July 2023

The Download: digital dollars, and AI guidelines

July 21, 2023
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Is the digital dollar dead? In 2020, digital currencies were one of the hottest topics in town. China was well on its way to launching its own central bank digital currency, or CBDC,…

OpenAI’s head of trust and safety Dave Willner steps down

July 21, 2023
A significant personnel change is afoot at OpenAI, the artificial intelligence juggernaut that has nearly single-handedly inserted the concept of generative AI into global public discourse with the launch of ChatGPT. Dave Willner, an industry veteran who was the startup’s head of trust and safety, announced in a post on LinkedIn last night that he […]

Grab acquires Singapore’s third-largest taxi operator Trans-cab 

July 21, 2023
Singapore’s ride-hailing and food delivery company Grab has signed an agreement for its car rental unit Grab Rentals to acquire Trans-cab, the city state’s third largest taxi operator.  The deal, Grab’s first local competitor acquisition, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023 and includes “Trans-cab’s taxi and car rental business, maintenance workshops and […]

Is the digital dollar dead?

July 21, 2023
It’s summer 2020. The world is under a series of lockdowns as the pandemic continues to run its course. And in academic and foreign policy circles, digital currencies are one of the hottest topics in town.  China is well on its way to launching its own central bank digital currency, or CBDC, and many other…

Top AI companies visit the White House to make ‘voluntary’ safety commitments

July 21, 2023
While substantive AI legislation may still be years away, the industry is moving at light speed and many — including the White House — are worried that it may get carried away. So the Biden administration has collected “voluntary commitments” from 7 of the biggest AI developers to pursue shared safety and transparency goals ahead […]

High-profile investors ask India PM Modi to reconsider tax on online gaming

July 21, 2023
Tiger Global, DST Global, Peak XV, Steadview Capital, and Kotak Private Equity are among global and Indian investors who have asked the India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the recently announced taxation on online gaming. The Goods and Services Tax Council, which comprises top federal and state finance ministers, said earlier this month that it […]

Kasha raises $21M Series B led by Knife Capital to expand health access platform across Africa

July 21, 2023
As Africa’s youthful population continues to grow exponentially, it’s of the utmost importance that entrepreneurs create various healthcare solutions that will cater to the medical needs of the continent’s future. While the pandemic made investors pay attention to Africa’s private healthcare space, women’s health — a subcategory dominated by women founders that broadly addresses women’s […]

Autonomous vehicle company Aurora sells $820M worth of stock

July 20, 2023
Aurora Innovation, the self-driving technology company that aims to launch an autonomous trucking business in 2024, has completed a capital raise of $820 million from a public and concurrent private offering of its stock. The company expects the deal to close Friday. The stock sale will help fund Aurora through commercial launch at the end […]