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Creator monetization platform Passes sued over alleged distribution of CSAM

Passes, a direct-to-fan monetization platform for creators backed by $40 million in Series A funding, has been sued for allegedly distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (also known as CSAM). While its guidelines do not allow for creators to post nude photos or videos, as opposed to competitors like OnlyFans, a creator has sued Passes, alleging […]

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MWC hears two starkly divided views of AI’s impact

Two sharply different visions of AI were platformed on stage at the Mobile World Congress trade show on Monday. The true believer’s case for the technology’s potential — to merge with and transform human life for the better — was offered up by futurist and singularity priest Ray Kurzweil, who also has a research role […]

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The author of SB 1047 introduces a new AI bill in California

The author of California’s SB 1047, the nation’s most controversial AI safety bill of 2024, is back with a new AI bill that could shake up Silicon Valley. California state Senator Scott Wiener introduced a new bill on Friday that would protect employees at leading AI labs, allowing them to speak out if they think […]

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Google Play update makes it easier to find Android apps with widgets

Google announced Monday a series of changes to its widgets system on Android that will make it easier for app developers to reach their users. Widgets, which offer at-a-glance views of an app’s most important information — like the day’s weather or upcoming meetings on your calendar — are a key aspect of Android home […]

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Ramp, a 6-year-old fintech startup, has more than doubled its annualized revenue to $700M

Fintech startup Ramp has crossed $700 million in annualized revenue as of January of this year, according to a source familiar with the company’s internal operations. The company had crossed $100 million in annualized revenue before its third birthday in March 2022, passed $300 million by August 2023, and now effectively more than doubled that […]

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TechCrunch Sessions: AI speaker applications close March 7

On June 5, TechCrunch Sessions: AI will kick off — and you can be part of the industry-changing conversations that will be taking place. We have an open invitation for members of the AI community to lead breakout sessions and discussions with over 1,200 startup founders, VC leaders, and AI aficionados attending our newest event, which […]

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Google releases SpeciesNet, an AI model designed to identify wildlife

Google has open sourced an AI model, SpeciesNet, designed to identify animal species by analyzing photos from camera traps. Researchers around the world use camera traps — digital cameras connected to infrared sensors — to study wildlife populations. But while these traps can provide valuable insights, they generate massive volumes of data that take days […]

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TSMC pledges to spend $100B on US chip facilities

Chipmaker TSMC said that it aims to invest “at least” $100 billion in chip manufacturing plants in the U.S. over the next four years as part of an effort to expand the company’s network of semiconductor factories. President Donald Trump announced the news during a press conference Monday. TSMC’s cash infusion will fund the construction […]

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Podcasting platform Podcastle launches a text-to-speech model with more than 450 AI voices

Podcast recording and editing platform Podcastle is now joining other companies in the AI-powered, text-to-speech race by releasing its own AI model called Asyncflow v1.0. An API for developers will also be available, allowing them to directly integrate the text-to-speech model in their apps. Thanks to the new model, the company is able to offer […]

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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian joins Frank McCourt’s TikTok bid

Reddit co-founder and investor Alexis Ohanian has joined billionaire Frank McCourt’s bid to acquire TikTok as a strategic adviser specializing in social media, Reuters reports. “He has that broad portfolio of experience … of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving,” McCourt told Reuters. “Where he can help […]

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No part of Amazon is ‘unaffected’ by AI, says its head of AGI

“There’s scarcely a part of the company that is unaffected by AI,” said Vishal Sharma, Amazon’s VP of Artificial General Intelligence, on Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. He dismissed the idea that open-source models might reduce compute needs and deflected when asked whether European companies would change their generative AI strategies in light of […]

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Fintech startup Ramp nearly doubles valuation to $13B in secondary share sale

Expense management startup Ramp has nearly doubled its valuation to $13 billion after a $150 million secondary share sale, the company announced Monday morning. New and existing backers including VC Stripes, GIC, Avenir Growth, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, 137 Ventures, and Definition Capital bought the secondaries from employees and early investors. […]

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Anthropic raises $3.5B to fuel its AI ambitions

AI startup Anthropic on Monday announced it raised $3.5 billion at a $61.5 billion post-money valuation, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. The Series E, which also had participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, Cisco Investments, D1 Capital Partners, Fidelity Management & Research Company, General Catalyst, Jane Street, Menlo Ventures, and Salesforce Ventures, brings the company’s total […]

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UK probes how TikTok, Reddit, and Imgur protect child privacy

The U.K.’s privacy watchdog has launched investigations into three social media companies over how they go about protecting the privacy of children on their respective platforms. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced today that it’s looking into how TikTok uses personal information of 13- to 17-year-olds to recommend videos, “in light of growing concerns” around […]

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Chinese buyers are getting Nvidia Blackwell chips despite US export controls

Upholding export controls on semiconductor chips made in the U.S. may be harder than Washington, D.C. thinks. Chinese buyers are getting their hands on computing systems with Nvidia’s Blackwell chips through third-party traders located in other regions, The Wall Street Journal reported. Buyers in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam are buying these resources for their own […]

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