Banks rethink UPI play; Big Tech's AI pivot dents Indian IT

Happy Wednesday! The return of MDR on UPI is pushing banks to rethink products and budgets. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

OpenAI expands GPT-6 lineup with cheaper Sol and Luna models

The launch of low-cost GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna follows the rollout of GPT-6 Astra, a faster model for handling more tasks than previous iterations, earlier this month.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Google data centre sparks protests in Austria

In the Austrian town of Kronstorf, a planned Google data centre promises investment, jobs and a place on the digital map -- but residents are not convinced. Google has not disclosed the cost of the project, describing it only as a "significant investment".

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Inside Furlenco’s IPO; Moneyview investors make bank

Happy Tuesday! Furlenco is heading to Dalal Street for a potential Rs 1,200 crore IPO. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Amazon blocks Meta’s Muse AI agent from its retail site

Meta’s Muse, which was introduced earlier this month, is designed to help people carry out such common online tasks as shopping and booking appointments. Amazon prohibits other companies from deploying automated tools to shop its site and started blocking Muse on Sunday night, a spokesperson said. Shoppers using Muse see a series of pop-ups saying its use violates Amazon’s terms of use.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Google opens pre-orders for $899 Googlebook laptops built around Gemini AI

Starting at $899, initial models from Acer, Asus, Dell , HP and Lenovo will run on Intel or Qualcomm processors with up to 14 hours of battery life, the company said.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

China slows humanoid robot IPO rush as hype outruns reality

Chinese regulators are putting the brakes on a rush of humanoid-robot companies seeking listings, people familiar with the matter said, as they scrutinise whether soaring valuations and revenue tied to state-backed projects reflect commercial demand.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Softbank Group launches over $10 billion in bonds for OpenAI investment, term sheet shows

The dollar-denominated notes are split into 3-1/2-year, 5-1/2-year and 7-1/2-year tenors, while the euro-denominated bonds are split into 4-year and 6-year tenors, according to the term sheet.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Cybercrime feud erupts on dark web as notorious group claims hijack of rival's website

One of the world's best-known cybercrime groups said on Sunday it had hijacked one of its chief rivals' dark web site, bringing what it said was a long-simmering feud out into the open.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Ashwini Vaishnaw on India’s chip push; Emergent's new AI bet

Happy Monday! The next set of investments under India’s semiconductor scheme are expected to begin in the next six months, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told us. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Anthropic quietly sets up biology lab as it ramps AI drug program

At a time when fears of AI are gripping the public, the startup has built a wet lab, or place for physical experiments, in the San Francisco Bay Area, two people familiar with the matter said. Anthropic has said it wants to unlock treatments for rare diseases, and its biology work has gone beyond "in silico" or computer evaluations.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

OpenAI, Microsoft executives' quotes on AI training threaten copyright defense, news outlets argue

OpenAI and its largest financial backer, Microsoft, have argued in the Manhattan federal court case that their AI training on millions of newspaper articles is protected as fair use because it transforms copyrighted material into new content and does not compete with or replace the news organizations' journalism.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

ETSA winner Theranautilus heads to human trials; JSW One’s IPO plans

Happy Friday! Theranautilus is set to begin human trials of its nanorobot-based dental tech soon. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Amazon enters AI safety fray, calls for "rigorous testing," safeguards

The company provided its views in response to a Reuters inquiry days after many of the largest labs called for slower AI development, following an outcry among researchers and others who fear the technology could evade human control and threaten global systems and even humanity itself.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

OpenAI reveals six new cases of AI misbehavior, vows transparency

US artificial intelligence giant OpenAI promised Wednesday to more systemically report instances of its models going off track, while also publishing six new reports on previously undisclosed incidents of AI misbehavior. None of the six examples disclosed Wednesday had significant consequences, but they confirm previously observed trends.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Decoding MDR’s impact; EV bikes’ policy change sparks debate

Happy Thursday! The return of MDR is set to change UPI's market share game. This and more in today's ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Revolut hackers demand $3 million ransom: FT

Hackers behind a data breach at Revolut threatened to sell confidential records of hundreds of customers to other criminal groups unless the British fintech pays a ransom of $3 million within 24 hours, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Anthropic's Amodei calls for industry-wide AI safety standards

