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Quick Hits
AI-vatars arrive: TikTok ads add AI actors.
Speak Finch?: MIT introduces new language.
Not lovin’ it: McDonald's kills AI chatbot.
Social caution: Expert wants warning labels.
Social payment: X unveils Venmo-like feature.
French connection: Voodoo acquires BeReal.
McCourt-ing: Billionaire bids on TikTok.
Immersive social: Snap adds AR tools.
Immersive news: BBC backs 3D streaming.
Hidden fees: U.S. sues Adobe.
Princess power: Nintendo unveils new Zelda.
Language launch: Bilingual Gemini arrives in India.
Grocery boom: Amazon Fresh expands in India.
Scaling Threads: Meta launches API.
Labor lament: Amazon fined $5.9M.
Indonesia layoffs: ByteDance trims staff.
Trending Startups
Crypto startups pass $100B milestone
Crypto startups have attracted $100B in venture funding since the industry’s inception, fueled by a recent surge in investment and the rise of Bitcoin and other major tokens. Acquisitions and IPOs in this arena have “definitely taken longer than I think you normally expect from traditional VC,” says one investor.
YC is half AI startups
The recently concluded Y Combinator batch showcased a surge in AI startups, with half of the cohort leveraging artificial intelligence technologies. Funded companies are bringing AI-enabled tools to legal tech, recruiting, code development, and medical record keeping.
Vietnam's richest man bets big on EVs
A Vietnamese billionaire is wagering $2B on his EV startup, VinFast Auto, as it takes on industry giants like Tesla to conquer the U.S. market.
Tempus AI passes IPO test
Tempus AI, the SoftBank Group-backed AI-based genetic testing company, surged 8% in its Nasdaq debut, reaching a valuation of $6.6B.
DM’ing with AI
A former Snap engineer introduced Butterflies, a social network that allows people to send messages to AI personas.
Algorithm predicts crop yields
Scientists from Europe and South America developed an AI algorithm to count flowers on fruit trees using smartphone images, enabling predictions of harvest size months in advance, with up to 90% accuracy.
Post of the Week
Recently Funded
- Bengaluru-based rampp.ai Raises $500k for AI Insights
- Deleware’s Gracia AI Raises $1.2M for Photorealistic Video
- Bengaluru-based Ayna Raises $1.5M for AI Generated Photos
- California’s Loop Golf Raises $1M for Booking Platform
- Bay Area’s Proofs Raises $2.6M to Accelerate Proof-of-Concept
- India's Alyve Health Raises $5.5M for Healthtech Platform
- Ohio-based RapidFlight Secures $10M Air Force Contract
- Warsaw-based CampusAI Raises $10M for AI Learning
- London’s SurrealDB Raises $20M for Multi-Model Database
- NYC-based Nomad Health Raises $22M for Jobs Marketplace
- Europe’s CuspAI Raises $30M for AI-Designed Materials
- Bay Area’s Decagon Raises $35M for AI Powered Customer Service
Weekly Pulse
What We’re Reading
AI Isn’t Making Much Money For Software Companies — Yet (Bloomberg)
Why artists are becoming less scared of AI (MIT)
Understanding the visual knowledge of language models (MIT)
What about Human Training? (Venture Capitalist at Theory)
Early career conversations young workers need to have (Fast Company)
Microsoft Admits That Maybe Surveilling Everything You Do on Your Computer Isn’t a Brilliant Idea (Futurism)
Poll of the Week
Podcasts of the Week
Simplifying HR for Maximum Impact with Dr. Jeff Smith (HR Superstars)
The Truth About eNPS and Employee Engagement with Lattice's Colby Nesbitt (Voice of HR)
Startups Hiring Now
Clover Health: Helping members live their healthiest lives | 7 open roles
Justpoint: We use AI to protect health and secure justice | 2 open roles
Genies: Empowering humans to create and own their own avatar ecosystems | 10 open roles
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