December 16, 2025

Hacking group says it's extorting Pornhub after stealing users' viewing data: The Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters hacking collective stole Pornhub premium users' data, including email addresses and viewing history. Read More

Databricks raises $4B at $134B valuation as its AI business heats up: The data intelligence company has just raised more than $4 billion in a Series L funding round at a $134 billion valuation — up 34% from the $100 billion valuation that it achieved just three months ago. Read More

Everbloom built an AI to turn chicken feathers into cashmere: Everbloom has also developed a chemical process to transform waste fibers and feathers into upcycled materials that resemble everything from polyester to cashmere. Read More

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Data centers need power now. That's why we're working to build multi-gigawatt power stations that generate reliable electricity, with fewer delays and no additional strain on the existing grid.

VCs discuss why most consumer AI startups still lack staying power: The next consumer tech revolution may require an introduction of a new personal device. Read More

Ford is starting a battery storage business to power data centers and the grid: Ford will invest about $2 billion into the new business over the next two years. Read More

Adobe Firefly now supports prompt-based video editing, adds more third-party models: Adobe is updating its AI video-generation app, Firefly, with a new video editor that supports precise prompt-based edits, as well as adding new third-party models for image and video generation, including Black Forest Labs' FLUX.2 and Topaz Astra. Read More

Nvidia bulks up open source offerings with an acquisition and new open AI models: Nvidia acquired SchedMD, the lead developer of Slurm, and launched the Nemotron 3 family of open source AI models. Read More

OpenAI-backed biotech firm Chai Discovery raises $130M Series B at $1.3B valuation: Chai is building foundation models for drug discovery, specifically to predict interactions between molecules so they could be reprogramed for cures. Read More

Clunky verification flows kill conversion rates. Persona creates smooth onboarding that verifies real users in seconds while blocking fraud, so your business can maximize signups without sacrificing security. Our Startup Program offers 12 months free with 500 monthly verifications, helping thousands of startups optimize their onboarding from day one.

Kindred talks home-swapping platform for travelers, Chef Robotics introduces AI into commercial kitchens, and Character.AI addresses chatbot safety with teens.

Nuclear startup Last Energy raises $100M for its steel-encased micro reactor: Last Energy will use the funds to build its 5 megawatt pilot reactor in Texas, which it hopes to turn on next year. Read More

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