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Software Development

Emergent Secures $23M to Democratize App Creation for Non-Technical Users

Emergent, founded by twin brothers Mukund and Madhav Jha, has raised $23 million in Series A funding led by Lightspeed to develop a platform for non-technical users to create apps using prompts, managing APIs and deployment steps. With AI agents for error detection and fixing, users can integrate payment options and access a brainstorming mode. Over 1.5 million apps have been built since last year, with Emergent competing against Canva, Figma, Vibecode, and Rocket. Hemant Mohapatra from Lightspeed highlighted Emergent's AI capabilities in deployment, sharing, bug fixing, and support.

Artificial Intelligence

Nvidia and Alibaba Partner to Advance AI Development

Nvidia and Alibaba have partnered to integrate Nvidia’s AI development tools into Alibaba's Cloud Platform for AI. This collaboration will allow Alibaba to offer Nvidia's Physical AI software stack, enabling the construction of 3D replicas of real-world environments for AI model training in robotics, self-driving vehicles, and smart spaces. The partnership aligns with Alibaba's increased investment in AI technology and expansion of its data center infrastructure, including new locations in Brazil, France, and the Netherlands. Alibaba also unveiled its latest large language model, Qwen 3-Max, trained on 1 trillion parameters.

Cybersecurity

UK Arrests Suspect in European Airport Ransomware Attack

A man in his forties has been arrested in West Sussex, U.K., in connection with the ransomware attack that disrupted several European airports. The attack, which began on Friday, targeted check-in systems provided by Collins Aerospace, causing delays at airports including Brussels, Berlin, Dublin, and London’s Heathrow. The suspect was arrested under the Computer Misuse Act and released on conditional bail.

RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, confirmed that the cyberattack involved ransomware and affected check-in software on customer-specific networks. Airports and airlines resorted to manual check-ins, leading to flight delays and cancellations.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to uncover further details about the incident and the individuals involved.

Music Streaming

Spotify Integrates with DJ Software for Seamless Mixing

Spotify has announced direct integration with popular desktop DJ software including rekordbox, Serato, and djay. This feature allows Premium users to access their entire Spotify library and playlists within these programs, streamlining the process of creating sets and blending tracks.

The integration is available in 51 global markets and follows the recent introduction of track-to-track transitions for Premium users. Spotify has also launched support for lossless music streaming, the ability for free users to select and play songs, and new smart filters.

This update aims to give users more creative control over their music sets, making it easier to create unique and personalized mixes using Spotify's vast music catalog.

Fashion & Technology

Depop Unveils "Outfits": A New Styling Tool for Fashionistas

Depop has launched "Outfits," a new feature that allows users to create and share fashion collages. This tool provides a moodboard-like interface where users can style items, add backgrounds, and adjust image placements.

The items featured in collages are shoppable, with the app suggesting alternatives if an item sells out. This feature aims to inspire buyers and highlight items for sale.

Users can share their creations on social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. This launch follows Etsy's Q2 2025 report, which revealed a 34.7% year-over-year increase in Depop’s Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS), putting it on track for a $1 billion GMS run rate.

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI Expands AI Infrastructure with Five New Stargate Data Centers

OpenAI is set to construct five new AI data centers across the U.S. under its Stargate project, collaborating with Oracle and SoftBank. These data centers will boast a combined capacity of seven gigawatts, sufficient to power over five million homes. Oracle will assist in developing sites in Texas, New Mexico, and the Midwest, while SoftBank will contribute to facilities in Ohio and Texas. This expansion supports OpenAI's growing infrastructure needs for training and deploying advanced AI models.

Artificial Intelligence

Google Expands AI-Powered Search to Spanish Speakers Globally

Google Search is extending its AI Mode feature to Spanish-speaking users, providing a conversational search experience. This follows a major expansion in August to 180 countries. Google is also rolling out AI capabilities across its products, including conversational photo editing for Android users and a more affordable Google AI Plus subscription plan in 40 more countries. AI Mode now supports multiple languages, including Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Technology Policy

California's SB 53: A Step Towards AI Safety and Transparency

California State Senator Scott Wiener is championing a new AI safety bill, SB 53, which requires leading AI labs to publish safety reports for their most capable AI models. This bill focuses on AI's potential to contribute to human deaths, cyberattacks, and chemical weapons. Unlike the previous bill, SB 1047, SB 53 emphasizes transparency and self-reporting rather than liability.

The bill has garnered support from companies like Anthropic and aims to create protected channels for employees to report safety concerns. It also establishes CalCompute, a state-operated cloud computing cluster for AI research. Senator Wiener believes states must lead on AI safety due to the federal government's inaction.

While some argue that AI regulation should be left to the federal government, Wiener emphasizes the importance of holding Silicon Valley accountable. He views SB 53 as a way to promote innovation while mitigating catastrophic risks associated with AI. The bill is currently awaiting Governor Newsom's signature.

Business and Finance

Rapido's Valuation Soars to $2.3 Billion Post-Swiggy Stake Sale

Rapido, an Indian ride-hailing platform, has doubled its valuation to $2.3 billion after Swiggy sold its 12% stake for ₹24 billion. Prosus acquired 10% for ₹19.68 billion, and WestBridge Capital bought the remaining stake for ₹4.31 billion.

This share sale occurred after Rapido began piloting food deliveries, entering Swiggy's main market. Rapido's CEO confirmed the new valuation and the food delivery pilot in Bengaluru, which started in three neighborhoods.

Swiggy had previously invested $180 million in Rapido in 2022 and used Rapido for last-mile deliveries. Swiggy hinted at the sale due to potential conflicts as Rapido entered food delivery.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has identified Rapido as Uber's biggest rival in India. Meanwhile, Swiggy is expanding its instant commerce business, Instamart, which saw an 82% surge in gross order value, reaching ₹146.83 billion in FY25.

Entertainment & Streaming Services

Disney+ and Hulu Subscription Prices to Increase in October

Disney is raising the prices of Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions starting October 21. Several standalone plans and bundles will see price increases. The Disney+ standalone plan with ads will increase to $11.99 per month, while the no-ads Disney+ Premium plan will increase to $18.99 per month. The Hulu standalone plan with ads is increasing to $11.99 per month. However, the premium version of Hulu with no ads will remain at $18.99 per month. The Disney+ and Hulu with ads bundle will increase to $12.99, while the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundle with ads will increase to $19.99. This follows a previous price hike in October 2024.