Kuku, an Indian storytelling platform backed by Google, has raised $85 million in fresh funding as it aims to scale its audio and video content offerings amid intensifying competition in the South Asian nation’s mobile-first content market. The Series C round, led by Granite Asia (formerly GGV Capital), values Kuku at more than double its … Read more
South Korea is nearing a decision on whether to allow Google and Apple to export high-resolution geographic map data to servers outside the country. The detailed maps, which use a 1:5,000 scale, would show streets, buildings, and alleyways in far greater detail than currently available on these platforms. However, several regulatory and security hurdles remain … Read more
While employees spend much of their day communicating and coordinating amongst themselves on projects, this effort is often undermined by the availability of specific individuals. When a colleague with vital information is away — whether on vacation or in a different time zone — the rest of the team must delay progress until that person … Read more
Video editing app VSCO is adding a set of new AI image editing tools, support for high-resolution RAW files, non-destructive edits, and content-aware region detection. The AI tools will be housed in a new tab called “AI Labs,” which also brings AI-powered object removal chops, similar to Google and Apple’s homegrown offerings. You can highlight … Read more
OpenAI is printing money right now. The company is pulling in roughly $13 billion in annual revenue, with 70% coming from everyday people paying $20 a month to chat with an AI, according to the Financial Times. That’s pretty wild when you consider ChatGPT has 800 million regular users, but only 5% are actually paying … Read more
Stellantis, the international automaker that owns Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram, said it will invest $13 billion to beef up its U.S. manufacturing over the next four years as part of a broader revival plan directed by its new CEO. Five new vehicles will be developed and produced through 2029 as part of the investment into … Read more
Spotify is bringing its video podcasts to Netflix starting next year, the company announced on Tuesday. Amid the company’s push to further expand its video content selection and boost its ads business, Spotify has announced a partnership with Netflix that will showcase select video podcasts on the popular streaming service. At launch, the Netflix-Spotify partnership … Read more
In an effort to protect its underage users from harmful content, Instagram is rolling out new restrictions to teen accounts. Users under 18 will now by default only see content that adheres to PG-13 movie ratings, avoiding themes like extreme violence, sexual nudity, and graphic drug use. Users under 18 won’t be able to change … Read more
Grindr’s majority owners are scrambling to take the LGBTQ+ dating app private after a stock decline triggered a personal financial crisis, according to a report from Semafor. The owners in question are Raymond Zage, a former hedge fund manager and U.S. expat now based in Singapore, and James Lu, a Chinese-American entrepreneur and former Amazon … Read more
Goldman Sachs has agreed to acquire Industry Ventures, a 25-year-old, San Francisco-based investment firm with $7 billion in assets under management, CNBC was first to report on Monday. The deal underscores the growing importance of secondary markets and buyouts as traditional venture exits remain sluggish. The investment bank is paying $665 million in cash and … Read more
