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October 3, 2024, 7:40 AM
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Top News

Ina Fried / Axios:
OpenAI raised $6.6B led by Thrive Capital, the largest VC deal of all time, valuing it at $157B, with participation from Microsoft, Nvidia, SoftBank, and others  —  - Not taking part, a source confirms, is Apple, which reportedly had been in talks to invest.
Cade Metz / New York Times:
Source: Thrive invested ~$1.3B in OpenAI's $6.6B round, with an exclusive option to invest up to $1B more at the same $157B valuation through 2025
Financial Times:
Sources: OpenAI has asked investors to avoid backing rival startups such as Anthropic and xAI, an exclusive funding arrangement to keep its generative AI lead
Joseph Cox / 404 Media:
Two Harvard students demo using Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, PimEyes, and other tools to instantly identify strangers' names, phone numbers, addresses, and more  —  The technology, which marries Meta's smart Ray Ban glasses with the facial recognition service Pimeyes and some other tools …
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
WP Engine files a lawsuit in California against Automattic and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, accusing them of extortion, abuse of power, and greed  —  Web hosting provider WP Engine has filed a lawsuit against Automattic, and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, accusing them of extortion and abuse of power.
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Automattic demanded an 8% cut of WP Engine's monthly revenue to use the WordPress trademark in a seven-year deal proposed on September 20; WP Engine declined
Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Amazon plans to increase the number of ads on Prime Video in 2025 after not seeing a sharp drop in subscribers since adding advertisements in January 2024  —  Ecommerce group attempting to win over more brands as it steps up push into ad-funded streaming services in 2025
Nicola M. White / Bloomberg:
Gurbir Grewal, the US SEC's top enforcement official since 2021, who oversaw 2,400+ enforcement actions and the crypto crackdown, plans to leave on October 11  —  - Grewal helped lead WhatsApp probes, crypto industry crackdown  — SEC official was previously New Jersey's attorney general
Ryan McNeal / Android Authority:
Amazon announces a new lineup of Fire HD 8 tablets, with 50% more RAM than the previous models, and three new generative AI features for compatible Fire tablets  —  Amazon launches new Fire HD 8 tablets, rolls out three new AI features.  —  •  —  TL;DR  — Amazon is launching a new lineup of Fire HD 8 tablets.
Nikhilesh De / CoinDesk:
The US SEC files a notice of appeal in its Ripple case, seeking to reverse a July 2023 ruling that XRP sales on retail exchanges didn't violate securities rules  —  A federal judge ruled last year that the SEC had not made its case that Ripple violated securities law by selling XRP to retail customers through exchanges.
Dylan Martin / CRN:
Accenture says it will train 30K employees on Nvidia's AI tech and start a new Nvidia Business Group focused on driving enterprise adoption of AI agents  —  The global services powerhouse says its newly formed Nvidia Business Group will focus on driving enterprise adoption …
Thomas Claburn / The Register:
Co-founders Tim Berners-Lee and Rosemary Leith plan to close the World Wide Web Foundation after 15 years of fighting to make the web safer and more accessible  —  Who wants to join his so Solid crew?  —  After fifteen years of fighting to make the web safer and more accessible, the World Wide Web Foundation is shutting down.
Abner Li / 9to5Google:
Google updates Gmail for Android and iOS with new summary cards that are more glanceable and actionable and a new “Happening soon” section above the inbox  —  Gmail for Android and iOS are getting new summary cards that are more glanceable and actionable, with Google also directly surfacing them in your inbox.

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About This Page

This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 7:40 AM ET, October 3, 2024.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

From Mediagazer

Sara Fischer / Axios:
Source: Bari Weiss is planning to create a masthead for CBS News as part of a broader overhaul of standards and procedures

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Comcast extends Mike Cavanagh's contract through January 1, 2029, and grants a ~$35M performance-based stock package; he's set to become co-CEO in January 2026

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
WBD's board says it will “carefully review and consider” Paramount's revised offer, which includes a full backstop personally guaranteed by Larry Ellison

More News

Victoria Song / The Verge:
Oura unveils the $349+ Oura Ring 4, with a slimmer design, improved accuracy, and more sizes, shipping October 15, and completely redesigns the Oura app
Jordan Novet / CNBC:
Analysis: Microsoft's finance leases, mainly for data centers and commencing between FY 2025 and FY 2030, have risen by $100B+ in less than two years to $108.4B

Earlier Picks

Bloomberg:
Poolside, which is building AI-assisted software development tools, raised a $500M Series B led by Bain Capital Ventures, reportedly at a $3B valuation
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
Some iOS developers worry an iOS 18 change, which lets users choose contacts an app can access, may make growing social apps hard; Apple says it boosts privacy
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft releases a $150 standalone version of Office 2024 for consumers and SMBs, with core app updates and UI changes; the last standalone was Office 2021
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