Cloud-native network detection and response (NDR) company ExtraHop has announced Rob Greer has joined as its Chief Executive Officer;
Category: Global IT News
AI, Climate, data centers, Engie, Enterprise, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, renewable energy, Solar Power
Meta adds 200 megawatts of solar to its 12 gigawatt renewable portfolio
The news comes as tech companies ramp up their AI ambitions, adding data centers at a breakneck pace and boosting demand for power. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Amazon, donations, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, la, la fires, la wildfires, Media & Entertainment, Netflix, Snap, Sony, Tech Companies
These tech companies are donating to LA wildfire relief efforts
Numerous tech companies have pledged millions in donations to help LA recover from wildfires that caused widespread devastation and forced thousands to evacuate the region. Those offering aid include YouTube/Google, Meta, Snap, Amazon, Netflix, and Sony. Here’s an overview of what each company is doing to aid relief efforts in the region: YouTube and Google:…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, loft orbital, satellite, Space, space tech
Loft Orbital lands a fresh $170 million after logging over $500 million of bookings
Loft Orbital has raised $170 million in Series C funding to grow its satellite and space missions as a service. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, boox, bytedance, e-readers, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News
TikTok owner ByteDance powered an e-reader’s unhinged AI assistant
The AI embedded in a popular e-reader was spouting Chinese propaganda. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Artificial Intelligence, axios, Global IT News, Global Security News, media, Media & Entertainment, openai, partnerships
OpenAI is bankrolling Axios’ expansion into four new markets
OpenAI is getting into the local news game. Newsletter-based media organization Axios announced a partnership with OpenAI on Wednesday. As part of this three-year deal, the AI giant will fund Axios’ expansion of its local newsletters into four new cities: Pittsburgh; Kansas City, Missouri; Boulder, Colorado; and Huntsville, Alabama. While OpenAI has inked content-sharing and…
electric vehicles, EVs, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Tesla, Transportation
Tesla to split $100M award for electric truck charging corridor in Illinois
Tesla, along with three other industry partners, quietly backed an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency application that won $100 million in funding to build electric truck charging stations across the state, TechCrunch has learned. The award was the biggest given out by the Biden Administration’s Federal Highway Administration last week in the second round of what’s…
china, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Hardware, Huawei, Trump, TSMC
Biden administration adds 14 additional Chinese firms to trade blacklist
Days after pushing for sweeping AI chip export restriction, the Biden administration has added an additional 14 Chinese companies to its restricted trade list. This brings the full list up to 25 names, according to reporting from The Associate Press. Sophgo is, perhaps, the highest profile addition. An entity of Bitmain, the firm sparked international…
Global IT News, Global Security News
CEO Scott Gregson to leave ACCC
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb has announced Chief Executive Officer Scott Gregson will be leaving to take up the role of CEO of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Donald Trump, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, inauguration, live tv, Media & Entertainment, streaming
How to stream Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day 2025
Donald Trump will take the presidential oath of office on Friday in front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., once again. The event takes place at noon ET and is expected to attract considerable attention from both supporters and opponents. How to stream Trump’s inauguration You can watch the inauguration live with cable or…
AGI, AI, artificial general intelligence, deep learning, Francois Chollet, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, mike knoop, ndea, program synthesis, Startups
AI researcher François Chollet founds a new AI lab focused on AGI
François Chollet, an influential AI researcher, is launching a new startup that aims to build frontier AI systems with novel designs. The startup, Ndea, will consist of an AI research and science lab. It’s looking to “develop and operationalize” AGI. AGI, which stands for “artificial general intelligence,” typically refers to AI that can perform any…
department of transportation, EVs, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Sean duffy, Transportation
Trump’s DOT pick wants EV owners to pay to use roads
Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Department of Transportation, thinks owners of electric vehicles should pay to use roads. “How to do that, I think, is a little more challenging,” Duffy said at his confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Commerce Committee. The former Republican lawmaker is correct that it would…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, newsletter, this week in AI, this week in ai newsletter
This Week in AI: Will Biden’s AI actions survive the Trump era?
