⚙️ RedNote, Flip, Clapper and Likee claim the top of the App Store as TikTok comes back online

As TikTok returns online after a brief ban, several competing apps have surged in popularity, dominating the App Store's top charts. RedNote (Xiaohongshu) has claimed the No. 1 spot, gaining 700,000 new U.S. users during the TikTok ban. Other apps like Clapper, Flip, and Likee also ranked high, with Clapper and Likee taking the No. 4 and No. 2 spots, respectively.

The TikTok outage prompted users to explore alternatives, signaling a preference for Chinese apps over Instagram. Despite TikTok's restoration, these competitors continue to thrive, with significant download increases reported. Notably, VPN apps also saw a spike in downloads as users attempted to bypass restrictions during the ban. The app landscape is expected to shift again as users reconsider their choices with TikTok back online.

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🌐 China is reportedly open to Elon Musk acquiring TikTok US

Chinese officials are reportedly considering the possibility of selling TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk if the Supreme Court upholds a law banning the app. While the Chinese government prefers that TikTok remains under ByteDance's ownership, discussions about a sale to Musk are seen as part of a strategy to engage with the incoming Trump administration.

If the acquisition occurs, Musk’s company, X, would gain access to TikTok's 170 million American users and significant advertising revenue. However, a TikTok spokesperson dismissed the report as "pure fiction." The extent of ByteDance and TikTok's awareness of these discussions remains unclear, suggesting potential Chinese influence over the platform.

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‼️ UK in-home healthcare provider Cera raises $150M to expand its AI platform

Cera, a UK in-home healthcare provider, has raised $150 million in a mix of debt and equity to expand its AI-driven platform. This funding comes amid increasing pressure on public healthcare systems, particularly the NHS, which is struggling post-pandemic. The investment was led by funds affiliated with BDT & MSD Partners and Schroders Capital.

Cera's platform utilizes proprietary AI modeling to analyze patient data, which has reportedly led to significant reductions in hospitalizations, patient falls, and faster hospital discharges. The company claims to be EBITA-positive and free cash flow positive, indicating a shift towards self-sustainability. With this new funding, Cera aims to enhance its services and technology, positioning itself as a major player in the home healthcare space, covering approximately 30 million people in the UK. Cera's success highlights its role in alleviating pressure on the NHS while providing comprehensive home healthcare services.

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😥Microsoft to pump $3 billion into cloud and AI push in IndiaMicrosoft plans to invest $3 billion in India to enhance its cloud and AI capabilities, aiming to expand Azure services and upskill 10 million people by 2030. CEO Satya Nadella announced this initiative during an event in Bengaluru, highlighting the growing demand for Microsoft’s technologies among Indian clients, including firms like Infosys and Air India. This investment is part of a broader strategy by American tech giants to establish a significant presence in India, which has become a crucial market for technology development. More than 17 million developers in India utilize Microsoft's GitHub platform, showcasing the company's significant footprint in the region.

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🔻 Nvidia unveils $2,000 RTX 5090 GPU

Nvidia has unveiled its new RTX 5090 GPU during CES 2025, priced at $2,000. This GPU features 92 billion transistors, 4,000 AT TOPS, 380 ray-tracing TFLOPS, and 1.8 TB/s bandwidth, promising to outperform its predecessor, the RTX 4090, by up to 2x. The RTX 5090 is part of the Blackwell family, which aims to enhance gaming and creative applications through AI-driven rendering technologies.

In addition to the RTX 5090, the lineup includes the RTX 8050, 5070 Ti, and 5070, priced at $999, $749, and $549, respectively. Laptops equipped with these GPUs will start at nearly $3,000 and will be available beginning in March. Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, emphasized the GPU's role in revolutionizing graphics technology, likening it to past innovations in computer graphics.

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🔵 Accel could raise billions for India, but it’s sticking to $650 million

Accel has opted to maintain its India fund size at $650 million for its eighth vehicle, despite opportunities to raise significantly more. Partner Shekhar Kirani explained that while other firms are increasing their funds, Accel believes that exceeding $650 million makes it challenging to generate high-quality returns. The firm has a history of strong performance in India, exemplified by early investments in successful startups like Swiggy.

Accel's strategy focuses on investing in approximately 40 companies annually from a pool of around 300 emerging startups. The firm is particularly interested in wealthtech and AI-driven software companies, as well as opportunities in smaller towns and villages, which it refers to as "Bharat." This approach aims to tap into the significant spending power of the top income quintile in these areas.

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🚨 OpenAI is losing money on its pricey ChatGPT Pro plan, CEO Sam Altman says

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that the company is currently losing money on its $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan due to higher-than-expected usage. Despite raising around $20 billion since its inception, OpenAI is not profitable, projecting losses of about $5 billion against $3.7 billion in revenue for the previous year. Operational costs, including staffing and AI training, contribute to these losses, with expenses for ChatGPT reaching approximately $700,000 daily.

As OpenAI seeks to attract new investments through corporate restructuring, it may consider increasing subscription prices to achieve profitability. The company optimistically projects its revenue could reach $100 billion by 2029.

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📱 Microsoft to spend $80 billion in FY’25 on data centers for AI

Microsoft plans to invest $80 billion in fiscal year 2025 to build data centers specifically designed for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. More than half of this investment will be allocated in the United States. The new AI-enabled data centers aim to train AI models and deploy cloud-based applications globally. Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith emphasized that AI is set to drive innovation and productivity across various sectors.

Additionally, there have been discussions between Microsoft and OpenAI regarding a facility to house an AI supercomputer called Stargate, which could cost over $100 billion to construct. As the demand for AI technology grows, concerns about power shortages for data centers due to AI's high energy consumption are also anticipated.

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🔺 Lyft will credit NYC riders for congestion fee throughout January

Lyft will credit New York City riders for the new congestion fee throughout January 2025. This fee, aimed at reducing traffic in lower Manhattan and funding mass transit, charges $1.50 per ride for services like Lyft and Uber during peak hours, in addition to an existing $2.75 fee for rides that begin, end, or pass through Manhattan below 96th Street.

Lyft's credits can be used for future rides or Citi Bike rentals, which the company describes as a gesture to help users adjust to this new expense.

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🫶 New ship, new year: SpaceX to deploy model Starlink satellites on next Starship launch

SpaceX is set to enhance its Starship test flight program with an upcoming launch that will deploy 10 model Starlink satellites. These simulators will mimic the size and weight of the next-generation V3 satellites, which are expected to significantly increase the Starlink network's capacity. The V3 satellites will have over 10 times the downlink and 24 times the uplink capacity compared to the previous V2 Mini satellites.

The launch will also showcase various upgrades to the Starship, including improvements to its propulsion system, avionics, and heat shield. Additionally, SpaceX aims to successfully "catch" the Super Heavy booster during this test, a feat they achieved in a previous launch. The deployment of the V3 satellites will mark a critical step in SpaceX’s plans to expand its satellite constellation using Starship, which can carry more payload than the Falcon 9 rocket currently in use.

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