Table of Contents

• AI News

• Senior Living News

• Wage / Salary Comps

• Job Listings

AI NEWS

Netflix Uses AI to Speed Up Visual Effects

The entertainment industry is embracing AI, as Netflix revealed it’s using generative AI tools to create visual effects for its shows and movies. In a recent demo, the streaming giant showed off an action scene enhanced by AI that was completed ten times faster (and cheaper) than using traditional VFX methods. The AI was able to insert a fantastical creature into live-action footage seamlessly – with realistic lighting and shadows – without needing green screens or special sensors. Netflix’s co-CEO stressed that AI is a tool to assist human creativity, not replace artists. Many of Netflix’s own designers already use AI for storyboarding and pre-production, and the company is even experimenting with AI-driven personalized content. It’s a glimpse into how AI might revolutionize filmmaking by accelerating tedious effects work while creators focus on storytelling.

Meta’s Big AI Hiring Spree

Facebook’s parent company Meta is doubling down on artificial intelligence in a very expensive way. CEO Mark Zuckerberg formed a new division called “Superintelligence Labs” and pledged to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in AI R&D and infrastructure. Over the past week, Meta aggressively poached top AI experts – including at least two senior AI scientists from Apple – and even hired a prominent young AI CEO to lead efforts. Meta is also building gigantic new AI data centers in the U.S. to support its ambitions. Why the push? Meta’s recent internal tests showed its AI models lagging behind rivals like OpenAI. By bringing in fresh talent and spending big on computing power, Meta hopes to catch up in the AI race. The scale of this bet is enormous, reflecting an “arms race” among tech giants to secure the best brains and fastest machines for AI.

AI Browser on Your Next Phone?

A startup called Perplexity AI is in talks with smartphone manufacturers to pre-install its new AI-powered mobile web browser, nicknamed Comet. This comes after Google’s venture arm invested in the company. The idea is to have a browser with a built-in chatbot that can answer complex questions and help users navigate the web with AI assistance. By being pre-loaded on devices, such an AI browser could challenge the dominance of traditional browsers like Chrome. Tech watchers see this as another front where AI is changing user experience – soon you might take having an AI helper in your phone’s browser for granted.

Anthropic’s Value Soars Toward $100B

OpenAI’s rival Anthropic (maker of the Claude AI assistant) is reportedly attracting new investor interest that could value the startup at over $100 billion. That eye-popping figure would nearly double Anthropic’s valuation from earlier this year. Why the frenzy? Investors are impressed by the company’s rapid growth – Anthropic’s revenue run-rate jumped from $3B to $4B annually in just the past month. Rumors suggest venture firms are making unsolicited funding offers, betting that Anthropic will be a big winner in the AI boom. If a deal goes through, Anthropic would join the elite club of AI companies valued in eleven figures, underscoring how high enthusiasm (and expectations) are running in this sector.

SENIOR LIVING NEWS

Investor Shuts Down Volante Senior Living

A Phoenix-based investment firm is winding down its senior living operating company, Volante Senior Living, less than two years after launching it. Inspired Healthcare Capital announced the “difficult but necessary” move to shutter Volante and transfer management of its senior communities to other established operators. The decision came shortly after Volante’s CEO departed, signaling financial strains. The investor says exiting the operating business will strengthen its position and protect service quality by putting those communities in more experienced hands. It’s a notable retreat: Volante had aimed to grow quickly in the assisted living market, but now its backer is pulling the plug and focusing back on core investments rather than running communities directly.

Evolve Senior Living Plans Major Expansion

Evolve Senior Living, a young operator based in Chicago, has its sights set on managing 40 communities within the next decade. The company’s co-founders say they entered the senior housing scene at the right time – with many opportunities to take over struggling properties – and without “legacy issues” holding them back. To scale up, Evolve is forming partnerships with mid-to-large private equity groups and focusing heavily on operations. They’re investing in a proprietary data platform called “Evolve Intelligence” to streamline everything from staffing to resident care metrics. The leadership believes using real-time data and analytics (and eventually AI and predictive tools) will give them an edge in running efficient communities. Although Evolve’s 10-year goal is 40 communities, the team is cautious about growth in the short term – aiming to add maybe one more deal this year – to ensure they maintain quality. It’s an ambitious growth story blending tech and hands-on management in senior living.

Aegis Living Taps Four Seasons Veteran as President

High-end senior living provider Aegis Living has hired a former Four Seasons Hotels executive, Dirk Burghartz, as its new President. Burghartz brings over 35 years of luxury hospitality experience to Aegis, which operates upscale assisted living and memory care communities. Effective this month, he’ll help guide Aegis’s operations and service culture. The move shows how senior living companies are increasingly borrowing talent from luxury hotels and resorts to elevate the resident experience. Aegis is known for its posh communities primarily on the West Coast, and leadership expects Burghartz’s hospitality expertise will further enhance customer service, dining, and amenities for residents (while also appealing to the next wave of retirees who expect a more refined living environment). It’s another sign that senior living is blending with hospitality as competition for residents heats up.

Watermark Closes a Community Amid Financial Woes

Watermark Retirement Communities, a major operator based in Arizona, is closing one of its senior living properties in upstate New York due to financial difficulties. The community, Legacy at Grande’Vie in the town of Penfield, is slated for closure after efforts to stabilize it fell short. Watermark has been facing some headwinds and recently underwent a change in ownership structure (a Singapore investment firm took full control of Watermark earlier this year). The decision to shutter Grande’Vie underscores the challenges some senior communities still face coming out of the pandemic – especially those with occupancy or cost struggles. Local officials are monitoring resident relocations, as the state’s health department will ensure affected seniors find accommodations elsewhere. It’s always unfortunate to see a community close, but Watermark indicates this move will help it focus resources on its stronger-performing properties.

Care Home Loses License After Residents Left Locked In

A small assisted living facility in South Carolina has been shut down by authorities after a shocking incident where five residents were found locked inside a building with no staff on-site. State inspectors arrived at the rural care home (Southwinds Assisted Living in Ridgeway, SC) and discovered the residents alone, behind a locked door, on an evening in mid-July. No caregivers were present to assist them. Emergency personnel were called to gain entry and ensure the residents’ safety. The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control immediately suspended the facility’s license, calling the situation “egregious.” Further investigation revealed this wasn’t the first violation – the home had a history of problems. All residents are being moved to other licensed communities. This disturbing case serves as a reminder of the importance of oversight, and it’s prompting state officials to re-examine monitoring of smaller senior care homes to prevent neglect.