Ai Api

Anthropic warned it is close to RSI (recursive self-improvement), the point where AI becomes capable of training itself well enough to trigger rapid capability acceleration. The company framed the milestone as a threshold with major safety implications.

AI Safety • TechCrunch AI

The New York Times and other publications sued the company behind the Brave browser, alleging unlawful scraping to train AI and enabling users to bypass paywalls. The complaint was filed by the New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune and others.

Legal • The Verge AI

Anthropic is developing a system called FlashProve that would let anyone verify an AI response genuinely came from the model it claims to be from. The provenance tool addresses growing concerns about model impersonation and spoofed API outputs.

AI Safety • TechCrunch AI

Solo fund by ex-Phoenix Court partner • Unknown

A former partner at London VC firm Phoenix Court launched her debut solo fund, a $17 million vehicle looking to unearth Europe's next AI success. The fund is not a direct startup funding round but a new venture capital fund.

AAPL

Apple posted its best-ever fiscal year for revenue and earnings per share, with iPhone revenue rising 17.5% in the fourth quarter and Mac sales growing strongly. The company is capitalizing on the AI boom without matching competitors' infrastructure spending.

fal • Series F

AI infrastructure company fal has raised $1.3 billion in a Series F funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from NVIDIA, Sound Ventures, HOF Capital and T. Rowe Price. The round doubles the company's valuation to $16 billion.

Sentra • Series C

Data security startup Sentra Inc. raised $150 million in a Series C round led by Capital One Ventures, bringing its total funding to more than $250 million. The company helps restrict and monitor data access for AI agents.

Nooks • Commitment

AI sales automation startup Nooks has secured a $500 million commitment from General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund to finance its sales and marketing push. The fund will take a share of the returns its capital helps generate.