Author: potus

The race for global supremacy in AI and the existential threat it represents to the status quo in the tech industry, and beyond, has led to record venture investment in startups.The top five companies on this year’s Disruptor 50 list — including a new No. 1 Disruptor from the defense tech sector — have a combined valuation of just under $500 billion. That is more than the combined total valuation of almost every past Disruptor 50 list over the last 12 years.One recently hauled in the largest VC round ever, and as consumer and business use of AI rapidly grows,…

This year’s Disruptor 50 list, topped by Anduril in the No. 1 spot, and then OpenAI, showcases 50 companies that are challenging the status quo and using technology (most often, AI) to transform a range of industries.What’s particularly notable about this year’s list is how the sectors represented illustrate key trends not just in technology and VC, but also in politics and society. This is the first time in the 13 years of the Disruptor 50 list that it’s been topped by a defense tech company. The defense tech sector isn’t just represented by Anduril, with Flock Safety, Saronic Technologies…

French founder of artificial intelligence startup Mistral AI, Arthur Mensch, attends the Viva Technology show at Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles in Paris, France, on May 22, 2024.Chesnot | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesFrench artificial intelligence firm Mistral is on Tuesday launching its first reasoning model to compete with rival options from the likes of OpenAI and China’s DeepSeek.”We’re announcing in a couple of hours our new reasoning model, which is very much competitive with all the others and has the specificity of being able to reason in multiple languages,” CEO Arthur Mensch told CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal onstage…

A delivery van outfitted with Wayve’s autonomous driving software is part of the fleet of vehicles making grocery deliveries across London.Source: WayveUber on Tuesday announced it’s partnered with self-driving car technology firm Wayve to launch trials of fully autonomous rides in the U.K.The ride-hailing app said the pilot would be the first of its kind for the company, as it allow users to take Uber rides without a safety driver present — a standard of autonomous driving described by the industry as “Level 4.” Self-driving vehicles have become a common sight in San Francisco, where Google’s autonomous driving venture Waymo offers…

After persistent questioning from members of Congress on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth turned to his acting comptroller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, who provided the amount it would cost to send the National Guard and Marines to immigration protests in Los Angeles. She said the $134 million will come from operations and maintenance accounts. Other news we’re following:Trump deploys 2,000 more National Guard troops to LA: A total of 4,100 National Guard members, along with 700 Marines, are now headed to Los Angeles, escalating a military presence that local officials and Gov. Gavin Newsom don’t want. RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC…

U.S. consumer spending on Temu fell about 36% in May compared to a year earlier, while it fell 13% over the same period on Shein, according to trend data from Consumer Edge. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesTemu and Shein are pivoting to Europe as their business in the U.S. takes a major hit from unfavorable trade policies. But the China-founded budget e-commerce apps may not receive a warm reception in their new target markets. In recent weeks, complaints have been filed against Temu and Shein in the EU, accusing them of unsavory business tactics. That comes as the bloc prepares…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Marines that deployed to the Los Angeles area on orders from President Donald Trump have not yet been called to respond to the city’s immigration protests and are there only to protect federal officials and property, the Marine Corps commandant said Tuesday. The 700 Marines and another 2,000 National Guard troops were ordered to LA on Monday, escalating a military presence that local officials and Gov. Gavin Newsom do not want and that the police chief says makes it harder to handle the protests safely. A convoy of buses moves along Interstate Highway 10 after…

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 09, 2025 in Cupertino, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesApple’s annual developer conference on Monday lacked the splashy announcement that fans are used to seeing at WWDC. There was nothing like the Vision Pro reveal from 2023 or the Apple Intelligence announcement last year.But there was an important software update that, later this year, will change the way all of Apple’s major devices, from iPhones and Mac laptops to Vision Pro virtual reality headsets, will look. It’s a new design language that…

(The Center Square) − Last week, lawmakers passed legislation to address “legacy lawsuits” against oil and gas companies over alleged environmental damage.Those attempts on Sunday came in the form of amendments to a 200-page bill that was originally only meant as a restructuring of the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Not every amendment on Senate Bill 244 survived, but those that did were enough to have Gov. Jeff Landry celebrating on X. “Closing the book on legacy lawsuits means real progress and predictability for Louisiana’s energy future,” Landry wrote in his post, thanking Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Abbeville, and Rep. Jacob…

Signage is seen at the United States Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., August 29, 2020.Andrew Kelly | ReutersFederal prosecutors in Brooklyn have charged the founder of a U.S.-based cryptocurrency payments firm with operating what they allege was a sophisticated international money laundering scheme that moved over half a billion dollars on behalf of sanctioned Russian banks and other entities.Iurii Gugnin, a 38-year-old Russian national living in Manhattan, was arrested and arraigned Monday and ordered held without bail pending trial. Gugnin faces a 22-count indictment accusing him of wire and bank fraud, violating U.S. sanctions and export controls, money…