Amazon will train on Twitch streamers’ content by default, unless they opt out

Source: Tech Crunch

Amazon will train on Twitch streamers’ content by default, unless they opt out

Startups

Twitch, owned by Amazon, is now utilizing creator content to train generative AI models, sparking significant backlash from its community. Users are opted in by default and must manually disable the setting to prevent their audio and video from being used. Twitch executives admitted that an opt-in system would be ineffective, while some creators remain concerned about whether their data was already used without their prior knowledge.

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Northrop’s robot space mechanic is a new way to keep satellites at work longer

Startups

Northrop Grumman is evolving its satellite life-extension services. After using Mission Extension Vehicles to maintain satellites like Optus, the company is deploying a Mission Robotic Vehicle and Mission Extension Pods. Developed with DARPA, the MRV uses robotic arms to attach propulsion pods to satellites, extending their operational life. This shift toward sustainable space infrastructure aims to reduce waste by repairing and upgrading expensive orbital assets.

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5.1 Lakh Complaints Filed Against Ecommerce Platforms In 2025: Govt

Business

The Indian government informed Parliament that over 5.1 lakh complaints were filed against e-commerce and quick commerce platforms on the National Consumer Helpline in 2025, a 14% increase from 2024. Flipkart, Amazon, and Meesho faced the most grievances, primarily regarding non-delivery and defective products. The helpline facilitated ₹91 crore in refunds, while the CCPA penalized 47 platforms ₹1.1 crore amid ongoing food safety crackdowns on quick commerce.

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Grubhub’s $24M FTC settlement is finally reaching diners and drivers

Startups

The FTC is distributing $23.8 million to over 640,000 Grubhub drivers and customers following allegations of deceptive business practices. The settlement addresses claims that Grubhub misled workers about earnings, listed unaffiliated restaurants to inflate its platform size, and restricted customer account access. As part of the agreement, Grubhub must improve advertising accuracy and obtain restaurant consent before listing. This follows a separate $25 million settlement for California drivers.

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AI coding startup Cognition reportedly already in talks to raise at $40B valuation

Startups

Cognition, the creator of AI coding agent Devin, is seeking a new funding round that could push its valuation to at least $40 billion. This follows a $26 billion valuation in May. The company reports strong enterprise growth and a previous annualized revenue run rate of $492 million. Devin focuses on automating tedious programming tasks for clients like NASA and Goldman Sachs rather than replacing human developers.

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As AI safety concerns mount, three pioneers make the case for staying open

Startups

At the Ai4 conference, AI researchers Geoffrey Hinton, Fei-Fei Li, and Andrew Ng debated the merits of open-source AI. Andrew Ng emphasized openness to avoid corporate gatekeeping and maintain global competitiveness. Geoffrey Hinton warned about the risks of open-weight models but acknowledged their permanence. Fei-Fei Li advocated for a nuanced balance between open and closed systems. All three agreed that regulation is essential for safe development.

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OpenAI-backed Thrive Holdings raises $2B to bring AI to the enterprise

Startups

Thrive Holdings has raised $2 billion at a $12 billion valuation from investors including SoftBank to expand its AI-driven private equity model. A spinout of Thrive Capital with backing from OpenAI, the firm acquires traditional businesses to implement AI workflows. Having already scaled accounting and IT platforms, Thrive now plans to launch a third vertical focused on regulatory services for critical physical infrastructure and built environments.

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AstroTalk turns unicorn via ESOP buyback

Startups

Spiritual-tech startup AstroTalk has achieved unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation, driven by an ESOP buyback funded through business profits. Founded in 2017, the company expanded from astrology consultations into spiritual commerce. In FY25, AstroTalk reported revenue of Rs 1,176 crore and a profit before tax of Rs 285 crore. This valuation marks a significant increase from its $300 million valuation reported in 2024.

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Yatra’s Q1 Profit Crashes 98% YoY To ₹34 Lakhs

Business

Online travel aggregator Yatra reported a significant drop in consolidated net profit for Q1 FY27, plummeting 97.9% to ₹34 Lakhs from ₹16 Cr in the previous year's quarter. This decline was driven by a 10.4% decrease in operational revenue, which fell to ₹187.9 Cr from ₹209.8 Cr. Total income reached ₹192 Cr, while total expenses decreased slightly by 3.6% to ₹191.3 Cr during the period.

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Uber Freight reportedly investigating after hacking group claims data breach

Startups

The Helix hacking group claimed responsibility for a data breach at Uber Freight, stealing mailboxes, cloud storage, and dispatch documents. Uber Freight stated that business operations remain unaffected. The hackers, part of the UNC6671 collective, typically use voice phishing to gain system access. Google reports that Helix has collected over $10.6 million in ransoms this year by targeting transportation and financial firms through social engineering tactics.

