February 18, 2026

The robots who predict the future

To be human is, fundamentally, to be a forecaster. Occasionally a pretty good one. Trying to see the future, whether through the lens of past experience or the logic of cause and effect, has helped us hunt, avoid being hunted, plant crops, forge social bonds, and in general survive in a world that does not…

Horizon3 secures $40M to expand its pen testing platform

August 8, 2023
Cybersecurity funding is falling after enjoying impressive heights in the last few years. According to Crunchbase, VC financing for security declined to just over $1.6 billion in Q2 2023, marking a 63% drop compared to the same quarter last year — when startups landed nearly $4.3 billion. But that’s not to suggest deals have dried […]

Spotify expands its AI-powered DJ feature globally

August 8, 2023
Spotify is expanding its AI-powered “DJ” to dozens of markets globally, six months after debuting the feature in North America. Available through the “music” feed section in the Spotify mobile app, DJ personalizes users’ listening through a curated music selection that includes spoken-word commentary powered by a synthetic voice. The commentary includes light-hearted banter and […]

Powered by electric vehicle growth, China overtakes Japan as biggest auto exporter

August 8, 2023
One might start noticing more Chinese cars in Western markets in recent times. In the first half of the year, China exported 2.34 million vehicles, according to customs data. The tally surpassed that of Japan, which finished H1 with 2.02 million cars exported. This is the first time China has overtaken Japan in automobile export […]

Why it’s impossible to build an unbiased AI language model

August 8, 2023
This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. AI language models have recently become the latest frontier in the US culture wars. Right-wing commentators have accused ChatGPT of having a “woke bias,” and conservative groups have started developing their own…

Europe confirms in-depth probe for Adobe’s $20B Figma acquisition

August 8, 2023
The European Commission (EC) has confirmed that it’s opening an in-depth investigation into Adobe’s proposed $20 billion bid for digital design software rival Figma. The Commission said that the acquisition “may reduce competition in the global markets for the supply of interactive product design software and for digital asset creation tools.” First announced last September, […]

Paramount+ tops 61 million subscribers after Showtime merger

August 8, 2023
Paramount said that it added 700,000 subscribers to Paramount+ in Q2 2023 after the company launched a subscription tier with Showtime integration in June. This addition meant Paramount+ subscriber count now stands at around 61 million — up from the 60 million reported last quarter. The new integrated $11.99 per month plan with Showtime replaced […]

SoftBank posts loss, with a cumulative loss of $6.3B in its Vision Fund business

August 8, 2023
As SoftBank prepares to dive deeper into AI investments, the group posted an unexpected consecutive quarterly overall loss, as well as a continued loss in its existing investment business. SoftBank’s Vision Fund 1 and 2 and its Latin American fund together posted a quarterly investment loss of 13 billion yen ($91 million). That is significantly […]