Hiya, folks, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter. If you want this in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. This week was something of a swan song for the Biden administration. On Monday, the White House announced sweeping new restrictions on exporting AI chips — restrictions that tech giants, including Nvidia, loudly criticized. (Nvidia’s business…
business, channel, Global IT News, Global Security News, News and Trends, services, US Channel News
Concentrix and IRONSCALES Partner to Combat AI Deepfake Threat
Email security vendor IRONSCALES and Fortune 500 technology services provider Concentrix have partnered to combat the rising threat of AI-generated deepfakes. Channel Insider spoke with executives at both companies to learn more about why businesses need to prepare for deepfake threats and how their partnership bolsters their customers’ protection. Deepfakes becoming more sophisticated as sheer…
Apps, Bluesky, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, iOS apps, photo sharing, Social, social media, Social networks
Bluesky is getting its own photo-sharing app, Flashes
More good news for those looking to exit Meta’s social app ecosystem in favor of a more open alternative: An independent developer is building a photo-sharing app for Bluesky called Flashes. The soon-to-launch app is powered by the same technology that underpins Bluesky, the AT Protocol, and has been built using code from the developer’s…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Generative AI Meaning: Understanding the Basics
GUEST OPINION: Generative AI is taking the world by storm. But what exactly is generative AI, and why is it gaining so much attention?
Global IT News, Global Security News
Why traditional loyalty programs are failing to meet modern customer expectations
GUEST OPINION: Retailers are under increasing pressure to retain customers as purchasing behaviour continues to evolve. While competitive pricing remains important, loyalty is more likely to be built on emotional connections that are strengthened by loyalty programs that offer more than just points and discounts, delivering truly personalised, value-driven experiences.
AI, Enterprise, gemini, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, gmail, Google Docs, Google Workspace
Google raises the price of Workspace plans, includes its AI features for free
Google announced on Wednesday that all AI features in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Meet are now available to Workspace customers at no extra charge, though the plan will see a $2 per month increase per user. This change simplifies access to Workplace AI tools, including email summaries, automated note-taking, chatting with the Gemini bot, and…
Biotech & Health, Climate, Colossal Biosciences, CRISPR, de-extinction tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, synthetic biology
Colossal Biosciences raises $200M at $10.2B valuation to bring back woolly mammoths
Colossal Biosciences wants to bring back the woolly mammoth and has raised $200 million at a $10.2 billion valuation to do it. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Concur Travel becomes the first booking tool to offer ISO 14083-assured emissions data
COMPANY NEWS: The new Concur Travel has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first online booking tool to integrate emissions calculations assured to the new ISO 14083 standard. This development made possible through its partnership with Thrust Carbon, marks a big step forward in providing accurate and consistent emissions data for customers at the…
Global IT News, Global Security News
LogicMonitor ignites partner success with revamped program built for growth
COMPANY NEWS: LogicMonitor’s Partner Program delivers AI-powered tools and resources that scale alongside the evolving tech landscape.
AI, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, hiring, recruiting
As Gen Z job applicants balloon, companies are turning to AI agent recruiters
According to some of the latest statistics, employers are swamped by job applications. In the UK alone, employers running graduate training schemes received an average of 140 applications for each job in 2024, 59 per cent more than in 2023, according to the Institute of Student Employers. And despite some trepidations amongst a few recruiters,…
AI, Apps, chatbot, ChatGPT, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, Phone Number
OpenAI tests letting users sign up for ChatGPT with only a phone number
OpenAI has begun testing a feature that lets new ChatGPT users sign up with only a phone number — no email required. As spotted by software engineer Tibor Blaho, the feature, which is available in beta in the U.S. and India, lets users create an account for ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot platform, by providing their…
Cybersecurity, data breach, Exclusive, extortion, Global IT News, Global Security News, powerschool, Security
PowerSchool data breach victims say hackers stole ‘all’ historical student and teacher data
A trove of information on current and former students and teachers was accessed during the December cyberattack, sources say © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, Rockfish, Startups, synthetic data, VC, venture capital
Rockfish is helping enterprises leverage synthetic data
