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🤖 AI supercharges Google Assistant

💰 Web3, crypto sees $44M funding week yet dealmaking set for overall drop

🇯🇵 Binance launches in web3-savvy Japan

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AI supercharges Google Assistant [Link]

Google is looking to update Assistant with generative AI-powered features, deploying the newest large language models (LLM) to make it work more like ChatGPT and Bard, according to an Axios report.

This move to “supercharge” Assistant, however, comes at a price: Google is laying off some team members working on the product, although it remains unclear how many and what specific roles. For now, Google assures that they “remain deeply committed to Assistant and we are optimistic about its bright future ahead."

Details into the types of features the Assistant will have remain undisclosed, but the possibilities include Assistant answering questions based on information from across the internet. Google potentially bringing the tech to its smart home lineup also raises a number of privacy concerns.

Web3, crypto sees $44M funding week yet dealmaking set for overall drop

In the past week, crypto firms acquired $44M+ in fresh capital, with web3 ecosystem Hi leading the pack with its $30M funding from gaming giant Animoca Brands. The Hi funding is focused on payments, with the commitment of “bridging the gap between the fiat and cryptocurrency worlds.”

Other notable fundraises include:

• EthStorage securing a $100M valuation with the successful completion of a $7M seed round

• Web3 game developer Delabs raising $4.7M

• Releap, a decentralized social graph, bringing in $2.1M

Crypto startup funding globally, however, is on track to drop for the 7th straight quarter, with investments in Q3 on pace to land below the $1.9B that crypto firms raised in Q2, according to the Crunchbase Web3 Tracker. The report notes that Q2 was “kind of stable” as crypto startups raised only slightly less than the $2B they did in Q1.

Binance launches in web3-savvy Japan [Link]

The world’s largest crypto exchange has launched its local business in Japan amid the country’s aggressive bid to become a leading web3 ecosystem. This marks Binance’s official comeback in the Asian country after 5 years, when it left the market in 2018 due to regulatory changes.

Japanese residents can apply for trading accounts starting mid-August, effectively losing access to Binance’s global platform and trading on the local venue on Dec 1, 2023.

Speaking at the WebX Conference in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has dubbed web3 as the “new capitalism,” pledging the country’s support for web3 and claiming it can transform the country’s traditional internet framework and lead to social change.

Japan has embraced digital assets, blockchain, and web3 and plays a role in establishing the pace for global regulations.

Tech startups assist US military in AI arms race [Link]

Silicon Valley companies are emerging as a partner of the US military as its defense strategy shifts from relying on hardware like tanks, ships, and aircraft, to investments in disruptive tech such as AI for modern warfare.

The factors driving this shift include China’s rapid development of advanced weaponry, where industry insiders point out the high stakes that leave no room for complacency: “We’re still operating in the US as if we’re in peacetime. China now sets the pace for us and we’re no longer a peer or a near-peer.”

The US government has thus become a feasible customer for tech companies, with the public defense sector viewed as a stable, reliable option for startups amid a downturn in deals and valuations in the tech industry.

Quick Hits

🎮 Gaming

• Minecraft brings Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to The Sandbox - just in time for their return to the big screen. (Link)

• Samsung Australia launches its gaming hub, granting exclusive access to a vast selection of games for smart TV without the need for console or PC. (Link)

• Aston Martin enters the open-world battle royale genre in PUBG: Battlegrounds with DBX707 SUV and V12 Vantage convertible. (Link)

• The world’s first pro gamer who once competed against a teenage Elon Musk now employs AI to detect toxic players. (Link)

• Online content providers are now under I&B for improved digital regulation. (Link)

• Here’s cutting-edge reactive lighting for big-screen TVs to enhance the gaming experience. (Link)

🕶 Fashion

• Girlfriend Collective incorporates AI sizing tech for ethical manufacturing and transparency. (Link)

• Limited pairs of an IRL version of Ralph Lauren’s digital boot in Fortnite are soon on offer. (Link)

• Nars commissions 5 female digital artists to create a 1-of-1 NFT inspired by Orgasm. (Link)

• Garment identification is made easy by integrating embedded digital IDs into clothing. (Link)

• Sandton City reimagines iconic fashion items in its AI-driven campaign, mapping out how iconic fashion items might look in the future. (Link)

• In Australia, this preloved wedding dress marketplace offers brides sustainable and budget-friendly options. (Link)

🏀 Sports

• Apple iSports Australia expands its reach with the Leg Up stake acquisition. (Link)

• Semiconductors and AI forge new frontiers in sports tech, study finds. (Link)

• Super Bowl LVIII gets playfully messy with Nickelodeon’s Slime Surprise. (Link)

• The AI Sport Committee meets to discuss Bahraini Sports Summit 2023 recommendations per Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa's orders. (Link)

• DAZN will stream the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz boxing clash in VR on Meta’s XTADIUM platform. (Link)

🎥 Media & Entertainment

• Move Digital rolls out its newest metaverse advertising platform that promises higher returns on advertising investments. (Link)

• Snapchat reveals incentives for AR lens creators in a new rewards program. (Link)

• MrBeast takes legal action to close a virtual restaurant using his name without his permission. (Link)

• From virtual performances to AI popstars, here’s how the metaverse and web3 are bound to change music. (Link)

• Tinder announces premium membership launch this fall, alongside a product revamp. (Link)

• Documentary filmmakers debate the growing use of AI in non-fiction: “We are supposed to be the truth.” (Link)

🖼 Art

• Hurley surfs into the digital realm with NFT collectibles and the Super Surfer game launch. (Link)

• This AI-powered art exhibit breathes new life into Allen Ginsberg’s poetry. (Link)

• NFTs accelerated into the race: F1 Williams Racing and Kraken hit the track at the US Grand Prix. (Link)

• Artists make a bold move leaving X to join Bluesky. (Link)

• This immersive Van Gogh company teeters on the edge of bankruptcy. (Link)

• The Met Museum and Verizon bring art to life on Roblox Replica. (Link)

🤖 AI

• China’s new regulations lead to generative AI services getting pulled from the Apple App Store. (Link)

• AI improves the accuracy of breast cancer testing. (Link)

• Neanderthal antibiotics resurface with AI discovery. (Link)

• Bing’s new AI tool powers inclusive web browsing. (Link)

• Meta’s upcoming AI-driven chatbots are thought to offer a dynamic persona. (Link)

• Stay vigilant over AI exploitation resulting in malware attacks, the FBI warns the public. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• A16z Games commits $75M to the Speedrun startup accelerator. (Link)

• Investors back Cybles with $24M to advance AI-driven cyber defense. (Link)

• Exitlag announces collaboration with Archeworld for enhanced gaming performance. (Link)

• Investors bet big on Traction’s future with $6M seed funding in the Nigerian market. (Link)

• Sorare and Mangopay team up to introduce a cash wallet feature enabling 5M users to make payments in real-world currencies. (Link)

• Wisecut secures funding from Tim Draper to scale AI video editing tech. (Link)

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All content on this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not aim to serve as or replace expert investment advice.

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