AI search startup Genspark has secured $100 million in a Series A funding round, raising its valuation to $530 million as it aims to disrupt Google’s dominance in the search engine market.
Backed by United States and Singapore-based investors, the Palo Alto-based firm now boasts over two million monthly active users. The funding follows a $60 million seed round last June, continuing Genspark’s rapid growth.
Led by CEO Eric Jing, formerly head of Baidu’s AI-powered Xiaodu unit, Genspark is positioning itself as a major contender in the AI-driven search space. Its platform uses multiple AI models working together to conduct detailed online research, aiming to provide users with streamlined, citation-backed answers—an approach that contrasts Google’s traditional list of links.
Google is also testing AI-enhanced search results, highlighting the growing pressure to innovate in the industry. Genspark’s latest funding positions it to expand its technology and user base as the battle for AI-powered search heats up.
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Google has quietly disclosed the pricing for its Veo 2 video-generating AI model, setting the cost at 50 cents per second of video. This translates to $30 per minute or $1,800 per hour, positioning Veo 2 as a premium tool for AI-generated video content.
While unlikely to produce big-budget epics, the model can create clips of two minutes or longer, as highlighted in Google’s initial announcement.
Jon Barron, a Google DeepMind researcher, compared Veo 2’s cost to Hollywood productions, noting that Avengers: Endgame had a production cost of around $32,000 per second.
Though Veo 2 operates at a fraction of that price, its output serves different purposes, targeting creators seeking efficient video generation without traditional production expenses.
The AI video generation space has grown increasingly competitive, with OpenAI recently releasing its Sora model to ChatGPT Pro subscribers for $200 a month. Google’s move to price Veo 2 publicly reflects the broader push to commercialise AI video tools as demand surges among content creators and businesses.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology is set to cut up to 500 staff members, a move that could devastate the US AI Safety Institute and its related programme, Chips for America. Recent reports indicate that these cuts are primarily aimed at probationary employees, with some already receiving verbal notice of termination.
Established under a previous US presidential directive, the AI Safety Institute has faced an uncertain future ever since its inception. The current government’s plans to reduce its workforce are raising concerns among experts, who warn that such reductions will hinder the nation’s capacity to develop critical safety standards in AI development.
Critics from various AI safety and policy organisations have voiced their alarm, emphasising that these cuts occur at a time when specialised expertise is essential. The potential loss of institutional knowledge could leave the government ill-equipped to manage emerging risks in artificial intelligence.
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A new digital wellbeing companion, known as Sonny, is now being introduced in several schools across nine districts. Developed by Sonar Mental Health, this tool combines artificial intelligence with human oversight to provide initial mental health support to students.
Students can send their queries via text, with the AI suggesting responses that are ultimately reviewed by a dedicated team of professionals experienced in psychology, social work, and crisis intervention. This approach comes at a time when many schools are facing a severe shortage of qualified counsellours, with recent data revealing that 17 per cent of high schools lack a dedicated counsellour.
CEO Drew Bavir has emphasised that Sonny is not meant to replace professional therapy. Instead, it acts as a first point of contact, with Sonar staff ready to work alongside schools and parents to secure access to further specialist support when needed. This initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing the growing mental health challenges within schools.
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London-based model Alexsandrah Gondora is now utilising an AI replica of herself for photo shoots, allowing designers and retailers to book her digital double without the need for her physical presence. This innovative approach not only saves time but also cuts down the costs traditionally associated with high-budget campaigns.
While this technology opens up endless creative possibilities, it has also sparked concerns among industry professionals. Critics fear that the widespread use of AI-generated images could eventually displace traditional models, not just in the UK, but globally. Replacing make-up artists, photographers, and even promote a homogenised standard of beauty.
Gondora, however, remains optimistic about the change, emphasising that she retains control over her digital likeness and benefits from the new model. The rise of such digital innovations is prompting calls for new regulations to ensure that models are fairly compensated and their rights protected in this evolving field.
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Researchers from the University of Tokyo and Waseda University have developed the world’s largest biohybrid robot hand, which utilises cultivated human muscle tissue to perform complex movements. The 18-centimetre hand, complete with five individually moving fingers, incorporates a novel “sushi roll” design that bundles multiple thin muscle tissue strings to ensure sufficient nutrient supply and strength. Gold electrodes are employed to stimulate the tissues, translating straight muscle contractions into the rotational motion of the joints.