For years, Vyas Sekar would call up Muckai Girish, an old friend from undergrad, to talk through potential startup ideas and get Girish’s opinion. The two usually talked through an idea and ended the conversation at that. When Sekar called Girish with an idea involving synthetic data in early 2022, the conversation didn’t just end…
Global IT News, Global Security News
January Patch Tuesday Reveals 161 Vulnerabilities
Microsoft has evidence of in-the-wild exploitation and/or public disclosure for eight of the vulnerabilities published today, with three listed on CISA KEV. This is now the fourth consecutive month where Microsoft has published zero-day vulnerabilities on Patch Tuesday without evaluating any of them as critical severity at time of publication. It also sees the publication…
employment, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, job hunting, Jobs, LinkedIn, recruitment, Social, TC
LinkedIn adds free AI tools for job hunters and recruiters
If you’ve ever applied or thought of applying for a job via LinkedIn, you’ll know that the experience can be immediately disheartening: Openings that look interesting typically can see hundreds or thousands of applications in a matter of hours — data that LinkedIn, a social network for the world of work, proudly exposes in its…
agents, AI, Copilot, Copilot Chat, Enterprise, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Microsoft, Microsoft 365, microsoft 365 copilot
Microsoft’s newest Copilot plan for business is pay-as-you-go
Microsoft is launching a pay-as-you-go plan for corporate customers that bundles together several, but not all, of the company’s existing AI-powered productivity features for Microsoft 365. The new plan, Copilot Chat — not to be confused with Microsoft’s Copilot Business Chat or GitHub Copilot Chat — is underpinned by OpenAI’s GPT-4o AI model and lets…
Cybersecurity, data breach, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, HIPAA, Security, UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealth hid its Change Healthcare data breach notice for months
The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare affected over 100 million Americans, the health giant told regulators. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, dating apps, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hinge
Hinge’s new AI feature determines if your prompt response is too basic
Hinge today launched a new AI-powered feature called “Prompt Feedback,” which aims to improve your dating profile by analyzing how you answer prompts and assessing if it needs to be more specific or authentic. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini, Prompt Feedback evaluates each response and offers personalized advice tailored to help you share interesting details…
Global IT News, Global Security News
The Overlooked Essentials in Cybersecurity Preparedness
While organizations pour resources into advanced threat detection systems and cutting-edge security tools, they often miss fundamental elements that could make or break their cybersecurity defenses. These overlooked components create vulnerabilities that sophisticated attackers are all too happy to exploit.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Informatica Strengthens Databricks Partnership with Native GenAI Capabilities for Databricks Data Intelligence Platform
Building on their extensive partnership, Informatica and Databricks are helping customers create and manage AI-ready data and Generative AI analytics on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform
Global IT News, Global Security News
Commvault Automates Active Directory Forest Recovery to Protect ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ Amidst Rampant and Debilitating Ransomware Attacks
Leverages the same platform that already delivers comprehensive protection of critical workloads – ushering in a new level of cyber resilience for customers and partners
Akshay Naheta, Crypto, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Nasdaq Whale, SoftBank Group
SoftBank veteran hunts for profits in payments infrastructure plumbing
Former SoftBank exec Akshay Naheta’s startup, Distributed Technologies Research, is trying to bridge the gap between banking and blockchain tech. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, ai video, Avatars, Enterprise, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Synthesia
Synthesia snaps up $180M at a $2.1B valuation for its B2B AI video platform
As the world continues to work through how to handle the explosion of deepfake content online, it seems that not all AI-created videos are stirring controversy. Synthesia, a London startup building products around highly realistic AI avatar technology, says it’s a big hit with enterprises, with some 60,000 of them — 1 million users —…
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, SEC, TC, Twitter, twitter/x
SEC sues Elon Musk for allegedly failing to disclose Twitter acquisition on time
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk on Tuesday over an alleged securities violation relating to his acquisition of Twitter, now called X. The SEC claims Musk failed to disclose his 5% ownership stake of Twitter in a timely manner, violating federal securities law, according to a complaint filed in federal…
AI, digital twins, Global IT News, Global Security News, MetAI, Nvidia Inception, Startups, taiwan
Nvidia backs MetAI, a Taiwanese startup that creates AI-powered digital twins
