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Moonvalley Raises $43M to Build Safer AI Video Tools

AND: Agentic AI Is Here: Why Autonomy, Not Automation, Is the Next Frontier

TodayOnAI’s Daily Drop

  • Moonvalley Raises $43M to Build Safer AI Video Tools

  • Agentic AI Is Here: Why Autonomy, Not Automation, Is the Next Frontier

  • Shopify CEO Makes AI the New Hiring Gatekeeper

  • 💬 Let’s Fix This Prompt

  • 🧰 Today’s AI Toolbox Pick

📌 The TodayOnAI Brief

AI

🚀 TodayOnAI Insight: Moonvalley, an LA-based startup building generative video tools, has quietly raised $43 million in new funding just days after launching its first AI model, Marey. With backing from major VCs and a strategy focused on licensing and legal safeguards, the company is positioning itself as a safer, more controllable alternative in an increasingly crowded space.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

  • Moonvalley raised $43M from 11 investors per an SEC filing; total round may be higher.

  • Its first model, Marey, launched last week, generates HD clips up to 30 seconds with precise camera and motion controls.

  • Built with new AI animation studio Asteria, Marey emphasizes legal safety by licensing training data—similar to Adobe’s approach.

  • Moonvalley offers opt-outs for creators, customer data deletion, and indemnification against copyright claims.

  • The company also enforces ethical safeguards, restricting NSFW prompts and blocking likeness-based generation.

💡 Why This Stands Out: As generative video enters a phase of rapid commoditization, Moonvalley’s emphasis on legal compliance, creator control, and model safety sets it apart. The startup isn’t just chasing realism or speed—it’s designing for long-term viability in a litigious, rights-sensitive industry. Can responsible design be the moat in a field obsessed with scale?

AI

Agentic AI Is Here: Why Autonomy, Not Automation, Is the Next Frontier

🚀 TodayOnAI Insight: AI is shifting from accelerating workflows to fundamentally transforming them. A new McKinsey-backed outlook highlights the rise of Agentic AI—autonomous systems that not only assist but act independently, driving operational reinvention across industries.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

  • Agentic AI marks a shift from efficiency to autonomy, enabling systems to proactively manage tasks, make decisions, and reconfigure workflows in real time.

  • Use cases like autonomous network optimization show AI’s potential to predict and prevent failures without human intervention, increasing performance and resilience.

  • Regulatory complexity is rising, with frameworks like the EU AI Act demanding transparency, explainability, and zero-trust security models for compliance.

  • AI literacy is a competitive edge, as 92% of ICT roles face major transformation; businesses must invest in education to align strategy and implementation.

  • Trust is critical—autonomous AI must be auditable, unbiased, and aligned with business values to achieve widespread adoption.

💡 Why This Stands Out: This shift to Agentic AI signals a deeper phase in enterprise AI—one where systems don’t just support workflows but redefine them. Companies can no longer afford to treat AI as a bolt-on innovation. The next wave of value creation depends on autonomous systems that are not only capable but trustworthy. Will businesses rise to meet this new standard of intelligent transformation?

Shopify

Shopify CEO Makes AI the New Hiring Gatekeeper

🚀 TodayOnAI Insight: Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke has introduced a new policy requiring teams to prove AI can’t do a task before requesting more staff or resources—marking a bold shift toward an AI-first operating model aimed at leaner growth.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

  • Shopify teams must now justify human resource requests by first exploring AI alternatives.

  • Lütke’s memo encourages imagining workflows where autonomous AI agents are already embedded.

  • The policy follows a 20% workforce reduction in 2023 and additional quiet layoffs in early 2024.

  • Shopify’s shift echoes Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski, who credits an AI chatbot with replacing 700 support roles.

  • A recent UN report warns that over 40% of jobs globally could be disrupted by AI advancements.

💡 Why This Stands Out: Shopify’s AI-first hiring policy reflects a broader executive mindset shift—from AI as a tool to AI as a gatekeeper for workforce expansion. While it promises operational efficiency, it also intensifies debate over AI-driven job displacement. As more tech leaders tie headcount to automation limits, are we witnessing the beginning of an AI-informed redefinition of organizational scale?

💬 Let’s Fix This Prompt

 See how a simple prompt upgrade can unlock better AI output.

🔹 The Original Prompt

"Generate blog ideas for a real state."

At first glance, this prompt might seem okay. But it's too broad — and that limits the quality of AI-generated results. Let’s improve it using prompt engineering best practices.

The Improved Prompt

Generate 10 blog post ideas for a real estate business targeting home buyers and sellers. Focus on practical tips, market trends, home staging, financing, and local area guides. Include a mix of educational and lead-generating content.

💡 Why It’s Better

  • Clarifies the audience (home buyers and sellers)

  • Adds relevant themes (market trends, home staging, etc.)

  • Encourages variety (educational + lead-gen)

  • Optimized for SEO and audience value

🛠️ Learn how to adapt this prompt for SaaS, AI tools, dev teams & more →
Read the full PromptPilot breakdown

💡 Bonus Tool: Want to generate and master prompts instantly?
👉 Try PromptPilot by TodayOnAI (Free to use)

🧠 Smart Picks

🧰 Today’s AI Toolbox Pick

  • 👔 Outfit Anyone (Fashion Tool): A virtual try-on store for any clothing item.

  • 📔 Notebook LM (Chatbot): Instantly becomes an expert in the information that matters most to you.

  • 🐙 Inkey (Assistant Tool): A personal AI tutor who writes your essays, finishes your assignments, and builds your resume.