Foundations by Axented
Apple unveils Siri AI makeover as Tim Cook bids farewell, Anthropic CEO calls for stronger regulation of AI, AI startup Flourish reportedly raises $500M round
Table of Contents:
AI | Artificial Intelligence
Apple unveils Siri AI makeover as Tim Cook bids farewell
Anthropic CEO calls for stronger regulation of AI
VC | Startup & Funding
Antwerp-based Pitchdrive closes €60 million Fund IV to back AI-native early-stage startups
AI startup Flourish reportedly raises $500M round backed by Jeff Bezos
HI | Hardware & Infrastructure
Meta agrees to Indian AI data center deal as hyperscaler bolsters its infrastructure
Majority of US’s new AI datacenters to be built on drought-hit land
Apple unveils Siri AI makeover as Tim Cook bids farewell
Apple used its annual Worldwide Developers Conference to introduce Siri AI, a major upgrade that will make the assistant more conversational, context-aware and integrated across Apple’s ecosystem, while emphasizing privacy and on-device intelligence.
The company also announced new child-safety features in iOS 27, including expanded parental controls and automatic filtering of potentially harmful images sent to children.
The event marked Tim Cook’s final WWDC keynote before stepping down as CEO in September after 15 years leading Apple, with hardware chief John Ternus set to succeed him.
Source: BBC
Anthropic CEO calls for stronger regulation of AI
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged governments to take a more active role in overseeing advanced AI systems, including the ability to block deployment of models deemed unsafe after independent review.
He argued that current safety measures are not keeping pace with the technology’s rapid progress and outlined potential policy responses to AI-driven labor disruption, including stronger social supports and new forms of taxation.
Amodei also announced a $200 million initiative to study AI’s societal impact while maintaining that the technology could deliver major benefits, particularly in biomedical research.
Source: ABC News
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Antwerp-based Pitchdrive closes €60 million Fund IV to back AI-native early-stage startups
Belgian venture capital firm Pitchdrive has closed a €60 million fourth fund focused on backing AI-native startups at the pre-seed and seed stages.
The fund, financed entirely by private investors, will support roughly 25–30 companies and emphasizes businesses whose products or economics are fundamentally shaped by AI rather than those adding AI as a secondary feature.
Pitchdrive said it intentionally capped the fund size to maintain a concentrated portfolio and hands-on involvement with founders, while continuing its strategy of investing across Europe and beyond.
Source: EU Startups
AI startup Flourish reportedly raises $500M round backed by Jeff Bezos
Flourish, a startup developing brain-inspired artificial intelligence systems, has reportedly raised $500 million at a $2.5 billion valuation.
The funding round includes backing from Jeff Bezos, alongside investors such as GV, Lux Capital, and Catalio. Founded by former Amazon executive Rob Williams and neuroscientist Thomas Reardon.
The company is pursuing AI architectures designed to consume far less energy than today’s large language models and plans to use advanced neuroscience research to guide its work.
Source: Silicon Angle
Meta agrees to Indian AI data center deal as hyperscaler bolsters its infrastructure
Meta has partnered with Reliance Industries to secure its first AI-focused data center capacity in India through a 168-megawatt facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The project reflects growing competition among major technology companies to expand AI infrastructure in India, where data center capacity and investment are rising rapidly.
Reliance will build and operate the site, which is expected to use renewable energy and desalinated seawater for cooling, while Meta leases capacity to support its global AI operations.
Source: CNBC
Majority of US’s new AI datacenters to be built on drought-hit land
A Guardian analysis found that most planned U.S. data centers intended to support AI development are being built in regions already experiencing water stress or drought.
The expansion has intensified concerns about the large volumes of water and electricity required to cool and operate AI infrastructure, particularly in communities facing resource constraints.
Researchers, environmental groups, and local residents warn that rapid growth in data center construction could worsen existing pressures on water supplies as demand for AI computing continues to increase.
Source: The Guardian
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