🤖 ChatGPT's Fame Wanes?

Hello, I hope you had a lovely weekend!

Today is Monday, August 14. Let's dive into today's tech story goodies! Top headlines for this update:

• Musk Tweaks X Payouts

• Meta's Rehiring Spree

• ChatGPT's Fame Wanes?

• Anthropic Upgrades Claude AI

• WhatsApp Boosts Communities

• Venture Funding Rebounds in Q2

• Instagram Collabs

• and more...

READ TIME: 3.8 MINUTES

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Tech Companies

Musk Tweaks X Payouts (5-minute read)

Elon Musk's company, previously known as Twitter, has released its awaited X Premium Ads Revenue Sharing payments. The payouts, delayed from last week, now offer lowered thresholds, making it easier for creators to benefit. Some creators have shared payment data, giving insights into the pay-per-view rates. However, specifics on how the company calculates these rates remain opaque. Verification, bot activity, and advertiser preferences play a role in determining payouts.

Meta's Rehiring Spree (4-minute read)

After a significant layoff of 21,000 employees as part of a cost-saving initiative, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has reportedly started rehiring many, especially in technical roles. This decision aligns with the company's recent upward trajectory and notable stock gains. Amidst these developments, platforms like Instagram Reels and Threads have witnessed substantial user activity.

SoftBank Negotiates Arm Stake (5-minute read)

SoftBank aims to acquire Vision Fund's 25% stake in Arm. The move precedes Arm's Nasdaq listing, valuing it between $60-$70 billion.

Intel Surges, AMD Dips (4-minute read)

Intel rebounds with a 23% market share increase in Q2, while AMD drops 5.3% amidst the fluctuating PC market.

Startup Scene

Venture Funding Rebounds in Q2 (6-minute read)

Venture funding on Carta saw a 26% Q2 rise, amounting to over $15.4 billion, signaling a recovery from previous declines. Despite the quarterly uplift, funding is still 58% down year over year. Interestingly, nearly 20% of the Q2 rounds were down rounds, marking a significant change in valuation dynamics. The geographical landscape of VC is also shifting: the West's dominance reduced, with other regions like the Northeast experiencing a surge. Employee stock option exercises have reached a record low, with only 26% opting in Q2.

Persefoni Nabs $50M Funding (1-minute read)

Persefoni, a top Climate Management & Accounting Platform, secures $50M in Series C-1, led by TPG Rise.

Cyble Secures $24M Funding (1-minute read)

Cyble, merging cybersecurity with AI, lands $24M in Series B, backed by Blackbird Ventures and King River Capital.

AI Corner

ChatGPT's Fame Wanes? (5-minute read)

ChatGPT witnessed a dramatic rise, with 25 million users within a few months of its launch, faster than platforms like Instagram and Spotify. However, recent data suggests waning interest. While total users peaked at 97 million in May, there was a 7% drop in June. Furthermore, engagement on r/chatgpt, a once bustling Reddit forum, has declined. Despite this, AI continues to gain traction in corporate circles, with discussions about its potential applications surging.

Anthropic Upgrades Claude AI (3-minute read)

Anthropic has launched Claude Instant 1.2, an enhanced version that utilizes capabilities from the recently released Claude 2.0. This upgrade showcases better performance in math, coding, and reasoning benchmarks compared to its predecessor.

GPT-4 Boosts Medical Tasks (4-minute read)

Microsoft Research indicates that GPT-4 can efficiently structure clinical data, speeding up medical processes like drug development. The model's performance, even without specialized medical training, surpasses purpose-built systems.

AI Risk Concerns Surge (4-minute read)

Gartner survey ranks generative AI, like ChatGPT, as the second biggest emerging enterprise risk. The main issues include intellectual property rights, data privacy, and cybersecurity.

IBM Partners with Llama 2 (3-minute read)

IBM integrates Meta's Llama 2 into Watsonx, enhancing generative AI capabilities. The release date for Llama 2's full incorporation in watsonx.ai remains undisclosed.

Apps & Gadgets

WhatsApp Boosts Communities (3-minute read)

WhatsApp introduces onboarding screens in its latest beta version (v 2.23.17.2) to guide users on transitioning from group chats to the more encompassing Communities feature. This new enhancement shows possible use cases and offers a full demo for newcomers.

Instagram Collabs (4-minute read)

Instagram introduces "Collabs," letting up to four users collaborate on Carousel, Reel, or Post. Users can co-author content, share with mutual followers, and include music, stickers, and challenges.

Apple Car Key (3-minute read)

Apple's Car Key turns iPhones into digital car keys, unlocking and starting cars via NFC. Enhanced by iPhone's U1 chip, it enables proximity unlocking and prevents accidental lock-ins. Key sharing is available via AirDrop and messaging.

Apple Preps 'Watch X' Overhaul (4-minute read)

Apple is internally discussing a significant overhaul, the “Watch X”, for its smartwatch's 10-year anniversary. Meanwhile, the 2023 Apple Watch updates are expected to be minor, with changes such as faster processors and new colors.

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