Jack Dorsey has invested $10 million in "and Other Stuff," a nonprofit collective focused on funding experimental open-source projects aimed at transforming social media.

The team, including Dorsey, Evan Henshaw-Plath, and others, collaborates on projects like Nostr, ActivityPub, and Cashu, seeking to create technologies that empower users and developers.

"and Other Stuff" is developing apps like Shakespeare (an AI-assisted Nostr app builder), heynow (a voice note app), and private messenger White Noise. They are also creating a social media "Bill of Rights" to ensure platforms prioritize privacy, security, and transparency.

Dorsey criticizes the corporate structure of existing social media platforms, including Bluesky, and advocates for open, decentralized protocols like Bitcoin and Nostr.

The nonprofit is working on various social media experiments and developer tools, with more exciting projects in the pipeline.

AI safety researchers from OpenAI and Anthropic are publicly criticizing the safety culture at Elon Musk's xAI, labeling it as "reckless" and "completely irresponsible." This follows several controversies, including xAI's chatbot, Grok, making antisemitic comments and displaying other problematic behaviors.

Concerns are focused on xAI's lack of transparency regarding safety testing and evaluations, particularly the absence of system cards detailing training methods for Grok 4. While OpenAI and Google have faced criticism for delays in publishing safety reports, xAI's apparent disregard for industry norms is drawing increased scrutiny.

Researchers also highlight the potential dangers of Grok's AI companions, which seem to exploit emotional dependencies. Critics point out that xAI's safety shortcomings undermine the company's technological advancements and could lead to stricter regulations for AI safety reporting.

Despite Elon Musk's advocacy for AI safety, xAI's actions are raising questions about the company's commitment to responsible AI development. The incidents involving Grok have prompted calls for increased transparency and adherence to safety practices within the AI industry.

Google is introducing an AI-powered business-calling feature to all users in the United States. This feature allows users to have AI call local businesses to gather information about availability and pricing, saving them the need to call themselves.

Additionally, Google is upgrading its AI Mode in Google Search with the Gemini 2.5 Pro model, enhancing its capabilities for advanced reasoning, math, and coding questions. A new "Deep Search" feature will also conduct extensive research to provide comprehensive reports.

The business-calling feature announces itself as an automated system from Google. The Deep Search feature is designed to assist with complex research tasks, such as job searches, hobbies, or significant life decisions.

Via, the transit software startup known for its on-demand shuttle service, has confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO).

This move follows a previous confidential filing in 2021, which did not proceed to a public offering.

The details regarding the number of shares and the price range are yet to be determined.

Via's software is now used by over 650 cities in 30 countries, a significant shift from its initial consumer-facing shuttle service.

The company last raised $110 million in 2023, valuing it at $3.5 billion.

Rex Salisbury's Cambrian Ventures has successfully launched its second $20 million fund, demonstrating continued enthusiasm for fintech despite industry slowdown. Salisbury, formerly of Andreessen Horowitz, focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage startups, with a high percentage of his first fund's companies securing Series A funding. His strategy remains centered on identifying strong founders with innovative product ideas, now enhanced by AI capabilities. The new fund includes returning LPs from top fintech companies and new institutional backers.