OpenAI continues its ‘Code Red’ war path with new image generation model
OpenAI is rolling out a new version of ChatGPT Images that promises better command following, more precise editing, and up to 4x faster image generation speeds. This new model, called GPT Image 1.5, will be available to all ChatGPT users via the API starting Tuesday. This is the latest escalation in Google’s competition with Gemini […]
How Luminar’s fateful Volvo deal drove the company into bankruptcy
In early 2023, Luminar was on a roll. After going public during the pandemic and signing a key deal with Volvo, the company has added Mercedes-Benz and Polestar as customers for its “lifesaving” lidar sensors. Founder and CEO Austin Russell called it an “inflection point” as Luminar prepared to integrate these sensors into its first […]
Uber Eats alum wins $14M seed from a16z to solve WhatsApp confusion for Latin American doctors
After spending nearly a decade developing the on-demand service as Uber Eats’ first general manager for Latin America and later as COO of Rappi, Caroline Melin knew how far behind healthcare technology was. Patients expected doctors to be as responsive as delivery apps, but most medical professionals on the continent are forced to rely on […]
Instagram brings Reels to the big screen starting with Amazon Fire TV
Instagram is expanding Reels viewing beyond mobile, the social network announced Tuesday. The company is piloting IG for TV, a new experience that lets you watch Reels on your TV, starting with Amazon Fire TV. Bringing Reels to TV will allow Instagram to better compete with YouTube, which largely dominates the TV space. Instagram seems […]
Hacking group says it’s blackmailing Pornhub after stealing users’ viewing data
The hacker group Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, which includes members of the gang known as the ShinyHunters, claims to have stolen the personal information of premium members of porn site Pornhub and is attempting to extort the site. On Friday, Pornhub acknowledged that it was among several companies affected by a previous breach at widely used […]
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 […]