Nvidia has been doubling down on the opportunity to build robotics and other industrial AI applications, with the launch of its Omniverse platform, and most recently Mega, an Omniverse Blueprint framework to create digital twins to operate these applications. It’s also investing in digital twin startups to get the effort off the ground. Taiwan’s MetAI…
Accel, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Sarla Aviation, Transportation
Accel doubles down on Sarla Aviation’s ambition to develop electric air taxis in India
Accel has backed Indian startup Sarla Aviation for its aim to develop flying taxis for mass mobility in the country. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Elon Musk, elon musk's x dma, Global IT News, Global Security News, Polymarket, Social, TC
Elon Musk tweets so much, people bet over $1M weekly to guess how many posts
Will Elon Musk post more than 400 tweets this week? With Polymarket, this to be one of the silliest ways people spend their money on the internet. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, ChatGPT, evergreens, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai
ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022. What started as a tool to supercharge productivity through writing essays and code with short text prompts has evolved into a behemoth with 300 million weekly active users. 2024 was a big year for OpenAI, from its partnership…
Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Switch, switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 could be announced this week: The rumors (and facts) so far
With CES 2025 finally in the rearview, it’s time to move on to the next round of big hardware announcements. Rumors have emerged over the last few weeks, pointing to an imminent announcement for the next-generation of Nintendo’s wildly successful hybrid Switch console. In particular, word from industry stalwart Eurogamer (among others) pegs a January…
Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News
Intel spins off its corporate venture arm, Intel Capital, into a standalone fund
Intel says that it plans to spin off its corporate venture arm, Intel Capital, into a standalone fund, with Intel as an “anchor investor.” In a press release on Tuesday, Intel said that the move will “[enable] greater autonomy” and “the flexibility to attract external capital.” Intel expects Intel Capital to begin operating independently in…
AI, ChatGPT, Global IT News, Global Security News, GPT4, Llama, Meta, TC
Meta execs obsessed over beating OpenAI’s GPT-4 internally, court filings reveal
Executives and researchers leading Meta’s AI efforts obsessed over beating OpenAI’s GPT-4 model while developing Llama 3, according to internal messages unsealed by a court on Tuesday in one of the company’s ongoing AI copyright cases, Kadrey v. Meta. “Honestly… Our goal needs to be GPT-4,” said Meta’s VP of Generative AI, Ahmad Al-Dahle, in…
cyberattacks, Cybersecurity, Fortinet, Global IT News, Global Security News, Security
Hackers are exploiting a new Fortinet firewall bug to breach company networks
Security researchers say “tens” of Fortinet devices have been compromised so far as part of the weeks-long hacking campaign. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, notebooklm, Podcasts
Google’s NotebookLM had to teach its AI podcast hosts not to act annoyed at humans
NotebookLM’s viral AI podcast hosts sounded annoyed at human callers and required “friendliness tuning,” Google says. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Qantas, Space, spacetech, SpaceX
Flights delayed by SpaceX’s falling rocket debris
Qantas has been forced to delay several flights to South Africa due to last minute warnings about SpaceX rocket debris falling from the sky. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, hyperspectral imagery, India, Pixxel, Space
Google-backed Pixxel launches India’s first private satellite constellation
Pixxel, an Indian space tech startup backed by Google, has successfully launched the first three hyperspectral satellites of its commercial constellation Firefly. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
DJI, dji flip, drones, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, robotics
DJI Flip is a $439, fully foldable camera drone
Four short months after introducing the truly palm-size Neo, DJI is back with another pint-sized consumer drone. The Flip continues the drone giant’s interest in foldable form factors, with a quartet of propeller guards that essentially stack up, for maximum portability. The new Flip continues to blur the lines in DJI’s existing consumer portfolio, combing…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Livestreaming, Substack
Substack rolls out livestreaming for all publishers
After testing live video features in the fall, newsletter platform Substack announced on Tuesday that it is now making livestreaming available to all publishers. This new feature allows creators to engage with their viewers and collaborate with other publishers. The introduction of livestreaming indicates that Substack is following in the footsteps of other platforms like…
Apps, china, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, social networking, TC, TikTok, TikTok Ban
TikTok users’ attempted migration to Chinese app RedNote isn’t going too well
