Welcome to this week's The AI Loop. As we enter into 2026, AI mega deals keep getting bigger and the bets keep getting bolder. We're also reflecting on an exciting season at Perle Labs and looking ahead to what's next. Let's get into it.

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Perle Labs Update

Beta Season Recap + What's Ahead

We officially wrapped the Perle Labs Beta this week, closing out the year with a huge milestone for the platform.

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The goal that we had with this platform was simple: create a space where humans could directly contribute to the next generation of AI through high-quality judgment. Over the past few months, thousands of contributors jumped in early, completed real tasks across text, audio, image, and motion, and helped shape the first working version of Perle Labs. 

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During the beta, we refined task design, strengthened validation systems, and saw top contributors raise the bar on accuracy and consistency. The result is a production-ready foundation that’s functional, reliable, and built to grow.

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As we head into the new year, we’re closing the beta chapter with a lot of momentum and opening the door to what comes next. Thank you for helping build this with us. The next season is coming soon, and it’s going to be even bigger.

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Top AI Stories

Meta Acquires AI Startup Manus for More Than $2 Billion

Meta is making a major move into AI agents with the acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based startup founded by Chinese entrepreneurs that gained attention earlier this year for its ability to produce detailed research reports and build custom websites autonomously. The deal closed at more than $2 billion, with Manus CEO Xiao Hong set to report directly to Meta COO Javier Olivan.

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The acquisition signals Meta's push to compete in one of AI's most intense battlegrounds: agents that can handle complex tasks with minimal human input. While Meta has invested heavily in foundational AI research, this deal gives the company a proven product in a space where Microsoft's Copilot and other agent-first tools have been gaining ground. It's also one of the highest-profile examples of a major U.S. tech company acquiring AI talent and technology developed in Asia's startup ecosystem.

Source: Wall Street Journal

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SoftBank Completes $40 Billion Investment in OpenAI

SoftBank has officially completed its $40 billion investment in OpenAI, marking one of the largest private funding rounds in history and deepening Masayoshi Son's bet on AI as the central axis of global technology markets. The final tranche of $22 billion to $22.5 billion was sent after SoftBank syndicated $10 billion and invested $8 billion directly.

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The deal valued OpenAI at around $300 billion on a post-money basis back in March, though a secondary stock sale in October pushed that figure closer to $500 billion. SoftBank's commitment ties directly into Stargate, the massive multi-year data center initiative OpenAI is building alongside Oracle and other stakeholders. As AI infrastructure demands continue to accelerate, this investment cements SoftBank as one of the largest private backers of the next wave of frontier development.

Source: Reuters

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Baidu's AI Chip Unit Kunlunxin Files for IPO

Baidu's AI chip arm Kunlunxin has confidentially filed a listing application with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, paving the way for a spin-off and separate public debut. The move sent Baidu's U.S. shares up 9 percent in premarket trading. Kunlunxin was previously valued at around $3 billion following a recent fundraising round and is expected to remain a Baidu subsidiary after the listing.

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The filing comes as China accelerates efforts to develop domestic chip alternatives amid escalating U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductors. Kunlunxin joins a growing wave of Chinese AI chip companies heading to public markets, including MiniMax and Shanghai Biren Technology, which recently raised billions in Hong Kong offerings. With Hong Kong logging its strongest IPO year since 2021, raising $36.5 billion across 114 new listings, the region is emerging as a key launchpad for China's push toward semiconductor self-reliance.

Source: Yahoo Finance

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Stay in the Loop

This is the very first loop of 2026. Believe it when we say that we are just getting started. 2025 was an incredible year across the industry and an even bigger one here at Perle Labs. This year is stacked with the biggest developments, breakthroughs, and stories worth paying attention to. We have a lot going on in the background that we cannot wait to tell you more about. 

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In the meantime, follow along with us on X, Discord, and Telegram to stay connected so you don’t miss what’s coming.