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Mesh, Automattic’s CRM for everyone, comes to Android

Startups

Automattic's personal CRM, Mesh, has launched on Android, offering network visualization and contact management tools. The app supports platform-specific features like split-screen views and widgets, with real-time synchronization across devices. Mesh integrates with the Beeper messaging app and introduces Nexus AI to help users navigate large networks. Supported by subscriptions, the service prioritizes privacy and targets both business executives and individual consumers via Google Play.

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Why Stream ring-maker Sandbar says the future of AI wearables is voice

Startups

AI notetaking hardware is evolving from pendants and pins to wearables like rings. Sandbar, the startup behind the private voice ring Stream, has raised $36 million, including a $23 million Series A led by Adjacent and Kindred Ventures. In a TechCrunch Equity podcast, CEO Mina Fahmi discussed the challenges of previous voice devices and his belief that prioritizing human control is essential for the success of wearable technology.

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Bank Of America To Buy 49.9% Stake In Jio Financial Services’ NBFC Arm For $1.9 Bn

Business

Bank of America's subsidiary, NB Holdings, has signed a joint venture agreement to invest up to ₹18,268.2 crore in Jio Financial Services' NBFC arm, Jio Credit. The US bank will acquire up to a 49.9% stake, starting with an initial 26.5% holding. This partnership aligns with JFS's strategy of collaborating with global firms like BlackRock and Allianz to scale its fintech operations and expand financial access in India.

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Tesla wants to build a $10B solar factory in Texas

Startups

Tesla plans to build a massive solar panel factory, Project Crystal Sun, southwest of Houston, Texas. The project could cost up to $10.1 billion and create approximately 9,700 full-time jobs. Tesla is seeking tax incentives to offset costs, aiming for completion by 2028 with production starting in 2029. This facility supports Tesla's goal of establishing 100 gigawatts of solar manufacturing capacity across the United States by 2028.

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Form Energy raises $750M to build more 100-hour batteries for the grid

Startups

Battery startup Form Energy raised $750 million to expand its West Virginia manufacturing capacity. Specializing in iron-air batteries that provide long-duration storage for up to 100 hours, the company offers a cheaper, non-Chinese alternative to lithium-ion technology. Driven by the AI data center boom and rising electricity demand, Form Energy has secured major clients like Google and seen its commercial project backlog grow fourfold.

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Lovable confirms new $13.3B valuation, raises another $400M

Startups

European vibe-coding startup Lovable has raised $400 million in a Series C round led by Menlo Ventures and the Scaleup Europe Fund, reaching a $13.3 billion valuation. The company reported $500 million in annualized run rate revenue in June and currently hosts 60 million projects with 900 million monthly visitors. Lovable utilizes an in-house AI model and recently signed a multiyear agreement with Google Cloud to expand its infrastructure.

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Facebook officially rolls out its standalone Creator Studio app with AI tools for creators

Startups

"Facebook has launched the AI-powered Creator Studio app for iOS users in the United States and Canada. Designed to compete with TikTok and YouTube, the app provides creators with personalized growth tips, performance insights, and an AI assistant for managing community engagement. Key features include automated comment drafting and a daily priorities feed, helping creators optimize their content strategy while reducing reliance on third-party AI tools.".

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How a $250 million acquisition collapsed into allegations of fraud and forged signatures

Startups

Minute Media terminated its $250 million acquisition of AI clipping startup VideoVerse following allegations of widespread fraud. Founder Vinayak Shrivastav faces multiple lawsuits from investors, creditors, and a former executive, who claim he forged documents and misappropriated millions of dollars. While VideoVerse initially appeared successful with high-profile clients, the deal collapsed amid discoveries of significant discrepancies, leaving investors and creditors seeking restitution in court.

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Karnataka unveils Tathyakosh, putting 1.5 million datasets on one searchable platform

Startups

The Government of Karnataka has launched Tathyakosh, a non-commercial Digital Public Good designed to simplify the discovery of public data. The platform indexes over 1.5 million datasets from 458 repositories across 16 sectors, including health and agriculture. By providing a searchable interface and quality assessments, Tathyakosh helps researchers, developers, and policymakers access critical information to advance India's AI capabilities without storing the data itself.

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After Microsoft threatened legal action, a security researcher publishes a new Windows zero-day bug

Startups

Security researcher Nightmare Eclipse has disclosed a new zero-day vulnerability in Windows called ShieldBreak. The flaw targets Windows Defender, allowing attackers to escalate permissions for full system and data access on Windows 10, 11, and Windows Server 2025. This exploit bypasses a previous patch for the RoguePlanet bug. Microsoft has not yet released a fix, amid ongoing tensions with the researcher over bug disclosure policies.

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