Techi

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly summoned executives from Google and Meta to appear on July 21, 2025, as part of an ongoing investigation into online betting platforms and alleged money laundering. The agency is examining whether the two tech giants allowed illegal betting apps to advertise on their platforms and received payments that may have originated from unlawful activities, reports Reuters. The case is being investigated under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as several of these betting platforms (operating under names like VMoney, VM Trading, Standard Trades Ltd, iBull Capital Ltd, LotusBook, 11Starss, and GameBetLeague) are accused of laundering large sums of money by routing payments through unregulated channels. The investigative agency also believes that companies running these apps used Google and Meta to reach a wide audience in the country, despite existing government advisories against promoting gambling-related conte...

Perplexity, the Nvidia-backed AI search startup, is in discussions with major smartphone makers — aka OEMs — to pre-install its new mobile browser, Comet , on upcoming devices. The company aims to either have Comet set as the default browser or offer it as an optional built-in app, reports Reuters.  This latest strategy mirrors the one that helped Google dominate the mobile internet. Chrome comes pre-installed on nearly all Android devices, and similarly, Safari is deeply integrated into Apple’s iPhones. Together, these two browsers control around 94% of the global mobile browser market. And now, Perplexity is trying to make a place for itself in the highly competitive browser market by offering something different. Notably, as per the AI startup, Comet is not a traditional browser. It is designed to act like a personal assistant that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help users do more than just browse the web. Built on the Chromium engine (the same one used by Chrome and ot...

The collective valuation of crypto-assets pushed past the $4 trillion mark for the first time this week, a development primarily influenced by a rally in various alternative digital currencies and legislative momentum emanating from the US. Data from CoinGecko indicated the total crypto market capitalization reached approximately $4.003 trillion on Thursday. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency , currently accounts for nearly 60% of this total market value. Market participants are increasing their positions in options contracts. Fadi Aboualfa, head of research at Copper, commented on Bitcoin’s trajectory, stating that its ascent to $150,000 appears “increasingly inevitable.” Aboualfa further suggested that if current capital inflows persist, even during the typically quieter summer months, Bitcoin could reach $140,000 by September and potentially advance towards $150,000 in early October. Data from Deribit indicates elevated open interest in Bitcoin options at the $130,000 strike pric...

Perplexity has become the most downloaded app on the iOS App Store in India, overtaking ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other major apps. The sudden rise in downloads follows a recent partnership with Bharti Airtel, through which Airtel is offering its customers a free one-year subscription to Perplexity Pro. The subscription, normally priced at $20 (~ ₹1,700) per month, is available to all Airtel users (including prepaid, postpaid, broadband, and DTH customers). It can be claimed through the Airtel Thanks app and is valid until January 17, 2026. Notably, Perplexity’s Pro version offers expanded features beyond the basic version, including access to advanced AI models like GPT-4.1, Claude, Grok 4, and the company’s own Sonar model. It also provides faster response times, the ability to analyse files and images, and support for more complex queries. Pro users can try experimental tools through Perplexity Labs , which include early versions of AI features designed for tasks like building ...

Netflix reported a decent performance for the second quarter of the year – in its report, the streaming service giant revealed that it has clocked a 16% increase in revenue. The streaming service revised its full-year revenue outlook upward, now projecting a range between $44.8 billion and $45.2 billion. This updated forecast surpasses the prior guidance of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion. The streaming service added that its members accumulated over 95 billion hours of content viewing during the first half of the year, marking a 1% increase from the prior year. For the three-month period concluding in June, Netflix reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $7.19, a figure that exceeded the $7.08 consensus estimate from analysts compiled by LSEG. Overall, the total revenue for the period amounted to $11.08 billion, barely moving past analyst estimates of $11.07 billion. Net income during this timeframe was $3.1 billion, equivalent to $7.19 per share. This represents a considerable...