American TikTok users have been thumbing their collective noses at the U.S. government’s decision to ban TikTok by spitefully joining another Chinese social media app, Red Note (aka Xiaohongshu), sending it to the top of the U.S. App Store on Monday. Unfortunately, many of those who already made the transition have faced problems with having…
Global IT News, Global Security News, industrious, PropTech, Real estate, WeWork
CBRE buys remainder of co-working company Industrious at an $800M valuation
Real estate giant CBRE announced Tuesday that it is acquiring the rest of co-working startup Industrious, in which it already had a sizable investment, at a valuation of over $800 million. Founded in 2013, New York-based Industrious raised a total of $522 million in funding from investors including Riverwood Capital and Fifth Wall Ventures. Its last…
AI, AI companies, Artificial Intelligence, Biden administration, data centers, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Trump Administration
Biden administration opens up federal land to AI data centers
With less than a week left in office, President Joe Biden is not done leaving his mark on the AI industry. President Biden issued an executive order on Tuesday that will allow private sector AI companies to lease federal sites owned by the Department of Defense and Department of Energy in order to build AI…
Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News
Why some former Bench customers are not happy
Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week, we’re looking at the latest with embattled fintech Bench, Robinhood’s $45 million settlement, a couple of M&A deals, some cool fundraises, and more. To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech stories delivered to your inbox every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT, subscribe here. The big…
AI, AI assistant, Apps, ChatGPT, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, TC
ChatGPT now lets you schedule reminders and recurring tasks
Paying users of OpenAI’s ChatGPT can now ask the AI assistant to schedule reminders or recurring requests. The new beta feature, called tasks, will start rolling out to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro users around the globe this week. With tasks, users can set simple reminders with ChatGPT such as, “Remind me when my passport…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Layoffs, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Social
Meta to cut roughly 5% of its workforce based on performance
Meta is reducing its workforce by about 5% through performance-based terminations, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The company plans to hire new people to fill the roles, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an internal memo to staff. “I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” Zuckerberg said in the note. “We…
AI, ai accelerator chips, ai accelerators, AI chips, alibaba, Apple, data centers, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, Synopsys, ualink, Ultra Accelerator Link Consortium
Apple joins consortium to help develop next-gen AI data center tech
Apple has joined a consortium creating next-gen technology to link together chips in AI data centers. The consortium, the Ultra Accelerator Link Consortium, is developing a standard called UALink, which connects the AI accelerator chips found within a growing number of server farms. As of Tuesday, Apple is a member of the consortium’s board, along…
accounting, AI, Fundraising, gen z, Global IT News, Global Security News, Open Ledger, Startups, Venture
A 24-year-old who exited his first company to Coinbase raises $3M for his next venture
At 24 years old, Pryce Yebesi already has one exit: selling his crypto invoicing company Utopia Labs to Coinbase for an undisclosed amount. Some founders don’t just have one company in them. On Monday, Yebesi announced the launch of his new company, Open Ledger, which embeds automated accounting software into products that enterprises and small…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Stack to build 220 MW hyperscale data centre campus in Malaysia
Data centres specialist Stack Infrastructure, has announced its entry into Malaysia, with plans to build a new 220MW campus for hyoerscale clients in Johor Bahru, which the company says will expand its footprint to the largest market in Southeast Asia.
Apps, Camera filters, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, stickers, WhatsApp
WhatsApp is adding a way to turn selfies into stickers
WhatsApp is adding new features including creating new stickers from selfies, sharing sticker packs, and adding new camera effects. Stickers and camera effects are good engagement ploys to keep users interacting with their contacts. The chat app added the ability to create custom stickers from photos last year. Now, the company is adding an option…
AI, ai bias, ai censorship, bias, economic blueprint, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, openai, Policy, policy document, Politics
OpenAI quietly revises policy doc to remove reference to ‘politically unbiased’ AI
OpenAI has quietly removed language endorsing “politically unbiased” AI from one of its recently published policy documents. In the original draft of its “economic blueprint” for the AI industry in the U.S., OpenAI said that AI models “should aim to be politically unbiased by default.” A new draft, made available Monday, deletes that phrasing. When…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Orange and Vodacom JV to expand coverage with new towers in Congo
