Author: TechBrunch

Large training data sets are the gateway to powerful AI models, but they can also often break down those models. Bias arises from patterns of bias hidden in large datasets, such as photos of mostly white CEOs in an image classification set. Big data sets can also be complex because they come in a format that is incomprehensible to models, one that contains a lot of noise and extraneous information. A recent Deloitte survey of companies implementing AI found that 40% said data-related challenges, including thorough data preparation and cleaning, were one of the top concerns hindering their AI efforts.…

Ina Herlihy believes that e-commerce brands are losing out on organic traffic and potential revenue by relying on third-party community sites like Reddit and Facebook groups. With new user acquisition costs increasing by hundreds of dollars in some cases, brands must pay more attention to retention and organic traffic growth, Herlihy told TechCrunch via email. By building an on-site HE community, brands can increase retention rates and drive more organic HE traffic because the community is on its own domain. In late 2022, Herlihy began building community software that allows brands to host communities on their websites. The result is…

Google has announced that it will temporarily suspend the ability of its flagship generative AI model suite, Gemini, to generate images of people while it works to update its models to improve the historical accuracy of its output. in post The company announced on social media platform “While we do this, we will pause human image generation and plan to re-release an improved version soon,” the company added. We are already working to address recent issues with Gemini's image generation capabilities. While we do this, we will pause human image generation and plan to re-release an improved version soon. https://t.co/SLxYPGoqOZ…

Meta's external advisory group, the Oversight Board, announced today that it is expanding its scope to Threads, along with Facebook and Instagram, to scrutinize Meta's content moderation decisions. This means that if users of the thread are dissatisfied with Meta's decisions on issues such as content or account deletion, they can appeal to the Oversight Board. “The Board's expansion to Threads builds on our foundation of helping meta solve the toughest content moderation problems. It is critical that we hold ourselves accountable,” Oversight Committee Co-Chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt said in a statement. In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg spoke publicly for the first…

Investment app Grifin today officially launched its anticipated investment model called “Adaptive Investing.” This allows you to automatically invest in your favorite brands that you shop frequently. Grifin was founded in 2017 with a desire to reduce the fear of investing and normalize investing for the less financially savvy. To date, Griffin has raised over $11 million from a distinguished list of investors including TTV Capital, Rise of the Rest, Gainels, NevCaut Ventures, Mana Ventures, Sidecut Ventures, Miami Angels, Playtap Media Ventures, and more. Also included are co-investors from Witz Ventures. Founder Austin Hankwitz and GGV Capital Managing Partner Hans…

The adoption of open banking and instant payments has been slower in the United States than in other markets around the world (such as Brazil). That said, with the new program FedNow going live in July 2023 and data sharing regulations on the horizon, more possibilities are on the horizon. In the meantime, the Züm Rails co-founders say the consumer payments experience will continue to be fragmented and businesses will need to build out their technology stacks to offer a wide range of services to their customers. ing. The Montreal-based company's approach is to provide an all-in-one payment gateway that…

The Paris Commercial Court has accepted Courtra's offer to buy CityScoot. Both of his companies offer shared electric mopeds that you can unlock and ride to get from one place to another. CityScoot was placed under court-ordered administration several months ago. Micromobility startups have grown in Europe as interest rates hover around 0%. Europe's low capital costs and dense cities have made it the perfect playground for scooter startups, bike-sharing services and electric moped companies. However, the situation took a turn for the worse as interest rates rose. Not only has it become difficult to raise funds, but it has…

Uber has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian government-backed company aimed at making mobility and commerce more accessible across South Asia. The ride-hailing giant announced Thursday that it will explore integration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to expand the range of mobility services on its Uber app. At an event in Bangalore, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said Uber is “very interested in the open source technology stack and recognizes the opportunities it presents for everyone.” said. “We are taking the first step through this MoU with ONDC to explore how we can accelerate our ambition…

Instagram today announced that it is expanding its marketplace tools to connect brands and creators for paid partnerships and advertising in eight new countries. New markets with access to this marketplace include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Japan, India, and Brazil. The company first began testing the platform in the U.S. in 2022. Since then, it said it has brought in “thousands” of creators and brands. Last year, the social media company added API capabilities to empower creators and build briefs. He encouraged agencies to use the platform. Mehta added that in addition to making the platform available to brands…

Southeast Asia is home to a growing number of vertical AI startups serving a wide range of sectors, from seafood to finance. Singapore-based venture capital firm Antler recently bet on 37 of them, investing a total of $5.1 million in pre-seed deals. This included a strategic partnership with Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah, which invested in seven startups. “If you look at other parts of the world, there's a lot of horizontal AI and it's becoming very competitive,” Antler co-founder and managing partner Jussi Salovaara tells TechCrunch. “What founders in this part of the world are increasingly trying to solve…