Monday, March 23, 2026

Littlebird raises $11M for its AI-assisted ‘recall’ tool that reads your computer screen

Littlebird, a startup founded by Alap Shah, Naman Shah, and Alexander Green, has raised $11 million to develop an AI tool that captures context from users' screens in text format. Unlike competitors that rely on visual data, Littlebird operates in the background, allowing users to query their data without distraction. The app offers customizable features, including the ability to ignore certain applications and personalized prompts to enhance productivity.

Startup Gimlet Labs is solving the AI inference bottleneck in a surprisingly elegant way

Gimlet Labs, co-founded by Zain Asgar, has raised $80 million in Series A funding led by Menlo Ventures to solve the AI inference bottleneck with its innovative multi-silicon inference cloud. This software allows AI workloads to be distributed across various hardware types, significantly improving efficiency and reducing costs for major AI model labs and data centers.

Some writing advice from Project Hail Mary’s Andy Weir

In a recent interview, author Andy Weir discussed his approach to writing, emphasizing that authors should not think about movie adaptations while crafting their novels. Weir, known for his successful books like The Martian and Project Hail Mary, believes that writing a book requires a focus on the reader's experience, allowing for creative freedom that film does not offer. His involvement as a producer on Project Hail Mary provided him with valuable insights into film production, yet he maintains that this experience does not influence his writing process.

Grab to buy Foodpanda Taiwan from Delivery Hero for $600 million

Grab announced its acquisition of Delivery Hero's Foodpanda business in Taiwan for $600 million, marking its first expansion outside Southeast Asia. The deal, pending regulatory approval, is expected to close in the second half of 2026, with a full transition of users and merchants planned by early 2027. This acquisition positions Grab to strengthen its competitive stance against Uber Eats in a market where Foodpanda currently holds a 52% share.

In-hub motors make this humble Hyundai a monster on ice

Elaphe, a Slovenian startup, is revitalizing the concept of in-wheel motors, previously sidelined by the failure of Lordstown Motors. Their latest technology transforms the Hyundai Ioniq 5 into a high-performance vehicle on ice, featuring four in-wheel motors that enhance traction and control, promising a new era for electric vehicles with improved handling and range.

Synopsys shares rally as activist Elliott builds multibillion-dollar stake in chip design firm

Shares of Synopsys surged nearly 4% following news that Elliott Investment Management has established a multibillion-dollar stake in the semiconductor design firm. Elliott's managing partner, Jesse Cohn, emphasized the company's critical role in the chip industry, particularly as AI increases chip complexity. The investment aligns with Elliott's strategy to enhance Synopsys's operational execution and profitability.

Confronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated me

In a recent interview, Shishir Mehrotra, CEO of Superhuman, addressed the backlash surrounding the company's Expert Review feature, which used the names of journalists without permission. This led to significant outrage, including a class action lawsuit filed by journalist Julia Angwin. Mehrotra acknowledged the misstep, apologized, and confirmed that the feature was promptly removed, emphasizing the need for better alignment with creators' rights in AI applications.

HSBC appoints first chief AI officer as it seeks cost cuts

HSBC has appointed David Rice as its first chief AI officer, aiming to leverage generative AI technology to cut costs and enhance performance across its global operations. CEO Georges Elhedery identified AI as crucial to the bank's strategic goal of achieving a return on tangible equity exceeding 17% by 2028, with potential job cuts of up to 20,000 as a result of these improvements.

Nebius says "well-funded" for AI race after closing $4.3 billion debt raise

Nebius has announced that it is now 'well-funded' for its AI ambitions after closing a $4.34 billion convertible debt funding round. This financing supports the company's plans to invest between $16 billion and $20 billion in 2026, following significant contracts with major tech players like Meta and Microsoft. Chief Communications Officer Tom Blackwell emphasized that these deals not only validate Nebius's expertise but also provide a sustainable funding model for its future operations in AI cloud services.

Ex-Goldman Banker’s AI Chip Company Secures SoftBank Funding

Kandou AI, an artificial-intelligence chip company founded by former Goldman Sachs managing director Srujan Linga, has successfully raised $225 million from prominent investors including SoftBank and Synopsys. This funding round elevates the startup's valuation to $400 million, signaling strong investor confidence in its technology and market potential.

Sam Altman-backed fusion startup Helion in talks with OpenAI

Fusion startup Helion is reportedly in early discussions to sell power to OpenAI, backed by Sam Altman. The proposed deal could secure OpenAI 12.5% of Helion's production, with plans to generate 50 gigawatts by 2035. Helion is racing to construct its first commercial-scale reactor, aiming to outpace competitors targeting the early 2030s for commercial operations.

U.S.-Iran talks, ICE in airports, gemstone investing and more in Morning Squawk

Stock futures are soaring this morning after President Donald Trump announced a five-day postponement of U.S. strikes against Iran, following what he described as 'good and productive conversations.' This news has led to a significant surge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, which rose over 1,000 points, while oil prices fell. However, Iranian state media later denied that direct talks were taking place, adding uncertainty to the market's reaction.

