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…
How do you build a single model that can learn physical skills from chaotic real world robot data without relying on simulation? Generalist AI has unveiled GEN-θ, a family of embodied foundation models trained directly on high fidelity raw physical interaction data instead of internet video or simulation. The system is built to establish scaling…
After Zohran Mamdani clinched the New York City mayoral race on Tuesday night, his campaign announced former FTC chair Lina Khan will be one of the transition team’s four co-chairs. Khan has been an ally of Mamdani’s, praising him in a New York Times op-ed about his outreach to small business owners. But her appointment…
Google has rolled out a major update to Chrome’s autofill feature on desktop, expanding its capabilities to handle a broader range of personal data. With the new update, users can now automatically fill in details such as passport numbers, driver’s license information, and vehicle identifiers – including license plate numbers and VINs (Vehicle Identification Numbers)….
Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin is finally ready to try a second launch of its super heavy-lift rocket New Glenn. The company announced on Wednesday that it will attempt the launch as early as Sunday, November 9, from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. New Glenn’s first flight took place back in January,…
