Eclipse Energy’s microbes can turn idle oil wells into hydrogen factories
The biotech startup is betting that owners of abandoned oil wells will use the tech to squeeze energy out of their wells.
The Download: autonomous narco submarines, and virtue signaling chatbots
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. How uncrewed narco subs could transform the Colombian drug trade For decades, handmade narco subs have been some of the cocaine trade’s most elusive and productive workhorses, ferrying multi-ton loads of illicit drugs…
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Opera wants you to pay $20 a month to use its AI-powered browser Neon
Following a couple of months’ testing, Opera has finally made its AI-powered browser, Neon, available to the public — though you’ll have to shell out for a $19.90-per-month subscription to use it.
Solar geoengineering startups are getting serious
Solar geoengineering aims to manipulate the climate by bouncing sunlight back into space. In theory, it could ease global warming. But as interest in the idea grows, so do concerns about potential consequences. A startup called Stardust Solutions recently raised a $60 million funding round, the largest known to date for a geoengineering startup. My…
Port raises $100M at $800M valuation to take on Spotify’s Backstage
Port offers a proprietary alternative to Spotify’s popular devtool catalog Backstage, but with a valuable addition: it can be used to manage AI agents, too.
Runware raises $50M Series A to help make image, video generation easier for developers
Runware lets developers integrate realtime image generation in their apps, with an affordable pricing model.
Harness hits $5.5B valuation with $240M raise to automate AI’s ‘after-code’ gap
Goldman Sachs has led Harness’s Series E round, with participation from IVP, Menlo Ventures, and Unusual Ventures.
Baby delivered in Waymo continues proud tradition of not making it to the hospital
Some traditions, it seems, are immune to disruption.
Google’s answer to the AI arms race — promote the guy behind its data center tech
Amin Vahdat has been promoted to chief technologist for AI infrastructure, a newly created position reporting directly to CEO Sundar Pichai.
State attorneys general warn Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, and other AI giants to fix ‘delusional’ outputs
The letter demanded companies institute new safeguards to keep users safe from harmful psychological impacts.
Nvidia is reportedly testing tracking software as chip smuggling rumors swirl
A new software option could make it possible to see the approximate location of some of Nvidia’s AI chips.