This innovative Japanese device is capable of delicate tasks such as grasping small objects, although its muscle tissues exhibit a decrease in force after approximately ten minutes of continuous action, recovering fully after an hour of rest. Such a breakthrough overcomes the limitations of earlier biohybrid devices, which were restricted to single-joint movements and were much smaller due to nutrient diffusion challenges in thicker muscle constructs.
Professor Shoji Takeuchi, specialising in mechanical engineering, believes that this research paves the way for the development of humanlike robots and precision prosthetic hands. The team’s findings, published in Science Robotics, mark a significant advance in the fusion of biological elements with mechanical systems, promising a future where robotics more closely mimic the capabilities of the human body.
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Bluesky, the rapidly growing decentralised social media platform, has partnered with the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). As part of the collaboration, Bluesky will gain access to the IWF’s tools, which include a list of websites containing CSAM and a catalogue of digital fingerprints, or ‘hashes,’ that identify abusive images. This partnership aims to reduce the risk of users encountering illegal content while helping to keep the platform safe from such material.
Bluesky’s head of trust and safety, Aaron Rodericks, welcomed the partnership as a significant step in protecting users from harmful content. With the platform’s rapid growth—reaching over 30 million users by the end of last month—the move comes at a crucial time. In November, Bluesky announced plans to expand its moderation team to address the rise in harmful material following the influx of new users.
The partnership also highlights the growing concern over online child sexual abuse material. The IWF reported record levels of harmful content last year, with over 291,000 web pages removed from the internet. The foundation’s CEO, Derek Ray-Hill, stressed the urgency of tackling the crisis, calling for a collective effort from governments, tech companies, and society.
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Trump Media & Technology Group and Rumble have filed an emergency motion in a US court against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The firms argue that his orders violate US sovereignty, constitutional rights, and laws.
The dispute began when Moraes ordered Rumble to suspend its services in Brazil until it complied with local regulations. The judge also threatened criminal charges against Rumble’s CEO, Chris Pavlovski, for non-compliance. The company had previously sued Moraes in a US court over alleged illegal censorship.
Moraes has been a key figure in Brazil’s crackdown on disinformation, particularly during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency.
He has also ordered fines and restrictions on accounts linked to Bolsonaro allies, including Allan dos Santos, who is under investigation for spreading false information.
The Brazilian Supreme Court has yet to respond to the motion, while Rumble and Trump Media continue their legal battle in the US.
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Qatar has signed a five-year agreement with Scale AI to integrate AI into government services. The partnership aims to enhance efficiency through predictive analytics, automation, and advanced data analysis, according to the country’s communications and information technology ministry.
Scale AI will explore over 50 AI applications tailored for Qatar’s public sector during the contract period. Trevor Thompson, the company’s global head of growth, described the initiative as a model for other governments worldwide and an opportunity to accelerate impactful AI adoption. The financial details of the agreement remain undisclosed.
Qatar is intensifying efforts to position itself as a leader in AI, competing with regional players such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The San Francisco-based Scale AI, founded in 2016, specialises in providing high-quality labelled data for AI training and serves major clients, including Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, and OpenAI.
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Elon Musk’s Starlink network is facing increasing competition in the satellite internet market, particularly from SpaceSail, a Shanghai-based company backed by the Chinese government, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper. SpaceSail is expanding rapidly, having entered Brazil in November and begun operations in Kazakhstan by January. Meanwhile, Brazil is also in talks with Project Kuiper and Canada’s Telesat to diversify its options for providing high-speed internet to remote areas.
SpaceSail plans to launch 648 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites this year, with the ambition of deploying up to 15,000 by 2030. This move aims to compete directly with Starlink, which currently operates around 7,000 satellites but plans to increase its constellation to 42,000 by the end of the decade. China’s push into satellite internet is part of its broader strategy to dominate space and digital technologies, which has raised concerns among Western governments, particularly regarding Beijing’s potential to extend its censorship and surveillance reach globally.
China’s rapid expansion in satellite technology, supported by state funding and military research, has intensified. It has launched 263 LEO satellites in the past year alone, and researchers are focusing on low-latency systems to compete with Starlink’s capabilities. The Chinese government is also exploring ways to track and monitor satellite constellations, potentially targeting Starlink as a strategic competitor.
As competition in the satellite internet sector intensifies, particularly between the US, China, and other players like Brazil, the geopolitical and military implications of these space technologies are becoming clearer. With nations striving to secure positions in space, experts warn of an increasingly complex and competitive environment.
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