OpenAI's $3 billion deal to acquire Windsurf fell apart, leading Google DeepMind to hire Windsurf's CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and top researchers. Google confirmed the hiring, aiming to advance their work in agentic coding. This deal is a reverse-acquihire, where Google licenses Windsurf's technology without acquiring the company, similar to past deals with Character.AI and Microsoft.

Windsurf's head of business, Jeff Wang, will become interim CEO. Most of Windsurf's 250-person team will continue offering AI coding tools for enterprise customers. OpenAI's failed acquisition caused tension with Microsoft. Windsurf's ARR reached $100 million in April, attracting interest from OpenAI and Google.

The addition of Windsurf's leaders could boost Google's AI coding tools, aligning with the industry trend of offering AI coding applications. Windsurf's future is uncertain, as other AI startups have struggled after similar deals.

Paragon, an Israeli spyware company claiming ethical practices, faces scrutiny over a $2 million contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The contract, signed in September 2024, is under review due to concerns about compliance with a Biden-era executive order restricting the use of spyware that could be used to violate human rights.

The contract remains on pause, with Homeland Security reviewing its compliance with the executive order. The Trump administration's position on the order remains unclear. Paragon previously cut ties with Italy after its spyware was misused, but now faces the ethical question of supplying its tools to ICE.

Critics, like Access Now, urge Paragon to reconsider the agreement given ICE's record on human rights. The decision could test Paragon's claim of being an 'ethical' spyware vendor, as it navigates the ethical implications of its government contracts.

Tesla is reportedly nearing the start of its electric vehicle sales in India, with plans to open its first showroom in Mumbai. Deliveries could begin as early as August.

The company has created a dedicated account on X for its Indian operations, signaling its imminent arrival. This move follows Tesla's expansion into other markets like Saudi Arabia.

Challenges in India include a 70% import duty on vehicles, as Tesla will initially export already-built cars. Previous discussions about building a factory in India did not materialize.

Claims that a cloud seeding startup, Rainmaker, caused the devastating Texas floods are unfounded, according to atmospheric scientists. While Rainmaker operated in the area before the storm, experts emphasize that cloud seeding had no significant impact on the floods.

Cloud seeding, a decades-old practice, involves spraying particles into clouds to encourage ice crystal formation and precipitation. However, its effectiveness varies, and it's unlikely to significantly affect large storms.

Studies have shown that cloud seeding can increase precipitation in certain conditions, such as in mountainous regions during winter, but the amount is negligible compared to the scale of a major storm. The air mass over Texas during the floods was likely far removed from where Rainmaker operated days earlier.

Experts agree that the storm's natural processes were the primary driver of the heavy rainfall, and cloud seeding would have had a minimal, if any, impact.