➡️ Major Updates to Threads - Meta Has Released A Significant Update For Its Microblogging Network, Threads

Hey there! It's Wednesday, July 19th, and boy, do we have some exciting news for you today! We've got many awesome AI updates from both Meta and Microsoft. So, without further ado, let's dive in and check out the top headlines!

• Threads Receive Major Update

• Meta Launch Llama 2 With Microsoft

• Musk's Dual Role Under Scrutiny

• Microsoft 365 AI Copilot Costs $30

• Unleashing iOS 17: Top Features

• and more...

READ TIME: ~4.0 MINUTES

🌐 Tech Companies

Musk's Dual Role Under Scrutiny (5-minute read)

Elizabeth Warren has urged the SEC to investigate potential conflicts of interest stemming from Elon Musk's roles as Tesla CEO and Twitter owner. She expressed concern over the misappropriation of Tesla's resources, corporate governance violations, and possible harm to Tesla shareholders due to Twitter's ad revenue reliance on Tesla competitors.

Threads Receive Major Update (3-minute read)

Meta has released a significant update for its microblogging network, Threads. The new update, primarily for iOS, introduces a "Follows" tab, built-in translations, and other enhancements, including feed scrolling improvements, an option to follow back, and reduce binary size.

Spain Slams Amazon, Apple (2-minute read)

Spain's antitrust watchdog has fined Amazon and Apple $218 million over anti-competitive practices, claiming their 2018 agreement unjustifiably limited Apple product sellers and influenced online device pricing. Both companies plan to appeal.

🚀 Startup Scene

Nvidia Eyes $1B Lambda Investment (4-minute read)

Nvidia may invest in AI cloud operator Lambda Inc., potentially raising up to $300 million at a $1 billion post-money valuation.

Netcraft Raises $100M for Cybersecurity (3-minute read)

UK-based Netcraft secured a $100 million investment from Spectrum Equity. The cybersecurity firm, specializing in cybercrime detection and disruption, plans to expand services and strengthen customer support. The funding comes amid the increased complexity of cyber threats and robust market growth in the cybersecurity sector.

Data Startup Hammerspace Secures $56M (3-minute read)

Hammerspace, a company enabling the effective use of vast unstructured data, raised $56 million from investors, including Prosperity7 Ventures and ARK Invest. Co-founded by tech pioneer David Flynn, the firm serves large-scale clients like Blue Origin and National Science Foundation. Its innovative system provides convenient and fast access to large data volumes, which is essential for applications like AI processing.

🤖 AI Corner

Meta, Microsoft Deepen AI Ties & Launch Llama 2 (3-minute read)

Meta and Microsoft have expanded their partnership by launching support for the Llama 2 family of large language models (LLMs) on Azure and Windows. This integration enables Azure users to fine-tune and deploy various Llama 2 models and facilitates Windows developers to incorporate AI experiences in their applications.

Insight: We believe this extended partnership between Microsoft and Meta will significantly influence the AI industry. By democratizing AI, developers and organizations globally can create more advanced, AI-powered tools and experiences, thus pushing the boundaries of AI innovation.

Meta, Qualcomm Boost Mobile AI (2-minute read)

Qualcomm and Meta are partnering to allow Meta's large language model, Llama 2, to run on Qualcomm chips in phones and PCs starting from 2024, which could reduce AI running costs and enhance applications like intelligent virtual assistants.

Microsoft Unveils Vector Search (5-minute read)

Microsoft announced a slew of AI enhancements to Azure at its Inspire conference, including Vector Search and the Document Generative AI solution. Vector Search uses machine learning to quicken search through the meaning and context of unstructured data. The Document Generative AI solution integrates Microsoft's AI-powered document processing services, enabling more automated tasks like report summarization and knowledge mining.

Microsoft 365 AI Copilot Costs $30 (5-minute read)

Microsoft unveiled pricing for its AI-infused Copilot for Microsoft 365 at the Inspire partner event, costing $30 per user for business accounts. In tandem, the company announced Bing Chat Enterprise, a security-focused version of the AI chatbot for handling sensitive business data.

💰´Markets & Money

US Stocks Soar on Bank Earnings (2-minute read)

Despite a drop in retail sales and industrial production, US stocks enjoyed an upswing, driven by impressive earnings from Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. Investors eagerly anticipate upcoming reports from Tesla and Netflix.

Web3 Startups Face VC Funding Dip (3-minute read)

A Crunchbase report reveals a 76% plunge in venture capital funding for Web3 startups in Q2 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, with total funds raised this year just $3.6 billion.

⚡ Quick links

Twitter Revives Long-Form 'Notes' (4-minute read)

Elon Musk confirms that Twitter is reintroducing 'Twitter Notes', now called 'Articles', allowing users to publish long-form, mixed media content.

Unleashing iOS 17: Top Features (3-minute read)

The iOS 17 public beta is now available, introducing a host of new features including smart display mode, interactive widgets, Live Voicemail, offline Apple Maps, and various health and message upgrades. Minor bugs and performance issues may occur during the beta phase.

OnePlus 12's Enhanced Features Unveiled (2-minute read)

Leaked specs for the OnePlus 12 reveal upgrades including a 5,400mAh battery, 100-watt wired and 50-watt wireless charging, a 64-megapixel telephoto camera, and an improved Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.

💲Advertise | 🐦 Twitter