Amazon has reportedly laid off several hundred employees from its cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS), as part of a restructuring effort. The layoffs primarily impacted specialist teams that help customers design and implement AWS services, reports Reuters. Employees affected by the layoffs were notified on Thursday (July 17) morning. Several reported being locked out of company systems shortly after receiving email notifications, with little warning in advance. This round of layoffs reflects a wider trend across Amazon under CEO Andy Jassy . In recent years, Jassy has pushed to make the company leaner and more efficient, with a particular emphasis on removing unnecessary layers of management. Even he recently spoke about the growing role of generative AI within Amazon. Jassy stated that AI would gradually replace some corporate roles to improve efficiency. However, the statement drew backlash from employees who were concerned about potential job losses. According ...

Uber has announced a $300 million investment in electric vehicle company Lucid Motors as part of a major plan to launch a new fleet of self-driving electric taxis (aka robotaxis). The partnership also includes Nuro, a California-based tech company that specializes in autonomous driving systems. Under the agreement, the ride-hailing giant will also purchase at least 20,000 of Lucid’s upcoming Gravity SUVs, which will be equipped with Nuro’s self-driving technology and used as robotaxis through Uber’s app. The first batch of the Uber-Lucid-Nuro robotaxi fleet is expected to hit the streets in 2026. Uber plans to deploy the fleet initially in at least one major US city, although the specific cities under consideration have not yet been announced. The robotaxis will be powered by Level 4 autonomous driving systems, which means they will be able to operate without a human driver under specific conditions. Lucid will manufacture the vehicles at its factory in Arizona, where they will be b...

Bengaluru-headquartered QpiAI, a headstarter in India’s nascent Quantum computing space, has secured a total of $32 Million in a Series A fundraise, which includes backing by the Indian Government. The round was led by Avataar Ventures and the National Quantum Mission (NQM), a $750Mn initiative by the Indian government to provide thrust to India’s quantum computing companies. The round also drew contributions from an unlisted group of both returning and new investors. This latest capital infusion places QpiAI’s post-money valuation at $162 million. QpiAI’s ambitious development schedule includes the introduction of a 64-qubit quantum machine by the end of the coming year, with client access projected for the second or third quarter of 2027. The company also aims to increase its quantum computing capabilities to 1,000 qubits by 2030. A central element of this growth involves the creation of error-corrected logical qubits, which are considered a prerequisite for commercial-scale applic...

Early on Wednesday, July 16, at 2:18 AM Eastern Time, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch 24 operational satellites for Starlink-rival, Amazon’s Project Kuiper. The mission, designated KF‑01, marks a new phase in Amazon’s satellite broadband deployment, using a partner rocket for the first time, that too from a rival in the internet satellites business. The launch will take place at Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40, and a livestream will be available on X. Until now, Amazon has relied solely on United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rockets, launching two batches of 27 satellites each in April and June. These early missions increased Kuiper’s on-orbit total to 54. If the KF‑01 launch is successful, the constellation will rise to 78 satellites. Choosing SpaceX (which already operates Starlink, Kuiper’s main competitor) marks a shift from Amazon’s prior “launch-agnostic” stance. Amazon has contracted three Falcon 9 flights among 83 total launches across ULA, Arianespace, Blue Or...

Nvidia, which recently made history as the world’s first $4 trillion company , has announced that it will soon restart sales of its H20 artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China, after receiving assurances from the US government that its export license applications will be approved. The company had paused shipments since April 2024 after the US imposed tighter export controls on advanced AI chips to limit China’s access to cutting-edge technology. The H20 chip had been developed specifically to comply with earlier restrictions, but stricter enforcement effectively blocked the company from delivering these chips to Chinese customers. But now, with licenses expected to be granted, the Jensen Huang-led company revealed that it plans to resume deliveries soon. The halt in shipments earlier this year had a major financial impact on the semiconductor giant. Nvidia was forced to write down around $5 billion worth of unsellable inventory. The firm said it lost $2.5 billion in potential s...

Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has raised $2 billion in a new funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The seed round also attracted other high-profile backers, including Nvidia, AMD, Accel, Cisco, ServiceNow, and Jane Street. This investment reportedly values the company at $12 billion, even though it has not yet launched a product or generated any revenue. It clearly makes the startup one of the most valuable early-stage AI companies in history. Although the company is still operating largely in stealth mode, Murati has outlined a clear vision for its mission and technology in her latest post on X. According to her, the company aims to develop advanced multimodal AI systems, meaning models that can understand and generate not just text, but also images, audio, and other forms of input. The goal is to create AI tools that are not only intelligent but also collaborative, designed to work alongside humans and enhance their ca...

