Author: TechBrunch

The location-focused company, which merged with fellow location-focused company Foursquare in 2020, is set to join a growing list of companies shedding employees, one of their largest cost centers, in 2024. According to an email sent to employees on Thursday afternoon by current CEO Gary Little and viewed by TechCrunch, the company laid off 105 employees in order to “streamline” operations and “put the company on a more sustainable financial footing.” Affected employees had their access to the system removed immediately upon receiving a notification email from Foursquare. Little did not respond to a request for comment by the time…

“Scissor running is an aerobic exercise that gets your heart rate up and requires focus and attention,” says Google's new AI search feature. “It's also said to improve pores and build strength.” Google's AI feature got this answer from a website called Little Old Lady Comedy, which, as the name suggests, is a comedy blog. But the gaffe is so ridiculous that it's circulating on social media, along with a rundown of Google's other obviously flawed AI. In effect, regular users are red teaming these products on social media. In the cybersecurity space, some companies hire “red teams,” or ethical…

Pediatric speech-language-hearing pathologist Leanne Shered has long faced challenges in implementing caregiver-led therapy in traditional care settings. Research shows that caregiver-led speech therapy, which trains patients' caregivers in skill-building therapy techniques to use at home, can be highly effective, but Shered has observed in his clinical practice that therapists have limited access to caregivers and face significant educational and technical obstacles. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, Shered saw an opportunity to test a new, technology-first model of speech therapy care that would put caregivers “at the center of care,” in Shered's words. She teamed up with Nick…

There are many ways in which countries can support their high-tech industries. France annually selects a list of 120 promising start-ups (the French Tech 120), which also includes 40 private companies considered the most promising (the Next 40). Marina Ferrari, France's new digital minister, announced this year's winners at VivaTech Week in Paris. Organizers said the fifth batch was the most competitive since the program began. The French Tech Next40/120 program was launched in 2019 and lessons were learned along the way, especially when some unicorns turned out to be ZIRPicorns: following the recommendations of tech actors, the criteria were…

Elon Musk's X is preparing to make likes private on the social network. This change may confuse users about the difference between favorites and bookmarks. The decision to hide likes is to encourage engagement and protect the company's social image by allowing people to like “edgy” content, according to a new post by a company employee. It is said that it is intended. It's not clear whether this is the best solution to the problem that X is trying to solve, such as providing more signals to algorithms so that they can better personalize content to users' interests. Here are…

The FCC has proposed a $6 million fine against a fraudster who used voice cloning technology to impersonate President Biden in a series of illegal robocalls during the New Hampshire primary. This is more about robocalls than AI, but the FCC is clearly positioning this as a warning to other tech scammers. As you may recall, in January, many voters in New Hampshire received a phone call purporting to be from the president telling them not to vote in the upcoming primary. Of course, this was a fake, a clone of President Biden's voice using technology that has become widespread…

TLDR: Theriva Biologics (TOVX) is set for a potential stock surge due to the FDA granting Fast Track Designation to its lead candidate, VCN-01, for metastatic pancreatic cancer. This designation accelerates development and review, bolstering the drug’s market potential. With a promising pipeline and strategic positioning, TOVX is poised for significant gains. Theriva Biologics, Inc. (NYSE American: TOVX) has recently garnered significant attention in the biotech investment community following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to grant Fast Track Designation (FTD) to its lead clinical candidate, VCN-01, for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. This development is a…

​​Vigile Hoareau is a musician, cognitive psychologist, and computer programmer. Jimmy Thomas is a multi-platinum rap producer who has worked with Tupac and Motown Records. The two co-founded Crowdaa, a French company that makes it easy for non-developers to create and release mobile apps. The two met eight years ago and hit it off over their desire to give control of the platform to rising creators, especially content creators. At the time, O'Arrow had already launched a prototype of Crowdaa in his hometown of Réunion, an island in France. “We shared the same vision of the role and contribution technology…

TLDR: BNED is considering pulling out of the Greenhaven deal, which would cancel the 17-for-1 stock issuance. This could drastically drive up the share price due to limited supply and high demand. With strong strategic moves and investor interest, BNED shows potential for significant gains. We estimate BNED may reach a conservative share price between $5 – $7 having striking similarities to GME and AMC being a household name and we believe a meme-like run is in store for the family friendly bookstore. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) has been the focus of intense market activity, with its stock…

Spotify's addition of an AI DJ feature that provides users with personalized music selections was the company's first step toward an AI future. Currently, Spotify is developing an alternative version of Spanish-speaking DJs. References to the new AI DJ were discovered in the app's code by tech veteran and reverse engineer Chris Messina. He found signs indicating that users could switch his AI DJ's language from English to Spanish, as well as references to the new DJ's name, “DJ Livi.” The code also suggests that this AI DJ will be available in Mexico as well. Image credit: Chris Messina Assuming…