Apple Chooses Google to Give Siri an AI Boost

Top News

Apple is turning to Google’s Gemini models to power a long-awaited AI upgrade to Siri, signaling a deepening partnership between two rivals as the iPhone maker looks to catch up in the AI race and deliver new on-device intelligence later this year. CNBC has more here.

Elon Musk is not a fan of the new Apple-Google alliance. "This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that [they] also have Android and Chrome," he posted on X. MacRumors has more here.

Meta is launching Meta Compute, a new AI infrastructure push that signals a multiyear buildout of tens of gigawatts in power capacity and elevates AI compute to a core strategic advantage as Big Tech races to secure generative AI-ready cloud scale. TechCrunch has more here.

Paramount has sued Warner Bros. Discovery in Delaware to force fuller disclosure around Netflix’s $82.7 billion acquisition as it pitches a rival $30-per-share cash offer and ramps pressure on WBD’s board amid growing political and industry backlash to the merger. TechCrunch has more here.

Why Amazon Bought Bee, an AI Wearable

By Sarah Perez

Smart rings, smart screens, smart TVs, smart pins, smart … ice cube makers? Sure, why not! AI was everywhere at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where companies large and small were showing off how they’re bringing AI to more devices. For Amazon, CES was a time to show off its newest acquisition in the space: Bee, an AI device that can be worn as a clip-on pin or a bracelet.

Amazon already has an entry in the AI consumer devices space with Alexa, whose upgraded AI-powered version, Alexa+, can run on 97% of the hardware devices Amazon has shipped. However, with Bee, the company is gaining access to a wearable that could extend its reach outside the home.

Largely designed for recording conversations like interviews, meetings, or classes, Bee also works as an AI companion. The AI has access to world knowledge, and it learns more about you from a combination of your recordings and the services you permit it to access like Gmail, Google Calendar, your phone’s contacts, and Apple Health.

Given that Amazon has already tried integrating Alexa into wearables like earbuds and glasses, it could seem like the company is muddying the waters with the addition of another AI companion. However, those earlier Alexa devices have not taken off in the face of competition like Apple’s AirPods and Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. Amazon seems to understand this, which is why it’s adding Bee to its lineup.

“We see each other as complementary friends,” says Bee co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo of Bee’s relationship with Alexa, in an interview at CES last week. “Bee has the understanding of outside the house, and Alexa has the understanding of inside the house. Of course, there will be a future where these two things come together.”

That future doesn’t yet mean Bee’s AI will be replaced by Alexa. Noted Amazon Alexa VP Daniel Rausch, Amazon thinks what the team at Bee created is an “important and lovable experience.” He describes Bee as a “deeply engaging and personal” AI, but he also agreed that, at some point, Alexa and Bee would come together.

Massive Fundings

Harmattan AI, a two-year-old Paris startup that builds autonomy and mission-system software for defense aircraft, raised a $200 million Series B round at a $1.4 billion post-money valuation. The deal was led by Dassault Aviation. The company has raised a total of $242 million. TechCrunch has more here.

Kinaset Therapeutics, a five-year-old startup based in Medfield, MA, that is developing an inhaled therapeutic candidate for serious respiratory diseases, raised a $103 million Series B round co-led by RA Capital Management and Forge Life Science Partners, with EQT Life Sciences, Vivo Capital, Schroders Capital, Willett Advisors, Pictet Alternative Advisors, Sixty Degree Capital as well as previous investors Atlas Venture, 5AM Ventures, and Gimv also piling on. More here.

Orca Bio, a 10-year-old Menlo Park company that develops high-precision cell therapies for blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, raised a $250 million round. Lightspeed Venture Partners was the deal lead. Pulse 2.0 has more here.

Torq, a six-year-old Tel Aviv startup that builds software to automate security operations workflows across enterprise security systems, raised a $140 million Series D round at a $1.2 billion valuation. The deal was led by Merlin Ventures, with Evolution Equity Partners, Notable Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Insight Partners, and Greenfield Partners also participating. The company has raised a total of $332 million. SiliconANGLE has more here.

Vibrant Therapeutics, a seven-year-old startup based in Guangzhou, China, and Cambridge, MA, that is developing logic-gated therapeutics designed to selectively activate in disease microenvironments, raised a $61 million round. Investors included Pfizer Ventures, Apricot Capital, Bayland Capital, HSG, Northern Light Venture Capital, and First Principle Venture Limited. The company has raised a total of $100 million. More here.

Big-But-Not-Crazy-Big Fundings

MagicCube, a 12-year-old company based in Santa Clara, CA, that provides software-based security for payments and device integrity, raised a $10 million round. Investors included Verifone, as well as prior backers Bold Capital, Mosaik Partners, and ID Tech. More here.

Nscale, an 18-month-old London startup that builds and operates high-performance infrastructure for large-scale AI workloads, including hyperscale compute, neocloud services, and purpose-built facilities for customers like Microsoft and OpenAI, is reportedly raising a $2 billion Series C round, according to Bloomberg. The company closed on $1.5 billion approximately three months ago. Data Center Dynamics has more here.

Terra Industries, a one-year-old startup based in Abuja, Nigeria, that designs infrastructure and autonomous systems to help governments and organizations monitor and respond to security threats, raised an $11.75 million round led by 8VC, with Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, and Nova Global also contributing. TechCrunch has more here.

Trybe, a six-year-old London startup that provides spa, bathhouse, leisure, and activity management software, raised a $30 million Series A round led by Five Elms Capital. More here.

Zepo Intelligence, a five-year-old New York startup that builds software to protect workplaces from AI-driven social engineering attacks, raised a $15 million seed round co-led by Kibo Ventures, eCAPITAL, and TIN Capital. Tech Funding News has more here.

Smaller Fundings

Parambil, a three-year-old New York startup that uses AI to evaluate and resolve complex litigation, raised a $6 million Seed round led by Bling Capital, with NVP Capital also participating. More here.

Polar Light Technologies, a 12-year-old Swedish company that specializes in MicroLED semiconductor technology, raised a $5.8+ million round led by J2L Holding AB, with STOAF, Almi Invest, and Butterfly Ventures also investing. More here.

New Funds

Dharana Capital, a four-year-old Mumbai-based VC firm that backs next-generation tech and consumer businesses in India, raised its second fund in the amount of $250 million. The Economic Times has more here.

Exits

OpenAI announced that it has acquired Torch, a one-year-old AI healthcare app that unifies lab results, medications, and visit recordings to help users view and analyze their health data, for approximately $100 million in equity, according to The Information. CNBC has more here.

Going Public

BitGo, a 13-year-old Palo Alto company that provides crypto custody and digital asset security services, is targeting a valuation of up to $1.96 billion in a U.S. IPO as it looks to raise as much as $201 million and capitalize on renewed investor appetite for regulated crypto firms. Reuters has more here.

People

Peter Thiel has donated $3 million to a California Business Roundtable committee opposing the proposed 5% wealth tax on billionaires, marking the first seven-figure check in what is estimated to be a $75+ million fight over the ballot measure. The New York Times has more here.