Telecoms operators Orange and Vodacom have formed a joint venture to build, own, and operate solar-powered mobile base stations in underserved areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Global IT News, Global Security News
KnowBe4 Research Confirms Effective Security Awareness Training Significantly Reduces Data Breaches
COMPANY NEWS New KnowBe4 white paper “Effective Security Awareness Training Really Does Reduce Breaches” finds 65% decrease in breach likelihood for organisations with robust security training programs
AI, chips, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, quantum computing, Seeqc, Startups
With $30 million in new funding, SEEQC thinks chips are key to building useful quantum computing
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang may have said that “very useful quantum computers” are probably still 20 years away, but his company is also hedging its bets beyond classical chips with investments and partnerships in that very space. Now one of the companies that Nvidia partners with in quantum development is announcing funding. SEEQC, a quantum…
Climate, Global IT News, Global Security News
Data center power demand will double over the next five years
Data centers are expected to continue growing at a breakneck pace, doubling their power demand by 2029, according to a new report from JLL. The industry’s expansion, fueled by the rapid growth of AI alongside the continued expansion of cloud-based services, is testing the limits of the energy sector. Some experts think that half of…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Dynatrace Partners with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) Formula One Team as its Official Observability and Performance Analytics Technology Partner
COMPANY NEWS: Dynatrace will provide VCARB with unprecedented insights into vehicle dynamics, driver performance, and race optimization
Aurora Innovation, autonomous trucks, Global IT News, Global Security News, Transportation
Aurora takes feds to court over safety rules as it nears self-driving truck launch
Aurora Innovation is taking federal safety regulators to court in a case that could have far-reaching implications for self-driving truck companies operating in a regulatory environment designed around humans. The fight centers around the rather commonplace practice of placing physical warning triangles around semi trucks stopped along highways. The court denied Aurora’s request to be…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Check Point Software’s 2025 Security Report Finds Alarming 44% Increase in Cyber-Attacks Amid Maturing Cyber Threat Ecosystem
COMPANY NEWS: Highlights from the 13th annual report with data from 170 countries, include an analysis on evolving cyber wars, the pervasiveness of ransomware and recommendations for CISOs
electric vehicles, EVs, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Harbinger, Transportation
EV startup Harbinger’s obsession with simplicity fuels $100M Series B
It’s not an easy time to raise money for an electric vehicle startup, especially given how many have failed or are close to failing. But Los Angeles-based Harbinger has pulled it off by taking an hyper-focused approach to electrifying commercial trucking. The reward is a $100 million Series B, co-led by early Tesla investor Capricorn…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, pixelfed, Social, social media, TC
Decentralized Instagram alternative Pixelfed launches mobile apps
Pixelfed, a decentralized alternative to Instagram, has launched its official mobile apps. The service today runs on the same ActivityPub protocol that powers an open source X alternative Mastodon, a YouTube competitor PeerTube, and other decentralized social apps, including now Meta’s Threads and Flipboard (plus its newer app, Surf), that are part of a growing…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Getac’s next generation ZX10 is the lightest 10-inch fully rugged tablet currently available on the market
COMPANY NEWS: New ZX10 boasts powerful artificial intelligence-ready performance, intuitive Android functionality, and fully rugged reliability, making it ideally suited to challenging field-based tasks.
Global IT News, Global Security News
How to streamline business travel with artificial intelligence-powered expense management
GUEST OPINION: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many aspects of business operations, and one area where it is making a significant impact is expense management for business travel.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Brad Perriott Joins SentinelOne as Area Vice President, Australia and New Zealand
SentinelOne (NYSE: S), a global leader in AI-powered security, today announced that Brad Perriott has joined its team as Area Vice President, Australia and New Zealand. In this role, the technology-industry veteran will lead a regional team of sales representatives and spearhead the company’s efforts to expand and accelerate adoption of SentinelOne’s market-leading cybersecurity platform amongst…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Why unified secure access service edge is the next critical evolution in secure network architecture
GUEST OPINION: Cyber threats are continuously evolving as cybercrimes become increasingly sophisticated, forcing enterprises to rethink their approach to network security.
