🤖 OpenAI quietly rebuilt a robotics team
OpenAI launched a robotics lab in 2025 that now has about 100 employees, according to Business Insider. The work stayed mostly out of public view while attention focused on models and products.
This is not their first attempt. OpenAI built robotic hands that solved a Rubik’s Cube years ago, then shut that effort down in 2020. Since then, the company backed robotics startups like Figure, 1X, and Physical Intelligence instead of building hardware itself.
What changed:
🖱 A dedicated robotics lab started in early 2025
🖱 The team focuses on data collection, not humanoids
🖱 Robotic arms run tasks like making toast or folding laundry
🖱 Systems operate nearly around the clock to generate training data
There is no confirmed humanoid robot project yet. For now, OpenAI appears to be learning how to train robots reliably, whether to build machines later or to supply the brains for others.
📊 @technco
OpenAI launched a robotics lab in 2025 that now has about 100 employees, according to Business Insider. The work stayed mostly out of public view while attention focused on models and products.
This is not their first attempt. OpenAI built robotic hands that solved a Rubik’s Cube years ago, then shut that effort down in 2020. Since then, the company backed robotics startups like Figure, 1X, and Physical Intelligence instead of building hardware itself.
What changed:
🖱 A dedicated robotics lab started in early 2025
🖱 The team focuses on data collection, not humanoids
🖱 Robotic arms run tasks like making toast or folding laundry
🖱 Systems operate nearly around the clock to generate training data
There is no confirmed humanoid robot project yet. For now, OpenAI appears to be learning how to train robots reliably, whether to build machines later or to supply the brains for others.
📊 @technco
❤1
OpenAI acqui hires the team behind Convogo
OpenAI is hiring the founders and team of Convogo, an AI tool used by executive coaches and HR teams for assessments and feedback reports.
🖱 OpenAI is not acquiring Convogo’s product or IP. The team joins to work on AI cloud efforts. The deal is all stock. Convogo will be shut down.
🖱 This is OpenAI’s 9th acquisition in about a year. In most cases, the product disappears and the team is absorbed.
M&A here is about talent density, not expanding a product lineup.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
OpenAI is hiring the founders and team of Convogo, an AI tool used by executive coaches and HR teams for assessments and feedback reports.
🖱 OpenAI is not acquiring Convogo’s product or IP. The team joins to work on AI cloud efforts. The deal is all stock. Convogo will be shut down.
🖱 This is OpenAI’s 9th acquisition in about a year. In most cases, the product disappears and the team is absorbed.
M&A here is about talent density, not expanding a product lineup.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
🔥 OpenAI targets its first hardware launch in late 2026
🖱 OpenAI says it is on track to unveil its first device in the second half of 2026, according to policy chief Chris Lehane speaking at Axios House Davos. No product details were shared and a retail launch is not yet confirmed.
🖱 CEO Sam Altman has hinted at a new kind of AI device since OpenAI acquired a company founded by former Apple design lead Jony Ive. Reports point to small, screenless hardware, possibly wearable, built around simple interaction rather than apps.
🖱 Lehane said devices are a key focus for 2026, with more information expected later in the year. For now, the timeline signals intent, not a finished product.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
🖱 OpenAI says it is on track to unveil its first device in the second half of 2026, according to policy chief Chris Lehane speaking at Axios House Davos. No product details were shared and a retail launch is not yet confirmed.
🖱 CEO Sam Altman has hinted at a new kind of AI device since OpenAI acquired a company founded by former Apple design lead Jony Ive. Reports point to small, screenless hardware, possibly wearable, built around simple interaction rather than apps.
🖱 Lehane said devices are a key focus for 2026, with more information expected later in the year. For now, the timeline signals intent, not a finished product.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
📹 TikTok in the US is now officially American-controlled
The sale of TikTok’s US business was approved by both the US and Chinese governments. The asset was valued at $14B, with additional fees paid to the US government for brokering the deal.
Ownership after the transaction:
🖱 New US investors hold 50%, including Oracle and Revolution
🖱 Existing investors retain 30.1%
🖱 ByteDance keeps 19.9%
The company will be run by Adam Presser, currently deputy CEO of global TikTok.
Structurally, this resolves years of regulatory pressure. TikTok’s US operations now sit under American control, while the product and brand stay intact.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
The sale of TikTok’s US business was approved by both the US and Chinese governments. The asset was valued at $14B, with additional fees paid to the US government for brokering the deal.
Ownership after the transaction:
🖱 New US investors hold 50%, including Oracle and Revolution
🖱 Existing investors retain 30.1%
🖱 ByteDance keeps 19.9%
The company will be run by Adam Presser, currently deputy CEO of global TikTok.
