Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation
A tool that allowed anyone to generate fake AI-generated imagery and superimpose it over real Google Earth maps quickly spurred backlash.
The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
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. Kids are outsmarting social media bans. That’s not a problem we need to solve. —Michal Luria, Aliya Bhatia, and Danah Boyd Social media bans are stacking up. In July, France joined…
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Fresh off its Wiz payout, Index Ventures raises $2B across three funds
The new funding brings Index’s total available investing capital to $3.5 billion.
Jersey Mike’s Went Public at a $7.3 Billion Valuation. It All Started With a 17-Year-Old and One Sub Shop.
The sandwich chain’s IPO was more than 10 times oversubscribed.
VC-backed startups commit more fraud, and researchers think they know why
New research from the U.K.’s Imperial College and France’s Emlyon Business School mapped out how Silicon Valley founders commit fraud — and the role investors play.
Sam Altman isn’t the only one who wants to pump the brakes on AI
After years of pushing full speed ahead on AI, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says maybe it’s time for the AI industry to “pace” itself. The comments came just days after one of OpenAI’s own models broke out of its test environment and got tangled up in a breach at Hugging Face — though as Equity’s hosts point out, sloppy security seems to have […]
Snapchat no longer rewards fully AI-generated Spotlight content
Snapchat has adjusted it recommendation systems to ensure that only videos created by real people are eligible for Spotlight recommendations, taking a stance against AI slop.
Siri AI could come with a paywall for power users
Apple CEO Tim Cook envisions users being able to buy more compute for Siri AI via Apple’s existing iCloud+ subscriptions.
This Franchisee Owns 112 Restaurants and Gives Ownership Stakes to His Staff: ‘It Helps Them Know It’s a Team’
Wade Oney, President of Bam-Bamy Pizza, gives his managers, supervisors and executives a piece of the business.
GM and Ford are talking less and less about EVs
The leading U.S. automakers are mentioning EVs on their investor calls at pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from TechCrunch and Hudson Labs.
Samsung expects memory shortage to worsen through 2027 and last until 2028
AI data center demand is fueling a multi-year chip shortage, pushing up component costs and retail device prices.