Amazon’s Ring introduces controversial AI-powered facial recognition feature to video doorbells
Dystopian or useful? Amazon’s Ring doorbell will now be able to identify visitors through a new AI-powered facial recognition feature, the company announced Tuesday. The controversial feature, called “Familiar Faces,” was announced in early September of this year and is now rolling out to Ring device owners in the United States. Amazon says the feature […]
Truecaller now allows users to protect their homes from fraudulent calls
Truecaller has launched household-level fraud prevention capabilities as the Swedish company expands its role beyond caller ID in response to an increase in scams targeting multiple members of a household. The new feature, called Family Protection, allows up to five people to join a family group, with one member acting as an admin and managing […]
OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block join new Linux Foundation effort to standardize the era of AI agents
As AI moves beyond chatbots to systems that can take action, the Linux Foundation is launching a new group dedicated to preventing AI agents from splintering into a mess of incompatible, locked-down products. The group, called the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF), serves as a neutral hub for open source projects related to AI agents. AAIF’s […]
Microsoft to invest $17.5 billion in India by 2029 as AI race accelerates
Microsoft plans to invest $17.5 billion in India over the next four years to expand its AI and cloud footprint in the South Asian country. India’s vast online and smartphone user base has turned it into a key battleground for global technology companies. The investment, announced on Tuesday, is Microsoft’s largest in Asia and will […]
India proposes to charge OpenAI and Google for AI training on copyrighted content
India has proposed a mandatory royalty regime for AI companies that train models based on copyrighted content. It’s a move that could reshape the way OpenAI and Google operate in what has become one of the world’s most important and fastest-growing markets. India’s Ministry of Industry and Internal Trade Promotion on Tuesday announced a proposed […]
Pebble founder unveils $75 AI smart ring that lets you record quick notes with the push of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch brand, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company’s device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named after the finger that wears the ring, the new $75 ring isn’t meant to be a competitor to always-on, always-listening AI devices like the AI pendant […]
FTC upholds ban on stalkerware founder Scott Zuckerman
Stalkerware makers who were forced out of the surveillance industry after data breaches that compromised the personal information of their customers and those they spied on will not be able to return to selling the invasive software, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC denied a request by Scott Zuckerman, founder of consumer spyware […]
Waymo’s letter to investors reveals rapid growth in robotaxi rides
Six months ago, Waymo revealed it was delivering 250,000 robotaxis per week across its service area, a list that continues to grow, including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The Alphabet-owned self-driving company has remained silent since then, saying only that it provides hundreds of thousands of rides each week. […]
Department of Commerce approves export of Nvidia H200 chips to China
After all, advanced Nvidia AI chips could be heading back to China. As first reported by Semafor, the Commerce Department plans to allow Nvidia to ship its H200 chips to China to approved customers in China. The US will receive 25% of these sales, CNBC reports. The H200 chip is much more advanced than the […]
Tiger Global plans cautious venture future with new $2.2 billion fund
Tiger Global, the investor that fueled the 2020-2021 VC bull market, is reportedly raising $2.2 billion in new funding. The company sent a letter to potential limited partners seeking financing for an entity called Private Investment Partners 17 (PIP 17), according to a copy obtained by CNBC. The letter also promises a more humble approach […]