[ad_1] When we gather ’round the proverbial fire and exchange our online dating war stories, we’re usually talking about the usual suspects: Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Grindr, and sometimes more niche apps like Lex. But ever since Facebook Dating launched in 2019, I’m not sure I have ever heard a tale …
Read More »a16z pauses its famed TxO Fund for underserved founders, lays off staff
[ad_1] Andreessen Horowitz is pausing its Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund and program, according to four sources familiar with the matter, including more than one founder in the program. The firm announced TxO in 2020 to support founders who do not have access to traditional venture networks. Many of TxO’s participants were women and minorities who, overall, …
Read More »Elad Gil on which AI markets have winners — and which are still wide open
[ad_1] Solo VC investor extraordinaire Elad Gil said on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt that AI has been one of the least predictable tech booms he’s ever seen. Gil is on the cap table of virtually every hit company of the past decade, including many of today’s leading AI companies. Still, …
Read More »DOJ accuses US ransomware negotiators of launching their own ransomware attacks
[ad_1] U.S. prosecutors have charged two rogue employees of a cybersecurity company that specializes in negotiating ransom payments to hackers on behalf of their victims, with carrying out ransomware attacks of their own. Last month, the Department of Justice indicted Kevin Tyler Martin and another unnamed employee, who both worked …
Read More »Chrome can now autofill your passport, driver’s license, and vehicle registration info
[ad_1] Google announced on Monday that its Chrome browser can now fill in your passport, driver’s license, vehicle registration, and more as part of its auto-fill feature. The addition expands Chrome’s existing ability to automatically fill in your addresses, passwords, and payment information. Desktop users who have enhanced autofill enabled …
Read More »Microsoft’s $15.2B UAE investment turns Gulf State into test case for US AI diplomacy
[ad_1] Microsoft will invest $15.2 billion in the United Arab Emirates over the next four years, the company announced Monday at the first annual Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit. The investment will include the first-ever shipments of the most advanced Nvidia GPUs to the UAE. As part of the deal, the …
Read More »China is rolling back rare earth mineral restrictions, White House says
[ad_1] The White House released more details Saturday about a trade deal reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in a meeting earlier this week. Among other things, the White House said China will suspend the restrictions on exporting rare earth minerals that it announced in …
Read More »Google pulls Gemma from AI Studio after Senator Blackburn accuses model of defamation
[ad_1] Google says it has removed Gemma from its AI Studio after a U.S. senator accused the AI model of fabricating accusations of sexual misconduct against her. In a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Senator Marsha Blackburn — a Republican from Tennessee — said that when Gemma was asked, …
Read More »Alphabet is increasingly launching “moonshot” projects as independent companies — here’s why
[ad_1] Alphabet’s X moonshot factory is shifting how it brings ambitious technology projects to market, increasingly spinning them out as independent companies rather than keeping them within the Alphabet corporate structure, X’s head honcho, Astro Teller, revealed at TechCrunch Disrupt this past week. The strategy hinges on a dedicated venture …
Read More »Kevin Rose’s simple test for AI hardware — would you want to punch someone in the face who’s wearing it?
[ad_1] Kevin Rose has a visceral rule for evaluating AI hardware investments: “If you feel like you should punch someone in the face for wearing it, you probably shouldn’t invest in it.” It’s a typically candid assessment from the veteran investor, and one born from watching the current wave of …
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