Truecaller, a Swedish company, has announced that it will discontinue its call-recording feature on iOS devices starting September 30. The decision comes after the company opted to focus on its core offering: fighting spam calls. Truecaller had introduced call recording in the first place to entice iPhone users to upgrade, but the feature was complicated…
IT on The Soothsayer
Astronomer, a data operations startup, is attempting to shift the narrative following a social media scandal involving its CEO and chief people officer. The company has released a tongue-in-cheek video starring actress Gwyneth Paltrow, aiming to refocus attention on its technology and products. The video acknowledges the recent controversy while maintaining a lighthearted tone. Forecast…
Allianz Life, a US insurance giant, has confirmed that hackers stole the personal information of the majority of its customers, financial professionals, and employees during a mid-July data breach. The breach occurred when a malicious threat actor gained access to a third-party, cloud-based CRM system used by Allianz Life. The company has 1.4 million customers…
OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence company, has announced plans to launch its first AI data center in Europe, Stargate Norway, in partnership with Nscale and Aker. The data center will be located in northern Norway and will provide 230 MW capacity, with plans to expand to 290 MW. The facility will run entirely on renewable…
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard to help Saint Paul recover from a cyberattack that has disrupted city operations and public services. The city, with over 300,000 residents, was targeted by hackers, and officials have not disclosed the nature of the breach. The National Guard will assist in ensuring continuity of…
A new AI coding challenge, the K Prize, has been launched by Databricks and Perplexity co-founder Andy Konwinski. The challenge aims to set a new bar for AI-powered software engineers by testing their ability to deal with real-world programming problems. The first winner of the challenge, Eduardo Rocha de Andrade, won with a surprisingly low…
Apple has updated its age-rating system for apps, adding 13+, 16+, and 18+ ratings and removing 12+ and 17+ age ranges. The new system requires developers to answer age-rating questions and disclose sensitive content, aiming to provide parents with more specific guidance on app suitability for their children. The changes are part of Apple’s broader…
Google has entered the rapidly growing market of AI-powered coding tools with its new tool, Opal. This visual workflow-based tool allows users to create mini web apps using text prompts, making it accessible to non-technical people. Opal is currently available in the US through Google Labs, and it joins a long list of competitors, including…
Figma, a popular design tool, is set to go public with an initial public offering (IPO) that could raise up to $1.5 billion. The company’s founder and CEO, Dylan Field, will sell 2.35 million shares, cashing out over $62 million at the midrange price. Existing shareholders, including venture investors like Index, Greylock, Kleiner Perkins, and…
Rune Technologies, a startup founded by veterans, has raised $24 million in a Series A round to develop AI-enabled software for military logistics. The company’s flagship product, TyrOS, aims to transform manual logistics processes into intelligent supply webs that predict future needs and optimize current resources. With its edge-first architecture and deep learning models, TyrOS…