AI pioneer François Chollet leaves Google

François Chollet, a leading figure in the AI world, is leaving Google after close to a decade. In a post on X, the 34-year-old French developer said he’s starting a new company with “a friend,” but he declined to reveal many details. “I’m very gratef

Bitsight buys dark web security specialist Cybersixgill for $115M

More consolidation is afoot in the world of cybersecurity. Bitsight, a cybersecurity startup last valued at $2.4 billion when ratings firm Moody’s took a stake in the business and became its largest shareholder in 2021, is acquiring Cybersixgill for $115 million. Boston-based Bitsight’

EU AI Act: Draft guidance for general purpose AIs shows first steps for Big AI to comply

A first draft of a Code of Practice that will apply to providers of general-purpose AI models under the European Union’s AI Act has been published, alongside an invitation for feedback — open until November 28 — as the drafting process continues into next year, ahead of formal com

Amazon’s telehealth platform adds low-cost plans for hair loss, skin care, and more

Amazon One Medical is expanding its telehealth services with the launch of upfront and low-cost treatment plans and medication delivery for several beauty and lifestyle concerns. Customers can get treatment plans and medication for men’s hair loss for as low as $16 per month, anti-aging skin

Mission Space launches next quarter to provide real-time space weather forecasts

When you board a plane, the pilot already knows the weather on the flight path and can steer clear, or at least warn you it’s coming. The same can’t be said of “space weather” from solar events, which can seriously affect satellites and even passenger planes. Mission Space

SwiftConnect lets workers access the office with a smartphone swipe

With the advent of flexible workspaces, companies are increasingly adopting smartphone-based authentication to let employees enter and leave. In a recent poll, nearly two in five firms said they’re letting staff use their phones to access office buildings. The boon has benefited vendors

Mach9 is equipping infrastructure operators with better information

Clean water, safe roads, accessible broadband and electricity: These things are not a given. They depend on vast infrastructure networks that need to be constantly maintained and improved in order to function. America is failing badly on this front. In its latest report card, the American Society o

Google launches Gemini app for iOS worldwide

On Thursday Google launched a dedicated app for its AI-powered assistant, Gemini, on iOS globally. Until now, iOS users either had to use the Google app or mobile web to chat with the AI technology. The new Gemini iOS app supports text-based prompts in 35 languages. Plus, users can have a conversa

Sales tax automation startup Kintsugi doubled its valuation this year

A 2018 Supreme Court ruling eliminated the requirement that an e-commerce retailer needed a physical location in a state in order for said state to be able to collect sales tax on purchases made by residents. While the decision was a boon for states, it created a headache for e-commerce sellers. K

German travel startup Tourlane raises $26M led by Sequoia

Global travel continues to gain ground, with the World Travel and Tourism Council predicting the industry will cross $11 trillion in revenues this year. Consumers are evolving from the so-called “revenge travel” of the post-COVID-19 years, dedicating a growing share of their budget to a wider a

Influur wants to stand out from other influencer marketplaces by promising timely payout

As the influencer economy grows, startups like Passionfroot, Agentio, and One Impression, along with social platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are trying to build marketplaces to connect brands with creators. Miami-based startup Influur is banking on two unique aspects of its platform:

Team-GPT raises $4.5M to offer suite of AI tools to companies

To stay competitive, some companies are scrambling to adopt AI, but they are sometimes unsure of the best way to integrate it into their business. Iliya Valchanov, co-founder and CEO of Team-GPT, thinks he has an answer to their worries.  In 2023, Valchanov and Ilko Kacharov, Yavor Belakov, K

Snapchat will soon be able to alert parents when their teen leaves or arrives at certain locations

Snapchat is bringing enhanced location sharing to Family Center, its parental controls hub, the company announced Thursday. Users have been able to share their location with others on Snapchat for quite some time now, but the new addition allows parents to get an alert from within the app’s

Tiger Global-backed InVideo launches GenAI-based video creation

Indian video editing platform InVideo is launching a generative AI-powered video creation feature that lets you use prompts to generate video clips. The platform, backed by the likes of Tiger Global and Peak XV, is calling this release InVideo v3.0. You can use text prompts to generate a video i