenAI and Anthropic, and other market leaders. The average training cost for its new AI model was $700,000, compared with estimates of $4.6 million for a similarly sized OpenAI model, a cost reduction in attributed to using synthetic data created by AI. Writer's theory is that models that rely on large data sets are hitting their max potential, so synthetic data is necessary to push the AI field forward. The company trained a separate LLM that takes factual data and converts it to data that is structured to train its Palmyra model. "There's some confusion in the industry about the definition of 'synthetic' data," Writer's co-founder and CTO Waseem Alshikh told CNBC at the time it launched its latest enterprise model in October. "To be clear, we don't train our models on fake or hallucination data, and we don't use a model to generate random data. ... We take real, factual data and convert it to synthetic data that is specifically structured in a clearer and cleaner way for model training," Alshikh said. The company also released two Palmyra models meant specifically for healthcare and finance companies last year. It also announced Palmyra Vision, a multi-modal LLM focused on analyzing images, extracting handwritten text and classifying objects. As with all generative AI companies, questions still surround the use cases and return on investment on a widespread scale throughout the economy. While it has been successful in landing big-name clients, it remains to be seen whether those implementations will lead to lasting business growth at a fraction of the cost.
Business Wire
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Writer Named a Gartner® Cool Vendor for AI Agent Development
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Writer, the leader in enterprise generative AI, today announced that it has been named a Cool Vendor in the inaugural 2025 Gartner® Cool Vendors™report for AI Agent Development. Over the last 5 years, Writer has pioneered the enterprise AI category with the world's only enterprise-focused AI research lab and now leads the industry with an end-to-end approach to agentic AI. Today, Writer's platform enables IT and business teams from hundreds of leading enterprises to collaboratively build and scale AI agents that streamline workflows across departments. According to Gartner, 'by 2029, over 60% of enterprises will adopt AI agent development platforms to automate complex workflows previously requiring human coordination.' The report states, 'Demand for AI agent development is increasing as organizations seek hyperefficiency. Software engineering leaders will find the vendors in this report valuable for addressing the growing demand from business and technology stakeholders to develop agents that will help them deliver business value faster.' Based on Writer's understanding, Cool Vendors were selected for their ability to provide both the foundational tools to harness the potential of AI agents, as well as innovative value-add functionality. Writer's primary takeaway from the report is that enterprises must invest in vendors that can offer scalability, interoperability, and stability, in addition to performance and security, to maximize long term value. 'Being named a Gartner Cool Vendor in AI Agent Development is an important recognition of Writer's platform,' said May Habib, CEO and Co-Founder of Writer. 'In a noisy market full of overpromises, Writer delivers what enterprises actually need: agentic systems that are accurate, governed, and built to scale. Our platform gives IT and business teams one place to build, activate, and supervise AI agents — grounded in business context, powered by our enterprise-grade LLMs, and built for real ROI.' Writer has recently released new product and tech innovations, including: Palmyra X5: Writer's latest foundation model, topping benchmarks for speed, cost efficiency, and large context performance. AI HQ: Writer's centralized hub to build, activate, and supervise AI agents across the enterprise. Includes a library of 100+ ready-to-use AI agents across industries including finance, healthcare, retail, and technology. Together, Palmyra X5 and AI HQ give enterprises unmatched power to deploy real-world AI agents that support use cases like market intelligence, financial reporting, legal analysis, medical record synthesis, and customer experience optimization. Hundreds of leading enterprises – including Intuit, Kenvue, Marriott, Qualcomm, Uber, Vanguard, and more – use Writer to reinvent business processes with AI at the center. Readers can access a complimentary copy of the report here. Disclaimer Gartner, Cool Vendors for AI Agent Development, Adrian Leow, Jim Scheibmeir, Nitish Tyagi, Manjunath Bhat, 27 May 2025 GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About Writer Writer is where the world's leading enterprises orchestrate AI-powered work. With Writer's end-to-end platform, teams can build, activate, and supervise AI agents that are grounded in their company's data and fueled by Writer's enterprise-grade LLMs. From faster product launches to deeper financial research to better clinical trials, companies are quickly transforming their most important business processes for the AI era in partnership with Writer. Founded in 2020, Writer delivers unmatched ROI for hundreds of customers like Accenture, Intuit, Marriott, Uber, and Vanguard and is backed by investors including Premji Invest, Radical Ventures, ICONIQ Growth, Insight Partners, Balderton, B Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Adobe Ventures, Citi Ventures, IBM Ventures, and others. Learn more at
