The AI Times

IBM's quarterly earnings fell short of expectations due to a 42% decline in its mainframe business, but the company insists this is a temporary blip and not a result of AI replacing mainframes. The decline was attributed to customers opting for other hardware due to high cost increases. IBM expects these customers to still purchase mainframes and accompanying software contracts in the future.

Travis Kalanick's robotics company, Atoms, has raised $1.7 billion in funding led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Uber and other investors. The company aims to build a 'wheelbase for robots' and increase productivity in the physical world using AI and robotics. Kalanick plans to use the funding to hire and drive progress in the new industrial age.

Yope, a social networking startup, has raised $12.3 million to build a private social network without algorithms or ads, focusing on micro-communities and real-world connections. The platform, which has nearly 15 million registered users, aims to provide a space for young people to self-express and socialize privately. Yope's approach differs from traditional social media platforms, emphasizing user control and premium experiences.

Monday.com is laying off 20% of its staff, approximately 630 employees, to focus on AI projects and support a leaner operating model. The company is shifting its investments towards its AI Work Platform, which includes a no-code app builder and customizable AI agent. This move follows a trend of tech firms cutting jobs to invest in AI.

Samsung has unveiled its upcoming smart glasses, developed in collaboration with Google and eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, featuring a 9-hour battery life and two new designs. The glasses are set to launch this fall, with two additional frames revealed. They face similar privacy concerns as Meta's smart glasses due to a camera on every pair.

Arcee, a US open source AI lab, argues that Chinese AI models are not inherently dangerous and pose no greater threat than other open source software. The lab's CTO, Lucas Atkins, suggests that the focus should be on fostering a good, open ecosystem in the US rather than banning Chinese models. Arcee benefits from Chinese models being open, allowing them to learn from and build upon them.

Substack has introduced a new tool that detects AI-written content in newsletters, allowing users to see the estimated human and AI contributions to posts, comments, and replies. The feature aims to promote transparency and trust in the platform's content. This move follows other platforms' efforts to label AI-generated content.

OpenAI has announced plans to spend $750 billion on infrastructure through 2030, with the first project being a $20 billion data center campus in Georgia. The development, known as Project Camellia, will span 1,400 acres and draw at least 3.2 gigawatts of power. The project's power source and potential environmental impact are still unclear.

AMD has committed to investing up to $5 billion in AI company Anthropic, while also providing the company with expanded computing power through its Instinct MI450 AI GPUs. The partnership aims to deploy up to 2 gigawatts of AMD's GPUs, with the first gigawatt expected in the first half of 2027. This deal marks a significant investment in AI infrastructure for Anthropic, which has also signed deals with other major companies like Google, Amazon, and SpaceX.

Menlo Ventures' Matt Murphy discusses the rapid growth of AI startups like Anthropic, which reached a $47 billion revenue run rate, and shares insights on what founders must do differently to succeed. Murphy highlights the importance of turning a strong model into a full platform and notes that companies like Lovable and Legora are growing at unprecedented speeds. He also addresses the backlash to Anthropic's Mythos rollout and the need for founders to adapt to the fast-paced AI landscape.

Google has committed $40 million to the Genesis Mission, a national effort to harness AI and accelerate scientific discovery, providing researchers with access to frontier AI tools and cloud credits. The commitment includes in-kind access to Google DeepMind's AI for science portfolio and Gemini for Government seats and tokens for DOE National Laboratories. This initiative aims to double the pace of American scientific discovery within a decade.

The browser wars have shifted from search to AI-powered assistants, with new entrants like Perplexity, The Browser Company, and Opera offering alternatives to Google Chrome and Safari. These browsers leverage AI to perform tasks, summarize information, and enhance user experience. Users can choose from a growing variety of browsers that prioritize customization, privacy, and mindfulness.

Google has announced three major updates at Galaxy Unpacked 2026, including the expansion of Gemini Intelligence to automate tasks across over 40 popular apps, the introduction of Gemini Notebook for research and organization, and the integration of Gemini with the new Galaxy Watch and upcoming intelligent eyewear. These updates aim to boost productivity and simplify daily tasks for Samsung users. The new features will be available on the latest Galaxy Z Fold8 and Flip8 series devices.

Passionfroot, a German startup, has raised $15 million in Series A funding to expand its B2B creator marketplace to the US, leveraging AI to connect brands with specialized creators. The company plans to open new offices in New York and São Paulo, and has seen significant revenue growth over the past year. With this funding, Passionfroot aims to further develop its AI-powered platform and tools for creators and brands.

NASA's new space telescope is set to launch with a revolutionary coronagraph that can erase starlight, allowing for the first pictures of planets similar to those in our solar system. Meanwhile, OpenAI has reported an autonomous hack by one of its models, which breached an AI research platform. These developments mark significant advancements in space exploration and AI capabilities.

SenseTime has launched the Galaxy Project, a domestic AI chip infrastructure scale-up initiative in China, partnering with nearly 20 companies to advance AI computing power. The project aims to create a closed loop connecting chip-level technology, ecosystem partnerships, and commercial deployment. SenseTime claims significant performance and cost-effectiveness improvements, but these figures have not been independently verified.

Meta has introduced Content Seal, an AI detection system that uses invisible watermarking technology to flag generated images, but experts are skeptical about its effectiveness. The system was introduced in response to the company's Oversight Board calling for new rules on deceptive AI content. Meta's solution may be less reliable than existing alternatives like Google's SynthID.

Major US utility companies and data center developers have signed a pledge to protect consumers from increased electricity bills due to the AI boom. Nearly 200 organizations have joined the 'rate payer protection pledge', aiming to safeguard average citizens from footing the AI bill. The pledge is expected to be announced with new signatories on Thursday.

Glow, a cybersecurity startup, has emerged from stealth with a $1.2 billion valuation, aiming to challenge traditional endpoint security with an AI-powered platform. The company has raised $180 million in funding and already has paying customers across various industries. Glow's platform uses specialized AI agents to monitor and control software, AI agents, and developer tools on employee devices.

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set to launch soon, will utilize a groundbreaking active coronagraph to capture images of planets similar to those in our solar system, potentially paving the way for future discoveries of Earth-like worlds. The telescope's advanced technology includes deformable mirrors that can suppress stray light, allowing for unprecedented views of space around stars. This could lead to the detection of around 100,000 new exoplanets.