AI and Tech Updates: Clair Raises $23.2 Million, Fortnite Returns, and More!

OWITH.ai - Only What's Important to Hear around AI and Tech

Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world. Clair, an earned wage access startup, recently raised $23.2 million in funding to support its service that allows employees to access their wages before payday. The company prioritizes legal compliance, transparency, and customer trust, setting it apart in the fintech industry. Founder Nico Simko's proactive approach to regulation has resonated with investors like Thrive Capital, enabling Clair to build partnerships with major enterprise clients and expand its services. The recent funding round will support Clair's continued growth and mission to provide financial solutions for employees living paycheck-to-paycheck.Fortnite has made a grand return to the Apple App Store in the U.S. after a lengthy legal battle with Apple over in-app payment policies. Google has launched its "AI mode" in the U.S., integrating a conversational AI chatbot into its search experience. Waymo, the self-driving car company, is not yet profitable despite reaching 10 million paid trips. Intel is considering divesting its network and "edge" unit, which generated $5.8 billion in revenue last year. AI is three times more likely to take a woman's job than a man's, according to a UN report. China aims to double its AI industry value by 2027.Elon Musk reaffirms his commitment to Tesla in a world where emotions impact investment strategies and opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia are unlocking. The Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh highlights the changing culture and challenges faced by women in leadership roles. Cultural context is essential, as highlighted by H.E. Dr. Hala Al-Tuwaijri, the first woman to lead the Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission. The event also features an interactive art installation designed by Caroline Ghosn, offering attendees nuggets of wisdom. The summit includes interviews with influential women like Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture, who emphasizes the importance of constantly learning new skills.Kumo AI has developed a highly efficient and accurate RFM model based on graph neural networks and transformer architecture, outperforming traditional machine learning models and large language models. This model can handle various predictions without the need for extensive training or specific datasets. Microsoft introduced new AI agent tools to streamline agent development for business tasks. The Fortune Most Powerful Women list includes prominent figures in the AI industry, highlighting the contributions of women in advancing AI technology.Microsoft is proposing new ideas for the Open Agentic Web, focusing on the importance of digital payments in creating a new content marketplace for AI. Stablecoins could revolutionize micro-transactions, enabling seamless transfers and automated transactions. Embracing the potential for a new marketplace for data generation is crucial for realizing the full potential of the human web and shaping a more dynamic online ecosystem.President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law, aiming to curb the distribution of nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals will acquire 23andMe for $256 million. In other tech news, Circle is in talks to sell to Coinbase or Ripple, Nintendo partners with Samsung for chips, JPMorgan will allow clients to buy bitcoin, and GitHub introduces an AI coding agent for GitHub Copilot.The impact of AI on the workforce is discussed, emphasizing that while AI can replace certain skills within a job, it cannot fully replace entire jobs. CEOs at Fortune's Workplace Innovation Summit stress the need for employees to adapt quickly to changes in how they work and find jobs.J

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