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A pattern is emerging in the AI infrastructure world: popular open source tools are transforming into venture-backed startups worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The latest example is RadixArk, the commercial company behind SGLang, an increasingly popular tool that helps AI models run faster and cheaper. RadixArk was recently valued at about $400 million in a funding round led by Accel, according to two people familiar with the matter, a notable amount for a startup that was only announced last August. TechCrunch could not confirm the size of the funding. The news comes as some of the team responsible for…
When immigration agents enter hospitals, and private companies are allowed to buy and sell data that reveals who seeks medical care, patients retreat, treatment is delayed, and health outcomes worsen, according to a new report that describes a growing “health privacy crisis” in the United States driven by surveillance and weak law enforcement limits.The report, published by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), attributes the problem to outdated privacy laws and rapidly expanding digital systems that allow health-related information to be tracked, analyzed, breached, and accessed by both private companies and government agencies.EPIC, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on privacy and…
SC Johnson, the maker of household products including Windex, Glade, Shout, and Ziploc, has awarded its North America media contract to WPP Media, ADWEEK has learned. The move signifies a win for the British network over rival Omnicom Media, which previously managed the account.The account is worth $210 million, accounting for nearly 66% of SC Johnson’s total $320 million global media business, according to 2025 estimates from Comvergence, a market research firm specializing in ad agency benchmarking.Omnicom Media will retain control of SC Johnson’s global media account, according to a source with direct knowledge.WPP declined to comment.Accounts,Advertising News,Agencies,Exclusive,Media Agencies,Media News,PremiumPremium,Accounts,Advertising News,Agencies,Exclusive,Media…
Apple may be developing its own AI wearable, according to a report published Wednesday by The Information. The device will be a pin that users can wear on their clothing, and that comes equipped with two cameras and three microphones, the report says. Should the rumored device come to market, it would mark another sign that the AI hardware market is heating up. This news follows comments made Monday by OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane, who told a Davos crowd that his company will likely announce its highly anticipated first AI hardware device in the second half of…
If your team is still in the running, you may be in the market for a new TV to watch the big game, and TCL has you covered with a hefty discount on the TCL QM8K, one of our favorite midrange screens. You can grab a 65-inch QM8K for just $1,000, a healthy 60 percent discount, with lower percentage markdowns on the larger sizes.One of the QM8K’s most striking features is the complete lack of bezels, giving your entertainment stand a modern and distinctive look. With the included pedestal mount, it almost looks like it’s floating, a neat trick for…
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here.On Wednesday, The New York Times launched its eleventh game, a multiplayer wordplay contest called Crossplay.The release is the latest in a steady drumbeat of new diversions to emerge from The Times’ Games division, which has become the largest ad surface by reach across The Times’ portfolio since its launch in 2020, according to chief revenue officer Joy Robins. “It’s a new way to play,” Robins said. “It’s faster, more social, and…
Last year was a tumultuous one for the U.S. semiconductor industry. From leadership changes at legacy companies to continuously changing dialogue around AI chip export controls, a lot has happened. If the first few weeks of 2026, which saw new chip tariffs and international semiconductor deals, are any indicator — this year will be as unexpected as the last. But before we get too deep into 2026, here is a final look at everything that happened in the U.S. semiconductor industry in 2025: December Nvidia finds gold with Groq December 24: Nvidia announced that it struck a non-exclusive licensing deal with chip maker Groq. While this wasn’t an acquisition, Nvidia hired Groq’s founder and president,…
The US and China are, by many measures, archrivals in the field of artificial intelligence, with companies racing to outdo each other on algorithms, models, and specialized silicon. And yet, the world’s AI superpowers still collaborate to a surprising degree when it comes to cutting-edge research.A WIRED analysis of more than 5,000 AI research papers presented last month at the industry’s premier conference, Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), reveals a significant amount of collaboration between US and Chinese labs.The analysis found that 141 out of the 5,290 total papers (roughly 3 percent) involve collaboration between authors affiliated with US institutions…
