Luminar claims founder Austin Russell is avoiding subpoenas in bankruptcy case
Lidar maker Luminar said its founder and former CEO Austin Russell continues to evade requests for information, including subpoenas, necessary to determine whether legal action should be taken against him. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late December, said in an emergency filing late last week that it had been trying to […]
Kodiak helps Bosch expand self-driving truck technology
Self-driving truck company Kodiak AI announced Monday that it will work with global automotive supplier Bosch to develop a hardware and software system that can provide self-driving capabilities to standard big rigs. The partnership, announced at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, could allow Kodiak to bring its self-driving technology to more trucks, […]
Flutterwave acquires Nigeria’s Mono in rare African fintech exit
Flutterwave, Africa’s largest fintech company, has acquired Nigerian open banking startup Mono in an all-stock deal worth between $25 million and $40 million, according to people familiar with the deal. This acquisition brings together two of Africa’s leading fintech infrastructure companies. Flutterwave operates one of the most extensive payment networks on the continent, and Mono, […]
French and Malaysian authorities are investigating Grok for allegedly producing sexual deepfakes
In recent days, France and Malaysia have joined India in accusing Grok of creating sexual deepfakes of women and minors. The chatbot, built by Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI and featured on his social media platform X, posted an apology on its account earlier this week, writing: “We deeply regret the incident on December 28, […]
Plaud launches new AI pin and desktop meeting note-taking tool
Ahead of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, hardware manufacturer Plaud has announced a new AI note-taker called Plaude NotePin S, along with a desktop app to help you take notes in digital meetings. The company first launched its pin-shaped note taker in 2024. This was something that my former colleague Brian […]
Subtle releases noise canceling model earphones
Voice AI startup Subtle, which created voice separation models to help computers better understand you in noisy environments, today launched new wireless earbuds that help users hear clearly during calls and transcribe voice notes accurately. The company announced the earbuds ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and said it plans to […]
California residents can request brokers delete personal data using new tool
California is offering residents a new tool to make it easier to limit the storage and sale of personal information by data brokers. Since 2020, state residents have had the right to ask companies to stop collecting and selling their data, but doing so required a cumbersome opt-out process with individual companies. The Deletion Act […]
India orders Musk’s Mr. X to modify Grok over ‘obscene’ AI content
India has ordered Elon Musk’s India’s IT Ministry on Friday issued an order directing Musk’s X to take remedial action against Grok, including restricting it from producing content containing “nudity, sexual content, sexually explicit content, or otherwise unlawful” content. The ministry also gave social media platforms 72 hours to submit action reports detailing the steps […]
10 gadgets for your first apartment
Moving into your first studio apartment can be exciting, but it can also feel a little overwhelming. You’ll quickly realize how much your old roommate helped you with things you took for granted, like light bulbs, smoke detectors, and even the vacuum cleaner. Here are some must-have gadgets that can really help you make your […]
Tesla’s annual sales drop 9%, losing world EV leader position to BYD
Tesla’s annual sales have fallen for the second year in a row, with the decline exacerbated by the elimination of U.S. federal tax credits and competition from Chinese automakers. Tesla will deliver 1.63 million vehicles globally in 2025, down 9% from 1.79 million in 2024, according to figures released by the company. Notably, approximately 50,850 […]