Funding and Investment - Isomorphic Labs has raised $600 million in external capital for the first time, led by Thrive Capital with participation from GV and Alphabet [1] - The funding will accelerate the development of Isomorphic's AI drug design engine and support the goal of bringing discovered drugs to clinical trials [1] Company Background - Isomorphic Labs was founded by DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis, leveraging DeepMind's software for AI drug discovery, including the AlphaFold model [2] - The company secured strategic partnerships with Eli Lilly and Novartis last year, potentially generating up to $3 billion in milestone payments for access to its AI model [2] Leadership and Recognition - Demis Hassabis stated that while Isomorphic Labs did not need the capital, the funding will assist in hiring top research scientists [3] - Hassabis and DeepMind researcher John Jumper received a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2024 for their work on AlphaFold [3]

Core Insights - Oracle is facing criticism for its handling of two separate data breaches, one involving patient data from its healthcare subsidiary Oracle Health and the other related to Oracle Cloud servers [1][7][10] Group 1: Oracle Health Breach - The breach involving Oracle Health affects patient data, with the unit having been formed after Oracle's acquisition of Cerner for $28 billion in 2022 [2][3] - Reports indicate that hackers accessed Oracle servers and stole patient data, with notifications sent to some healthcare customers about the breach occurring earlier this year [3][4] - A hacker is reportedly attempting to extort affected hospitals for millions of dollars, raising concerns about the transparency of Oracle's communication regarding the incident [5] Group 2: Oracle Cloud Breach - The separate breach involving Oracle Cloud servers has led to claims that a hacker is offering data of six million Oracle Cloud customers, including authentication data and encrypted passwords [7][9] - Despite mounting evidence, Oracle has denied any breach of its cloud services, stating that no customers experienced a breach or lost data [10][11] - Cybersecurity experts have criticized Oracle for its lack of transparency and communication regarding the incidents, emphasizing the importance of trust and responsibility in handling such cybersecurity issues [11][12]

Core Insights - Apple is enhancing its AI-powered tools, particularly with the introduction of Priority Notifications, which will help users identify time-sensitive notifications more easily [1][5] - The rollout of these features coincides with the release of new software updates, including iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4, expanding the availability of Apple Intelligence to more languages and regions [2][3] Feature Updates - Priority Notifications will allow important updates to be highlighted at the top of the notification stack, improving user experience by reducing the need to sift through nonessential notifications [5] - Additional features include the ability to create a "memory movie" on Mac and a new Sketch style in the Image Playground app for detailed sketches [6] Regional Expansion - Apple Intelligence is now available to iPhone and iPad users in the EU and on the Apple Vision Pro headset in U.S. English, with plans for further expansion [1][7] - The AI suite was initially expected to launch in the EU by April 2025, delayed due to regulatory challenges [7] Language Support - The AI features are now available in multiple new languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese, along with localized English for Singapore and India [2]

Core Viewpoint - Harbinger has filed an objection to the sale of Canoo's assets to its CEO, which may complicate the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings [1] Group 1: Objection Details - Harbinger's objection claims that Canoo has concealed certain assets from the sale process, including assets acquired from the bankrupt EV company Arrival [2] - The objection also states that Canoo listed assets that Harbinger believes the startup did not own, although specific assets were not identified [2] - Harbinger asserts that the sale process has unfairly favored Canoo's CEO, Anthony Aquila, as the bankruptcy trustee accepted his offer without adequately marketing the sale or obtaining an appraisal [3] Group 2: Background Context - The relationship between Harbinger and Canoo has been contentious, with Harbinger being formed by former Canoo employees in 2021, and Canoo previously suing Harbinger for allegedly stealing trade secrets [4] - The trade secret case remains active, and Aquila's purchase includes an interest in any potential settlement Harbinger may owe to Canoo [4] Group 3: Legal Implications - A clause in the purchase agreement gives Aquila and the trustee control over any settlement in the ongoing Harbinger case, which Harbinger argues could violate the Department of Justice's guidelines for Chapter 7 trustees [5]

Core Insights - Apple is developing a new version of its Health app that will feature an AI coach to provide health advice to users [1] - The AI coach will utilize data from users' medical devices and include food tracking capabilities [2] - Development is progressing, with potential release expected in spring or summer of 2026 alongside iOS 19.4 [1] Development Details - The AI coach is currently being trained using data from staff physicians, and Apple plans to involve additional doctors for health-related video content [2] - The new service is tentatively named Health+ [2]

