Posts by Nathan Pine
Zoox robotaxis to roam in more San Francisco neighborhoods and cover new cities
[ad_1] The Bay Area-based robotaxi company Zoox is trying to get ahead of the competition with a significant expansion in San Francisco and Las Vegas and plans to launch in Austin, Texas, and Miami. Zoox will quadruple its service area in San Francisco starting this spring, expanding rides to the eastern half of the city,…
Read MoreSoCal’s defense startups secure vital funding boost
[ad_1] A bill restoring crucial federal funding to defense startups in Southern California is on its way to the president’s desk after making it through Congress on Tuesday. The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act was passed following a months-long impasse over funding the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), the Small Business Technology Transfer…
Read MoreAmazon speeds up deliveries in L.A. and elsewhere with one-hour option
[ad_1] Amazon is offering one-hour deliveries to hundreds of U.S. cities and towns including parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The e-commerce giant said that it is also offering three-hour deliveries in more than 2,000 cities and towns. It plans to expand these options to more places in the coming months, the company said…
Read MoreAnother billionaire confirms California exit: Uber co-founder Kalanick
[ad_1] Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick said he moved to Texas in December, adding to the list of billionaires who have left California ahead of a proposed wealth tax. In an interview on tech talk show TBPN, Kalanick said he moved to Texas on Dec. 18. He didn’t explain the reasoning behind the move but suggested…
Read MoreAnduril set to acquire Orange County space surveillance company
[ad_1] Southern California defense tech darling Anduril Industries has struck a deal to buy Orange County space surveillance firm ExoAnalytic Solutions. The purchase for an undisclosed sum is meant to boost Anduril’s capabilities in space domain awareness, battle management and fire control. With the deal, Anduril will absorb ExoAnalytic’s network of 400 commercial telescopes around…
Read MoreHundreds of applications, no jobs and AI competition: California’s brutal tech work landscape
[ad_1] Laid-off tech worker Joseph Tinner has spent almost a year hunting for a job. It has been a depressing crash course on the sea change in Silicon Valley. The former product instructor from the San Francisco Bay Area has ridden the tech wave throughout his career, easily jumping from Verizon to Fitbit to Workday.…
Read MoreNetflix buys Ben Affleck’s AI film tech company, InterPositive
[ad_1] In 2022, Ben Affleck became so fixated on AI in film production that he quietly launched his own film tech company, InterPositive. Netflix brought the startup into the spotlight Thursday morning as it announced the full acquisition of the company. InterPositive’s mission, which focuses on developing “AI-powered tools built by and for filmmakers” and…
Read MoreAI actor Tilly Norwood’s world is expanding with the ‘Tillyverse’
[ad_1] The digital world of the first AI actor, Tilly Norwood, is expanding. AI talent studio Xicoia, which created Norwood, has announced plans for a “rapid expansion” for the digitized actor. The developments include a digital universe dubbed the “Tillyverse,” where ”Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live, collaborate and build careers.”…
Read MoreTrump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s AI after clash with Pentagon
[ad_1] President Trump on Friday directed federal agencies to stop using technology from San Francisco artificial intelligence company Anthropic, escalating a high-profile clash between the AI startup and the Pentagon over safety. In a Friday post on the social media site Truth Social, Trump described the company as “radical left” and “woke.” “We don’t need…
Read MoreBlock to cut more than 4,000 jobs amid AI disruption of the workplace
[ad_1] Fintech company Block said Thursday that it’s cutting more than 4,000 workers or nearly half of its workforce as artificial intelligence disrupts the way people work. The Oakland parent company of payment services Square and Cash App saw its stock surge by more than 23% in after-hours trading after making the layoff announcement. Jack…
Read MoreOutside group spends $4.8 million on TV ads backing San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan for governor
[ad_1] An independent expenditure committee backed by Silicon Valley executives spent $4.8 million on television ads supporting San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s gubernatorial bid that will begin airing Thursday. The two 30-second ads highlight the Democrat’s life story — being raised in a working-class family and working on a grounds crew and as a middle…
Read MoreUber unveils new services as it prepares to bring robotaxis to L.A. soon
[ad_1] Uber announced a new set of services to support ride-hailing for autonomous vehicles ahead of its planned launch of robotaxis in Los Angeles in the coming months. Uber’s new program, called Uber Autonomous Solutions, aims to give robotaxi ventures easy access to Uber’s customers, software and infrastructure. Participating companies would get access to Uber’s…
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