Uber has partnered with Chinese tech company Baidu to launch self-driving robotaxis in several international markets. The agreement will bring Baidu’s autonomous vehicle service, Apollo Go, to the Uber app in selected cities across Asia and the Middle East. The rollout will begin later this year, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi among the first cities where users will be able to book rides in Baidu’s driverless cars through Uber’s platform. For Uber, this is part of a broader strategy to grow its autonomous vehicle offerings by teaming up with established technology partners. The company sold its in-house self-driving unit, Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), to Aurora Innovation in 2020. And now, rather than developing its own driverless cars, Uber is working with companies that already have tested and proven autonomous systems. It has previously partnered with firms like Waymo, Motional, and May Mobility in the US. And now this latest deal with Baidu allows the ride-hailing giant to introdu...

Earlier this month, we had reported the EV giant Tesla is finally making its entry into the Indian market. In this vein, the company has, on July 15, officially opened its maiden showroom in the country – in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). This event marks the formal entry of the company into one of the world’s fastest growing EV markets. Landing in India after several delays and still-to-be-ironed-out bottlenecks, the initial vehicle offered by Tesla in India is the Model Y sport utility vehicle (SUV). This model will be sold as a Completely Built Unit (CBU), indicating that it will be imported, likely from Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai. Preparations for this launch included Tesla importing vehicles, superchargers, and accessories valued at approximately $1 million. These shipments originated primarily from China and the US. The imported inventory included six Model Y units. The Model Y comes with Tesla’s own characteristic design, featuring a coupe-like profile, full LED ...

Meta has acquired PlayAI, a startup focused on developing advanced voice AI technologies, like real-time speech synthesis, multilingual voice cloning, and programmable voice agents. As part of the deal, PlayAI’s full team of engineers and researchers will join Meta’s AI division, where they will contribute to building more natural and responsive voice-based features. The team from PlayAI will now work under Johan Schalkwyk, who recently joined Meta after previously working at Sesame AI (a voice AI startup). He is now leading Meta’s efforts in voice technology, and his role is seen as an important part of the company’s AI plans. With PlayAI known for its expertise in generating emotionally rich, low-latency synthetic speech, its work is expected to become a key part of Meta’s future AI projects. It will mainly help bring more realistic voice features to Meta AI and the company’s devices, like Ray-Ban smart glasses  and Quest VR headsets. Additionally, for developers, PlayAI’s exi...

Elon Musk-owned social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), has reduced the prices of its subscription plans in India by up to 47%. This is the first major price cut for the company’s paid services in the country since the introduction of subscription tiers in 2023 . The new pricing applies to all three plans (including Basic, Premium, and Premium+ ) available on both web and mobile platforms. Under the new pricing, the Basic plan now costs ₹170 per month or ₹1,700 per year on the web, down (~ 30%) from its earlier monthly price of ₹244. The Premium plan has been reduced to ₹427 per month or ₹4,272 annually, a significant drop (~ 34%) from the previous rate of ₹650 per month. And the top-tier Premium+ plan (which offers the most advanced features) is now priced at ₹2,570 per month (~ 26% drop) or ₹26,400 per year, compared to its earlier monthly cost of ₹3,470. For the mobile app, subscription prices have also seen significant reductions. The Premium plan, which previously...

It is official. Elon Musk’s Tesla, which has found it super tough to get into the Indian market for several years now, is officially launching its India presence. The formal launch is happening on July 15, revealed via an invite sent across to media yesterday night. Tesla is opening its first India experience centre in the upmarket Bandra Kurla Complex commercial area. Tesla’s India entry has been anticipated for a while now, with serious build up happening from the start of this year. Whether it is signing of lease for the Mumbai centre earlier this year, or early shipments of its Model Y cars to India, Tesla’s entry only gained serious momentum this year. To top it all, Elon Musk’s meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi during latter’s US visit seemed like the point where final issues were ironed out. India also  updated its Electric Vehicles policy, which had earlier provided protection and quite a jump start to homegrown EV products, such as those from Tata Motors. The poli...

