Depthfirst Applied AI Lab Raises $80M Series B for Software Security

• Shield AI, a U.S.-based developer of autonomous pilot platforms, secured $1.5 billion in Series G funding as part of a $2.25 billion capital package on April 4, 2026. • The round values the company at $12.7 billion, a 140% increase in one year, with its Hivemind platform selected by the U.S. military for defense applications. • This funding underscores surging investor confidence in AI-driven defense tech amid rising geopolitical tensions.

• METR released a new application of its time-horizon methodology to offensive cybersecurity, based on a study with 10 professional security experts. • The research evaluates AI capabilities in security tasks, accelerating evaluations every 5.7 months on 2024+ trendlines. • Opus 4.6 and GPT-5.3 Codex exceed benchmarks, solving tasks taking humans ~3 hours.

• Meta Platforms acquired Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup, in a deal valued at over $2 billion to advance AI infrastructure. • The acquisition bolsters Meta's capabilities in AI development amid US tech competition. • Details on Manus technology integration remain pending announcement.

• Palo Alto Networks released Prisma AIRS 3.0, advancing its AI security platform to counter evolving threats. • The update enhances detection and response for AI-specific vulnerabilities in enterprise environments. • As a NASDAQ-listed leader, PANW strengthens US cybersecurity amid rising AI adoption.

• Circadence, a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm, secured $16.4 million in funding on April 4, 2026, to enhance its AI-powered platforms. • The investment supports launches of RangeGPT, an AI training tool, and Project Ares GEN3 for advanced threat simulation. • This funding arrives amid rising AI-enhanced cyber threats, positioning Circadence to innovate in enterprise defense.

• Anthropic has discontinued third-party tools like OpenClaw for Claude subscribers, citing unsustainable demand straining its infrastructure. • The move prioritizes core model stability as user growth surges, impacting developers relying on extensions for customized workflows. • It highlights operational challenges for leading AI providers balancing openness with capacity limits in a rapidly scaling market.

• Anthropic acquired Coefficient Bio, a startup founded eight months ago with fewer than 10 employees, for roughly $400 million in shares, despite it having no product or revenue. • The platform uses AI for pharmaceutical tasks like drug research planning and identifying new drug opportunities, positioning Anthropic's models for scientific discovery in life sciences. • This bet signals a strategic push into AI-driven biotech, potentially accelerating drug development amid growing competition in applied AI verticals.

• Eli Lilly announced a collaboration with Nvidia to establish a co-innovation AI lab combining computing power with scientific expertise for faster drug discovery. • The partnership targets AI applications in identifying drug candidates, optimizing clinical trials, and reducing failure rates in biotech development. • This non-tech firm's AI push exemplifies how pharma giants are leveraging partnerships to lead in AI-driven innovation beyond traditional tech sectors.

• Meta is eliminating approximately 200 positions in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of team restructuring. • The layoffs support heavy investments in AI infrastructure and long-term tech priorities. • This reflects broader industry shifts where companies trim staff to allocate resources toward generative AI development.

• US tech companies cut 52,000 jobs in just three months of 2026, driven by rising AI investments. • Layoffs stem from restructuring for AI priorities, though economic factors also contribute beyond automation. • The trend highlights tensions between AI-driven efficiency gains and workforce displacement in Silicon Valley.

• At RSAC 2026 on April 3, experts detailed rising AI-powered autonomous cyber threats and agentic defenses. • Sessions emphasized quantum computing risks to encryption, urging enterprise preparedness. • Findings stress need for adaptive strategies against evolving AI attack vectors.