Alternative Investing Report - January 2, 2025
Vincent Alternative Investments
Keep up-to-date on the latest alternative investing news and insights in less than 5 minutes per week.
Happy New Year! Today we’re looking back at some of the most notable happenings in AI - 2024’s biggest tech story - and also at the most interesting real estate listings we saw last year.
🎫 Register: For our first event of 2025, a pre-IPO briefing focusing on SpaceX, the world’s most valuable private company. January 13 at 11 AM ET.
📈 2024 MARKETS
🤖 2024 AI CORNERS
The rise of Artificial Intelligence was the most important development in the world of venture capital and pre-IPO startups. Every week, we highlighted an interesting AI-related story that may have been overshadowed by the latest billion-dollar VC raise or new product launch from OpenAI or Anthropic. Here are some highlights:
AI-created artwork: A work created by the robot artist Ai-Da, which is powered by a neural network that generates images, sold for $1.08 million, well above the pre-sale estimate of $120,000 - $180,000.
Voice-cloning: As AI voice cloning technology improves, scammers are conning people with the AI-generated voices of their friends and relatives.
🏡 LISTINGS OF THE YEAR
Every week, we look at a real estate listing that catches our eye, whether it’s a castle, vineyard, office building, cemetery, or just a really big house. Here were some favorites of 2024, along with a transaction update:
Drew Brees’ treehouse: The NFL legend’s luxury Montana treehouse, featured on “Treehouse Masters,” was up for auction, but does not appear to have sold, remaining on the market for $7.5 million.
Connecticut golf course: The Blue Fox Golf Course, located just west of Hartford, with 27 holes over 250 acres, and its clubhouse, bar and pro shop, was up for auction in September, ultimately selling for $5.775 million.