Why ‘hold forever’ investors are snapping up venture capital ‘zombies’
An investor explains the “buy, fix, and hold” model employed by Bending Spoons and similar companies that buy distressed startups.
The Download: squeezing more metal out of aging mines, and AI’s truth crisis
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. Microbes could extract the metal needed for cleantech In a pine forest on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the only active nickel mine in the US is nearing the end of its life. At a…
YouTube is working on a feature that will fix the messy home feed
YouTube is experimenting with a new feature that allows users to customize their home feed.
Young People Spend a Surprising Amount on Black Friday — And Make a Common Mistake
Many Gen Z consumers plan their holiday shopping strategy for months.
This Government Paid Deloitte $1 Million for a Report That Included Fake AI Citations
An investigation found that Deloitte cited research that didn’t exist in the 526-page report.
‘My Rock’: Billionaire Virgin Founder Richard Branson Announces Death of Wife — After Nearly 50 Years Together
The Virgin Group founder shared the news about the passing of his wife, Joan Templeman, on Instagram.
Character.AI will offer interactive ‘Stories’ to kids instead of open-ended chat
The company announced last month that it would no longer allow minors to use its chat features.
Forget Crypto vs. Banks. The Real Opportunity Is in Building One Platform for Both.
Here’s why the future of finance belongs to founders who build for both banks and crypto users.
ChatGPT’s voice mode is no longer a separate interface
ChatGPT now lets you use voice and text in the same screen, making conversations feel more natural as responses and visuals appear in real time.
Warner Music signs deal with AI music startup Suno, settles lawsuit
WMG says artists and songwriters will have full control over whether and how their names, images, likenesses, voices, and compositions are used in new AI-generated music.
OpenAI and Perplexity are launching AI shopping assistants, but competing startups aren’t sweating it
Startup founders building AI shopping tools think general-purpose models are too broad to deliver truly personalized shopping experiences.