Articles[tech] (Page 29)

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Why AI startups are selling the same equity at two different prices

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-04 00:31)

AI startups and their lead venture capital firms are employing a novel, two-tiered valuation structure within a single funding round. This allows a portion of the equity to be sold at a lower price to the lead investor, while a larger "headline" valuation—often over $1 billion—is set for other participants.

The primary goal is to manufacture a perception of market dominance and unicorn status, which helps scare off competitors, attract talent, and signal strength to customers. However, critics view the tactic as a symptom of a hyper-competitive, bubble-like market that distorts true company value and sets a high bar for future fundraising.

The main topics covered are venture capital funding strategies, startup valuation mechanisms, and the competitive dynamics within the AI investment landscape.

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Underused GPUs raise questions about IndiaAI capacity build-out

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 00:31)

The IndiaAI Mission's Compute Portal, which provides subsidized GPU access to AI researchers and startups, is experiencing very low utilization rates. Despite having over 33,000 GPUs committed by cloud service providers, only about 22% are currently being used by end customers.

Key reasons for the poor utilization include a slow allocation process by IndiaAI and financial or procedural delays from end-user companies, such as government entities. This has led some cloud providers to sell their GPU capacity on the open market where they can get better prices.

The main topics covered are the underutilization of critical AI compute infrastructure, the operational and financial challenges within the allocation model, and the specific bottlenecks caused by both administrative delays and end-user constraints.

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India’s beauty and personal care market set to grow to $39 billion in FY30: Report

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 00:30)

India's beauty and personal care market is projected to grow from $27 billion in FY25 to $39 billion by FY30. A major driver is the rapid expansion of online sales, with quick commerce expected to grow from 14% to 30% of online BPC sales by 2030, and platforms like Nykaa leading the market.

Gen Z consumers are a primary force, accounting for 45% of total BPC spending and fueling trends like ingredient-focused and Korean beauty products. The market is also seeing a shift towards self-care and premiumization, moving beyond cosmetic fixes to long-term skin health.

New-age digital brands are rapidly innovating to meet diverse consumer needs, while direct-to-consumer brands are catering to niche segments like curly hair and men's grooming. Increased consumer awareness and influencer-driven content commerce are key factors shaping demand and purchasing behavior.

Main Topics: Market growth projections, online and quick commerce expansion, Gen Z consumer influence, premiumization and ingredient trends (e.g., K-Beauty), rise of digital and niche D2C brands.

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Centre will stick to social media content takedown deadlines, say officials

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 00:30)

The Indian government will not relax new, stricter deadlines for social media platforms to remove harmful content, prioritizing citizen protection. The rules, which took effect in February, significantly shorten takedown times, including requiring removal of non-consensual intimate imagery within two hours and addressing other unlawful content within three hours.

While officials are firm on the timelines, the Ministry of Electronics and IT remains open to discussions with platforms about the technical aspects of compliance. Social media companies have expressed concerns about the operational feasibility of the accelerated deadlines, but the government asserts they have the proven capability to meet them.

The main topics covered are the government's stance on stricter content removal rules, the specific new compliance timelines, and the ongoing dialogue between the government and social media intermediaries regarding implementation challenges.

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The Sun Is 'Glitching.' Scientists Investigated and Solved a Cosmic Mystery

(404 Media / 2026-03-04 00:01)

Scientists have used a 40-year dataset from the Birmingham Solar-Oscillations Network (BiSON) to study the Sun's internal vibrations during its quiet solar minimum periods. Their analysis revealed a stronger acoustic "glitch" during the 2008-2009 minimum, indicating subtle structural changes, like a slightly hotter outer layer, during that time of low magnetic activity.

The findings confirm that the Sun does not return to an identical state after each 11-year cycle, with its activity varying over decades and centuries. This research provides new insights into the Sun's internal dynamics and is a first step in understanding the long-term changes in how the Sun generates its magnetic field.

The main topics covered are solar cycles and minima, asteroseismology (studying stellar interiors via oscillations), long-term solar behavior changes, and the analysis of specific acoustic glitches within the Sun.

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A suite of government hacking tools targeting iPhones is now being used by cybercriminals

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 23:27)

A powerful iPhone hacking tool, dubbed Coruna, has leaked from a government customer to cybercriminals. Google researchers first observed the exploit kit being used by a surveillance vendor for a government in February 2025, before later seeing it deployed by Russian spies and a financially motivated Chinese hacker.

The leak illustrates a growing market for "secondhand" government-grade exploits and how such tools can proliferate to be abused by non-state actors. Security firm iVerify linked the Coruna kit to the U.S. government based on similarities to previously attributed tools, noting it can compromise iPhones through a malicious website by chaining together 23 vulnerabilities.

The main topics covered are the leak of a state-linked iPhone exploit kit, its subsequent use by cybercriminals and other hackers, and the broader market and risks associated with secondhand government hacking tools.

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Alibaba’s Qwen tech lead steps down after major AI push

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 23:16)

A key technical leader, Junyang Lin, has abruptly stepped down from Alibaba's Qwen AI team just one day after the company launched its new Qwen 3.5 small model series. His departure prompted strong reactions from colleagues and industry partners, who described him as central to the project and his exit as a significant loss.

