Welcome to another edition of Week in Review. In this installment, we’ll explore the upheaval following HP’s $116 million acquisition of AI Pin producer Humane, Mira Murati’s latest AI startup breaking cover, Duolingo’s unconventional decision to retire its beloved owl mascot in favor of a Cybertruck, and much more! Let’s dive in.
Humane’s AI Pin has reached its end. The hardware startup has revealed that the majority of its assets have been purchased by HP for $116 million, a sum that represents less than half of the $240 million raised in venture capital. Effective immediately, the company will halt sales of its $499 AI Pins, and after February 28, the wearable devices will lose connectivity to Humane’s servers. At that point, features such as calling, messaging, AI queries/responses, and cloud access will cease to function. Customers who purchased an AI Pin within the last 90 days can request a refund, but those who bought one earlier will not be eligible.
Shortly after the HP acquisition was made public, several employees from Humane received job offers from HP, with salary increases ranging from 30% to 70%, as detailed in internal documents reviewed by TechCrunch and two anonymous sources. Conversely, other Humane team members—particularly those involved in the AI Pin project—were informed of their job termination.
Apple has unveiled its long-awaited iPhone SE update, three years since the last significant upgrade to this affordable smartphone. The new 16e model is now part of a select group of devices capable of running Apple Intelligence thanks to the inclusion of the A18 processor. The iPhone 16e has also replaced the Touch ID home button with Face ID and substituted the Lightning port for USB-C. The iPhone 16e starts at $599 and is set to ship on February 28.
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News
Farewell, Duo: Duolingo has staged a dramatic exit for its beloved owl mascot using a Cybertruck, a marketing move that appears to be gaining unexpected traction. The company initiated a campaign aimed at saving Duo and motivating users to complete more lessons, proclaiming “Duo or die.” Read more
OpenAI’s new approach with ChatGPT: OpenAI has decided to adopt a less editorially constrained stance with ChatGPT, meaning the AI will no longer shy away from offering diverse viewpoints on controversial issues, even if they may be perceived as offensive or morally questionable. Read more
Uber takes legal action against DoorDash: Uber is suing DoorDash, alleging that its competitor is suppressing competition by pressuring restaurant owners to enter into exclusive agreements. Uber claims DoorDash has used intimidation tactics against restaurants to exclusively partner with them. Read more
Mira Murati breaks ground with her new venture: Mira Murati, the former CTO of OpenAI, has launched her new AI company, Thinking Machines Lab, which has now emerged from stealth mode. This startup, featuring OpenAI co-founder John Schulman and former Chief Research Officer Barret Zoph, will focus on developing collaborative “multimodal” systems. Read more
Introducing Grok 3: Elon Musk’s xAI has unveiled its flagship AI model, Grok 3, along with new features for the Grok iOS and web applications. Musk asserts that this new suite of models represents a “maximally truth-seeking AI,” which may sometimes diverge from traditionally accepted narratives. Read more
Malware attempts on Steam: Valve has removed a video game from Steam that was designed to disseminate malware. Security experts uncovered that the game had been altered to mislead players into installing an information-stealer known as Vidar. Read more
Shifts in DEI initiatives: The charity led by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan will be discontinuing its internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and is halting “social advocacy funding” for initiatives related to racial equity and immigration reform. This reversal comes just weeks after the charity reassured its employees that DEI initiatives would continue. Read more
Amazon to close its Android app store: In a strategic shift, Amazon will terminate its Android app store in August to focus more on its proprietary devices. The company informed developers that new app submissions will no longer be accepted. Read more
Mark Zuckerberg’s rebranding efforts fall short: A new study from the Pew Research Center indicates that American sentiment towards Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg skews negative. Approximately 54% of U.S. adults hold an unfavorable opinion of Musk, while a staggering 67% feel negatively about Zuckerberg. Read more
Potential risks of noise-canceling headphones: A recent BBC report examines whether the technology behind noise-canceling headphones might be altering the brain’s ability to filter sounds, potentially leading to a diminished capacity to manage background noise. Read more
Analysis
A detailed exploration of the DOGE universe: The many individuals working with or advising Elon Musk and DOGE exemplify Musk’s extensive influence within the tech sector. TechCrunch reveals key figures in the DOGE ecosystem, tracing their relationships and pathways into Musk’s sphere of influence. This analysis highlights both their interconnections and the ways they draw from Musk’s vision. Read more
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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