The battle of the AI labs

OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Deepmind, xAI and Meta - all of them are building models to push the frontiers of artificial intelligence, and all of them want to be the world’s leading AI company. Who will come out on top? With the help of the FT’s expert reporters, technology news editor Murad Ahmed explores the battles going on between Silicon Valley’s frontier AI labs, and the personal rivalries driving them. Who will win out in the bitter rivalry between OpenAI and Anthropic? Can Elon Musk’s xAI or Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta catch up? Or is Google Deepmind destined to control our AI future? FT articles free to read: Anthropic’s Mythos AI model tests limits of global cyber defences OpenAI investors question $852bn valuation as strategy shifts DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis warns AI investment looks ‘bubble-like’ Meta releases first AI model since Zuckerberg’s spending spree How Elon Musk’s Grok spread sexual deepfakes and child exploitation images Tech Tonic is hosted by Murad Ahmed and produced by Edwin Lane. Sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The battle of the AI labs is an episode from FT Tech Tonic by Saragosa Manuela.

This episode is 0:57 long.

This episode was published on Apr 29, 2026.

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