The move occurs amid intense global competition in AI development, with Alibaba's Qwen models being a prominent Chinese open-weight effort that rivals leading U.S. systems. The circumstances surrounding Lin's departure remain unclear, and Alibaba has not commented on the reasons or the team's leadership structure.

Main topics covered: Executive departure, AI model development and competition, team and industry reaction.

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China should up education spending to help population adapt to AI era: economist

(Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-03 23:00)

A prominent Chinese economist advocates for increased government investment in early childhood education and lifelong learning to help the population adapt to the AI era. He argues education must be viewed as a societal imperative to ensure employability across all ages, including for older workers, as AI reshapes the labor market.

The article states that AI is changing, not simply replacing, jobs, and the future trajectory of the labor market depends on effective policy management during this transition.

The main topics covered are: the need for increased education funding in China, adapting the workforce to AI disruptions, and the societal importance of lifelong learning.

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No fooling: NASA targets April 1 for Artemis II launch to the Moon

(Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 22:54)

NASA has repaired a helium flow issue that forced the Artemis II moon rocket to roll back from its launch pad in late February. The problem was traced to a dislodged seal in a ground-to-rocket connection, which has now been fixed and validated.

The rocket will remain inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for a couple more weeks for assessment before returning to the pad. This follows a previous successful fueling test that resolved an earlier hydrogen leak issue.

The main topics covered are the technical repair of the rocket's helium system, the schedule for returning it to the launch pad, and the context of recent testing setbacks.

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Intel Chairman Frank Yeary retires, Craig Barrat to become the new chairman of the Board of Directors

(Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-03 22:39)

Intel has announced that Dr. Craig H. Barratt will become its new independent board chairman in mid-May, replacing Frank D. Yeary who is retiring after approximately 17 years on the board.

Barratt, an engineer and semiconductor executive with decades of experience at companies like Atheros, Qualcomm, and Google, is expected to lead Intel as an integrated device manufacturer focused on rigorous execution and U.S.-based R&D and manufacturing.

This leadership change follows Yeary's tenure, during which he had previously advocated for splitting Intel's product design and manufacturing units, a strategy now being set aside.

The main topics covered are: a corporate leadership change at Intel, the background and vision of the new chairman, and the strategic direction of the company.

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Just three companies dominated the $189B in VC investments last month

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 22:38)

Global venture capital funding reached a record $189 billion in February, with AI startups capturing a staggering 90% ($171 billion) of that total. This surge was driven overwhelmingly by three companies: OpenAI ($110B raise), Anthropic ($30B), and Waymo ($16B).

Together, these three firms accounted for 83% of all venture dollars raised in February. Their combined fundraising last month alone equaled one-third of the total global venture spend for all of 2025.

Main topics: Record global venture capital funding; dominance of AI startups in fundraising; mega-rounds from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Waymo.

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TikTok down for some in US, thanks to second Oracle outage since sale

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 22:33)

A technical issue at an Oracle data center is causing posting delays and disruptions for some TikTok users in the U.S. The outage began around 9 a.m. ET, and this marks the second major TikTok outage linked to Oracle since Oracle became part of the group owning TikTok's U.S. operations.

The article notes that Oracle provides cloud services and manages user data for TikTok as part of a structure created to comply with U.S. national security law. The cause of this specific outage has not yet been identified by Oracle.

The main topics covered are a TikTok service outage, its attribution to Oracle infrastructure, and the business relationship between TikTok and Oracle stemming from U.S. regulatory requirements.

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US investors drive record outlay in Taiwan’s equities market on the back of AI boom

(Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-03 22:30)

US investors have increased their holdings in Taiwan's stock market to a record 23% of total market capitalization, up from 13% a decade ago. This surge is driven primarily by the AI boom and a desire to gain exposure to Taiwan's advanced semiconductor industry.

The growth represents a long-term trend of increasing US investment in Taiwanese equities over the past ten years. Taiwan now ranks as the second-largest destination for US equity holdings in Asia, following only Japan.

The main topics covered are US investment in Taiwanese stocks, the role of the AI and semiconductor industries in driving this investment, and a comparison of US equity holdings across Asian markets.

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Downdetector, Speedtest sold to IT service-provider Accenture in $1.2B deal

(Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 22:20)

Accenture has acquired Ookla, the owner of Speedtest and Downdetector, from Ziff Davis for $1.2 billion. The IT consultancy plans to integrate Ookla's network performance data and tools to help clients like telecom providers and hyperscalers optimize 5G, Wi-Fi, and AI infrastructure.

The main topics covered are the acquisition's financial details, Accenture's intended use of Ookla's data products for network optimization and other enterprise applications, and an overview of Ookla's key services and financial performance.

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FCC chair calls Paramount/WBD merger "a lot cleaner" than defunct Netflix deal

(Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 22:05)

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr supports the proposed Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, stating it is "a lot cleaner" from a regulatory perspective than a previous, failed Netflix bid for WBD. He argued a Netflix-WBD merger raised significant antitrust concerns due to the combined scale in streaming, whereas the current deal presents potential consumer benefits.

The article notes the deal has political backing from former President Trump and is financed in part by Larry Ellison's pledge and foreign investors. This foreign investment may trigger an FCC review under foreign ownership rules, as Paramount owns broadcast licenses for CBS stations.

The main topics covered are the regulatory perspective on the media merger, a comparison to a previous Netflix proposal, the financial and political backing of the deal, and potential FCC review triggers related to broadcast licenses and foreign ownership.

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