[AI Startup Arda Secures $230 Million in Funding, Valued at $1.5 Billion] AI startup Arda, founded by former OpenAI research director Bob McGrew, has secured $230 million in funding, reaching a valuation of $1.5 billion. The funding round was led by Altimeter Capital, Accel, and Khosla Ventures. Arda's AI software and agents have already been deployed at Anduril. The global manufacturing industry is valued at $16 trillion, with approximately $3 trillion in the United States. (Source: CNBC)