Gushwork bets on AI search for customer leads — and early results are emerging

Gushwork has raised $9 million in a seed round led by SIG and Lightspeed. The startup has seen early customer traction from AI search tools like ChatGPT.

Alphabet-owned robotics software company Intrinsic joins Google

Nearly five years after graduating into an independent Alphabet company, Intrinsic is moving under Google’s domain.

OpenAI COO says ads will be ‘an iterative process’

COO Brad Lightcap noted that ads can add to the product experience of users if they are done right. He urged to give OpenAI a few months to see how the company fares in rolling out the product.

Harbinger acquires autonomous driving company Phantom AI

It’s the Los Angeles trucking startup’s first acquisition — the latest in a series of moves to spin up new revenue streams.

India’s AI boom pushes firms to trade near-term revenue for users

ChatGPT and rivals are testing whether India’s massive AI user boom can translate into paying customers as free offers wind down.

Anthropic won’t budge as Pentagon escalates AI dispute

The Pentagon has given Anthropic until Friday to loosen AI guardrails or face potential penalties, escalating a high-stakes dispute that raises questions about government leverage, vendor dependence, and investor confidence in defense tech.

Treasury sanctions Russian zero-day broker accused of buying exploits stolen from U.S. defense contractor

The U.S. Treasury announced it was imposing sanctions against a Russian broker of zero-day exploits, its founder and two affiliates, citing a threat to U.S. national security. Another affiliated zero-day broker in the United Arab Emirates was also sanc…

Ukraine’s startups keep building

In the four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country, Ukrainian startups have done more than survive: they are still building and growing.

It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids

Plug-in hybrid vehicles are rarely charged, according to a new study. Why are automakers still producing them?

Stripe, PayPal Ventures bet on India’s Xflow to fix cross-border B2B payments

Stripe and PayPal Ventures have participated in Xflow’s $16.6 million round that gives it a post-money valuation of $85 million.