In this article, we look at 10 AI news and ratings you should take a look at.
AI Accessibility and Global Growth
In a CNBC interview, Clement Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face, discussed some important developments in the AI industry and focused on OpenAI, DeepSeek, and the role of open-source innovation. He noted the increasing global attention on AI and the discussions surrounding major industry shifts but emphasized that his priority remains on actual AI development rather than business transactions. He welcomed efforts to make OpenAI more open-source-oriented and stated that greater contributions to open science could have a significant global impact.
Delangue talked about the rapid rise of DeepSeek, whose open-source model has gained widespread adoption, with over a thousand variants developed and millions of downloads on Hugging Face. He pointed out that DeepSeek’s model has already surpassed Llama and Mistral in popularity and is on track to become the most widely used model on the platform. Unlike proprietary AI services that cater to API users, DeepSeek primarily attracts AI builders who run and customize models independently. He suggested this segment could eventually outgrow the user base of API-driven AI platforms.
Delangue also affirmed that DeepSeek’s reported $6 million training cost and lower inference expenses appear accurate. He praised its detailed research paper and the transparency enabled by open-source releases, which allow others to replicate its results. Hugging Face is working on its own replication effort, OpenR1, to provide further transparency on training data and methodologies, making it accessible to developers with limited budgets.
Moreover, Delangue acknowledged DeepSeek’s ability to train models using less advanced, legally compliant chips but left open the possibility that it had access to more sophisticated hardware. He noted, however, that AI advancements in training efficiency could reduce reliance on high-end chips, promoting broader accessibility in the field.
Finally, Delangue observed that DeepSeek’s success has inspired greater ambition in many countries, including Europe, where governments are increasing AI investments. He sees a growing consensus on the benefits of open-source AI. He also noted that China’s AI progress, while surprising to some, was predictable due to its increasing contributions to open-source AI and research. He suggested that other countries, including India, could follow a similar approach to accelerate their AI capabilities and compete at the highest levels.
For this article, we selected AI stocks by reviewing news articles, stock analysis, and press releases. We listed the stocks in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment taken from Insider Monkey’s database of 900 hedge funds.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
10 AI News and Ratings You Should Take a Look At
10. ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZENA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZENA) develops cloud-based enterprise software for multiple industries and manufactures drones.
On February 11, ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) announced that its subsidiary, ZenaDrone, is working toward Green UAS certification for its IQ Square drone, aimed at land surveys, infrastructure inspections, and defense applications. The certification improves cybersecurity and supply chain compliance to make the drone more suitable for government and commercial buyers.
The AI-powered IQ Square drone features advanced imaging, a 20-minute flight time, and autonomous charging capabilities. ZenaDrone has previously conducted trials with the US Air Force and Navy Reserve and plans to manufacture defense-compliant drones in Arizona.
9. 8×8, Inc. (NASDAQ:EGHT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 12
8×8, Inc. (NASDAQ:EGHT) provides cloud-based communication and contact center solutions, including voice, video, messaging, AI-powered engagement, and API services for businesses and organizations.
On February 11, 8×8, Inc. reported strong growth in AI-powered CX solutions, with customer self-service adoption rising 130% year-over-year and AI interactions increasing 370%. Some customer wins included finance, retail, travel, insurance, and manufacturing companies. New features include AI-powered secure payments, voice directory enhancements, improved support tools, and mobile device management. The updates improve efficiency and customer experience across 8×8’s contact center and unified communications platform. CEO Samuel Wilson commented:
“Organizations are increasingly recognizing that long-term growth hinges on repeat customers, and the key to earning that loyalty is exceptional customer satisfaction. Businesses that prioritize seamless operations and outstanding service aren’t just meeting expectations—they’re creating the conditions for customers to return, advocate, and drive sustainable success… The 8×8 Platform for CX is proving essential for organizations as they embrace AI to simplify complexity and fuel sustainable growth—empowering CX and IT leaders to transform fragmented interactions into seamless, impactful experiences that exceed customer expectations.”
