Apple developing AI wearable to challenge OpenAI hardware push
Cupertino giant targets 2027 launch for new wearable device as Silicon Valley AI hardware race intensifies with OpenAI's planned earbuds.
By Kevin Chao
Technology
The latest technology coverage from San Francisco and the Bay Area.
OpenAI plans first hardware device by 2026, likely earbuds
The San Francisco AI company aims to announce its debut hardware product this year, with earbuds emerging as the most likely candidate for the launch.
By Kevin Chao
Former OpenAI sales chief joins Acrew Capital as partner
Aliisa Rosenthal leaves OpenAI to become a venture partner at Palo Alto's Acrew Capital, bringing inside knowledge of where AI startups can compete.
By Kevin Chao
San Francisco Looks to Renew Tech Ties with Bengaluru as AI Competition Grows
San Francisco is moving to reinforce its relationship with Bengaluru, India’s leading tech hub, as both cities look to position themselves at the center of the next wave of software and artificial int
By Kevin Chao
Bay Area Tech Leaders Back New AI Group to Shape Industry Standards and Policy
A coalition of technology executives, researchers, and policy advocates with ties to the Bay Area has launched a new organization focused on artificial intelligence standards, governance, and public p
By Marcus Reed
Proposal Floated to Pay Facebook Users Directly for Their Data
A recent opinion piece argues that social media users, including those on Facebook, should be directly compensated for the personal data and attention they provide to platforms that generate large adv
By Kevin Chao
Securus Used Prison Calls to Train AI Surveillance Models, Report Says
The news A US prison telecommunications company has for years been recording inmate phone and video calls and using those conversations to build proprietary artificial intelligence models aimed at mon
By Nina Alvarez
BART Rolls Out Automatic Fare Gates to Combat Fare Evasion
BART will begin rolling out new automatic fare gates this summer in a push to reduce fare evasion and modernize its aging infrastructure. The project, which starts in July, will eventually replace all
By Kevin Chao
Blackstone Acquires SF Four Seasons Amid AI-Driven Hospitality Rebound
Blackstone Real Estate has acquired the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, a 277-room property located on Market Street in the city’s downtown core. The firm did not disclose the financial terms, but T
By Marcus Reed
Cruise Limits Robotaxi Fleet and Faces New Rules After S.F. Collision Probe
Cruise, the autonomous vehicle unit owned by General Motors, is halting driverless car operations across the United States following a serious safety review and mounting regulatory pressure stemming f
By Marcus Reed
ChatGPT's In-Chat App Suggestions Stir Confusion Among Paid Users
A recent in-chat suggestion by ChatGPT to use the Peloton app triggered concern among some OpenAI customers who worried that advertisements were making their way into the product, even for those payin
By Marcus Reed
David Sacks Advises U.S. on AI Policy While Holding Broad Industry Stakes
David Sacks, a prominent venture capitalist and longtime tech executive, is helping shape U.S. artificial intelligence policy while holding financial interests in hundreds of AI firms. Sacks, a partne
By Kevin Chao
Casa Borinquena to Close Saluhall Location Amid Downtown Challenges
Casa Borinquena, a vegan Puerto Rican restaurant based in San Francisco’s Saluhall food hall, will shut down its location on January 1. The closure is the latest in a string of exits from the downtown
By Dan Lesin
S.F. Developers Face Tough Reality as Optimism Meets Market Slowdown
In San Francisco's stalled real estate sector, confidence has long been a developer’s currency. But as deals drag and capital dries up, the line between strategic patience and misplaced optimism
By Dan Lesin
Growing Buy Now, Pay Later Use Signals Rising Consumer Strain
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services have become a lifeline for millions of Americans, increasingly used for everyday necessities like groceries. Once pitched as a way to finance discretionary spending,
By Dan Lesin
Formerly Incarcerated San Franciscans Face Housing Hurdles as Rents Climb
San Francisco’s post-pandemic rental market is tightening fast, and the AI industry’s rapid expansion is playing a major role. As tech companies scale up operations, they’re drawing workers back into
By Marcus Reed
Marc Andreessen’s Support for Trump Coincides With Fintech Regulation Rollback
Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has invested heavily in companies seeking to reshape the financial industry, often brushing up against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
By Marcus Reed
OpenAI Asks U.S. to Expand Tax Credits for AI Data Center Buildout
OpenAI is calling on the federal government to broaden a key tax incentive to support its large-scale data center expansion efforts. In a letter sent in late October to Michael Kratsios, the White Hou
By Kevin Chao
Families Sue OpenAI Over GPT-4o's Alleged Role in Suicides, Psychiatric Harm
Seven families filed lawsuits Thursday against OpenAI, accusing the company of releasing its GPT-4o language model without adequate safety measures. The lawsuits claim that ChatGPT reinforced delusion
By Dan Lesin
OpenAI CFO Says IPO Not Under Consideration Despite Investor Interest
OpenAI is not preparing for an initial public offering, according to the company’s chief financial officer. Speaking at the Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference on Wednesday, CFO Sarah Friar sai
By Marcus Reed
Multichain Bridge Offers Solutions for Regulators
Local firms (including Coinbase) have been under attack by American regulators in recent months as they, under the guide of consumer protection, work to dismantle the cryptocurrency industry. One inte
By Dan Lesin