Tech Daily News Update

1. Google, Accel India accelerator choses 5 startups and none are ‘AI wrappers’

   Google and Accel say about 70% of AI startup pitches tied to India were "wrappers" as they reviewed more than 4,000 applications for their Atoms cohort.

2. ByteDance reportedly pauses global launch of its Seedance 2.0 video generator

   The company is reportedly delaying the launch as its engineers and lawyers work to avert further legal issues.

3. Lawyer behind AI psychosis cases warns of mass casualty risks

   AI chatbots have been linked to suicides for years. Now one lawyer says they are showing up in mass casualty cases too, and the technology is moving faster than the safeguards.

4. Unacademy to be acquired by upGrad in share-swap deal as India’s edtech sector consolidates

   The deal comes after Unacademy’s valuation plunged from $3.5B to under $500M, as India’s once-booming edtech sector struggles.

5. TechCrunch Mobility: Travis Kalanick’s return proves it really is 2016 again

   Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.  

6. Wiz investor unpacks Google’s $32B acquisition

   Shardul Shah of Index Ventures walks us through Google's biggest acquisition ever.

7. Rivian’s RJ Scaringe thinks we’re doing robots all wrong

   Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe shares his thoughts and plans for his newest startup, Mind Robotics.

8. The MacBook Neo is ‘the most repairable MacBook’ in years, according to iFixit

   Apple’s new MacBook Neo isn’t just the most affordable MacBook — it’s also the company's most repairable laptop in “about fourteen years."

9. US Army announces contract with Anduril worth up to $20B

   The Army described this as a single enterprise contract consolidating more than 120 separate "procurement actions."

10. Honda is killing its EVs — and any chance of competing in the future

    Honda's decision to kill its three EVs for the U.S. market will reverberate far beyond North America.

11. Meta reportedly considering layoffs that could affect 20% of the company

    These layoffs could help Facebook's parent company offset its aggressive spending on AI infrastructure, as well as AI-related acquisitions and hiring.

12. As people look for ways to make new friends, here are the apps promising to help

    We've compiled a list of friendship apps, from friend discovery platforms like BFF to event-focused ones like Timeleft.

13. How to use the new ChatGPT app integrations, including DoorDash, Spotify, Uber, and others

    Learn how to use Spotify, Canva, Figma, Expedia, and other apps directly in ChatGPT.

14. ‘Not built right the first time’ — Musk’s xAI is starting over again, again

    The AI lab is revamping its effort to build an AI coding tool, with two new executives joining from Cursor.

15. Digg lays off staff and shuts down app as company retools

    Digg laid off a significant number of staff and shut down its app, but says it's not giving up on the startup.

16. Nyne, founded by a father-son duo, gives AI agents the human context they’re missing

    The data infrastructure startup raised $5.3 million in seed funding led by Wischoff Ventures and South Park Commons.

17. Facebook makes it easier for creators to report impersonators

    Facebook is making it easier for creators to report impersonators while tightening rules around reposts and other unoriginal content.

18. Steven Spielberg says he’s ‘never used AI’ in any of his films

    At SXSW, Steven Spielberg said AI has uses in many fields, but not when it comes to replacing creative people in film and TV writing.

19. The biggest AI stories of the year (so far)

    The AI industry is constantly churning out news, like major acquisitions, indie developer successes, public outcry, and existentially dangerous contract negotiations.

20. Travis Kalanick launches a new company called Atoms focused on robotics

    Kalanick's existing ghost kitchen company CloudKitchens will be rolled into Atoms, which also wants to get into mining and transport.