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Massachusetts senator seeks to extend deadline for TikTok ban
Senatory Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is planning to introduce legislation to extend the TikTok ban deadline by 270 days. TikTok has warned of a looming shutdown in just five days, but the new legislation, officially called the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, would give TikTok more time to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, if approved by Congress. TikTok…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, multilingual, o1, openai, reasoning, reasoning models, thinking, tokens
OpenAI’s AI reasoning model ‘thinks’ in Chinese sometimes and no one really knows why
Shortly after OpenAI released o1, its first “reasoning” AI model, people began noting a curious phenomenon. The model would sometimes begin “thinking” in Chinese, Persian, or some other language — even when asked a question in English. Given a problem to sort out — e.g. “How many R’s are in the word ‘strawberry?’” — o1…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Venture
Boardy AI raises $8M seed round months after closing pre-seed
Months after announcing a $3 million pre-seed, the AI networking startup Boardy is back with an $8 million seed announcement led by Creandum. The company connects users with other people when they call an AI agent who chats with them for a bit and then connects them with others it thinks they ought to know.…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Paul English, Social
Kayak founder returns with Steppin, an app that locks you out of social media until you go for a walk
App stores are filled with different services that are designed to help you cut down on your screen time and count your steps. A new iOS app called Steppin combines these two ideas to help users do both at the same time to bridge the gap between physical and mental health. Steppin blocks your social…
AI, cloud cost optimization tools, cloud costs, Cloud observability, cloud reliability, Enterprise, enterprises, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, venture capital
Thoras helps companies reach reliability without overspending on cloud costs
For years, twin sisters Nilo Rahmani and Jen Rahmani swapped stories — and commiserated — over the pain points they were facing in their respective engineering jobs. Nilo told TechCrunch that a frequent topic of conversation was about frustrations over the reliability platforms they were using at work. When they noticed the reliability landscape starting…
AI, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News
AWS pledges to spend $5B in Mexico, launches new Mexico server region
In an announcement Tuesday, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon’s cloud computing division, said it plans to invest $5 billion in Mexico over the next 15 years as a part of a “long-term commitment” in the region. A portion of that investment is a new server region in Mexico launching today, AWS Mexico, that will allow…
Angellist, Global IT News, Global Security News, MotherDuck, Python, Supabase, TC, Venture
Powerset gives founders $1 million to invest in other startups
Powerset, founded in late 2022, is an investment program with a simple hypothesis: what if the best investors aren’t venture capitalists but other founders, scribbling off checks in between late night coding sessions and board meetings? © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Crypto, Global IT News, Global Security News, North Korea, Security, TC, WazirX
North Korea stole over $659M in crypto heists during 2024, deploys fake job seekers
A joint international statement provides the first official confirmation that North Korea was behind the $235M hack of WazirX, India’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Cybersecurity, Global IT News, Global Security News, hacking, Ransomware, Security, UK government
UK plans to ban public sector organizations from paying ransomware hackers
The Home Office has proposed a ‘targeted ban’ on ransom payments following a wave a cyberattacks targeting the UK © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, antitrust, CMA, competition, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Government & Policy, regulation, Search
UK’s CMA slaps Google Search and its 90%+ market share with an antitrust investigation
The Competition and Markets Authority — the U.K.’s antitrust watchdog — is wasting no time in lodging its first official investigation of 2025 under its new rules that came into effect this month. It’s looking into the market dominance of Google in Search, including the new work it’s doing in AI search as well as…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Backbase Unveils Six Bold Predictions To Drive $1 trillion+ Industry Transformation in 2025
GUEST OPINION: Future-focused C-suite banking forecasts: major shifts in customer experience, revenue models, and tech infrastructure
AI, Bioptimus, Biotech & Health, Global IT News, Global Security News
Bioptimus raises $41M to develop a ‘GPT for biology’
A fledgling French AI startup has raised $41 million to develop a foundational AI model for biology. Just as OpenAI’s ChatGPT has taken the world by storm for a super-smart generative AI tool capable of natural language conversation in text form, Bioptimus is taking that concept but training its model specifically for downstream biological applications…
Barcelona, Cybersecurity, Defense Prime, Epsilon, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hackers, Head and Tail, Palm Beach Networks, Security, Spyware, Startups, variston, zero days
How Barcelona became an unlikely hub for spyware startups
Barcelona’s mix of affordable cost of living and quality of life has helped create a vibrant startup community — and become a hotbed for the creation of surveillance technologies. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News
How to scale AI in Australia’s financial services industry
The Australian financial services (FSI) industry has been at the forefront of innovation, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). While several industries have also been on this journey, FSIs have shown the strongest appetite for AI-led solutions. This is further fuelled by the industry’s highly proactive regulatory environment and dynamic financial market.