On the back of publishing an essay urging AI companies to slow down, the Anthropic chief made the case for industry-wide safety standards.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Musk's X Corp and SpaceXAI resolve antitrust lawsuit against Apple

In a court filing, X and SpaceXAI, a division of SpaceX, moved to dismiss the claims in a lawsuit they ‌brought against Apple ⁠and ⁠OpenAI last year. The filing did not explain the reasons for dismissal or say whether ​a settlement had been reached.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Trump agrees to new bipartisan ethics provision in massive crypto bill, Republican senators say

A core group of Democrats, as well as Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said that didn't go far enough to address conflict-of-interest issues they had with Trump's crypto wealth. Their votes would be needed to advance the bill in a key vote this Tuesday.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Mid-tier VCs scout deeptech deals; ETSA winner Varaha’s India play

Happy Monday! Sector-agnostic mid-tier venture capital investors are recaliberating focus on India's deeptech startups. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

OpenAI's Sam Altman won't do IPO this year, calls AI extinction risk 'unacceptable'

The comments come as more US lawmakers urge new rules to govern AI systems after dire warnings from two researchers from OpenAI rival Anthropic that rapidly progressing AI could lead to the extinction of the human race in the not-too-distant future.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

The Next Decade of PhonePe and Future of Digital Payments | Deep Agarwal | Global Fintech Fest 2026

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Karnataka government to fund 100 startups with Rs 25 crore for pilot projects in government departments

Selected startups can get work orders of up to Rs 25 lakh each for pilot projects under an initiative called Government First under goverment's flagship Elevate programme, announced as part of Karnataka’s Startup Policy 2025-30.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Anthropic says it blocked misuse of its AI that could have supported biological weapons

"The cases we share here aren't typical misuse, but rather examples of the most notable and novel threat activity we've identified to date," Anthropic said in its third report since March 2025 describing AI misuse. The report includes snippets of the malicious code and AI prompts Anthropic said it found, and urges governments and AI competitors to identify and prevent similar abuse.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

OpenAI is open to slowing AI development: Sam Altman tells staff

⁠Altman told employees in a company-wide meeting that the ChatGPT maker ​could pace development alongside other AI labs, but some may not agree, ​the report added.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

MDR on UPI coming soon; India's new class of robot workers

Happy Friday! With a fee on UPI set to come into the picture soon, issuing banks are poised to claim the biggest slice. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Indian-origin couple gifts $20 millon to American university for focus on AI, advanced analytics

Anuradha and Vikas Sinha have gifted USD 20 million to the University of North Texas (UNT) with a focus on artificial intelligence and advanced analytics while creating new opportunities for students and faculty, a press statement said.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Meta tests fact-check replacement in Latin America

Meta said Wednesday it had begun testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, a step toward replacing the professional fact-checking program it runs with partner organizations across the region.is among the fact-checking organizations that participate in Meta's program in Latin America and elsewhere.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Habuild CEO on user loyalty; Flipkart Minutes gets its own app

Happy Thursday! Habuild CEO Saurabh Bothra said repeat users are helping the company drive growth. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

ET Startup Awards 2026: Habuild leans on repeat users to expand beyond yoga into strength training, nutrition

Habuild, winner of the Bootstrap Champ title at the ET Startup Awards 2026, has built a profitable digital wellness business driven largely by repeat subscriptions. The platform, which started with free yoga sessions during Covid, reported Rs 112 crore revenue and Rs 57 crore net profit in FY25, while expanding into strength training and AI-led nutrition tools.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

US accuses Chinese AI firms of 'malicious' copying of AI technology

The Chinese companies copied U.S. AI labs' intellectual property through a technique known ‌as distillation, according ⁠to ⁠a statement from U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials. Distillation is the process of training ​smaller AI models using output from larger, more expensive ones as part of an effort ​to lower the costs of training a new AI tool.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

US suspends Cognizant green card filings

The action came a day after Cognizant announced plans to expand its American workforce. The company said it planned to hire 1,500 US college graduates and increase its Frontier Certified Engineer and Frontier Business Operator workforce to 15,000 people.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Late-stage funding squeeze; ISRO opens up space

