Author: TechBrunch
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…
Tempus, a genomic testing and data analytics company launched by Groupon founder Eric Lefkosky, listed on the Nasdaq on Friday and rose about 15% in opening trade. The company priced its IPO at $37 a share on Thursday, at the high end of its $35 to $37 price range, to raise nearly $411 million at a fully diluted valuation of more than $6 billion. But Tempus' last public private valuation was $8.1 billion, and PitchBook data estimates the company's valuation in the second half of 2022 at $10.25 billion. Despite the steep discount from its previous valuation, the IPO is…
The tech layoff wave is still going strong in 2024. Following significant workforce reductions in 2022 and 2023, this year has already seen 60,000 job cuts across 254 companies, according to independent layoffs tracker Layoffs.fyi. Companies like Tesla, Amazon, Google, TikTok, Snap and Microsoft have conducted sizable layoffs in the first months of 2024. Smaller-sized startups have also seen a fair amount of cuts, and in some cases, have shut down operations altogether. By tracking these layoffs, we’re able to understand the impact on innovation across companies large and small. We’re also able to see the potential impact of businesses…
Welcome to Startups Weekly — Haje's weekly roundup of the must-reads from the startup world. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox every Friday. Hold on to your Apple Watch, everyone! At WWDC 2024, Apple has finally decided to give Siri a brain implant that they are calling “Apple Intelligence” (AI, get it?). Apparently, it's so smart that it knows more about your life than you do. Tim Cook promises that it will be all about privacy and personal context. So intimate that even your diary might feel neglected. And with the Siri makeover, we get Genmoji (yes,…
So when Kinnect released a new app aimed at preserving epic family stories and awkward holiday moments for posterity, I knew I had to take a closer look at its Angel Deck. The app is clever, like a digital family scrapbook on steroids. Not only does it store photos, it also has video and audio recording capabilities and a nifty timeline feature that lets you organize your memories like a pro. Kinnect's grand plan is for the grandkids to hear straight from the source about that time Uncle Bob got stuck in a tree at a family reunion. In a…
Browser company Arc, a web browser that aims for a clean user interface, has introduced a “Live Calendar” feature to help you avoid missing calls or being late to meetings. The feature rolled out on Mac yesterday and is available in the latest Arc update, version 1.47.1. This new feature allows you to pin your Google Calendar to your favourites section for easy access at any time. Once you enable the 'Live Calendar' feature, you will see a countdown timer that will remind you just before the meeting starts and a 'Join' button that allows you to join the call…
Meta confirmed that it was pausing plans to begin training its AI systems with data from users in the European Union (EU) and the UK. The move comes after a backlash from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), Meta's lead regulator in the EU, which acts on behalf of multiple data protection authorities (DPAs) in the bloc. The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has also asked Meta to suspend its plans until the concerns it has raised are addressed. “The DPC welcomes Meta's decision to suspend its plans to train large-scale language models using public content shared by adults on…
Privacy-focused search engine and web browser company Brave Software is integrating search results into its Leo chatbot. Search results are based on the Brave Search API, and Leo is integrated into the company's browser. The company says the integration helps users find more up-to-date information. This integration allows you to get information like the latest scores, pull more topic-related context when reading an article, and search recent related topics to create social media posts. Image credit: Brave Brave stressed that the integration is privacy-focused, as it doesn't require users to log in. Additionally, it doesn't store conversations with its AI…
For centuries, people have chewed willow bark to relieve pain, but it wasn't until the 1800s that scientists from the chemical company Bayer isolated the active ingredient and eventually patented an improved version of it as aspirin. Aspirin is just one example of a medicine derived from natural sources. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that about 40% of modern medicines are derived from treatments used by our ancestors. Despite this incredible success in harnessing nature's bounty, scientists estimate that only a small number of natural compounds have been discovered that could be developed into powerful medicines. One reason…
Former National Security Agency director and retired Army Gen. Paul Nakasone is joining the board of directors of AI company OpenAI, the company announced Thursday afternoon. He will also serve on the board's “Security and Safety” subcommittee. This high-profile addition is likely intended to satisfy critics who believe OpenAI is moving faster than is wise for its customers, and perhaps humanity, offering models and services without properly assessing or locking down risks. Nakasone has decades of experience with the Army, Cyber Command and the NSA, so regardless of how you feel about the practices and decision-making of those organizations, he…