Apps, evergreens, fanbase, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Instagram Reels, lemon8, rednote, Snapchat, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, YouTube Shorts, zigazoo
As TikTok faces a US shutdown, here are some alternative apps to check out
TikTok has warned of a looming shutdown in just six days, as the Supreme Court is currently weighing the law that would ban the app. So we thought it’s time to take a look at other platforms that may be able to fill the TikTok-shaped hole in our lives. The law gives TikTok parent company…
Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Robinhood, SEC, TC
Robinhood agrees to pay $45M in SEC settlement
Robinhood has agreed to fork out $45 million to settle an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission over several alleged violations, reported the Wall Street Journal on Monday. The settlement is being made via two of Robinhood’s brokerage units. One of the violations relates to Robinhood’s November 2021 confirmation that it was hacked “with…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy
The CIA’s first CTO, Nand Mulchandani, prepares for the Trump administration
In April 2022, the CIA decided to swipe right on Nand Mulchandani, appointing him as its first-ever Chief Technology Officer. It was a good look for the CIA. Mulchandani, who previously served as the CTO and acting director of the Defense Department’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, is something of a rare breed in Washington. Before…
Global IT News, Global Security News
SK Telecom launches new on-demand AI cloud service SKT GPUaaS
South Korean telecoms provider SK Telecom (SKT) has launched an on-demand AI cloud service called SKT GPUaaS at its AI Data Center (AIDC) in Seoul.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Govt and NBN Co to upgrade remaining network to full fibre for A$3.8B
Australian government owned fibre network wholesaler NBN Co will upgrade the remaining FTTN (fibre to the node) network across Australia, using A$800 million of its own funds plus a commitment of up to A$3 billion from the government.
Celebs, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meghan Markle, Meta, Social
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are slamming Meta over its fact-checking policy
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have joined the ranks of those displeased with Meta’s changes to fact-checking and have released a statement saying that the changes “directly underminds free speech.” “Meta’s changes to its ‘Hateful Content Policies’ do not protect free expression but instead foster an environment where abuse and hate speech silence and threaten…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Venture
Top New York VC Ben Lerer says more mid-sized VC firms are heading for failure
Ben Lerer, managing partner of one of New York’s most prestigious seed-stage venture firms, Lerer Hippeau, shared some predictions with Fortune’s Leo Schwartz. He believes venture firms will continue to see a bifurcation as money pours mostly into top funds like Thrive and a16z, as well as into smaller more bespoke funds. “Where you go…
AI, AI chips, Blaize, Global IT News, Global Security News, IPO 2025, Startups
The first AI chip startup to go public in 2025 will be Blaize
Blaize, an AI chip manufacturer founded by former Intel engineers, is set to IPO on the NASDAQ on January 14. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, AT Protocol, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Twitter
A new campaign aims to safeguard social media from billionaires using Bluesky’s underlying tech
As Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg continue to reshape the social media space, a group of international tech entrepreneurs and advocates has launched a campaign to protect social media from the control and influence of billionaires. The initiative, Free Our Feeds, aims to protect Bluesky’s underlying technology, the AT Protocol, and leverage it to create…
Apps, AT Protocol, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Twitter
‘Free Our Feeds’ campaign aims to billionaire-proof Bluesky’s tech
As Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg continue to reshape the social media space, a group of international tech entrepreneurs and advocates has launched a campaign to protect social media from the control and influence of billionaires. The initiative, Free Our Feeds, aims to protect Bluesky’s underlying technology, the AT Protocol, and leverage it to create…
a16z, AI, design, Exclusive, Fashion, Global IT News, Global Security News, greycroft, Startups
Raspberry AI raises $24M from a16z to accelerate fashion design
The world of fashion is moving at a faster pace each year. Most retailers introduce new styles each season, and fast-fashion companies like Shein, H&M and Zara update their collections continuously. To keep pace with the rapid demand for new styles, brands and manufacturers have been turning to tech to accelerate their design process. Raspberry…
accounting, AI, Fundraising, gen z, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, Venture
A 24-year-old who exited his first company to Coinbase, raises $3M for his next venture
At 24 years old, Pryce Yebesi already has one exit: selling his crypto invoicing company Utopia Labs to Coinbase for an undisclosed amount. Some founders don’t just have one company in them. On Monday, Yebesi announced the launch of his new company, OpenLedger, which embeds automated accounting software into products enterprises and small businesses already…