🚀OpenAI just locked down Disney for $1B, Goldman's betting $240M on DevOps automation, and Trump's AI executive order might create more legal chaos than clarity. Meanwhile, search interest in "AI design jobs" collapsed 87% since peak.
Industry moves
OpenAI strikes $1B deal to bring Disney characters to ChatGPT and Sora
The Walt Disney Company entered a landmark three-year agreement with OpenAI to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, the startup's short-form generative video platform. The deal blends Disney's storytelling legacy with OpenAI's fast-evolving video technology.
Why this matters: Disney's licensing characters to OpenAI legitimizes generative AI in entertainment. It's a massive shift, instead of fighting AI, Disney's monetizing it. For other studios, this sets a precedent: license content proactively or watch OpenAI generate unlicensed alternatives.
Kirill Lazarev, CEO and Founder at Lazarev.agency: "Disney's $1B deal with OpenAI is a strategic capitulation. They're admitting that generative AI can't be stopped, so they're monetizing their IP instead of fighting it. This changes the game for content licensing. Every studio is now deciding: do we negotiate terms, or do we get left behind? Disney just showed the industry how to turn a threat into revenue."
Goldman Sachs backs Harness with $240M to take on GitLab and CircleCI in AI DevOps
For years, the race in software centered on writing code faster. But after code is written, testing, deployment, security reviews, and compliance are needed to bring software safely to users. These "after-code" processes are the problem Harness aims to solve.
The funding: This San Francisco company announced a $240 million Series E round led by Goldman Sachs, joined by IVP, Menlo Ventures, and Unusual Ventures. The raise pushes Harness's valuation to $5.5 billion and will help expand Harness AI, a system built to automate and intelligently manage the software delivery process.
Oleksandr Koshytskyi, Lead Designer at Lazarev.agency: "DevOps automation is where AI actually saves money. Code generation gets attention, but deployment automation prevents outages, reduces downtime, and eliminates manual testing. That's a measurable ROI. Harness's $5.5B valuation reflects that enterprises will pay premium prices for tools that prevent expensive failures."
Accenture and Anthropic partner to boost enterprise AI integration
Accenture and Anthropic are expanding their partnership to boost enterprise AI integration. While 2024 was defined by corporate curiosity about Large Language Models, the current mandate for business leaders is operationalizing these tools to achieve ROI.
What they're building: The new Accenture Anthropic Business Group combines Anthropic's model capabilities with Accenture's implementation machinery to industrialize the deployment of generative AI across regulated sectors.
Danylo Dubrovsky, Senior UX/UI designer at Lazarev.agency: "Enterprise AI fails because companies can't integrate it into existing workflows. Accenture's partnership with Anthropic is about implementation. They're solving the 'last mile' problem, taking AI from demo to production."
Oracle-Broadcom one-two punch hits AI trade, but investor optimism persists
Oracle's AI spending raises valuation and debt concerns. Investors are becoming selective in AI stock investments. Short sellers show little appetite to ramp up bearish bets against AI stocks. Investors are encouraged by broad market strength amid AI trade weakness.
What's happening: Oracle and Broadcom's heavy AI infrastructure spending spooked some investors, but broader market optimism persists. The AI trade is maturing, investors are getting selective instead of buying everything AI-related.
Kirill Lazarev, CEO and Founder at Lazarev.agency: "When investors get selective in AI, it means the easy money phase is ending. Companies need to prove AI generates revenue. For product teams, this means AI features must drive measurable outcomes – conversion, retention, revenue. If your AI is just a chatbot novelty, funding dries up fast."
Trump's AI executive order promises 'one rulebook' – startups may get legal limbo instead
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing federal agencies to challenge state AI laws, arguing that startups need relief from a "patchwork" of rules. Legal experts and startups say the order could prolong uncertainty, sparking court battles that leave young companies navigating shifting state requirements while waiting for Congress to agree on a single national framework.
What the order does: It directs the Department of Justice to set up a task force within 30 days to challenge certain state laws on the grounds that AI is interstate commerce and should be regulated federally. It gives the Commerce Department 90 days to compile a list of "onerous" state AI laws, an assessment that could affect states' eligibility for federal funds.
Top funding rounds of this week
This week's top 10 was led by Saviynt's massive $700 million Series B for AI-optimized identity security at a $3 billion valuation.
