Articles[tech] (Page 44)

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DiligenceSquared uses AI, voice agents to make M&A research affordable

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-05 23:14)

Traditional private equity due diligence, especially commercial research conducted by top consulting firms, is extremely costly and time-consuming, often running from $500,000 to $1 million per report. The startup DiligenceSquared uses AI voice agents to conduct customer interviews and perform the groundwork for this commercial research, significantly reducing the cost to around $50,000. This lower price point allows PE firms to engage in deep diligence earlier in the deal process.

The company, founded by individuals with deep PE and consulting experience, has secured $5 million in seed funding and already completed projects for major PE firms. While using a similar AI-interview model to consumer research startups, DiligenceSquared differentiates itself by focusing on the due diligence market and involving senior human consultants to verify the final analysis.

The main topics covered are the high cost of traditional PE due diligence, DiligenceSquared's AI-driven and lower-cost alternative, its founding team and early traction, and the competitive landscape it operates within.

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Lawmakers just advanced online safety laws that require age verification at the app store

(The Verge / 2026-03-05 23:16)

A package of child safety bills, including the KIDS Act, Sammy's Law, and the App Store Accountability Act, has advanced from a House committee to the floor. These bills propose measures like age verification at app stores, requiring AI chatbots to identify themselves to minors, and giving parents tools to manage children's online accounts.

The advancement revealed partisan division, with several Democrats opposing the KIDS Act. Critics, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, argue it is a "smoke screen" that prioritizes Big Tech interests and could enable a national surveillance program while preempting stronger state laws.

The legislative package also highlights a conflict within the tech industry, with companies like Meta supporting app store-level age checks, while Apple and Google lobby against them. The committee did not vote on a separate online privacy protection act (COPPA 2.0).

Main Topics: Advancement of child online safety legislation; political and industry opposition to the bills; specific provisions like age verification and AI disclosure; internal tech industry conflict over regulatory approach.

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Workers report watching Ray-Ban Meta-shot footage of people using the bathroom

(Ars Technica / 2026-03-05 23:36)

A Swedish investigative report alleges that employees at Meta subcontractor Sama in Kenya have viewed sensitive user footage, including scenes of people having sex and using bathrooms, while annotating data from Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The report, based on interviews with over 30 Sama workers and former Meta employees, claims this privacy-sensitive data feeds directly into Meta's AI systems, making some annotators uncomfortable. Meta's privacy practices are now under renewed scrutiny due to these allegations.

The main topics covered are user privacy concerns, data annotation practices by a Meta subcontractor, and the exposure of sensitive footage from smart glasses.

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Trump sued in bid to undo approval of TikTok’s US sale

(Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-05 23:48)

A lawsuit has been filed against former President Donald Trump and the U.S. Attorney General by investors in rival social media companies. It seeks to reverse Trump's prior approval of the deal creating a U.S.-based TikTok joint venture, arguing it violated a 2024 divestiture law.

The plaintiffs aim to force a renegotiation of the deal, alleging it could allow administration allies to censor content on the platform. This legal challenge could reveal details of the joint venture, which is central to TikTok's ongoing operation in the United States.

The main topics covered are the lawsuit against Trump, the challenge to the TikTok/ByteDance deal, allegations of potential censorship, and the legal framework from the 2024 divestiture law.

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ETtech In-depth: Banned in India, but it’s business as usual for offshore real money gaming firms

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 00:30)

A six-month-old government ban on real-money gaming and online betting has failed to curb access, as offshore platforms remain easily accessible to Indian users without VPNs. These sites accept deposits via UPI, bank transfers, and cryptocurrencies, and aggressively market through digital ads and influencers on major social media platforms.

Advertising for these banned betting sites has continued at a high volume, with thousands of violations flagged by industry regulators. Payments are often processed through networks of individual "mule accounts" to obscure the money trail, presenting significant money laundering risks.

The main topics covered are the ineffectiveness of the online betting ban, the continued operation and marketing of offshore platforms, and the payment mechanisms and associated financial risks.

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Infosys tells senior staff to attend office four days a week

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 00:30)

Infosys has extended its mandatory four-day office work week to employees at job level 6 and above in specific units, expanding it from previously higher levels. This is part of a broader push to increase office attendance, with HR reviewing monthly data and enforcing a requirement of 10 office days per month.

The move aligns with similar policy tightenings by peers like Wipro and TCS, as companies seek greater operational efficiency and collaboration. While Infosys maintains it follows a hybrid model, the stricter mandate has created some internal challenges, with managers noting difficulty enforcing the rules.

The main topics covered are Infosys's new return-to-office policy, the expansion to more employee levels, the company's justification for the hybrid model, and the industry-wide trend of enforcing stricter in-office work requirements.

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Rural commerce startup Rozana bags $30 million; valuation nears $200 million

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 00:30)

Rural commerce startup Rozana has raised $30 million in a new funding round, led by existing investors and including new participants. The company's valuation more than doubled to nearly $200 million with this round.

The fresh capital will be used to strengthen technology, expand product categories and private labels, and grow its retail store network from over 75 to more than 200 locations. Rozana also plans to expand into new states while deepening its presence in existing villages.

The company reported revenue of Rs 272 crore in fiscal 2025 and is targeting more than double that amount in FY26. The article notes a trend of investor interest in startups serving smaller towns and rural areas, though Rozana distinguishes itself by focusing on villages and gram panchayats.

Main Topics: Rozana's funding round and valuation increase; planned use of funds and business expansion; company performance and revenue targets; context of investor interest in the rural commerce sector.

