Author: TechBrunch
Perplexity, an AI search engine with Google-rivaling ambitions that announced a strategic partnership with SoftBank in April, is now using the deal to expand its user base and data touchpoints in SoftBank's domestic market. Starting June 19, SoftBank and its two mobile operators, Y!mobile (SoftBank's mobile phone operator) and LINEMO (SoftBank's low-cost mobile network operator), will offer a free one-year subscription to Perplexity's premium tier, Perplexity Pro. The move underscores Perplexity's international ambitions and focus on generating revenue from paying customers, but also the motivations of companies such as mobile operators. It may not have the in-house team or the…
When Manny Griffith worked with a personal injury lawyer after his wife's car accident, he was surprised at how little information or communication he received from the lawyer regarding the claim. The couple sometimes didn't hear from their lawyer for months and found the entire process very opaque. Griffiths dug deeper and found he wasn't alone in this issue. His research found that nearly half, 44%, of negative Google reviews for law firms that work with individuals rather than other businesses relate to consumer frustration due to poor communication. But even though consumers feel they can't get in touch with…
Proton, the Swiss company behind ProtonMail and other privacy-focused apps, is following in the footsteps of Signal and Mozilla in moving to a new non-profit foundation model. The newly established Proton Foundation will serve as the majority shareholder in the existing legal entity, Proton AG, which will continue to operate as a for-profit company with the support of the foundation. This is intended to make the organization self-sustaining, without relying on donations, grants or commercial partnerships with companies, according to CEO Andy Yen. Indeed, while companies like Signal rely on the backing of billionaires like WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton, and…
Tinybird isn't so small anymore. First covered by TechCrunch three years ago, the enterprise data startup has grown rapidly and recently raised $30 million in a Series B funding round. One source said the company is now valued at $240 million. Originally from Madrid but now also based in New York, Tinybird approaches complex data product development with a very simple perspective: essentially helping companies take advantage of the vast amounts of data they have and repurpose that information in their own products in near real time. Tinybird first ingests data in real time from event streaming platforms such as…
Indian budget hotel chain startup Oyo has closed a new round of funding of about $100 million to $125 million that would bring the company's valuation to $2.5 billion, two people familiar with the matter told TechCrunch. That's a steep drop considering the Gurgaon-based startup was valued at $10 billion in 2019. The startup, which has struggled to raise capital from institutional investors, has been aggressively pitching to high-net-worth individuals in recent months. “We truly feel the asset is extremely valuable now; it is profitable and at a 70% discount to previous valuation. We expect to list within the next…
Initially, John Passmore was excited about ChatGPT. The serial founder has been in the field of artificial intelligence since at least 2008. He remembers a time when experts declared that it would be decades before something like ChatGPT would arrive in the world. Time passed, and that day has now come. But there is a catch. ChatGPT, one of the world's most powerful artificial intelligence tools, struggles with cultural nuances. This is especially troubling for Black people like Passmore. In fact, this oversight has angered many Black people who felt they weren't adequately represented in the algorithm that is touted…
Well done, startup founders! Tomorrow is your last chance to apply to the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. It's your last chance to stand on stage at Disrupt and pitch to a huge audience full of the world's top investors, hundreds of media outlets, and many other influential movers and shakers. Bottom line, this great opportunity is almost over, so apply by tomorrow, June 17th at 11:59pm PDT. Recap: Startup Battlefield 200 Benefits at TC Disrupt 2024 For the early stage founders sitting in the back who may have missed my last note on the perks and benefits…
It's been an exciting week for the AI community, as Apple has joined companies like Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta and others in a long-running competition to find an icon that gives users a glimpse of AI. And like other companies, Apple has been pushed back. Apple Intelligence is represented by a circle with seven loops. Or is it a circle with an uneven infinity symbol inside? No, it's the new Siri with Apple Intelligence. Or is it the new Siri with the glow around the edge of your phone? Yes. The problem is that no one knows what AI is,…
There's been a lot of bad news about social media startups lately. Several companies have shut down, including Twitter alternatives Post News and IRL, and ShareChat's valuation dropped by more than 50% after its latest funding round. But amid all the negative news, the recent exit of French social network BeReal looks like a silver lining. BeReal, which takes full-face photos and selfies and alerts users to be “true to themselves” within two minutes, was acquired this week by French mobile games and apps unicorn Voodoo for 500 million euros ($537 million). The acquisition values BeReal at a slight discount…
ChatGPT, OpenAI's AI-powered chatbot platform, continues to expand with new features. It now offers a store for AI-powered applications and services (GPT Store). The recently introduced memory feature allows you to save your preferences to make chats more personal. ChatGPT will also soon upgrade its voice mode, allowing you to interact with the platform in near real-time. So, you might be wondering, how much does ChatGPT cost? This is a question that is harder to answer than it might seem. OpenAI offers a range of paid and free ChatGPT plans for a variety of customers, from individuals to non-profits, small…