ByteDance is reportedly planning to launch a U.S.-specific version of its popular video editing app, CapCut.

This move is speculated to be in response to a 2024 law requiring ByteDance to divest from its U.S. assets, including TikTok, or face a ban.

CapCut has achieved over 1 billion downloads on the Google Play Store and is currently the top video app on the iOS U.S. App Store.

ByteDance is also said to be developing a new version of TikTok for U.S. users ahead of a potential sale.

The plans for U.S.-specific apps for ByteDance's other services, Lemon8 and Gauth, remain unknown.

Bookshop.org, an independent online bookseller, is holding an Anti-Prime Day sale to coincide with Amazon's Prime Day. The sale aims to attract customers who want to support independent bookstores instead of Amazon.

In a pointed move, Bookshop.org mocked the graphic design of Jeff Bezos' recent $50 million wedding invitations, which were criticized for their lo-fi, childish design reminiscent of Microsoft Word clip art.

Bookshop.org's promotional message reads: "Enjoy free shipping and the knowledge that your money will go toward supporting independent bookstores, not billionaires," highlighting the contrast between supporting independent businesses and contributing to the wealth of billionaires.

Marks & Spencer chairman Archie Norman refused to disclose whether the company paid a hacking group following a ransomware attack earlier this year. The company confirmed that hackers stole customer data, including names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, and order histories, disrupting operations for weeks. Norman stated that recovery efforts are ongoing and expected to continue until October or November.

The Nothing Phone (3), priced at $799, aims to compete with Samsung and Apple by focusing on design and software. It features a transparent design with asymmetric elements and a Glyph Matrix, a circle-shaped second screen displaying information like time and battery level. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, has a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen, and includes three 50-megapixel cameras. While the camera quality is good, color accuracy needs improvement. The international version has a 5150mAh battery with 65W wired and 15W wireless charging. AI features include an Essential Key for quick access to the Nothing Space app and Essential Search, which uses Google’s Gemini models for web searches. Available in the U.S. through Nothing's website and Amazon, the phone faces competition from Samsung Galaxy S25, Google Pixel 9, and iPhone 16. In India, its high price has received mixed reactions.

Slate Auto, an electric truck startup, has raised $700 million to date, including a Series A round with investments from Jeff Bezos and Slauson & Co.

Slauson & Co. invested in Slate due to its mission of providing affordable, reliable, and customizable vehicles manufactured domestically.

Slate Auto's CEO Chris Barman, Chairman Rodney Copes, and CFO Ryan Green bring decades of automotive industry experience from companies like Chrysler, Harley-Davidson, and Rivian.

Slate's truck has garnered over 100,000 refundable reservations and is backed by investors such as Mark Walter and General Catalyst.

Slauson & Co. believes the investment in Slate Auto can generate significant returns despite the low-margin auto business.

Frontier is funding Arbor Energy to remove 116,000 tons of CO2 by building a commercial-scale power plant in Louisiana.

Arbor's BiCRS technology burns waste biomass to generate electricity for data centers while capturing and storing the resulting CO2.

The power plant, inspired by rocket turbomachinery, transforms biomass into syngas and captures 99% of the CO2 released during combustion.

Frontier emphasizes the importance of sustainable biomass principles and sees potential for BiCRS and BECCS to address future energy needs.

Apple's head of AI models, Ruoming Pang, is departing to join Meta, according to Bloomberg. Pang previously led Apple's team training AI foundation models for Apple Intelligence. His move is the latest in a series of high-profile AI executive acquisitions by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for his AI superintelligence unit.

Apple's AI models have faced challenges, lagging behind competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic. The company has even explored using third-party AI models to enhance Siri. Pang's departure may signal further changes within Apple's AI division.

At Meta, Pang's expertise in designing small, on-device AI models could prove valuable, adding to the talent Zuckerberg has recruited from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Safe Superintelligence.