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Practo founder's health startup Cent raises funding from OneFlow, South Park Commons

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 00:30)

Healthtech startup Cent has raised an undisclosed seed investment to build its AI-powered early disease detection platform, focusing on life-threatening conditions like cancer and cardiac issues. The company uses a proprietary, comprehensive screening protocol (CCNM) and a direct-to-consumer model, claiming its methods detect critical conditions in 3-4% of asymptomatic individuals.

Cent reports rapid growth, with a $2 million annualized revenue run rate, and plans to use the new funding to open dedicated detection centers across major Indian cities. The startup positions itself in a growing global market for advanced preventive health checks, leveraging AI to improve early diagnosis rates compared to conventional checkups.

Main Topics: Fundraising and investors; Company's mission and focus on early disease detection; Technology and screening protocol; Business model and growth metrics; Future expansion plans.

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Lam fast building Indian semicon pipeline to service global market: Executive

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 00:30)

Lam Research is creating a new pipeline of Indian suppliers to fulfill global orders, aiming to diversify its supply chain for greater resilience. The company is leveraging existing technical capabilities from India's aerospace, automotive, space, and medical equipment sectors, which share most of the required skills for semiconductor manufacturing.

A dedicated team in India is identifying, training, and qualifying these domestic suppliers to bridge remaining technical gaps. Additionally, Lam Research will soon open a new systems engineering lab in Bengaluru to support these efforts.

Main topics: Lam Research's supply chain diversification, development of Indian suppliers, and the establishment of a new engineering lab in Bengaluru.

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Tech vacancies up 9% in March signalling a short-term uptick

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 00:30)

Active tech job openings in India rose 9% month-on-month in March 2026, reaching a high not seen in over three quarters. However, demand remains 19% lower year-on-year, continuing a broader sector decline.

The short-term increase is attributed to companies deploying unspent hiring budgets from a slow fiscal year, rather than robust future growth forecasts. Hiring is being driven by non-tech functions like consulting, sales, and project management as AI disruption creates uncertainty for core tech roles.

A significant shift shows non-technology sectors now account for 53% of the demand for tech and engineering talent, overtaking the traditional tech sector.

Main Topics: Indian tech job market trends, AI impact on hiring, sectoral shift in employment demand.

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What if your real computer was a super-sized Lego computer brick?

(The Verge / 2026-03-06 00:59)

An industrial designer has created a functional, oversized desktop PC case modeled after a classic Lego computer brick. The 3D-printed "M2x2" houses a Mac Mini, features a touchscreen, extra ports, and includes functional studs with hidden features like a speaker remote and a wireless charger.

The creator uses the device as his primary computer, often employing its built-in screen as a dashboard for home automation. The project is open-source, with assembly instructions available, and the additional components are estimated to cost less than €100 for those who already own a Mac Mini.

The main topics covered are a custom Lego-inspired computer case, its technical features and functionalities, and the open-source availability of the design.

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China bets on AI-manufacturing integration to narrow digital-economy gap with US

(Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-06 01:00)

China aims to significantly grow its digital economy, targeting it to account for 12.5% of GDP by 2030. A key strategy involves integrating artificial intelligence with manufacturing to build a modern industrial system centered on advanced production.

The government's five-year plan includes 28 major projects, 5G network upgrades, and data-focused industrial policies to achieve this goal. Premier Li Qiang emphasized the need for greater self-reliance in science and technology and breakthroughs in core technologies.

This year's initiatives focus on connecting factory equipment and developing advanced manufacturing clusters to enable more automated and intelligent production systems.

The main topics covered are China's digital economy goals, AI-manufacturing integration, and specific policy measures like 5G upgrades and industrial clusters.

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The best iPad deals you can get right now

(The Verge / 2026-03-06 01:08)

While major sales events like Black Friday offer significant iPad discounts, worthwhile deals on various models are frequently available throughout the year. Currently, discounts can be found on the base iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro at multiple retailers.

The article details specific current deals, noting the 11th-gen base iPad is available starting at $327.59, and the 2024 iPad Mini's 128GB model is on sale for around $399. It also mentions the newly announced M4 iPad Air but does not list specific discounts for it yet.

The main topics covered are the availability of ongoing iPad discounts outside major sales, current pricing for specific models like the base iPad and iPad Mini, and the key features of the latest iPad generations.

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Anthropic to challenge DOD’s supply chain label in court

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-06 01:28)

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei announced the company will legally challenge the U.S. Defense Department's designation of the firm as a supply chain risk, a label that can prohibit work with the Pentagon. Amodei argues the designation is legally unsound and narrowly applies only to direct uses of its AI, Claude, in specific Defense contracts, not to all business with contractors.

The dispute centers on Anthropic's ethical boundaries, such as prohibiting mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, versus the Pentagon's desire for unrestricted access for lawful purposes. Amodei also addressed a leaked internal memo critical of rival OpenAI, apologizing for its tone and clarifying it does not reflect his current views.

Despite the conflict, Amodei stated Anthropic's priority is ensuring U.S. national security experts maintain access to its AI tools during ongoing operations, offering its models to the Defense Department at nominal cost.

Main Topics: Legal challenge to Pentagon's supply chain risk designation, ethical AI use principles, leaked memo controversy, ongoing support for U.S. defense operations.

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Banned RMG games thrive in India; green shoots in tech hiring

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 01:32)

Banned offshore real-money gaming and betting platforms remain easily accessible in India, indicating the government's ban has had limited effect on user access. Technology hiring in India shows early signs of recovery, with job openings rising for the second consecutive month, though overall demand is still below last year's levels.

Rural commerce startup Rozana has raised $30 million to upgrade its technology and expand its product offerings. Separately, Infosys has tightened its return-to-office policy, requiring more mid-level employees to work from the office for a minimum number of days.

The main topics covered are the ineffectiveness of the RMG ban, trends in tech hiring, a startup funding round, and changes to corporate work-from-office policies.

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