The potential ban of TikTok in the US has led to a flurry of features, including one for Bluesky focused on photos and a news reader for the fediverse. This comes as Flipboard's new app Surf adds its own video feed, personalizing it to each individual user.

As venture debt funding continues to rise, startups are facing increasing pressure to sell or shut down. With the majority of lenders having troubled companies in their portfolio, it's becoming more challenging for startups to secure funding. Many startups will have no choice but to sell for a low price or shut down this year.

tech is upbeat about more companies going public this year as shein, general atlantic, and oyo prepare for ipos. shein filed confidentially to go public in the u.k. in 2024 but met resistance from lawmakers there. the company was last valued at $45 billion in 2024. general atlantic confidentially filed to go public in 2023 but has not provided any updates since then. oyo, backed by softbank, confidentially filed for an ipo in india in march 2023 and is reportedly planning to file again this year.

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly taken over multiple government agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, Treasury Department, and General Services Administration. This unprecedented power grab allows DOGE to access sensitive payment systems and personal data.

The Indian government has announced a new $1.15 billion fund for startups, aimed at boosting tech innovation in the country. The fund builds on earlier startup funding programs and will have an expanded scope compared to previous initiatives.

The advent of cloud computing and distributed digital infrastructure has enabled employees to leverage AI agents for deeper productivity. This paradigm shift empowers individuals to become managers of AIs, leading to a new era of entrepreneurialism and increased productivity.

As Elon Musk's X sees a decline, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads social networks are gaining popularity. Mastodon has over 10 million registered users, while Threads has over 100 million daily active users.

Meta AI has announced that it can now use Facebook and Instagram data to personalize its responses. This new ability could be used for a variety of applications, including customer service and marketing. The feature uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to analyze the user's behavior and preferences on Facebook and Instagram, and then generates personalized responses.

Adobe's chief strategy officer Scott Belsky has announced he will be joining indie movie studio A24. Belsky joined Adobe in 2012 and served as executive vice president of design and emerging products before leaving briefly to become a VC at Benchmark. He is set to partner with A24, supporting the world's best storytellers.

X, the company formerly known as Twitter, has filed an amended complaint against several advertisers in an antitrust lawsuit alleging a 'systematic illegal boycott'. The suit claims that these advertisers organized an advertiser boycott of Twitter through the Global Alliance of Responsible Media (GARM), with the goal of coercing Twitter to comply with GARM's Brand Safety Standards.

US Senator Ron Wyden is warning that Elon Musk's team being granted access to the US Treasury's payment system poses a national security risk. The system handles trillions of dollars in federal funds, including Social Security and Medicare benefits.

When the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt printed flyers with typos, they didn't just re-print new ones. Instead, they bought the domain containing the mistake and set up a redirect to the correct URL. The cost? A mere $1,000 compared to printing and sending out new flyers.

OpenAI has launched a new AI 'reasoning' model, o3-mini, which is specifically designed for technical domains that require precision and speed. The model is not OpenAI's most powerful model to date, but it does have some advantages over other models.

The article discusses the recent changes at OpenAI, including CEO Sam Altman's return and the company's plans to shift into a for-profit structure. The play 'AI Play' explores the importance of safety considerations in AI innovation.

Nat Friedman, former GitHub CEO, posts an unusual offer on X, inviting volunteers to build a 5,000-piece Lego set in his Palo Alto office. He requires participants to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The secrecy surrounding the event has sparked curiosity and speculation about what could be hidden behind the NDA.