Spotify has rarely given its users much visibility into their listening habits. So far, users either had to link their account to services like Last.fm to track their music, or wait until the end of the year for Spotify to release its personalized year-in-review, Wrapped, to find out what they listened to. The streaming giant…
With so much money flooding into AI startups, it’s a good time to be an AI researcher with an idea to test out. And if the idea is novel enough, it might be easier to get the resources you need as an independent company instead of inside one of the big labs. That’s the story…
Google is adding Gemini to Maps in India, along with road safety alerts and more information about routes. The AI integration, launched in the U.S. on Wednesday, brings hands-free AI assistance to Maps, as well as contextual suggestions while navigating and information about places of interest. Miriam Daniel, vice president and head of Google Maps,…
Google’s $32 billion acquisition of cloud security company Wiz has moved a step closer toward the finish line. Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport said at a Wall Street Journal event on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters, that the acquisition had cleared its antitrust review by the U.S. Department of Justice. Rappaport added that while a milestone,…
Lagos-based Ventures Platform, one of Africa’s most active early-stage investors, has raised $64 million so far for its second fund, targeting a final close of $75 million, founding partner Kola Aina tells TechCrunch. Among the investors is the Nigerian government, through its Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) program, which marks the first time…
When Nvidia announced its Rubin series of GPUs in March, it also dropped a bomb: Racks built with the Ultra version of the chip, which is expected to be released in 2027, could draw up to 600 kilowatts of electricity. That’s nearly twice as much juice as some of the fastest EV chargers can deliver…
Google announced on Wednesday that it’s making it easier to access AI Mode on mobile. Users will now be able to access AI Mode, which allows users to ask complex questions and follow-ups to dig deeper on a topic directly within Search, via a new dedicated shortcut button under the search bar when opening a…
On Wednesday, researchers at Microsoft released a new simulation environment designed to test AI agents, along with new research showing that current agentic models may be vulnerable to manipulation. Conducted in collaboration with Arizona State University, the research raises new questions about how well AI agents will perform when working unsupervised — and how quickly…
Discord has rolled out updates to its Family Center, giving guardians more insights into their teens’ usage patterns, including purchases, top interactions, and time spent. The goal is to help parents monitor whether their teen is spending excessive time or money on Discord. The communication platform first launched Family Center in 2023 with an activity…
Tinder is looking to AI to revitalize its dating app, which has now reported nine straight quarters of paying subscriber declines, as of the third quarter this year. The dating app maker, Match Group, told investors on Tuesday’s earnings call that Tinder is testing a feature called Chemistry that will get to know users through…
