AI data centers, essential for training and running artificial intelligence, are projected to become increasingly expensive and resource-intensive, potentially costing up to $200 billion within six years. A new study from Georgetown, Epoch AI, and Rand highlights the rapid growth of AI data centers globally from 2019 to 2025, emphasizing that both computational performance and power demands are increasing at an accelerated pace. The study analyzed over 500 AI data center projects and found that while computational performance is doubling annually, so are power requirements and capital expenditures. These data centers are anticipated to house millions of chips and require…
Author: Cooper
In 2025, fintech startups have experienced a remarkable resurgence after a couple of slow years. According to recent data from CB Insights, fintech companies globally raised $10.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, marking the highest level of funding since the first quarter of 2023. The average deal size, reaching $17.7 million, was the highest since 2021, signaling a strong investor interest in the sector. This resurgence is particularly noteworthy as many fintech companies are now receiving substantial funding after a period of cautious investments due to market instability. While crypto-related fintech startups are seeing larger rounds of funding,…
WhatsApp has announced a new feature designed to enhance privacy for its users. The “Advanced Chat Privacy” setting, which launched on Wednesday, gives users more control over their chats. This new setting prevents others from exporting chats and auto-downloading media to their phone. Why Is This Feature Important? The primary goal of this feature is to provide more reassurance in group chats, ensuring that what’s shared remains private within the chat. While the feature stops chat exports and media downloads, it’s important to note that users can still take individual screenshots. However, WhatsApp has hinted at expanding this functionality in…
xAI’s Grok chatbot has taken a significant step forward with the introduction of Grok Vision, a new feature that allows the AI to “see” and interpret the world through your smartphone’s camera. Similar to the real-time vision capabilities offered by Google’s Gemini and ChatGPT, Grok Vision enables users to point their phone at various objects—products, signs, documents—and ask questions about them. Announced on Tuesday, Grok Vision is currently available through the Grok app for iOS, although Android users will have to wait for the feature to be rolled out. The camera access, integrated with Grok’s voice mode, allows users to…
OpenAI and The Washington Post have entered into a landmark partnership that will see ChatGPT summarizing and linking to original Washington Post articles in its responses. This collaboration is part of OpenAI’s strategy to engage with over 20 prominent news outlets. The Washington Post aims to tap into ChatGPT’s massive user base, which now exceeds 500 million, to expand its reach and engage with a broader audience. In return, OpenAI stands to benefit from the Post’s high-quality, timely reporting, which will help enhance the accuracy and depth of the AI model’s responses. You can read more about the partnership in…
In a bold pre-launch marketing move, Slate Auto, a Michigan-based EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, is turning heads across California with a mysterious “Transformer”-like vehicle. Multiple disguised concept versions of the vehicle have appeared in public, hinting at the brand’s futuristic ambitions—and its unique sales strategy. Just days before its official unveiling on April 24 at Long Beach Airport, these real-world sightings are building anticipation. The startup, which launched in 2022, has largely stayed under the radar until now. But insiders say that Slate is planning to shake up the electric vehicle market with a highly customizable EV priced…
In a significant strategic move, Flipkart, the Walmart-owned Indian e-commerce major, is relocating its headquarters back to India from Singapore as it prepares for a highly anticipated IPO on Indian stock exchanges. The company, which was founded in 2007 in Bengaluru and later shifted to Singapore in 2011, cited alignment with its core operations and the growing Indian digital economy as key reasons for the transition. Why the Shift Back Now? Flipkart initially moved its HQ to Singapore to gain tax advantages, attract foreign capital, and bypass bureaucratic challenges in India. However, the domestic market has evolved rapidly over the…
Welcome to this week’s Week in Review, where we unpack the biggest tech stories that made waves. From courtroom showdowns to new AI rollouts, here’s everything you need to know: Google Found Guilty in Ad Tech Antitrust Battle A major legal chapter closed this week as a judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws in the advertising technology space, following a two-year-long lawsuit involving eight U.S. states. Potential remedies could include breaking up key parts of its ad empire, such as Google Ad Manager. Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, said, “We won half of this case, and we…
