Last week, more than 3,000 AI enthusiasts, experts, and industry leaders gathered in Las Vegas for the debut HumanX AI conference. The event attracted a vibrant crowd, reflecting just how fast artificial intelligence has moved from the fringes to the forefront of global conversations.
Throughout the three-day conference, one theme echoed across panels and sessions—trust in AI systems. Building reliable, trustworthy outcomes from this powerful yet unpredictable technology remains one of the biggest challenges facing the industry.
Interestingly, HumanX unfolded during the same week Apple reportedly delayed rolling out some of its AI features due to accuracy concerns. Meanwhile, a stark statistic flashed across giant screens at the event: only 6% of AI projects ever reach production, according to an AWS study. It was a sobering reminder of just how tough scaling AI beyond experimentation can be.
Still, that hasn’t slowed down investor enthusiasm. A joint HumanX and Crunchbase report released during the conference revealed that AI investments soared to over $100 billion in 2024—an incredible 80% jump from the previous year.
The event buzzed with activity—product launches, panel discussions, demos, and countless networking moments unfolded across sprawling expo halls, cozy lounge pods, and private meeting rooms. But what truly stood out were the insights from the leading AI model companies, sharing where the future might be heading—just two years after ChatGPT made generative AI mainstream.
OpenAI Defends Its Lead in a Rapidly Evolving Market
OpenAI, now valued at a staggering $157 billion, found itself facing a familiar question from CNBC’s Kate Rooney: “What’s your moat?” In an era where breakthroughs happen almost monthly, maintaining an edge is tougher than ever.
Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s Chief Product Officer, didn’t shy away from the reality. “The days of having a 12-month lead are over,” he admitted. “Now, a three-to-six-month lead is still incredibly valuable.” Weil painted a picture of a fast-moving industry, where new models emerge every two months, unlocking capabilities no computer has ever had before.
Despite the fierce competition, OpenAI’s reach is undeniable. Weil shared that over 3 million developers are actively building on their API, 400 million people use ChatGPT weekly, and 2 million businesses rely on their enterprise tools. Those numbers reinforce just how embedded OpenAI has become across industries.
Anthropic’s Vision: Beyond Chatbots with Claude Code
One of the conference highlights came from Anthropic’s Chief Product Officer, Mike Krieger, in a lively chat with Alex Heath of The Verge. The focus? Anthropic’s ambitious push into coding models with the recent launch of Claude Code—which racked up 100,000 users in its first week.
Interestingly, Krieger was candid about how launching Claude Code put Anthropic in direct competition with some of its own customers. Giants like GitHub Copilot, Anysphere’s Cursor, and Codeium’s Windsurf suddenly found themselves facing off with their API provider.
But according to Krieger, this move was intentional. He stressed the importance of creating first-party products: “You just can’t get that kind of feedback if you’re only an API provider.” That hands-on learning feeds directly into improving the model while promoting transparency and fairness.
Krieger also shared his broader vision for AI’s future, making it clear that generative AI shouldn’t stall at chatbots and text boxes. “If it’s just chat boxes and chat bots a year from now, we’ll all have failed,” he noted. His words underscored Anthropic’s commitment to shaping meaningful human-AI interactions.
Mistral AI: Championing Open Source and Smaller AI Models
French AI startup Mistral offered a different perspective. Unlike OpenAI and Anthropic, Mistral is betting big on open-source models designed for decentralized AI—ensuring that powerful tools don’t remain locked within a few tech giants.
CEO Arthur Mensch emphasized the growing demand for open-source solutions, especially from companies with strict data governance or sovereign control needs. Mistral’s platform goes beyond just models; it includes tools for deploying AI, creating agents, managing feedback, and operating everything in fully isolated environments.
Where Mistral truly differentiates itself is with its smaller models built for robotics and edge applications. “Having a compact vision-to-action model running on specialized hardware is going to be crucial in the years ahead,” Mensch explained. The company is already partnering with defense AI firm Helsing for drone projects and collaborating with several robotics companies in the Bay Area.
While Mistral started as an enterprise player, Mensch acknowledged that once you offer APIs, you’re halfway to having a product. That realization led to the recent launch of their consumer app, Le Chat.
HumanX 2025: All Eyes on San Francisco
Wrapping up, HumanX organizers announced that next year’s event will move to San Francisco, bringing the conference closer to the heart of AI investments and innovation. Given that nearly 30% of this year’s presenting companies could become acquisition targets within a year, next year’s conference might feature an entirely different landscape.
The first HumanX conference made it clear—trust, transparency, and tangible progress are now at the center of conversations shaping the future of AI. With billions flowing into the sector, the race is on to build models and products that truly transform how we live and work.
