Author: arthursheikin@gmail.com

[ad_1] Google has backed STAN, an Indian social gaming platform that connects gamers with creators, communities, and publishers. Google’s investment comes as part of an $8.5 million equity funding round, which also saw investment from Japanese gaming giants Bandai Namco Entertainment, Square Enix, and Reazon Holdings. Aptos Labs and King River Capital, as well as existing backers General Catalyst and GFR Fund, also participated. Google joined the round via its AI Futures Fund, which launched in May to support startups building with its AI tools. STAN, headquartered in Singapore, is trying to position itself as a gaming community platform to…

[ad_1] Forget chatbots. The future of AI might be hiding in plain sight: your web browser. That’s the vision behind Comet, Perplexity’s new AI-native browser, and one that a16z partner Olivia Moore believes could reshape how we work online.In her recent deep dive comparing Comet with a similar product called Dia, Moore emphasizes that AI browsers are not just souped-up search engines. They are agents capable of performing complex, multi-step tasks across your digital workspace without switching contexts. Unlike chatbots that require explicit interaction, Comet lives alongside your daily workflow, turning everyday browsing into automated productivity.In a recent YouTube video…

[ad_1] All the talk of tariffs might be paying off for Apple.CEO Tim Cook told investors on Thursday that an “unusual buying pattern” for iPhones and Macs in the US that started in April led to an “incredible” quarter of sales for Apple.Consumers rushed to upgrade their devices ahead of potential price hikes they feared could come from tariffs.Sales of the newest iPhone 16 lineup grew by double digits compared to the iPhone 15 model from the quarter a year ago, while Mac updates “set records,” Cook said as the company reported earnings.”People buying because of discussions about tariffs” drove…

[ad_1] 2025-08-01T16:02:01Z Share Facebook Email X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky WhatsApp Copy link lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. I visited Taco Bell’s Live Más Café in Chula Vista, California. It focuses on specialty drinks. From blended coffees to fruity refreshers, most of the drinks were tasty and a great value. I wish there were more customizations, but I’d go back — and I’m glad this concept…

[ad_1] 2025-08-01T16:01:01Z Share Facebook Email X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky WhatsApp Copy link lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. MrBeast has a new philanthropy project focused on water. The YouTube sensation is looking to help raise around $40 million to give people clean water. Business Insider reported last year that Beast Holdings had filed for the #TeamWater trademark. MrBeast is organizing another multimillion-dollar giveaway, but not for…

[ad_1] Weeks after the revelation that Google paid Windsurf $2.4 billion to license its technology, while simultaneously hiring away its CEO and top talent, the deal’s implications are still rattling some founders and startup employees across Silicon Valley. Google’s payment to the startup was effectively split in two equal parts, according to two people familiar with the deal. Investors’ portion was $1.2 billion.  The other half was in the form of compensation packages for approximately 40 Windsurf employees hired by the tech giant with a substantial portion of that $1.2 billion going to the startup’s co-founders, Varun Mohan and Douglas…

[ad_1] Updated 2025-08-01T15:53:11Z Share Facebook Email X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky WhatsApp Copy link lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. The White House has announced plans to build a $200 million ballroom in its East Wing. Barack Obama adapted the White House’s tennis court for full-court basketball.  The White House Bowling Alley was built in 1947 as a birthday present for Harry Truman. President Donald Trump is…

[ad_1] Applied AI research company Fundamental Research Labs (formerly known as Altera) announced today that it has raised $30 million in Series A funding led by Prosus with participation from Stripe co-founder and CEO Patrick Collison. The company has a curious structure as it is working on multiple AI applications in different fields. When it raised its seed funding, Fundametal Research Labs was developing bots that could play Minecraft with you. Today, the company has a games team, a prosumer team building apps, a core research team, and a platform team. Yang says that Fundamental Research Labs wants to be…

[ad_1] Applied AI research company Fundamental Research Labs (formerly known as Altera) announced today that it has raised $33 million in Series A funding led by Prosus with participation from Stripe co-founder and CEO Patrick Collison. The company has a curious structure, as it is working on multiple AI applications in different fields. When it raised its seed funding, Fundamental Research Labs was developing bots that could play Minecraft with you. Today, the company has a games team, a prosumer team building apps, a core research team, and a platform team. The startup’s founder, Dr. Robert Yang, a former faculty…

[ad_1] Tech giant Amazon oddly got knocked down a peg after its solid earnings report and the adverse reaction by investors pushed the shares back into negative territory for 2025. I believe this is an opportunity to create a short-term income stream as this essential name should see buyers come in at this discount. AMZN YTD mountain Amazon, YTD The e-commerce behemoth announced its second quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday, beating both on the top and bottom lines and offering better-than-anticipated Q3 revenue guidance of between $174 billion and $179.5 billion. However, the shares are tumbling after Amazon’s…