used

“LLM Solution: Langdock Secures $3M Investment from General Catalyst to Support Businesses in Escaping Vendor Dependency”

Langdoc Founders
That means there’s a market for a layer between companies and Large Language Models (LLMs) — something companies can use to pick LLMs easily without needing to commit for all time to one platform. That’s the market Langdock is targeting with its chat interface that sits between LLMs and a company. “Companies don’t want to have a vendor lock-in on just one of those LLM providers,” Lennard Schmidt, co-founder and CEO of Langdock, told TechCrunch. In addition to the chat interface, the company also offers security, cloud and on-premises solutions. In contrast, Langdock’s chat interface works for a broader range of use cases and can be used by any kind of staff.

“Exploring the Possibility of AI for Safeguarding Youthful Internet Users in the UK”

Gettyimages 499479381
The tools would be part of a wider set of proposals Ofcom is putting together focused on online child safety. Consultations for the comprehensive proposals will start in the coming weeks with the AI consultation coming later this year, Ofcom said. AI researchers are finding ever-more sophisticated ways of using AI to detect, for example, deep fakes, as well as to verify users online. It found that 32% of the kids reported that they’d seen worrying content online, but only 20% of their parents said they reported anything. Among children aged 16-17, Ofcom said, 25% said they were not confident about distinguishing fake from real online.

Hacker Claims Exploit Used on Streamers in Apex Legends Has Been Resolved by Game Developers

Apex Legends Concept Art
Last month, a hacker wreaked havoc during an esports tournament of the popular shooter game Apex Legends, hacking two well-known streamers mid-game to make it look like they were using cheats. “The exploit I’ve used in [Apex Legends Global Series] is fully patched,” the hacker who goes by Destroyer2009 said in an online chat. Or other video game hacking incidents? Or other video game hacking incidents? Destroyer2009’s hacks were high-profile, disruptive, and caused a big stir in the Apex Legends community.

From Robotics Consuming Themselves to Revamping Heavy Industry: The Transformation of Found Energy

Gadi Ruschin Found Energy
The aluminum used to make the spacecraft held more than 10 times the energy of any cutting-edge battery. To release the energy embodied in refined aluminum, Godart had to figure out how to get past the metal’s defenses, so to speak. “One of the hardest elements of heavy industry to decarbonize is the heat,” Godart said. Aluminum is slightly heavier than diesel or bunker fuel, but its energy density could be game changing for those industries. One could imagine future ships powered by aluminum dropping their waste powder off at a smelter to be refueled for a return voyage.

“Pricing Plunge: Tesla, Llama 3’s Arrival Confirmed by Meta, & Apple Embraces Emulators in App Store”

Gettyimages 1247646075 E1700575788127
Tesla drops prices, Meta confirms Llama 3 release, and Apple allows emulators in the App StoreHeya, folks, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that recaps the past few days in tech. Google’s annual enterprise-focused dev conference, Google Cloud Next, dominated the headlines — and we had plenty of coverage from the event. Lorenzo wrote about how hackers stole over ~340,000 Social Security numbers from government consulting firm Greylock McKinnon Associates (GMA). Elsewhere, Sarah had the story on Spotify’s personalized AI playlists, which lets users create a playlist based on written prompts. Emulators in the store: Apple updated its App Store rules to globally allow emulators for retro console games an option for downloading titles.

Apple expands repair options for used iPhone components

Apple Eu Self Service Repair Iphone E1670324694527
On Thursday, Apple announced that it has opened its iPhone repair process to include used components. Today’s news adds all components — including the battery, display and camera — which Apple requires to be configured for full functionality. “‘Parts pairing’ is used a lot outside and has this negative connotation,” Apple senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, tells TechCrunch. “I think it’s led people to believe that we somehow block third-party parts from working, which we don’t. Ternus cites a recent UL Solutions study as evidence that third-party battery modules, in particular, can present a hazard to users.

Model N to Go Private in $1.25B Acquisition by Vista Equity Partners

Modeln E1712579212769
Model N, a platform used by companies such as Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and AMD to automate decisions related to pricing, incentives, and compliance, is going private in a $1.25 billion deal. Vista Equity Partners is doling out $30 per share in the all-cash transaction, representing a 12% premium on Friday’s closing price, and 16% on its 30-day average. Founded in 1999, Model N’s software integrates with various data sources and internal systems to help companies analyze trends, pricing efficacy, market demand, and more. The platform is typically used in industries such as pharmaceuticals and life sciences, where there may be complex pricing structures, and where regulatory or market changes can impact business. However, its valuation has generally hovered below the $1 billion market for the past six months, sparking Vista Equity Partners into action today.

Rubrik’s Initial Public Offering Filing Unveils the Formation of an AI Governance Board. Prepare for It.

Gettyimages 1387627692
According to the Form S-1, the new AI governance committee includes managers from Rubrik’s engineering, product, legal and information security teams. Here’s why having AI governance could become the new normal. “Aside from its strategic role to devise and oversee an AI governance program, from an operational perspective, AI governance committees are a key tool in addressing and minimizing risks,” he said. The EU AI Act has teeth, and “the penalties for non-compliance with the AI Act are significant,” British-American law firm Norton Rose Fulbright noted. Establishing AI governance committees likely will be at least one way to try to help on the trust front.

Fine-tuning the User Demographic of LinkedIn: Strategizing for Those Straddling Between TikTok and the Older Twitter

Gettyimages 1875376085 E1711624734190
Two weeks ago, TechCrunch broke the news that LinkedIn was getting into games, helping users “deepen relationships” through puzzle-based interactions. And on Wednesday, TechCrunch reported that the Microsoft-owned social network was experimenting with short-form videos. It’s as if LinkedIn is targeting a whole new “type” of user — one caught in limbo somewhere between two other well-known social networks. And LinkedIn shouldn’t try to be Twitter or TikTok — it’s aimed at an entirely different audience. And now with games and short-form videos in the mix, LinkedIn wants even more of the action.

Introducing Amazon One: Revolutionizing Checkout with Innovative Palm Scanning App

Amazon One App
Amazon announced Thursday the launch of its new app for Amazon One, its contactless palm recognition service that allows customers to hover their palm over a device in order to purchase from select places, including over 500 Whole Foods Market stores, Amazon stores, and more than 150 third-party locations. Instead of signing up for Amazon One at a physical retail location, users can now download the Amazon One app (available for iOS or Android devices) and take a photo of their palm right at home. The company explains that all palm images taken via the new app are encrypted and sent to a secure Amazon One domain in the AWS cloud. Amazon says that Amazon One has been used over 8 million times. The app launch follows Amazon’s expansion of the technology for enterprise identity purposes, which gives companies the ability to authenticate employees when entering.