Intel Capital Invests $132 Million in 11 Tech Startups

The big news first: Yesterday, Intel Capital announced a $132 million investment in 11 tech startups mostly focused on AI and chip design. Intel’s venture arm has been staying busy.

• Last year, it sunk $466 million into startup investments. This year, Intel Capital says it's on track to invest between $300 million and $500 million.
• Also this week: Intel Capital led a $25 million Series B in Lilt, an AI translation company.

Call center bots: At the beginning of May, AI call center startup ASAPP announced $185 million in Series B funding.

Virtual people: Ziva Dynamics, a Hollywood startup that develops character simulation software, announced a $7 million seed round yesterday. Game of Thrones and Captain Marvel used Ziva's "character authoring" tool.

Watch this one: Covariant AI came out of stealth in January with pick-and-place robots that could tackle tasks that typically require human touch. Last week, it announced $40 million in Series B funding.