A Shakeout is Coming for Inference Startups
If you tuned into Nvidia’s and Microsoft’s recent quarterly earnings calls, you probably heard their leaders discuss how inference—a fancy word for operating an artificial intelligence model—i...
Before CEO Exit, Allbirds’ Design Mishaps Were Piling Up
Last fall, Allbirds was preparing to launch an updated version of its popular Wool Runner shoe when its product design team realized there was a problem.
A flaw in the design meant Allbirds had to sc...
Blackstone-Founded E-Commerce ‘Roll-Up’ Firm Shuts Down
How bad is the slowdown in e-commerce growth? Ask Blackstone, one of the world’s largest investment firms.
Two years ago, a division of Blackstone that invests in consumer brands such as Supergoop ...
Another Joe Takes Reins at Allbirds; Latest on TikTok
We’re in one of those news cycles where everything makes way for one dominant story, which right now is TikTok. Don’t worry—if you’re not fascinated by the to-ban-or-not-to-ban debate, it will...
What Five Hours With Alex Cooper’s Fans Say About Podcasting
I’ve spent the past few days at South by Southwest, the annual tech and arts festival in Austin. The most memorable part of my experience was embedding myself with the screaming fans of “Call Her ...
As TikTok Faces Ban Bill, Investors Distance Themselves From App
When the Trump administration tried to ban TikTok in 2020, investors in its parent, ByteDance, mobilized to support the app. Now, as a bill to force a ban or sale of TikTok winds its way through Congr...
Healthcare Startup Tempus Hires Morgan Stanley for IPO
Tempus, a medical lab testing and data company started by a former co-founder of Groupon, has hired Morgan Stanley to run an initial public offering in the coming months, people close to the process s...
Where Have All The AI Returns Gone?
For all the hype around generative AI, we have yet to see much evidence that this new technology is lifting the top lines of customers who are spending money on it. That’s left many buyers to wonder...
Amazon, Google Quietly Tamp Down Generative AI Expectations
In the past year, major technology firms have championed generative artificial intelligence as the next big thing, boosting the stock market to new highs. But behind the scenes, representatives of maj...
TikTok Owner Boosts China Ties, Invests in State-Backed Chip Firm
As the Chinese government races to catch up in advanced computer chips, it has found an ally in ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. The Chinese tech company has quietly bought a stake in InnoStar Semicon...