Happy Tuesday! India’s late-stage funding market is tightening, with investors writing smaller cheques and pushing for lower valuations. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Taiwan flexes chip diplomacy muscles as it faces pressure to share AI wealth with allies

Home to companies like TSMC whose chips power AI applications, diplomatically isolated Taiwan has long sought to leverage its tech prowess to garner international support, something Beijing routinely seeks to block saying the island is merely one of its provinces.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Festive carts to get heavier; Pixxel’s $100 million fresh fuel

Happy Monday! Online festive shopping is set to hit a new high this year. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

India set to pitch tech synergy for cementing BRICS

India is keen to complete three major multilateral projects under its chairmanship of the 11-country bloc. The global research advanced infrastructure network (GRAIN) initiative will offer researchers from member states federated, or shared, access to high-performance computing systems and supercomputers, an official said.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Piper Serica eyes Rs 180-220 crore deployment across four-six deeptech startups this fiscal

The investment firm's new Bharat Tech Fund, a Category II AIF, targeting a corpus of Rs 600 crore, alongside a greenshoe option of Rs 200 crore, has already raised about Rs 400 crore and evaluated around 30-35 startups in the hunt for the next investment, Modi told PTI.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

IPO-bound Rentomojo pins growth on 'hard-to-copy' supply chain moat

Rentomojo’s moat lies in its complex rental model, which combines subscriptions, asset ownership, logistics, collections and refurbishment. With 2.5 lakh active subscribers and strong repeat business, the company is scaling ahead of its Rs 1,255.6 crore IPO, backed by improving profitability and access to credit.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

US, China gear up for mid-September AI safety talks

The ​talks, the first official bilateral discussions devoted exclusively to AI between the US and China ​since US President Donald Trump took office for a second time, will be led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the US side, the sources, who were briefed ​on the planning, said on condition of anonymity.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

DeepSeek plans big Huawei AI chip order to power new data centre

The startup doesn’t currently plan to use the 950DT chips for training, one of the people said, even though Huawei designed and marketed these processors to serve that more demanding function. While DeepSeek tried to train its previous models on Huawei chips, it has so far relied on Nvidia accelerators for this crucial step.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Smart ring maker Oura reveals revenue surge in US IPO filing

The IPO market is ‌expected to ⁠pick up ⁠steam after a summer lull. Analysts expect issuers to target the ​post-Labor Day window to get ahead of any uncertainty around November's midterm elections. Oura, ​whose journey began more than a decade ago in Oulu, Finland, makes a smart ring that tracks key ​health indicators such as heart rate, sleep ⁠stages and ‌physical activity.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Tesla starts Cybercab rides in Austin, prompting US safety agency evaluation

CEO Elon Musk has said the Cybercab is key to transforming Tesla into a dominant force in driverless vehicles. ​The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, meanwhile, sets and enforces rules for auto safety, including for new vehicles.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Sugar’s valuation slump; Slice takes a hit

Happy Friday! A91 Partners is backing Sugar Cosmetics in a round that will see the beauty brand’s valuation fall sharply. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Uber layoffs impact India; RMG ban, a year on

Happy Thursday! Uber is cutting jobs in India as part of a sweeping global restructuring. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

BPSC TRE 4.0 recruitment 2026: Application process likely to begin from September 21; check official notice

Bihar Public Service Commission will begin TRE 4.0 recruitment applications on September 21, 2026. This drive aims to fill 32,308 teaching vacancies across various school levels. Candidates will need specific educational and teacher-training qualifications for these positions. The age limit varies, with relaxation for reserved categories as per rules. A written exam and document verification will form the selection process.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
via IFTTT

Restaurants step up food safety; UpGrad seals Unacademy deal

Happy Wednesday! India’s food safety crackdown is forcing restaurants to clean up their kitchens and supply chains. This and more in today’s ETech Morning Dispatch.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT

Eutelsat OneWeb seeks urgent security approval for LEO constellation to launch commercial satcom services in India

Eutelsat OneWeb urgently seeks government security approval for its satellite constellation. The company faces significant delays in launching commercial services in India. This delay impacts its ability to monetize substantial prior investments. Starlink and Jio Satellite also await similar security clearances from authorities. OneWeb's early mover advantage is diminishing due to these prolonged approvals.

from Tech-Economic Times
via IFTTT