Indeed and Glassdoor are reportedly cutting around 1,300 jobs worldwide. Notably, Japan-based Recruit Holdings owns these two leading job-related services. The layoffs will primarily impact teams in research and development, human resources, and sustainability, reports Bloomberg (citing an internal memo). The job cuts are said to mainly affect employees based in the United States. According to the report, Recruit Holdings CEO Hisayuki Idekoba said (in a memo to staff) the decision reflects a broader need to adapt to how AI is transforming the job search and hiring domain. Although the memo did not give a specific reason for the layoffs, CEO Idekoba noted that AI is changing the world, and the company needs to adapt by improving its products and delivering more value quickly. The timing of the move is significant, as Recruit Holdings is said to be working aggressively to integrate AI more deeply into its HR technology offerings. The latest job cuts are not being directly described ...

CoreWeave (a company known for providing cloud infrastructure for AI) has announced it will acquire bitcoin mining company Core Scientific in an all-stock deal valued at around $9 billion. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2025, pending approval from shareholders and regulators. According to the agreement, Core Scientific shareholders will receive 0.1235 shares of CoreWeave Class A stock for each Core Scientific share they own. This values Core Scientific at about $20.40 per share. Once completed, Core Scientific shareholders will hold less than 10% of the combined company. With this deal, CoreWeave will take over around 1.2 to 1.3 gigawatts of data center capacity from Core Scientific. These facilities were originally built for bitcoin mining, but the Nvidia-backed firm plans to convert them to support AI and high-performance computing workloads, which are in growing demand due to the rise of generative AI technologies. The Livingston-headquartered CoreWeave was originall...

Perplexity AI on Wednesday has officially launched Comet, its AI-powered web browser, for the wider audience, marking the startup’s most recent maneuver to contend with established consumer internet entities such as Google and Microsoft. This development comes after the firm had rolled out Comet for windows in early access in May. Comet is designed to enable users to interact with enterprise apps, including Slack, and pose complex inquiries through both voice and text inputs, as demonstrated in a concise video released by Perplexity. The browser will initially be made available to subscribers of Perplexity Max , a premium tier priced at $200 per month. Broader access will be extended to a waitlist through an invite-only system throughout the summer months. This tiered rollout suggests Perplexity is targeting early adopters and professional users who may gain an advantage from the browser’s features. Comet enters a crowded and highly competitive browser market. While Google Chrome c...

Samsung officially launched its latest foldable smartphones and smartwatches at the Galaxy Unpacked event on July 9. The company introduced the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, and the Galaxy Watch 8 series. These new devices feature slimmer designs, upgraded hardware, and improved durability. The company also added advanced AI features across the lineup, including real-time translation, health tracking, and on-device assistant support. All products will be available globally starting July 25, with pre-orders already open. Starting with the Galaxy Z Fold7, the company claims this latest device is its slimmest and most powerful foldable phone to date. The phone is 8.9 mm thick when folded and weighs around 215 grams. It features a redesigned Armor Flex Hinge and is built with Advanced Armor Aluminium and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2. On the outside, the device includes a 6.5-inch AMOLED cover screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate, while unfolding reveals a spacious 8-inch...

Google is now bringing Gemini — its AI assistant —. to Wear OS, nearly two months after initial indications in May. In addition to this, the company is unveiling new capabilities for Circle to Search, integrating its AI Mode directly into the feature and expanding support for queries related to gaming. The Gemini platform is set to arrive on Wear OS 4+ watches from manufacturers including Google’s own Pixel line, Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and Xiaomi over the coming weeks. This progression marks a shift in Google’s wearable ecosystem, aiming for a unified AI experience. For example, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series is expected to be among the first devices to feature Gemini pre-installed when they are finally rolled out. Interacting with Gemini on these smartwatches will offer users multiple intuitive methods. Users can activate the assistant by uttering “Hey Google,” by pressing and holding the side button on their watch, or by tapping the Gemini application icon directly on...