Meta is challenging a fee levied by the European Union on larger online platforms under its rebooted ecommerce rules. While a number of tech giants have taken issue with their designations under the law, this is the first suit that’s focused on the supervisory fee. The news of Meta’s legal challenge was first reported yesterday…
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, but it currently is barred…
Under scrutiny from activists — and parents — OpenAI has formed a new team to study ways to prevent its AI tools from being misused or abused by kids. In a new job listing on its career page, OpenAI reveals the existence of a Child Safety team, which the company says is working with platform…
Copilot, Microsoft’s family of AI-powered chatbots and assistants, is getting a few new upgrades timed with a flashy Superbowl LVIII ad campaign. In a post on the official Microsoft blog, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s chief marketing officer, outlined what users can expect. “Today marks exactly one year since our entry into AI-powered experiences for people with…
India is one of the fastest growing economies, yet its supply chain system remains antiquated, operating much as it did decades ago. The logistics sector is highly fragmented, with a majority of small, regional operators lacking scale and efficiency. Regional truckers still rely on brokers and word-of-mouth to secure cargo, while severe truck shortages in…
Crowdfunding is to financing what Uber is to taxis or what Airbnb is to hotels: Using the wisdom and resources of the crowd to raise money. Usually, crowdfunding brings many smaller investors or donors together to fund a business, startup or personal initiative. The concept is based on the collective effort of a large number…
The foundational vocabulary of any new medium is inherited from that of its predecessor. Take, for instance, the early days of television, when so many shows were effectively radio programs caught on film. The new medium’s success is dependent on the development of its own vocabulary, distinguishing itself from earlier paradigms. In the case of…
Hipster coffee shops in Budapest often look the same, as if they were in Portland, Oregon or São Paulo. That’s one of the effects of globalization: Some trends have become ubiquitous. But take a closer look, and you’ll soon realize that even things that look the same can actually come in different flavors. Take SaaS,…
Streaming service Spotify announced today that the service now has more than 600 million monthly active users. The company said in its Q4 2023 earnings report that it added 28 million users in the quarter, which marks the second biggest quarterly gain in the company’s history. The Sweden-based company noted that apart from having 602…
River, an Indian startup manufacturing electric two-wheelers, has raised $40 million in a funding round led by Japan’s Yamaha Motor as the nearly three-year-old startup looks to increase R&D spending and expand the market presence of its first electric ‘SUV’ two-wheeler in India. The all-equity Series B round also saw participation from startup’s existing investors,…