Structurally, this resolves years of regulatory pressure. TikTok’s US operations now sit under American control, while the product and brand stay intact.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
🔽 Anthropic rattles software and finance stocks
Markets reacted sharply after reports around new Anthropic tooling, with a broad selloff across software, finance, and asset management names.
Bloomberg data showed heavy pressure across the sector:
🖱 Around $285B wiped out across affected stocks
🖱 Goldman’s software basket down about 6%, the largest drop since April
🖱 Financial services index down roughly 7%
🖱 Nasdaq at one point down 2.4%
The trigger was not a new model, but the release of 11 plugins for Claude Cowork on Jan 30. These tools target full workflows like financial modeling, legal research, and sales operations, rather than plugging into existing software.
Stocks tied to those workflows sold off hard:
🖱 RELX: -14%
🖱 Wolters Kluwer: -13%
🖱 Infosys: -7%
🖱 TCS: -6%
Wall Street has started calling it a “SaaSpocalypse.” The concern is that foundation model companies are moving beyond APIs and into owning the application layer itself.
Markets reacted sharply after reports around new Anthropic tooling, with a broad selloff across software, finance, and asset management names.
Bloomberg data showed heavy pressure across the sector:
🖱 Around $285B wiped out across affected stocks
🖱 Goldman’s software basket down about 6%, the largest drop since April
🖱 Financial services index down roughly 7%
🖱 Nasdaq at one point down 2.4%
The trigger was not a new model, but the release of 11 plugins for Claude Cowork on Jan 30. These tools target full workflows like financial modeling, legal research, and sales operations, rather than plugging into existing software.
Stocks tied to those workflows sold off hard:
🖱 RELX: -14%
🖱 Wolters Kluwer: -13%
🖱 Infosys: -7%
🖱 TCS: -6%
Wall Street has started calling it a “SaaSpocalypse.” The concern is that foundation model companies are moving beyond APIs and into owning the application layer itself.
❤3
🗂 Microsoft builds a data marketplace for AI training
🖱 Microsoft is creating a marketplace where rights holders can price their content for AI training.
🖱 AI companies would license data legally instead of scraping it.
🖱 Partners include Vox Media, The Associated Press, and Condé Nast. Smaller independent publishers are also expected to participate.
A pilot launch is planned soon. The model turns training data into a priced input rather than a legal gray zone.
🖱 Microsoft is creating a marketplace where rights holders can price their content for AI training.
🖱 AI companies would license data legally instead of scraping it.
🖱 Partners include Vox Media, The Associated Press, and Condé Nast. Smaller independent publishers are also expected to participate.
A pilot launch is planned soon. The model turns training data into a priced input rather than a legal gray zone.
❤2
🧠 The man who invented AI
In 1956, one mathematician asked a question that sounded like science fiction at the time:
“What if a machine could think?”
That question gave birth to the term Artificial Intelligence.
That man was John McCarthy.
And that moment quietly started the AI story we are living inside today.
McCarthy did not build startups or pitch investors. He did something riskier. He defined ideas decades ahead of their time.
🔸 He argued that intelligence is not magic or “human essence”, but a formal system that can be described with logic
🔸 He created Lisp, the language used for AI long before Python or neural networks
🔸 He believed real AI should reason, set goals, and draw conclusions, not just predict the next token
When we talk today about AI agents, reasoning models, or autonomous decision systems, we are mostly catching up to ideas outlined 60 to 70 years ago.
The irony is that McCarthy was a skeptic. He did not believe in black-box magic and would likely be very strict with modern LLMs.
But his focus on logic, goals, and agency is exactly what is becoming relevant again.
💧 Sponsored by @rainbetcom - rainbet.com
In 1956, one mathematician asked a question that sounded like science fiction at the time:
“What if a machine could think?”
That question gave birth to the term Artificial Intelligence.
That man was John McCarthy.
And that moment quietly started the AI story we are living inside today.
McCarthy did not build startups or pitch investors. He did something riskier. He defined ideas decades ahead of their time.
🔸 He argued that intelligence is not magic or “human essence”, but a formal system that can be described with logic
🔸 He created Lisp, the language used for AI long before Python or neural networks
🔸 He believed real AI should reason, set goals, and draw conclusions, not just predict the next token
When we talk today about AI agents, reasoning models, or autonomous decision systems, we are mostly catching up to ideas outlined 60 to 70 years ago.
The irony is that McCarthy was a skeptic. He did not believe in black-box magic and would likely be very strict with modern LLMs.
But his focus on logic, goals, and agency is exactly what is becoming relevant again.
💧 Sponsored by @rainbetcom - rainbet.com
This media is not supported in your browser
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Why Harvard creates more Billionaires than any other school.