The Lego Group arrived at CES 2026 with more than an announcement: Lego SmartPlay represents a major evolution, blending physical and digital interaction while keeping imagination in control. In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Tom Donaldson, senior vice president and head of the Creative Play Lab at the Lego Group, to discuss the new platform powered by Lego Smart Brick technology that allows Lego creations to respond to how they are played with. From years of R&D product development to kid-led testing and early prototyping, Tom shares how the Lego Group builds conviction, protects creativity,…
European consumers are fighting back against the U.S. following Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland, a Danish territory. As a result, two mobile apps that offer a way to determine if products are made in America, then suggest local alternatives, have surged to the top of the Danish App Store in recent days. The Danish App Store serves users in both Greenland and Denmark, and the same is true for Google Play. The boost in downloads comes as Danish consumers have been organizing a grassroots boycott of American-made products, which also included canceling their U.S. vacations and ditching their…
Fun fact: You do not need a box spring with a hybrid mattress. This is a recurring question I see, and pocketed coils in hybrids eliminate the need for one. Box springs were designed to give more support and elevate performance to traditional coil beds, which would align certain sections of coils to yield more support. Nowadays, you may actually void your warranty if you use a box spring with a hybrid mattress—be sure to check that fine print.Our favorite hybrid we’ve tested is the Helix Midnight Luxe, which happens to be our top overall pick in our best mattresses…
Ejae has traded in “Golden” for a Phil Collins song and a packet of Liquid I.V. The KPop Demon Hunters star features in a teaser spot for the hydration brand’s first Super Bowl ad, released today.In the 15-second spot, the artist looks into a bathroom mirror before the scene cuts to a piano and a voiceover of her singing Phil Collins’ 1984 hit “Against All Odds.” Her voice sounds far away and echoey until she takes a sip from a glass of water with a straw and walks up to a standing mic to begin her performance. The ad teases Liquid I.V.’s first-ever…
U.S. autonomous drone delivery and logistics startup Zipline said Wednesday it will set up operations in Houston and Phoenix early this year, as part of an expansion that will be propelled by $600 million in fresh investment. The round, which values the company at $7.6 billion, will be used to expand to at least four U.S. states in 2026, the company said. Several existing and new investors, including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Baillie Gifford, Valor Equity Partners, and Tiger Global participated in the funding round. Founded in 2014, Zipline developed its own drone delivery ecosystem, including the logistics software,…
Over the past weekend, when weather models first started forecasting a winter storm that would sweep over large parts of the country, Sean Sublette, a meteorologist living in Virginia, started telling people in his area to prepare for snow. At the time, Sublette says, “a lot of the data started to point to a substantial snow storm for the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, with significant ice farther southward into Carolina’s Tennessee Valley.”Then, Sublette woke up Wednesday morning. “I go through the data again, and I go, ‘Oh, fuck,’” he says. The models were now structuring the storm much differently.“Some of…
Paramount is taking a big advertising swing by bringing guaranteed programmatic placement to live sports.Today, the company announced it was adding live, in-game programmatic buying for select ad units in premium sporting events. The offering starts with Paramount+’s UFC debut, Pimblett vs. Gaethje on Jan. 24. According to Paramount, this is the first time advertisers can get guaranteed, live placement in Paramount+’s sports properties.“This initiative underscores Paramount’s commitment to media modernization, expanding opportunities for marketers to show up during the biggest and buzziest moments of scaled audience attention,” Jay Askinasi, chief revenue officer, Paramount, said in a statement.The ad offerings work…
Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has just announced a satellite internet network called TeraWave which will be capable of offering data speeds up to 6Tbps, and geared towards enterprise, data center, and government customers. The TeraWave constellation will use a mix of 5,280 satellites in low-Earth orbit and 128 in medium-Earth orbit, and Blue Origin plans to deploy the first ones in late 2027. It’s not immediately clear how long Blue Origin expects it will take to build out the whole network. The low-Earth orbit satellites Blue Origin is building will use RF connectivity and have a max data…