Core Insights - Jennifer Salke is stepping down as head of Amazon MGM Studios, indicating potential dissatisfaction with the company's streaming strategy over recent years [1][2] - Amazon will not fill Salke's position; instead, the heads of film and TV studios will report directly to Mike Hopkins [2] Streaming Performance - Under Salke's leadership, Amazon had some successes with shows like "Reacher," "Jack Ryan," "Fallout," and "The Boys," but faced challenges in achieving mainstream hits [3] - "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" had a record audience at premiere but did not meet expectations given its budget of over $1 billion [3] - "Citadel," designed as a central piece for a fictional universe, became the second most expensive show ever made but received an underwhelming reception, leading to delays in its second season [4] Production Challenges - Amazon has struggled to produce a new James Bond film post-MGM acquisition, facing creative control issues with producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli [5] - Tensions arose when Salke referred to Bond as "content," leading to dissatisfaction from Broccoli and a reported reaction from Jeff Bezos to remove her from the situation [5] - Salke's absence from the announcement of the Bond deal highlights her diminished role, although she will start a new production company with a first-look deal at Amazon [6]

Core Viewpoint - The "Tesla Takedown" movement is organizing global protests against Elon Musk's influence on government spending, with activists aiming to peacefully encourage people to divest from Tesla and its stock [1][4]. Group 1: Protests and Public Perception - The protests are being conflated with violent actions, leading to a blurred line between peaceful demonstrations and vandalism [1][2]. - Activists emphasize nonviolence, aiming to promote the sale of Tesla vehicles and stocks rather than physical harm [4][11]. - The movement's organizers believe that reducing Tesla's stock price will impact Musk's wealth and influence, which they view as detrimental to government actions [5]. Group 2: Government and Law Enforcement Response - President Trump has labeled attacks on Tesla as "domestic terrorism," threatening severe legal actions against those involved [2][8]. - There are concerns that law enforcement may treat peaceful protests as criminal activities, potentially leading to unjust consequences for demonstrators [3][6]. - The FBI's surveillance capabilities raise concerns about the monitoring of the Tesla Takedown protests, with no requirement for a factual basis to initiate such actions [6][7]. Group 3: Rhetoric and Political Implications - Musk and Trump have intensified their rhetoric against the protests, suggesting coordinated efforts to intimidate Musk [9][10]. - Accusations have been made against political figures for inciting further unrest, despite calls for nonviolence from within the protest movement [10]. - The movement's organizers assert that equating peaceful protest with violence is a tactic used to suppress dissent and undermine free speech [11].

In Brief Nvidia is looking to get into the server rental market.The semiconductor giant is reportedly nearing a deal to acquire Lepton AI, a company that rents out servers that are powered by Nvidia’s AI chips, according to The Information. The deal is reportedly worth several hundred million dollars, according to The Information, which cited unnamed sources. TechCrunch reached out to Nvidia for more information.Lepton AI was founded two years ago and raised an $11 million seed round in May 2023 from CRV a ...

Core Viewpoint - UnitedHealth Group has significantly reduced its online presence regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, removing various web pages and blog posts related to these initiatives, which may indicate a broader trend among companies retreating from DEI commitments amid political pressures [1][3][4]. Summary by Sections Website Changes - UnitedHealth Group has taken down multiple web pages dedicated to DEI, resulting in "page not found" errors for several previously accessible links [2]. - The company's career page, which once featured a dedicated section for DEI and its initiatives, no longer displays this information [2][6]. - A blog post from 2022 that included a discussion with the vice president of DEI has also been removed from the website [2]. Political Context - The removal of DEI content from UnitedHealth's website aligns with a broader retreat from DEI policies by various companies, influenced by executive orders from the Trump administration targeting such programs [3][4]. - U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed the Justice Department to investigate and penalize DEI programs deemed illegal at private sector companies receiving federal funding [4]. Industry Trends - Other tech companies, including Google and OpenAI, have similarly removed references to DEI from their websites, indicating a potential industry-wide shift [4]. - UnitedHealth has replaced its DEI section with a new page titled "Culture of Belonging," which uses less assertive language and omits previous references to diversity efforts in recruitment and employee resource groups [6].

Google said it has fixed a vulnerability in its Chrome browser for Windows that malicious hackers have used to break into victims’ computers.In a brief note on Tuesday, Google said that it fixed the vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-2783, that was discovered by researchers at security firm Kaspersky earlier this month.  Google said it was aware of reports that an exploit for the bug “exists in the wild.” The bug is referred to as a zero-day because the vendor — in this case, Google — was given no time to ...