technology
AI startup Tavus founder says users talk to its AI Santa ‘for hours’ per day
Tavus has launched a new experience where you can chat with an AI Santa that asks personal questions and remembers your interests. Source link
Petco takes down Vetco website after exposing customers’ personal information
TechCrunch found Petco’s veterinary clinics were spilling customers’ personal information and medical histories of their pets to the open web. Source link
Amazon to invest additional $35B in India by 2030, taking total planned spending to $75B
The e-commerce giant said the new investment will support its efforts to digitize small businesses and strengthen its logistics and operations footprint in India. Source link
Google invests in Fervo’s $462M round to unlock even more geothermal energy
Fervo Energy’s Series E round will help the company build additional phases of its Cape Station power plant while beginning development on new sites. Source link
Coreweave CEO defends AI circular deals as ‘working together’
The CEO of the AI data center provider, which has Nvidia as an investor and a supplier, described the environment as a “violent change” in demand. Source link
Unconventional AI confirms its massive $475M seed round
Led by Naveen Rao, the former head of AI at Databricks, the new hardware startup is valued at $4.5 billion. Source link
Hinge CEO steps down to launch Overtone, an AI dating app
Overtone is described as “an early-stage dating service focused on using AI and voice tools to help people connect in a more thoughtful and personal way.” Source link
Fal nabs $140M in fresh funding led by Sequoia, tripling valuation to $4.5B
The round, which was Fal’s third fundraise this year, also included a secondary sale for early investors, sources tell us. Source link
Cashew Research is going after the $90B market research industry with AI
Cashew Research uses AI to automate the market research process while still collecting real-world data from humans. Source link
SpaceX reportedly planning 2026 IPO with $1.5T valuation target
The company is looking to raise $30 billion, which would make it the biggest IPO ever, just ahead of Saudi Aramco’s in 2019. Source link