News reporting focused on AI and machine learning, covering the companies behind these technologies, their real-world applications, and the ethical concerns they raise. This includes areas like generative AI (large language models, text-to-image and video), speech tech, and predictive analytics.
Bending Spoons has agreed to acquire Airtable in an all-cash deal valued at $1.285 billion, marking its first acquisition since its IPO. Airtable, once valued at $11.7 billion, has raised about $1.4 billion in funding, meaning investors may face a loss. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026.
SpaceX acquired Cursor, an AI-native code editor developed by Anysphere, for $60 billion in an all-stock deal shortly after its IPO. The tool, created by four MIT students, helps developers write, debug, and refactor software. The acquisition gives SpaceXAI and Grok Build a distribution channel to millions of professional developers, leveraging Cursor's integration into expert workflows and SpaceX's Colossus supercomputer for AI model training.
Apple has filed a trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that former Apple employees, including Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan, solicited confidential information during job interviews and downloaded proprietary files. The case highlights the high stakes of the AI hardware race and raises questions about OpenAI's ability to focus on its upcoming IPO while facing a tenacious legal opponent. The Verge's Nilay Patel and Hayden Field discuss the implications for both companies and the broader AI industry.
Apple has filed a trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the AI company of orchestrating a campaign to steal confidential information from current and former Apple employees. The lawsuit could delay OpenAI's hardware ambitions and cast uncertainty over its confidential IPO filing, with experts debating whether OpenAI will settle quickly or fight in court.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a "Rental Ripoff Report" that recommends requiring landlords and realtors to disclose when they use AI-generated or AI-edited images in property listings. The report follows hearings where thousands of tenants reported deceptive practices, including misleading photos.
Apple filed a trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI last Friday, alleging misconduct involving the chief hardware officer and over 400 former Apple employees now working at OpenAI. The timing is critical as OpenAI reportedly plans an IPO later this year. TechCrunch's Equity podcast discusses the potential impact on OpenAI's hardware ambitions and IPO timeline.
SK Hynix raised $26.5 billion in its U.S. market debut, the largest-ever IPO by a non-American company, surpassing Alibaba's 2014 record. The South Korean memory chip maker's stock surged 14% on opening as demand exceeded supply by seven times. Meanwhile, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged the company and competitors to build new factories in the United States.
Fidji Simo, OpenAI's chief executive of AGI deployment, is leaving her full-time role after a months-long medical leave for a chronic neuroimmune condition. She will stay on as a part-time advisor. The move comes as OpenAI reorganizes its product teams and focuses on core products ahead of a planned 2027 IPO.
South Korean memory chip maker SK Hynix announced plans to sell nearly 17.8 million shares in a U.S. IPO, potentially raising around $28 billion. The company will offer American depositary receipts, riding an AI-fueled boom that has driven memory demand and stock prices sharply higher. Pricing is expected Thursday with trading beginning Friday.
A WIRED investigation discovered dozens of nonconsensual explicit deepfakes of celebrities and a US politician still hosted on Grok's website, months after xAI promised to add restrictions. The findings come as SpaceX prepares for a major IPO. Experts say Grok's safeguards remain insufficient compared to other AI tools.
Thibault Sottiaux, the engineer behind OpenAI's fast-growing Codex product, has been appointed head of core products. He now oversees the ambitious plan to transform ChatGPT into a personalized AI super app that handles tasks across personal and professional life. The move comes as OpenAI shuts down other initiatives and races toward an IPO amid intense competition.
OpenAI has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, the company announced Monday, joining rival Anthropic in seeking to go public as the AI industry moves toward greater public market scrutiny. The ChatGPT maker submitted a confidential S-1 filing with the SEC, though it said no timing has been decided yet. The move comes just one week after Anthropic disclosed its own confidential IPO filing, signaling a new phase for AI startups focused on profitability.