Top 10 rounds:
- Saviynt: $700M, AI identity security (El Segundo, CA, $3B valuation, Series B led by KKR, 15-year-old company)
- Unconventional AI: $475M, AI energy efficiency (San Francisco Bay Area, seed led by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed)
- Fervo Energy: $462M, geothermal energy (Houston, Series E led by B Capital, funding Western Utah project)
- Boom Supersonic: $300M, fast airplanes/turbines (Denver, led by Darsana Capital Partners, also building natural gas turbines for AI data centers)
- K2 Space: $250M, space tech (Torrance, CA, $3B valuation, Series C led by Redpoint, founded 2022)
- Harness: $240M, software development (Goldman Sachs-led Series E + $40M tender, $5.5B valuation, 8-year-old company)
- Impulse Dynamics: $158M, medical devices (Marlton, NJ, heart failure devices, led by Sands Capital Ventures and Braidwell)
- Fal: $140M, generative AI (San Francisco, Series D led by Sequoia Capital, third raise this year)
- Sanegene Bio: $110M, biotech (Boston, RNAi therapeutics, Series B, founded 2021)
- BlossomHill Therapeutics: $84M, biotech (San Diego, cancer medicines, Series B extension led by Janus Henderson Investors)
The pattern: AI identity security (Saviynt) and AI energy efficiency (Unconventional AI) dominate. Geothermal energy (Fervo) and space tech (K2) show infrastructure diversification. DevOps automation (Harness) and generative AI (Fal) continue attracting capital.
Product reality check
Nvidia considers increasing H200 chip output due to robust China demand
Nvidia is considering adding H200 production capacity for Chinese demand. Chinese tech companies are seeking large H200 orders from Nvidia now. The Chinese government has yet to approve H200 chip purchases. Chinese officials propose bundling H200 purchases with domestic chip requirements.
Kirill Lazarev, CEO and Founder at Lazarev.agency: "China's proposing to bundle H200 purchases with domestic chip requirements is strategic industrial policy. They're using access to Nvidia's chips as leverage to boost their domestic semiconductor industry. For AI companies, this means higher costs and supply chain complexity. Nvidia's caught between maximizing revenue and navigating geopolitical constraints."
With iOS 26.2, Apple lets you roll back Liquid Glass again, this time on the Lock Screen
Apple is releasing another tool to dial down Liquid Glass' transparency with iOS 26.2. Users can now control the transparency of the Lock Screen's clock. The release follows an update that introduced a slider for controlling Liquid Glass elements' opacity throughout the operating system, following user complaints that the changes made devices too hard to read.
Why Apple's backtracking: Users complained that transparency made interfaces difficult to read. Apple's adding opacity controls is an admission that aesthetic choices can't override usability.
Oleksandr Koshytskyi, Lead Designer at Lazarev.agency: "Liquid Glass is a perfect case study in aesthetics vs. usability. It looks beautiful in marketing materials but fails in real-world use when users can't read text. Apple's adding opacity controls shows they're prioritizing user feedback over design purity. That's the right call. Visual design only matters if users can actually use the product."
Google and Apple roll out emergency security updates after zero-day attacks
Apple and Google released several software updates to protect against a hacking campaign targeting an unknown number of their users. Google released patches for Chrome, noting that one bug was being actively exploited by hackers before the company had time to patch it.
Why this matters: Zero-day attacks are exploits hackers use before companies know vulnerabilities exist. When Google and Apple release emergency patches simultaneously, it suggests a coordinated attack campaign.
Danylo Dubrovsky, Senior UX/UI designer at Lazarev.agency: "Zero-day exploits expose the UX challenge of security updates. Most users ignore update prompts until it's too late. Apple and Google need to make security updates feel urgent without creating alarm fatigue."
BBVA embeds AI into banking workflows using ChatGPT Enterprise
BBVA is embedding AI into core banking workflows using ChatGPT Enterprise to overhaul risk and service in the sector. BBVA integrated OpenAI's platform directly into its operational backbone, deploying the tool across every unit of the bank. This tenfold expansion marks one of the largest enterprise deployments in the financial sector to date.
How they did it: BBVA began working with OpenAI in May 2024, rolling out 3,300 accounts to test the waters. This pilot phase allowed validation of use cases before expanding to 11,000 staff.
Kirill Lazarev, CEO and Founder at Lazarev.agency: "BBVA's approach is the right way to deploy enterprise AI: pilot with 3,300 users, validate use cases, then expand to 11,000 staff. Most banks rush to deploy AI everywhere and fail. Starting small lets you identify what works before committing resources. For product teams, this is the playbook: prove value in one workflow, then scale systematically."
Google Translate now lets you hear real-time translations in your headphones
Google is rolling out a beta experience that lets you hear real-time translations in your headphones. The tech giant is also bringing advanced Gemini capabilities to Google Translate and expanding language-learning tools.
What's new: The new real-time headphone translations experience keeps each speaker's tone, emphasis, and cadence intact, so it's easier to follow conversations and tell who's saying what. The capability turns any pair of headphones into a real-time, one-way translation device.
Oleksandr Koshytskyi, Lead Designer at Lazarev.agency: "Real-time translation only works if latency is imperceptible and accuracy is near-perfect. Google's preserving tone and cadence is smart UX, it helps users understand context. But the real test is whether people trust it in high-stakes conversations. Translation errors in casual chats are forgivable. In business or medical contexts, they're disastrous."