💰 Crypto.com CEO buys AI.com for $70M
🖱 Kris Marszalek, founder and CEO of Crypto.com, bought the AI.com domain for about $70M paid in crypto. It is the largest publicly disclosed domain sale to date.
🖱 The project is positioned as a consumer AI platform, starting with a personal AI agent for messaging, app use, and stock trading. The focus is simplicity for non-technical users.
🖱 Marszalek calls it a long-term bet on AI as a major tech wave over the next 10 to 20 years. He says he already received large offers for the domain but chose to keep it to build a brand instead.
Big money for a single URL.
Branding wars in AI are heating up fast.
🖱 Kris Marszalek, founder and CEO of Crypto.com, bought the AI.com domain for about $70M paid in crypto. It is the largest publicly disclosed domain sale to date.
🖱 The project is positioned as a consumer AI platform, starting with a personal AI agent for messaging, app use, and stock trading. The focus is simplicity for non-technical users.
🖱 Marszalek calls it a long-term bet on AI as a major tech wave over the next 10 to 20 years. He says he already received large offers for the domain but chose to keep it to build a brand instead.
Big money for a single URL.
Branding wars in AI are heating up fast.
👍2
📈 6 ways investors are getting exposure to Anthropic
Anthropic, the company behind Claude, is still private but already valued around $350B after recent funding rounds. Capital is moving fast, even before an IPO. Here are the main routes investors are using today.
1️⃣ Buying shares on secondary markets
Accredited investors can buy Anthropic shares directly from existing holders on private secondary platforms. This is the closest thing to owning the stock pre-IPO, but access is limited and liquidity is thin.
2️⃣ Venture funds with Anthropic exposure
Some venture funds include Anthropic as part of a broader portfolio of private tech companies. This lowers single-company risk, but Anthropic usually represents only a small percentage of the fund.
3️⃣ ARK Venture Fund
Cathie Wood’s ARK Venture Fund holds Anthropic alongside other private AI leaders. It offers exposure without direct ownership, though fees are higher and Anthropic is not the core position.
4️⃣ Investing through Big Tech stakeholders
Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia have all invested billions into Anthropic, mostly tied to cloud and compute deals. Buying these public stocks gives indirect exposure, mixed with their much larger core businesses.
5️⃣ Broad AI exposure via public markets
Some investors choose a basket approach through AI-focused ETFs or major AI builders. This spreads risk across the sector but removes any pure Anthropic bet.
6️⃣ Waiting for the IPO
Reports suggest Anthropic has discussed a possible IPO in 2026, but nothing is confirmed. This remains the cleanest option for many investors, assuming timing and valuation make sense.
The market is already pricing Anthropic like a public giant. The IPO would just make it official.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
Anthropic, the company behind Claude, is still private but already valued around $350B after recent funding rounds. Capital is moving fast, even before an IPO. Here are the main routes investors are using today.
1️⃣ Buying shares on secondary markets
Accredited investors can buy Anthropic shares directly from existing holders on private secondary platforms. This is the closest thing to owning the stock pre-IPO, but access is limited and liquidity is thin.
2️⃣ Venture funds with Anthropic exposure
Some venture funds include Anthropic as part of a broader portfolio of private tech companies. This lowers single-company risk, but Anthropic usually represents only a small percentage of the fund.
3️⃣ ARK Venture Fund
Cathie Wood’s ARK Venture Fund holds Anthropic alongside other private AI leaders. It offers exposure without direct ownership, though fees are higher and Anthropic is not the core position.
4️⃣ Investing through Big Tech stakeholders
Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia have all invested billions into Anthropic, mostly tied to cloud and compute deals. Buying these public stocks gives indirect exposure, mixed with their much larger core businesses.
5️⃣ Broad AI exposure via public markets
Some investors choose a basket approach through AI-focused ETFs or major AI builders. This spreads risk across the sector but removes any pure Anthropic bet.
6️⃣ Waiting for the IPO
Reports suggest Anthropic has discussed a possible IPO in 2026, but nothing is confirmed. This remains the cleanest option for many investors, assuming timing and valuation make sense.
The market is already pricing Anthropic like a public giant. The IPO would just make it official.
✔️ Subscribe on @venture
🦞 OpenAI acquires OpenClaw and hires its creator
OpenAI has absorbed the OpenClaw project and brought its creator, Peter Steinberg, into the company. He will lead development of the next generation of AI agents. Sam Altman called him a genius and said his ideas will soon shape OpenAI products.
OpenClaw itself will remain open source. OpenAI says it will continue to support and develop the project.
The repository has been one of the fastest-growing in GitHub history by stars. At its peak, it gained 34,000 stars in two days. In about 60 days, it went from roughly 9,000 to nearly 200,000 stars. For comparison, Kubernetes took about three years to reach 100,000.
