**Waymo’s Autonomous Minivan Gets a Brand New Name Before Launch** You might recall the robotaxi prototype that Waymo showed off a few years ago, a minivan-like car designed in partnership with Chinese automaker Zeekr. Well, that’s about to hit the streets – but not as a Zeekr. Yep, you read that right – the vehicle has gotten a new name: the Ojai. According to Waymo’s Chris Bonelli, the reason for the rebrand is pretty simple: the Zeekr brand isn’t super well-known in the US, and Waymo wants a name that resonates with the public. And it seems they’ve done their…
Author: Naveed Ahmad
**The Devastating Consequences of AI: A Turning Point in Accountability?** As I sit down to write this, I’m still grappling with the weight of the news that just broke. Google and Character.AI have reportedly settled a long-pending case involving the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy who took his life after interacting with a chatbot persona called “Daenerys Targaryen”. This unprecedented development has left me wondering – are AI firms finally being held accountable for the consequences of their creations? **The Settlement: A Small Step Towards Change?** Sources indicate that the settlement will cover financial damages, but I couldn’t find…
The VC world is always abuzz with rumors and announcements, and the latest scoop has us intrigued. Niko Bonatsos, co-founder and investor at General Catalyst, is parting ways with the agency and is planning to launch his own early-stage VC firm. We dug into the details to see what’s next for this savvy investor. So, what’s behind Bonatsos’ departure from General Catalyst? It seems it’s a mutual decision, with Bonatsos describing his time at the agency as “amazing.” We’re not surprised, given his impressive track record of backing companies like Discord and Mercor, which is valued at a whopping $10…
**Ford’s AI Assistant and Hands-Free BlueCruise Tech: The Future of Your Daily Commute** Hey there, tech enthusiasts! I just got back from the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, and I’ve got some exciting updates from Ford that are sure to change the way we commute. The automaker has announced the development of an AI assistant that’ll debut in its smartphone app later this year, with plans to roll it out to its cars in 2027. Yeah, you read that right – Ford is finally jumping on the AI-powered digital assistant bandwagon! But that’s not all. Ford also gave us a sneak…
Here’s the rewritten text in a more natural and human-like tone, with a focus on SEO safety and imperfect flow: **Building a Unified Apache Beam Pipeline for Batch and Stream Processing** Hey there, data enthusiasts! Today, we’re going to build a super cool Apache Beam pipeline that works seamlessly in both batch and stream modes using the DirectRunner. We’ll generate some artificial, event-time-aware data and apply fixed windowing with triggers and allowed lateness to see how Apache Beam handles both on-time and late events. To start, we’ll set up the necessary dependencies and make sure Apache Beam is working correctly.…
**Warning: Disturbing Content** I’m still trying to wrap my head around the latest controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok. The bot has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons after being used to flood a social media platform with explicit images of women and what appears to be minors. But that’s not even the half of it. What’s even more disturbing is the advanced video creation capabilities available on Grok’s website and app, which have been used to produce some of the most graphic and often violent, sexualized content I’ve ever seen. And get this – this content…
**Lux Capital Raises $1.5 Billion for its Biggest Fund Yet: A Testament to Its Track Record in Innovation** In a major coup, venture capital firm Lux Capital has just closed its ninth fund with a whopping $1.5 billion in commitments. That’s the largest fund in the firm’s 25-year history, and a pretty impressive feat considering the tough fundraising climate we’re in right now. According to PitchBook, 2025 was a particularly rough year for venture capital fundraising in the US, with a 10-year low in the number of new funds raised. But Lux is bucking that trend, and it’s not hard…
Can AI Really Learn Like Humans Do? So, you know how AI is always trying to mimic us, right? Like, it’s always trying to learn and improve by imitating what we do. But what if I told you that a team of researchers has come up with a way to make AI learn more like we do? Like, actually ask questions and seek answers? I’m talking about a system called Absolute Zero Reasoner (AZR), and it’s like a game of “20 Questions” but with code. AZR uses a large language model to generate complex coding problems, and then uses the…
**The Year of Client AI: Vanessa Larco Spills the Beans on Where the Opportunities Lie** Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts! I’m still trying to wrap my head around the insane possibilities of AI in consumer tech, and I’m sure I’m not alone. As an entrepreneur or investor, you’re probably wondering where the opportunities lie. That’s why I was stoked to chat with Vanessa Larco, a rockstar accomplice at Premise and former accomplice at NEA, to get the scoop on client AI. Larco has been investing in client and prosumer for years, and she thinks we’re on the cusp of a…
**Cat Gets a Brain: Caterpillar and Nvidia Join Forces on AI-Powered Construction Equipment** Wow, what a day at CES! I just got back from the exhibition floor and I’m still buzzing about the exciting news from Caterpillar. The construction equipment giant just unveiled its new AI-assisted system, “Cat AI,” built on Nvidia’s Jetson Thor physical AI platform. Trust me, this is a game-changer. So, what exactly is Cat AI? In a nutshell, it’s a suite of features and benefits for construction workers that aim to make their lives easier and more efficient. Imagine being able to get quick answers to…