Every so often, a new startup emerges from Silicon Valley that sounds so radical, it’s hard to tell if it’s serious or a parody. Mechanize, the latest venture by renowned AI researcher Tamay Besiroglu, falls squarely into that category. Launched with a dramatic post on X (formerly Twitter), Besiroglu announced Mechanize’s mission: “the full automation of all work” and “the full automation of the economy.” That essentially means replacing every human worker with AI. The backlash was immediate and fierce. Critics on social media lambasted both the idea and its implications for Besiroglu’s highly respected nonprofit AI research institute, Epoch.…
Recently, a peculiar behavior from ChatGPT has caused a stir among users: the AI sometimes refers to individuals by their names during conversations, even if they haven’t provided one. This change has sparked mixed reactions from the community. Some find it “creepy” and “unnecessary,” while others argue it could make interactions feel more personalized. A Surprising Change For many, ChatGPT’s tendency to address users by name seems like a new feature. Simon Willison, a software developer and AI enthusiast, called the behavior “creepy and unnecessary,” reflecting the sentiments of some who feel unsettled by this change. Others, like Nick Dobos,…
Bluesky may soon roll out a blue check verification system, according to recent updates to its public GitHub repository, discovered by reverse engineer alice.mosphere.at. The new system appears to be inspired by Twitter’s (now X’s) verification process, but with significant differences in how the platform handles user verification. Key Differences from X’s Verification System Bluesky’s blue checkmarks will likely have a similar visual look to those found on Twitter (X), but the underlying mechanism is set to be distinct. Rather than relying solely on the platform to verify users, Bluesky plans to incorporate multiple trusted organizations that will play a…
In a strategic move to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI industry, OpenAI has unveiled a new API option called Flex processing. This offering provides a significantly cheaper alternative for developers who can trade off speed and guaranteed availability for lower prices — a particularly useful option for non-critical tasks. What Is Flex Processing? Flex processing is currently available in beta for OpenAI’s newest reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini. It’s designed for lower-priority and asynchronous workloads — such as data enrichment, model evaluation, and other non-production applications — where latency and uptime aren’t mission-critical. According to OpenAI, Flex processing:…
Geoff Ralston, the former president of Y Combinator and a longtime figure in the startup ecosystem, has reentered the investing scene with a mission rooted in responsibility. On Thursday, Ralston officially announced the launch of his new venture: the Safe Artificial Intelligence Fund (SAIF) — a name that reflects both its purpose and a clever nod to Y Combinator’s investment structure. What is SAIF All About? SAIF is focused on funding startups that prioritize AI safety, security, and responsible deployment. While artificial intelligence continues to dominate the venture capital landscape, Ralston’s approach is distinct. Rather than backing just any AI-driven…
Chapter, a Medicare advisory startup co-founded by former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, has successfully raised $75 million in funding at a $1.5 billion valuation. The investment round was led by private equity and venture firm Stripes. The company helps seniors choose Medicare health plans by analyzing coverage options for doctors, hospitals, and prescription drugs. Chapter differentiates itself by prioritizing the needs of clients over the profits of insurance companies, a unique approach in the Medicare advisory space. In 2020, Chapter’s Series A round was led by Naraya, a venture capital firm founded by Vice President J.D. Vance. Peter Thiel,…
OpenAI is reportedly in negotiations to acquire Windsurf, the maker of a popular AI coding assistant, for approximately $3 billion, according to Bloomberg. Should the deal go through, OpenAI would find itself directly competing with other AI coding assistant providers, including Anysphere, the creator of Cursor, which has received backing from OpenAI’s Startup Fund. This potential acquisition could raise concerns about the credibility of the OpenAI Startup Fund, given that it is one of Cursor’s major investors. However, it remains unclear whether OpenAI has approached Cursor for a potential buyout. In addition to the reports from Bloomberg, a few clues…