openai OpenAI Scores Billions as AI Funding Floods the Startup Market OpenAI raises $6.6 billion at a massive $157 billion valuation, while other AI startups like Poolside and 11x.ai also secure large funding rounds. Despite the dominance of top AI companies, venture capital remains available for diverse tech startups across various sectors.
y combinator AI Startups Dominate Y Combinator's Latest Demo Day Event Y Combinator kicks off its S24 Demo Day with a strong focus on artificial intelligence, leaving traditional sectors like fintech and web3 in the background. Notable standouts include robotic airport baggage handlers and space-based data centers.
meta Meta Unveils $300 Quest 3S to Expand Mixed Reality Market Meta introduces the Quest 3S, a $300 mixed reality headset that cuts costs by using older displays while retaining the Quest 3's powerful processor. The release comes alongside a price drop for the standard Quest 3 and a bundled game offer.
apple iOS 18 Brings Hidden Upgrades to Photos, Settings, and Camera Apps Apple's iOS 18 update includes major interface changes alongside several under-the-radar features. These hidden upgrades improve everyday tasks like organizing photos, navigating settings, and using the camera.
apple iPhone 16 Arrives Without Its Promised Apple Intelligence Features Apple releases the iPhone 16 without its highly anticipated AI suite, marking a rare misstep for the company. Early adopters must wait months for the full Apple Intelligence experience to rollout.
blackrock BlackRock and Microsoft Team Up for Massive $30 Billion AI Infrastructure Fund BlackRock and Microsoft are joining forces with MGX to create a $30 billion fund dedicated to building AI data centers and energy infrastructure. Nvidia also lends its expertise to tackle the growing power demands of artificial intelligence.
tech emissions Tech Giants Understate Carbon Footprint Through Flawed Accounting Methods A new report reveals that tech companies significantly underreport their actual carbon emissions by relying on renewable energy certificates instead of tracking direct datacenter output.
openai OpenAI Unveils Reasoning-Focused o1 Model in Busy Tech Week OpenAI introduces its new Strawberry o1 model designed to improve math and science reasoning. Other major tech news includes Apple's iPhone 16 launch and an AI-focused special hosted by Oprah Winfrey.
taylor swift Taylor Swift Endorses Harris While Warning of AI Deepfake Dangers Taylor Swift officially endorses Kamala Harris for president and uses the moment to highlight her personal fears regarding AI deepfakes and election misinformation. The pop star's announcement directly responds to a fake AI image that falsely depicted her supporting Donald Trump.
apple Apple Delivers Underwhelming AI Features in New iPhone Lineup Apple's highly anticipated Apple Intelligence falls short of its "breakthrough" promises, offering basic text rephrasing, summaries, and image generation that competitors already provide.
ai art Acclaimed Author Ted Chiang Argues AI Lacks the Essential Choices That Define True Art Science-fiction writer Ted Chiang contends that generative AI remains a fundamentally dehumanizing technology that lowers creative expectations. He asserts that because art requires making a series of meaningful choices to communicate with an audience, algorithms can never produce genuine art.
stability ai Stability AI Founder Steps Down to Push for Decentralized AI Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque resigns from his role and the board, arguing that the concentration of power in artificial intelligence harms everyone. The company appoints two interim co-CEOs while Mostaque pursues decentralized AI governance.
elon musk Musk's xAI Secures $6 Billion to Rival OpenAI and Google Elon Musk's AI startup xAI raises $6 billion in a Series B round at an $18 billion pre-money valuation. The company plans to use the funds to launch products, build infrastructure, and expand its Grok chatbot beyond the X platform.
openai OpenAI and Google Showcase Competing AI Visions Amid Major Leadership Shakes OpenAI unveils the conversational GPT-4o model while Google floods its I/O keynote with Gemini integrations, sparking a fierce AI rivalry. Both announcements accompany sudden executive departures at OpenAI and AWS.
apple Apple Vision Pro Launches With Over 600 Apps Across Entertainment and Productivity Apple officially releases its Vision Pro headset today with a library of over 600 compatible apps and games. The initial lineup includes major streaming services, sports platforms, and workplace tools designed to showcase the device's immersive capabilities.