Anthropic reportedly had an opportunity to move earlier but focused on trademark concerns around the original name ClawdBot.
This time, OpenAI moved first and secured the team behind the momentum.
📊 news.nzoko.com
OpenAI has absorbed the OpenClaw project and brought its creator, Peter Steinberg, into the company. He will lead development of the next generation of AI agents. Sam Altman called him a genius and said his ideas will soon shape OpenAI products.
OpenClaw itself will remain open source. OpenAI says it will continue to support and develop the project.
The repository has been one of the fastest-growing in GitHub history by stars. At its peak, it gained 34,000 stars in two days. In about 60 days, it went from roughly 9,000 to nearly 200,000 stars. For comparison, Kubernetes took about three years to reach 100,000.
Anthropic reportedly had an opportunity to move earlier but focused on trademark concerns around the original name ClawdBot.
This time, OpenAI moved first and secured the team behind the momentum.
📊 news.nzoko.com
This media is not supported in your browser
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🥋 AGIBOT shows kung fu robot A3 with jump kicks and flips
Shanghai-based AGIBOT presented its robot A3 performing jump kicks, spinning strikes at different angles, and backflips. The company says the robot can consistently hit its target during demonstrations.
Despite the martial arts moves, the intended use case is far calmer. AGIBOT plans to deploy A3 for guided tours and escort services.
💧 Sponsored by @rainbetcom - rainbet.com
📊 @tech
Shanghai-based AGIBOT presented its robot A3 performing jump kicks, spinning strikes at different angles, and backflips. The company says the robot can consistently hit its target during demonstrations.
Despite the martial arts moves, the intended use case is far calmer. AGIBOT plans to deploy A3 for guided tours and escort services.
💧 Sponsored by @rainbetcom - rainbet.com
📊 @tech
This media is not supported in your browser
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
They are now 3D printing a 12 meter boat in one piece with robots, no mold and no extra cost.
What once needed a full shipyard can now be done with a giant printer.
📊 news.nzoko.com
What once needed a full shipyard can now be done with a giant printer.
📊 news.nzoko.com
🍏 Apple to unveil $699 MacBook with A18 Pro in March
Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to announce a lower-cost MacBook at its March event. The device is expected to start at $699.
Instead of an M-series chip, it will use the A18 Pro from the iPhone 16 Pro. While positioned below Apple Silicon M chips, the A18 Pro is said to approach original M1-level performance. The display is rumored at 12.9 inches. Apple has also developed a cheaper and faster aluminum manufacturing process for the chassis.
Color testing reportedly includes light yellow, light green, blue, pink, silver, and dark gray. Current MacBook Air models start at $999.
A sub-$700 Mac would reset the entry point to the Mac lineup.
💧 Sponsored by news.nzoko.com
Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to announce a lower-cost MacBook at its March event. The device is expected to start at $699.
Instead of an M-series chip, it will use the A18 Pro from the iPhone 16 Pro. While positioned below Apple Silicon M chips, the A18 Pro is said to approach original M1-level performance. The display is rumored at 12.9 inches. Apple has also developed a cheaper and faster aluminum manufacturing process for the chassis.
Color testing reportedly includes light yellow, light green, blue, pink, silver, and dark gray. Current MacBook Air models start at $999.
A sub-$700 Mac would reset the entry point to the Mac lineup.
💧 Sponsored by news.nzoko.com
The Startups VC
🦞 OpenAI acquires OpenClaw and hires its creator OpenAI has absorbed the OpenClaw project and brought its creator, Peter Steinberg, into the company. He will lead development of the next generation of AI agents. Sam Altman called him a genius and said his…
OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberg is the literal “Ok Claude, make a $1B company, make no mistakes” gigachad meme.
📊 news.nzoko.com
📊 news.nzoko.com
⬇️ The quiet creator of WinRAR
Eugene Roshal built WinRAR and largely stayed out of the spotlight.
RAR stands for Roshal Archive.
He avoided Silicon Valley, skipped media attention, and kept his personal life private.
WinRAR became one of the most installed software tools in the world. The 40-day trial became a running joke since it never truly locked users out.
Estimated net worth ranges between $100M and $250M.
While others chased headlines, he built a compression algorithm that powered millions of PCs.
@lesdeveloppeurs
Eugene Roshal built WinRAR and largely stayed out of the spotlight.
RAR stands for Roshal Archive.
He avoided Silicon Valley, skipped media attention, and kept his personal life private.
WinRAR became one of the most installed software tools in the world. The 40-day trial became a running joke since it never truly locked users out.
Estimated net worth ranges between $100M and $250M.
While others chased headlines, he built a compression algorithm that powered millions of PCs.
@lesdeveloppeurs
❤1