Databricks raises $4 billion at $134 billion valuation as AI business heats up
The IPO window may be open, but some former startups don’t appear to have any intention of going public. In a way it makes sense. IPOs are a traditional way to raise money, and if you can raise an exorbitant amount of money for your company without exposing it to public scrutiny, why would you? […]
VC explains why most consumer AI startups still lack staying power
Three years after the generative AI boom began, most AI startups still make money by selling to businesses rather than individual consumers. While consumers quickly adopted general-purpose LLMs like ChatGPT, most specialized consumer GenAI applications have yet to catch on. “A lot of the early AI applications around video, audio, and photography were really cool,” […]
Disney’s OpenAI contract is exclusive for just one year, after which it’s open season.
Disney’s three-year licensing partnership with OpenAI includes one exclusivity, Disney CEO Bob Iger told CNBC. Last week, the company entered into a partnership with OpenAI to bring its iconic characters to the AI company’s Sora video generator. Once that special year ends, Disney will be free to enter into similar deals with other AI companies. […]
Nvidia strengthens open source offerings with acquisitions and new open AI models
Nvidia continues to expand its footprint in open source AI on two fronts: acquisitions and new model releases. The semiconductor giant announced Monday that it has acquired SchedMD, a leading developer of the popular open source workload management system Slurm. Nvidia said it will continue to operate the program, designed for high-performance computing and AI, […]
Ford launches battery storage business to power data centers and power grids
As Ford shifts away from making large electric vehicles, automakers are adding new product lines to find a home for batteries. Ford announced Monday that it is canceling plans to make batteries for these vehicles and instead converting that capacity to a new battery storage business. These energy storage systems use inexpensive lithium iron phosphate […]
Ford’s next F-150 Lightning will be equipped with a gas generator in a move away from large EVs
Ford announced Monday that it will end production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning as part of a broader review of its electric vehicle plans across the company. Instead, Ford plans to sell what’s known as an “extended range electric vehicle” version of the truck, which adds a gas generator to recharge the battery pack and […]
Merriam-Webster chooses ‘slop’ as word of the year
The impact of AI on our social media feeds has not gone unnoticed by one of America’s top dictionaries. Amid the onslaught of content that has swept the web over the past 12 months, Merriam-Webster announced on Sunday that 2025’s word of the year is “slop.” According to the dictionary, the term is defined as […]
Google’s “Dark Web Report” feature will no longer be available from February
Google has announced that its “Dark Web Report” feature will be discontinued starting February 16, 2026. Initia releasedDeveloped about a year and a half ago, the tool was meant to allow users to monitor their personal information on the dark web. For some users, Dark Web Reports appeared to be a valuable tool that scans […]
LiDAR maker Luminar files for bankruptcy
LiDAR company Luminar has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after months of layoffs, executive departures and a legal battle with its largest customer, Volvo. The company aims to sell its lidar business during bankruptcy proceedings and has already reached an agreement to sell its semiconductor subsidiary. The company will remain open during the bankruptcy […]
Netflix responds to concerns about WBD contract
In a move that sent shock waves across Hollywood, Netflix recently announced plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) for $82.7 billion. Reaction from the industry has been generally negative, raising concerns about the acquisition’s impact on jobs, the future of theatrical releases, and the representation of diverse voices in film and television. Netflix co-CEOs […]