Harvard Study Finds Women Use AI in Workplace 25% Less Than Men

A Harvard study found that women use AI in the workplace at a rate 25% lower than men, which may lead to professional consequences and exacerbate pay inequity. Tech educator Avery Swartz attributes the disparity to a confidence gap and lack of opportunities to educate women on AI. She recommends women test AI on their own and sign up for training programs to stay competitive in the job market.

Reka AI, a startup specializing in large language models, has secured a significant $110 million funding round led by Nvidia and Snowflake. This investment has more than tripled the company's valuation, pushing it past the $1 billion mark [1]. The funding round comes at a time when AI startups are increasingly sought after by investors and large tech companies.

Founded in 2022 by researchers from Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Meta Platforms Inc., Reka AI focuses on creating efficient foundation models. The company's technology can process various data types, including text, images, audio, and video, making it a versatile solution for enterprises. Reka's flagship model, Reka Flash, is already being used by top enterprises to provide a unified pipeline for processing different data types [2].

Snowflake, which previously held acquisition talks with Reka AI, has decided to partner instead. Snowflake's vice president of AI engineering, Vivek Raghunathan, praised Reka AI for its capability to build advanced AI models, stating that the company is one of the few independent teams with such expertise [1].

The $110 million investment will accelerate Reka AI's research and commercial efforts. The company plans to expand its multimodal AI platforms and develop more efficient models. CEO Dani Yogatama aims to build fast, stay independent, and fill gaps left by Big Tech ecosystems. Reka AI's growth is evident in its employee count, which has increased from 20 to 50 in the past year [1].

Reka AI's technology is distinguished by its focus on efficiency. The company's models can match or outperform industry giants like GPT-4 and Google's Gemini Ultra, often using less computational power. This efficiency makes Reka AI's solutions attractive to enterprises looking for scalable, reliable AI solutions [2].

The funding round also reflects a growing appetite for independent AI players who can compete with larger tech companies. Reka AI's ability to provide advanced AI capabilities without being locked into Big Tech ecosystems is a significant advantage [1].

Looking ahead, Reka AI plans to expand its AI foundation models into new sectors and support developers, businesses, and creators through accessible APIs and platforms. The company's focus on efficiency and innovation positions it as a key player in the enterprise AI market [2].

References:
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-22/snowflake-nvidia-back-new-unicorn-reka-ai-in-110-million-deal
[2] https://techfundingnews.com/reka-110-million-funding-multimodal-ai-enterprise/