Design wins
Lazarev.agency elevated a digital marketing firm's online presence
In the highly competitive digital marketing landscape, establishing a strong visual identity and optimized user experience is crucial for standing out. Customer City and its product SkyDeck is a company born from a late-night vision during COVID, initially relying on a simple Fiverr logo. Recognizing the need for a more impactful online presence, they turned to Lazarev.agency to develop a modern, bold website that would better reflect their growth and ambitions.
What we did: We crafted a comprehensive visual language that aligns with current design trends, emphasizing minimalism with bright accents. This strategy ensured consistency across all digital touchpoints, positioning the brand as a professional leader in its niche.
The result: A digital presence that matches SkyDeck's capabilities and ambitions, helping them stand out in a crowded market.
Danylo Dubrovsky, Senior UX/UI designer at Lazarev.agency: "Digital marketing firms live or die by their own marketing. SkyDeck needed a website that proved they could deliver what they sell. We built a bold, modern experience that demonstrates their capabilities through design. When your product is marketing, your website is your proof of concept."
No Fixed Address designs a world-first tool to recognise and protect urban recyclers
Created with Montréal's binner community and Coop Les Valoristes, the Dignity Bag offers safety, visibility, and long-overdue dignity to the workers who keep cities' recycling systems afloat.
Thirst is bringing back The Eggnog Riot. Literally
Forget cosy Christmas clichés. Eggnog caused a riot in 1826, and Thirst's new drink concept taps straight into that rebellious spirit with a caffeinated, midnight-black twist on the festive oddball we either love or hate.
Why it works: Thirst turned historical rebellion into a brand story. When beverage branding leans into unexpected narratives, it cuts through seasonal noise.
DNCO reimagines Amsterdam's Zuidas as 'Zudo': a new village identity for the city's business district
Blending research, local character, and a playful bilingual voice, the identity hopes to shift long-held perceptions of Zuidas as a district built only for business.
Kirill Lazarev, CEO and Founder at Lazarev.agency: "Rebranding a business district as a village is about changing perception through design. Zuidas had an image problem: all work, no life. The Zudo identity makes it feel human and approachable. That's how design shifts cultural perception. When you change how a place looks and sounds, you change how people experience it."
This week's reality check
15 AI UX agencies making AI feel simple
When Spotify set out to fix its confusing recommendation engine, the real breakthrough was in how the interface made that intelligence feel usable. People spent more time exploring and less time frustrated, proving that AI only works if humans can actually work with it.
That's why picking the right AI UX agency matters. We reviewed 50+ portfolios to identify who truly understands data flows and AI-native usability.
Key takeaways:
- Not all AI UX agencies are equal. Reviewing 50+ portfolios revealed who truly understands data flows, AI-native usability, and can build transformative digital experiences.
- AI UX succeeds when complexity disappears. Lazarev.agency's Rhea redesign shows how hybrid interfaces and adaptive workflows outperform chatbot-style tools.
- Different AI products need different strengths. A research engine, a SaaS platform, and a mobile AI companion each demand distinct UX expertise, the roadmap in this article helps you choose the agency built for your scenario.
Oleksandr Koshytskyi, Lead Designer at Lazarev.agency: "AI UX fails when agencies treat it like traditional software. AI systems are probabilistic, contextual, and often unpredictable. That requires different design patterns: transparency about confidence levels, graceful error handling, and adaptive interfaces. Most agencies don't understand this. The ones that do build AI products users actually trust."
Global interest in "AI design jobs" collapsed 87% after its 2025 peak, signaling a shift from hype to hybrid skills
New Google Trends data reveals a sharp correction in global interest around "AI design jobs," with search volume dropping 87% since its all-time high in mid-August 2025.
The full year story:
- Dec 1, 2024 → May 31, 2025: Global interest remained consistently low (4–10 index points)
- June 2025 → early August 2025: Curiosity climbed rapidly
- Aug 10–16, 2025: Search reached record index of 100, coinciding with GPT-5's global adoption shockwave
- June 8 → Nov 15, 2025: Interest settled into stable mid-range as market absorbed implications
- After Nov 15, 2025: Searches declined quickly, returning to low-level interest
Danylo Dubrovsky, Senior UX/UI designer at Lazarev.agency: "The 87% drop in 'AI design jobs' searches is a maturation. The market realized you don't need specialized AI designers. You need great designers who understand AI capabilities and limitations."
What's coming next week
More licensing deals, more enterprise AI deployments, and probably another design language that prioritizes aesthetics over usability. We'll separate strategic moves from reactive pivots.
🔥 Stay sharp. Stay with Lazarev.agency, your AI UX design agency.
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