Meta Edits the Future of Video Creation

🌟 Good morning,

While you were dreaming, Meta was scheming—and now your video edits are getting a serious glow-up. No watermarks, more AI power, and tools to turn stills into stories.
_{—Let’s make it a masterpiece}

SYNC PICKS
5 Tools to Automate

1. Yepic AI: Create AI training videos and video chatbots that speak any language.

2. Runware: The most flexible API for GenAI

3. Webstudio: is the first builder to leverage the latest web standard, the Scroll Timeline API — enabling animations to run at 120 FPS off the main thread, without writing a single line of code.

4. Buildform: Build smarter forms that drive engagement and boost conversions effortlessly.

5. Zorium: full fledge discord alternative.The next generation communication platform for gamers and academics alike.

🦄 Startup Spotlight
Ather Energy slashes IPO to $308M

Ather Energy, the Indian electric two-wheeler startup, has reduced its initial public offering (IPO) size by 18%, now aiming for $308 million. The Bengaluru-based company is targeting a post-money valuation of $1.4 billion, down from the $1.5 to $2 billion range it sought last year. Citing market conditions, Ather confirmed it will sell 11.1 million shares instead of the 22 million initially planned. The IPO will open for bidding on April 28, with anchor investors participating in a private placement on April 25.

The company plans to use proceeds for expanding its manufacturing facility in Maharashtra and for R&D, marketing, and debt repayment. Ather's growth has been steady, with a 21% sales increase in 2024, reaching a market share of 10.7%. However, it still reported a net loss despite a rise in revenue to $185.4 million in the nine months to December. Ather's rival, Ola Electric, went public last year but has seen its stock price fall by 42% since its debut, offering a cautionary tale for Ather as it prepares for its own IPO.

Funding Roundup

Lace AI, an AI-driven customer service software startup, raises $14M led by Bek Ventures to enhance revenue generation for home service businesses. The funding will help Lace scale its AI-powered platform, which analyses 100% of customer calls to identify lost revenue opportunities, aiming for rapid growth and expansion.

Cluely, an AI-powered "cheating" tool startup, raises $5.3M from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures to expand its AI assistant for exams, sales calls, and job interviews. The funding will help the controversial startup scale its hidden in-browser tool, which already boasts over $3M in ARR, further disrupt industries.

Manychat raises $140M in Series B from Summit Partners to scale its business messaging platform and integrate more AI. The funding will fuel R&D, global sales, and marketing, helping the company expand its customer base, which includes brands like Nike and The New York Times, and enhance engagement on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

TODAY IN AI
Big hype, Smaller score

Benchmark numbers don’t lie unless, of course, they’re more of a best-case scenario than the real-world standard. In a twist straight from Silicon Valley’s growing playbook of “flashy first, details later,” OpenAI’s flagship o3 model isn’t quite living up to the performance hype it drummed up back in December.

Touted as a math whiz that could conquer over 25% of problems on the notoriously tough FrontierMath benchmark (compared to just 2% by rivals), o3 has now been independently tested by Epoch AI—and it clocked in closer to 10%. Experts say the higher figure likely came from an internal version of o3 running on turbo-charged compute power not available in the public release.

In fact, other third-party testers, like ARC Prize, confirm the released o3 is a “different model” optimised for chat speed and everyday use rather than brute-force math. Even OpenAI staffer Wenda Zhou admits it’s been tuned for cost and performance over raw accuracy.

Point being: OpenAI’s o3 still performs well, and better versions like o3-pro are coming. But it’s a cautionary tale. In AI’s benchmark-hungry race, flashy numbers may be more about perception than product, and the gap between lab and launch is growing harder to ignore.

SYNC FAST

Huawei is gearing up to mass-ship its 910C AI chip, aiming to fill the void left by U.S. curbs on Nvidia’s H20. With double the power of its predecessor, the 910C could soon become China’s go-to chip for AI ambitions.

Yepic AI unveils emotion-savvy avatars that adapt in real-time to users' moods and tones.
Dubbed "Human Capital OS," the tech aims to level up customer service, onboarding, and coaching with face-to-face AI support.

The Washington Post joins OpenAI's growing list of media partners to power article summaries inside ChatGPT. Users can now get bite-sized takes, quotes, and links from WaPo’s political to tech coverage—right in their chat.

Apple dropped the “available now” label from its Apple Intelligence page after a watchdog said the claim was misleading. The NAD flagged features like Genmoji and AI Siri as not yet live Apple tweaked its messaging in response.

TECH SYNC
Meta drops 'Edits' app

In a bold move to capture the creator economy, Meta has just launched Edits, a new video-editing app designed to rival ByteDance's popular CapCut. Now available globally on iOS and Android, Edits gives creators an array of free tools to transform their ideas into dynamic videos, with features like AI effects, green screen, and automatic captions.

Unlike CapCut, which slaps a watermark on free exports, Edits lets you create and export videos watermark-free, a clear play to win over CapCut users. Plus, the app is packed with features like the “Ideas” tool for brainstorming, the “Timeline” for editing, and the ability to convert static images into animated videos using AI.

Meta also promises exciting features down the road, including AI-powered modifications to tweak your video's look and even new ways to collaborate with other creators or brands. With the app's focus on cross-platform video creation, it's Meta's strategy to capture creators who juggle multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and competitors like TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

So, is this Meta’s move to win the creator battle? With plans for future upgrades, Edits is set to be a strong contender in the ever-growing video-editing space.

MORE TO KNOW

Instagram is using AI to detect teens lying about their age, enrolling them in restricted Teen Accounts even if they list an adult birthday. These accounts come with built-in safeguards, limiting who can contact teens and what content they can see. Meta is also notifying parents to ensure accurate age info for added protection.

Google Fi has launched a new Unlimited Essentials plan at $35/month, offering unlimited calls, texts, and 30GB of high-speed data. Along with this, existing plans like Unlimited Standard and Unlimited Premium get upgrades, with higher data caps and hotspot allowances. Plus, Google Fi now supports data-only eSIM for secondary devices, and international 5G is expanding to over 92 countries.

Bluesky has launched blue check verification, confirming that notable accounts are authentic and trustworthy. Initially, Trusted Verifiers like organisations can confirm accounts, including PR teams and public figures, cutting down on impersonation. While verification applications aren't open yet, Bluesky plans to roll out a request form soon.

GADGETS
Vivo's X200 Ultra aims to replace your camera

Vivo's new X200 Ultra is more than just a smartphone, it’s a powerhouse camera system in your pocket. Equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, up to 16GB RAM, and 1TB of storage, this phone offers a triple camera setup, including a massive 200MP sensor for pro-level photos and 4K video. But the game-changer? Vivo’s optional Photographer Kit, which includes a removable grip, zoom control, and a Zeiss 2.35x telephoto lens that pushes its zoom to an impressive 8.7x. While it may not fully replace DSLRs or mirrorless cameras for the pros, it’s an impressive leap for mobile photography, with the potential to replace your camera for everyday use.