Google Assistant is now powered by Gemini — sort of
Google Assistant as we knew it is on the way out. Well, at least its guts. Late last year, Google added AI capabilities from its chatbot Bard to Google Assistant, allowing the virtual helper to make sense of images and draw on data in emails, documents and more. Now, the
Read moreCalifornian regulator looking into Waymo’s collision with a cylist
California’s auto regulator, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), is investigating an incident that occurred on Tuesday, where a driverless Waymo car collided with a cyclist, according to a report by Reuters. San Francisco cops said that the cyclist suffered non-fatal injuries, as per a report by SFGate. Waymo, which is
Read moreRally Cap VC, a fintech investor for emerging markets, spins out $5M climate fund
Last year, Amini, a Kenya-based climate tech startup using data from satellites to offer insights on crop health and track farming progress, announced pre-seed and seed rounds six months apart. Not only did the startup manage to raise rounds in quick succession, which was commonplace a few years back but
Read moreDaedalus, which is building precision-manufacturing factories powered by AI, raises $21M
A fledgling startup founded by one of OpenAI’s first engineering hires is looking to “redefine manufacturing,” with AI-powered factories for creating bespoke precision parts. Daedalus, as the company is called, is based in the southwestern German city of Karlsruhe, where its solo factory is currently housed. Here, Daedalus takes orders
Read moreIndian central bank defends ‘proportionate’ action on Paytm
India’s central bank said Thursday it takes supervisory actions and imposes business restrictions only after “persistent non-compliance” with rules, its first comment after a clampdown on Paytm last week has posed existential questions about the future of the leading financial services firm. Shaktikanta Das, the Reserve Bank of India governor,
Read moreGoogle starts blocking users from sideloading certain apps in Singapore
To reduce financial scams, Google has started a new program to prevent users from sideloading certain apps in Singapore. The company is looking to block sideloaded apps that abuse Android permissions to read one-time passwords received through SMS and notifications. Google said there are four sets of permissions that bad
Read moreBrita snaps up smart water bottle startup, Larq
Smart water bottle-maker Larq this week announced that it has been acquired by filtration giant, Brita. More specifically, Brita GmbH, the German company founded in 1966, which spun off and sold its North/South American wing to Clorox in 1988. Brita GmbH maintains the brand in the rest of the world,
Read moreAccounting software startup Pennylane becomes France’s latest unicorn
Just like clockwork, Pennylane is raising another €40 million ($43 million at today’s exchange rate). This new funding round comes after the accounting startup raised €4 million in 2020, €15 million in 2021, another €15 million in 2021 again, €50 million in 2022 and €30 million in 2023. You might
Read morePakistan suspends phone and internet services on election day
Pakistan has temporarily suspended mobile phone network and internet services across the country to combat any “possible threats,” a top ministry said, as the South Asian nation begins its national election. In a statement, Pakistan’s interior ministry said the move was prompted by recent incidents of terrorism in the country.
Read moreAttentive.ai snags $7M to boost automation in landscaping, construction services
Attentive.ai, a startup building vertical software for landscaping and construction services in the U.S., has raised $7 million in a new funding round as it looks to enhance its AI-led offerings and expand them to more businesses. Led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, the all-equity Series A round,
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