'This is insane.' Long lines plague U.S. airports as TSA officers face second missed paycheck in shutdown

As the partial government shutdown continues, travelers across the U.S. are experiencing significant delays at airport security due to increased absences among TSA officers, who are now facing their second missed paycheck. Major hubs like New York's JFK and Atlanta are particularly affected, prompting the administration to deploy ICE agents to help manage the chaos and alleviate the burden on TSA staff.

Daily Spotlight: Financial Conditions: So Far, So Good

Recent indicators from Federal Reserve banks and the Department of the Treasury reveal that the U.S. financial system is operating normally, despite geopolitical tensions stemming from the war in Iran. Monitoring various financial conditions indices, experts emphasize that stable markets can help prevent an economic slowdown from escalating into a financial crisis.

Fink Says AI Threatens to Leave Masses Behind Unless They Invest

In his annual letter to investors, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink cautioned that the ongoing artificial intelligence boom could deepen wealth inequality, enriching already affluent companies and investors while leaving the broader population behind. He emphasized that the wealth created in recent decades has predominantly accrued to those with existing financial assets, and AI threatens to perpetuate this cycle on a larger scale.

The Bay Area’s animal welfare movement wants to recruit AI

In a recent summit in San Francisco, animal welfare advocates and AI researchers convened to discuss the future intersection of artificial intelligence and animal welfare. Hosted by Sentient Futures, the event highlighted the belief that AI could play a crucial role in addressing animal suffering, with attendees envisioning a future where AI systems might prioritize animal lives. The discussions ranged from innovative solutions like lab-grown meat to the ethical implications of AI potentially developing sentience.

AI is beginning to change the business of law

AI is beginning to reshape the legal landscape in the UK, as barristers like Anthony Searle leverage technology to enhance their practice. Following a client's unexpected death, Searle utilized AI tools to formulate more precise questions for medical experts, highlighting a shift towards modernizing legal processes amid a resource-strapped justice system. The government is also proposing reforms to integrate AI in court operations, indicating a broader acceptance of technology in law.

Bain Capital’s Bridge Data Centres Seeks Up to $6 Billion Loan

Bain Capital's Bridge Data Centres is currently in discussions with lenders to secure a loan of up to $6 billion, which would mark one of the largest borrowings for data centers in Asia. The funds are intended to facilitate the company's expansion efforts in Thailand, with negotiations still ongoing and details subject to change.

Oppo teases global Find X9 Ultra launch as new OnePlus shutdown rumors swirl

Oppo is gearing up for the global launch of its Find X9 Ultra, a significant move as it expands its Ultra series into markets like Europe for the first time. The launch is confirmed for April 2026, coinciding with swirling rumors about OnePlus potentially shutting down its operations in key global markets, including the US and UK, while maintaining a presence in China and India with budget devices.

The AI Race Is Pressuring Utilities to Squeeze More From Europe’s Power Grids

European countries are racing to establish new data centers to meet the surging demand for AI computing power, but they face significant challenges due to inadequate grid infrastructure. With over 30 gigawatts of power demand from proposed data centers awaiting connection in the UK, utilities are exploring innovative solutions to enhance grid capacity, including dynamic line rating technologies. However, the slow pace of building new transmission infrastructure means that many projects risk cancellation, jeopardizing Europe's ambitions in the AI sector.

QCon London 2026: Fixing the AI Infra Scale Problem by Stuffing 1M Sandboxes in a Single Server

At QCon London 2026, Felipe Huici, CEO of Unikraft, demonstrated a remarkable achievement by waking up the millionth virtual machine on a standard server, which responded in just ten milliseconds. This milestone highlights a decade of development in unikernels and virtualization, culminating in a platform that efficiently manages over a million VMs, leveraging techniques like VM snapshots to enable rapid response times while maintaining resource efficiency.

Report: iPhone Air is about twice as popular compared to the Plus model it replaced

Recent data from Ookla reveals that the iPhone Air has achieved approximately double the popularity of the iPhone 16 Plus during the launch period of the iPhone 17. While it remains the least popular model in the iPhone 17 lineup, its sales performance significantly surpasses that of the outgoing Plus model, indicating a successful market entry for Apple’s new design.

Spring News Roundup: Third Milestone Releases of Boot, Security, Integration, AI and AMQP

During the week of March 16, 2026, the Spring ecosystem experienced significant updates with third milestone releases for Spring Boot, Security, Integration, AI, and AMQP, alongside second milestone releases for Spring Data and Spring for Apache Kafka. Notable enhancements include Spring Boot's support for AMQP 1.0 and Spring Security's critical vulnerability fix, which addresses a data exposure risk linked to HTTP headers.

John Ternus was behind one of iPad’s most crucial changes, says report

John Ternus, a prominent figure at Apple and a potential future CEO, has been pivotal in the evolution of the iPad, particularly through his advocacy for the creation of iPadOS. Recognizing that the iPad's hardware was underutilized with the original iOS, Ternus convinced Apple’s leadership to develop a tailored operating system, leading to features that enhance productivity and user experience, such as desktop-like multitasking.