AI
Jul 14, 2026
ELIZA at 60: How a 1960s Chatbot Predicted AI Confidants
A new book recovers the lost source code of ELIZA, the MIT chatbot that first revealed humans' uncanny tendency to confide in machines. The implications reach directly to ChatGPT and the generative AI systems reshaping how we interact with technology today.
AI
History
Chatbots
Jul 14, 2026
Why Silicon Valley's Already-Rich Grind Again for AI
A new wave of serial founders and early tech winners are jumping back into the arena — this time chasing AI. Fear of missing a generational inflection point, combined with the prospect of outsized returns, is pulling veterans out of comfortable retirement.
AI
Founders
Startups
Jul 13, 2026
fonio.ai's AI Phone Agents Scale to 7,000 Customers
Vienna-based fonio.ai has rapidly grown to 7,000 customers using its AI telephone assistants. Founder Daniel Keinrath opens up about competitive pressures, international expansion, and the company's ambitions for the years ahead.
AI
Voice AI
Startups
Jul 13, 2026
European Tech Roundup: 70+ Deals, €2.8B Raised
Europe's tech ecosystem recorded more than 70 funding deals totaling over €2.8 billion last week, led by cloud, fintech, and energy sectors. The UK dominated country-level rankings with €1.7B raised, followed by Germany and France. Here's everything that moved the needle.
European Tech
Funding Rounds
Venture Capital
Jul 12, 2026
Reed Jobs's Biotech Startup Is Moving Fast
Three years after launching Yosemite, Reed Jobs is all-in on biotech and AI. His firm has grown to 17 people, patent cliffs are opening new drug opportunities, and AI has become central to how Yosemite operates.
AI
biotech
drug discovery
Jul 11, 2026
Two Billion-Dollar Deals Headline a Big Funding Week
AI infrastructure and cybersecurity led venture activity this week, with SambaNova and Keyfactor each landing $1 billion rounds. Quantum computing, clean energy, and crypto infrastructure also attracted significant capital, rounding out a packed week for startup funding.
Venture Capital
AI
Cybersecurity
Jul 10, 2026
How to Opt Out of Meta's AI Image Generator
Meta's AI image generator is trained on public Instagram photos by default — and you have to manually opt out. Here's what you need to know and exactly how to stop it.
Meta
AI
Jul 9, 2026
Nandan Nilekani Exits GP Role as Fundamentum Nets $200M
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani is stepping down as General Partner at Fundamentum Partnership while remaining its anchor investor. The Indian VC firm has launched its third fund at $200M, expanding its leadership team with a sharper focus on AI and fintech.
Venture Capital
India
AI
Jul 9, 2026
Lovable in Talks to Double Valuation to $13.2B
AI-powered app builder Lovable is reportedly in talks to raise $300 million at a $13.2 billion valuation — double its previous mark. The round is expected to be led by Menlo Ventures, signaling continued investor appetite for vibe-coding platforms.
Lovable
AI
Funding
Jul 8, 2026
Vermilion Cliffs Ventures Closes $25M Fund II
Solo GP Ashley Smith has closed a $25 million second fund under Vermilion Cliffs Ventures, targeting early-stage startups across AI, security, and adjacent sectors. The new vehicle continues Smith's thesis-driven approach to backing technical founders at the earliest stages.
AI
Cybersecurity
Early-Stage
Jul 8, 2026
Finto Raises $3.4M to Build AI Accounting Agents
German AI startup Finto has closed a $3.4M seed round backed by Y Combinator, Google's Gradient, and Lightspeed — and is doubling down on Munich over Silicon Valley. The company builds autonomous AI agents for core accounting tasks, targeting Europe's industrial mid-market.
AI
Fintech
Startups
Jul 8, 2026
Figma Snaps Up Vibe-Coding Startup in Latest AI Push
Figma has acquired the team behind a Y Combinator-backed vibe-coding platform that later pivoted to agent creation. The deal signals Figma's continued push to embed AI-driven development capabilities into its design ecosystem.
Acquisitions
AI
AI agents
Jul 7, 2026
AI Law Startup Norm Raises $120M, Hits $1.2B Valuation
Norm, an AI-powered legal technology startup, has closed a $120 million Series C round led by Khosla Ventures. The raise pushes the company's valuation to $1.2 billion, making it the latest AI unicorn to emerge from the legal tech space.
Legal Tech
AI
Funding
Jul 7, 2026
Tech Workers in 2026: A Workforce Split by AI
A new large-scale survey reveals tech workers are dividing into two camps — those amplified by AI and those shaken by it. Burnout has surged 11 points in a single year, and the question that best predicts career satisfaction is no longer your role or employer, but what AI has done to your sense of professional identity.
AI
Tech Workforce
Burnout
Jul 7, 2026
5 European Startups to Watch: bayshore, INXM, More
A fresh wave of European founders is making moves. Here's a quick rundown of five newly launched startups spanning AI, optics, and beyond that are worth keeping on your radar.
AI
Early-Stage
European tech
Jul 7, 2026
Whering Raises $7M From eBay, Google for AI Wardrobe
UK-based digital wardrobe platform Whering has closed a $7M seed round backed by eBay Ventures and Google AI Futures Fund, hitting 10 million global users. The funding will accelerate AI feature development — from personalized outfit recommendations to virtual try-on — as Whering doubles down on circular fashion.
Circular Fashion
AI
Seed Funding
Jul 6, 2026
Microsoft Cuts 4,800 Jobs as AI Reshapes Its Workforce
Microsoft has laid off approximately 4,800 employees — around 2.1% of its global headcount — with Xbox and commercial sales teams hit hardest. The cuts mark the latest in a string of reductions fueling concerns about AI-driven job displacement across the tech industry.
Microsoft
Layoffs
Xbox
Jul 6, 2026
Reddit Uses LLMs to Fight the Spam Problem LLMs Made
AI-generated spam has flooded Reddit, and the platform is now deploying large language models to detect and remove it. It's a classic arms race — and Reddit is betting on AI to stay ahead.
AI
Content Moderation
LLMs
Jul 3, 2026
Memory Shortage, AI Demand Drive Consumer Price Hikes
A global memory chip shortage — fueled by AI data center demand — is pushing prices higher on MacBooks, iPads, Xbox consoles, and more. Experts say waiting it out isn't a viable strategy, but the refurbished market is offering a meaningful alternative.
AI
consumer electronics
memory shortage
Jul 3, 2026
Meta's New 'Pocket' App Lets Users Build AI Gizmos
Meta is launching an app called Pocket — no relation to Mozilla's defunct read-it-later service — that lets users create and share interactive 'gizmos' generated from AI prompts. The move reflects Mark Zuckerberg's broader bet that AI-driven interactive experiences are the next evolution of social media.
Meta
AI
Social Media