Waymo is expanding its driverless robotaxi service in Nashville, while YouTube megastar MrBeast's company acquired the teen-focused banking app Step. These developments, along with other tech news, highlight the dynamic shifts in the tech industry.
Waymo removed human safety drivers from its autonomous test vehicles in Nashville, according to TechCrunch. The Alphabet-owned company plans to launch a robotaxi service in the city this year in partnership with Lyft. Riders will initially hail rides through the Waymo app, with expansion to the Lyft app planned later. Lyft will handle fleet services, including vehicle maintenance and charging infrastructure. Waymo currently operates commercial services in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco.
In other news, MrBeast's company, Beast Industries, acquired Step, a banking app aimed at Gen Z users. Step, which raised half a billion in funding and has over 7 million users, offers financial services to help young people build credit, save money, and invest. The app has attracted celebrity investors like Charli D'Amelio and Stephen Curry. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is the most-subscribed creator on YouTube, with over 466 million subscribers.
Social network Bluesky rolled out drafts, a feature long requested by users. The company plans to improve its algorithmic Discover feed, offer better recommendations, and make the app feel more real-time.
Databricks announced a $5.4 billion revenue run rate, growing 65% year-over-year, with over $1.4 billion from its AI products. Co-founder and CEO Ali Ghodsi stated, "For us, its just increasing the usage." Databricks also closed on a $5 billion raise at a $134 billion valuation and secured a $2 billion loan facility.
Anthropic's expansion into India faced a challenge as a local software company filed a court complaint, claiming it had been using the name Anthropic since 2017. Anthropic recently appointed Irina Ghose to lead its India operations, highlighting the growing importance of the South Asian market to global AI companies. The Indian company, Anthropic Software, alleges that Anthropic's entry into India has caused customer confusion.
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