Friday, 13 March 2026
Welcome to today's roundup of the most interesting developments in AI and technology.
Top Stories
Before quantum computing arrives, this startup wants enterprises already running on it
After selling his AI startup to AMD for $665 million, Peter Sarlin is back with QuTwo, a new venture building the infrastructure it believes enterprises will need when quantum computing finally arrives.
Read moreHow to watch Jensen Huang’s Nvidia GTC 2026 keynote
GTC — which stands for GPU Technology Conference — is Nvidia's flagship annual event, where the chipmaker typically uses the spotlight to announce new products, champion partnerships, and lay out its vision for the future of computing. Huang's keynote will focus on Nvidia's role in the future of com
Read moreFacebook Marketplace now lets Meta AI respond to buyers' messages
When buyers inquire about an item’s availability, sellers can use Meta AI to automatically draft replies using information from their listing, such as the description, availability, pickup location, and price.
Read moreTinder tries to lure people back to online dating with IRL events, virtual speed dating
Tinder just got a major revamp as it attempts to reengage its user base and attract younger daters. This includes in-person events, AI enhancements, and even virtual speed dating.
Read moreAtlassian follows Block’s footsteps and cuts staff in the name of AI
Atlassian laid off 10% of its workforce, around 1,600 people, as the company looks to funnel more funds to AI.
Read moreBumble introduces an AI dating assistant, 'Bee'
Bumble's new AI assistant Bee will move the dating app beyond the swipe by matching people based on compatibility and goals.
Read moreAlexa+ gets a new 'adults only' personality option that curses but won't do NSFW content
The new Sassy style can curse and roast you, but the fun ends there.
Read moreWonderful raises $150M Series B at $2B valuation
The funding round, led by Insight Partners, comes just four months after Wonderful raised a $100 million Series A.
Read moreIndustry
How multi-agent AI economics influence business automation
Managing the economics of multi-agent AI now dictates the financial viability of modern business automation workflows. Organisations progressing past standard chat interfaces into multi-agent applications face two primary constraints. The first issue is the thinking tax; complex autonomous agents ne
Read moreGoogle is using old news reports and AI to predict flash floods
A new way to solve data scarcity: Turning qualitative reports into quantitative data with an LLM.
Read moreFIFA is rebuilding world football operations on AI. The World Cup is just the first test
When Romy Gai, FIFA’s chief business officer, described the operational challenge of running a 48-team World Cup across Canada, Mexico and the United States, he was not talking about technology. He was talking about complexity. Previous World Cups relied on local organising committees to absor
Read moreAI 'actor' Tilly Norwood put out the worst song I've ever heard
This song is an AI actor's rallying cry to other AI actors, urging them to keep going despite the naysayers who doubt their humanity. Literally no one can relate to this.
Read moreFord's new AI assistant will help fleet owners know if seatbelts are being used
Ford Pro AI debuted at Work Truck Week in Indianapolis and is now available to all of its U.S.-based Pro telematics subscribers.
Read moreZendesk acquires agentic customer service startup Forethought
Forethought was years ahead of its time and the 2018 winner of TechCrunch Battlefield.
Read moreNetflix may have paid $600 million for Ben Affleck's AI startup
This deal could rank as among the streaming giant's largest acquisitions ever.
Read moreLovable says it added $100M in revenue last month alone, with just 146 employees
Swedish vibe-coding unicorn Lovable crossed $400 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in February.
Read moreReplit snags $9B valuation 6 months after hitting $3B
Replit raised a new $400 million round and said it hopes to have $1B in ARR by year's end.
Read moreAi2: Building physical AI with virtual simulation data
Virtual simulation data is driving the development of physical AI across corporate environments, led by initiatives like Ai2’s MolmoBot. Instructing hardware to interact with the real world has historically relied on highly expensive and manually-collected demonstrations. Technology providers buildi
Read moreNew partnership to offer smart robots for dangerous environments
ADLINK Technology has signed a strategic alliance and joint development agreement with Under Control Robotics, the company behind the robotics startup Noble Machines. The two firms will combine ADLINK’s edge AI platforms with Noble Machines’ autonomy software to create a new generation of general-pu
Read moreHow physical AI integration accelerates vehicle innovation
The integration of physical AI into vehicles remains a primary objective for automakers looking to accelerate innovation. A technical collaboration between Qualcomm and Wayve offers a framework for how hardware and software providers can consolidate their efforts to supply production-ready advanced
Read moreABB: Physical AI simulation boosts ROI for factory automation
A new ABB and NVIDIA partnership shows physical AI simulation is driving real ROI in factory automation and solving production hurdles. Manufacturers have often found it difficult to make intelligent robotics work reliably outside testing environments. The core issue is the gap between digital train
Read moreAgentic AI in finance speeds up operational automation
In finance, achieving operational automation by integrating agentic AI requires a data-centric foundation to drive real value. Financial infrastructure provider SEI has engaged IBM to modernise its internal operations via AI and automation. The joint initiative focuses on process redesign and target
Read moreMastercard brings agentic payments to life in Singapore with DBS and UOB
Mastercard has completed its first live, authenticated agent-based payment transaction in Singapore, a milestone that advances autonomous AI commerce from proof of concept to everyday use. Announced on March 4, 2026, the transaction was carried out in partnership with DBS and UOB, two of Southeast A
Read moreResearch & Products
Truecaller now lets you hang up on scammers — on behalf of your family
Caller identity platform Truecaller recently launched a new feature that lets one person become an admin of a family group, get alerts about fraud calls received by other members, and even end a call on their behalf if they suspect a family member might get scammed. The company, which has over 450 m
Read moreSales automation startup Rox AI hits $1.2B valuation, sources say
Rox, founded in 2024 by the former chief growth officer of New Relic, offers an AI-native alternative to CRM tools.
Read moreGumloop lands $50M from Benchmark to turn every employee into an AI agent builder
As companies race to adopt AI, Benchmark general partner Everett Randle believes the key to success lies in empowering every worker with AI superpowers, and Gumloop’s intuitive agent builder is an example of the kind of tool that will unlock that potential.
Read moreGoogle Maps is getting an AI 'Ask Maps' feature and upgraded 'immersive' navigation
The tech giant says the "Immersive Navigation" launch is the biggest update to Maps in over a decade.
Read moreManulife moves AI agents into core financial workflows
Large financial firms have spent years testing artificial intelligence in small projects, often limited to data analysis or customer support tools. The next phase appears to involve something more operational: systems that can take action in business workflows. Canadian insurer Manulife is moving in
Read morePolicy & Ethics
A writer is suing Grammarly for turning her and other authors into 'AI editors' without consent
Journalist Julia Angwin is leading a class action lawsuit against Grammarly for violating her privacy and publicity rights.
Read more