🎭 Is That Really Me?

👋 Welcome! Today, we’re covering range of topics from valuation of Elon’s (another) company to how deepfakes are throwing warning signs to AI. Get ready for a full spectrum of insights that will keep you informed and engaged!

Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $113B Valuation – Elon Musk's AI venture, xAI, has launched a $5 billion debt sale and is pursuing a $113 billion valuation through a $300 million share sale, marking a significant step in its growth trajectory.

Snowflake Acquires Crunchy Data – Data cloud company Snowflake plans to acquire Crunchy Data for $250 Million to bolster its AI agent development, aiming to provide enterprises with more robust tools for building and deploying AI applications.

Samsung Partners with Perplexity AI Samsung is in advanced talks to integrate Perplexity AI's assistant into its upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphones, aiming to offer enhanced AI-driven search and assistant capabilities directly on the device.

AI-Powered Boating Tech – New York-based startup Viam has developed an AI system for boats that improves navigation in foggy conditions and predicts fish locations with up to 75% accuracy, revolutionizing the boating and fishing experience.

Disney Cuts Hundreds of TV and Film Jobs – Disney is eliminating hundreds of roles in its TV and film divisions as part of an ongoing restructuring to prioritize streaming services. The move reflects broader industry pressures as traditional media companies adapt to shifting viewer habits favoring digital platforms. Disney aims to enhance efficiency and profitability amid fierce competition.

Over 150 U.S. Companies Announce Layoffs in June – More than 150 American companies, including Morgan Stanley, Walmart, and Pfizer, announced layoffs in June amid ongoing economic challenges. The job cuts reflect broader economic instability and strategic realignments by both governmental and private sector employers.

Gen Z Job Seekers Get Bold With “Hacky” Tactics – A new wave of Gen Z job seekers is going beyond traditional résumés. Some are using dating apps for networking or crashing private tech events to make connections. While some methods show hustle, experts warn that exaggerating experience or using deceitful tactics can damage long-term prospects.

Circle Targets $7.2B Valuation in IPO – Stablecoin issuer Circle is aiming for a $7.2 billion valuation in its upsized U.S. initial public offering, highlighting growing momentum in the crypto sector.

Tech Stocks Drive Market Rebound – A rebound in big tech stocks, including Nvidia and Meta Platforms, contributed to the market's upward movement, offsetting earlier losses driven by weak manufacturing data and trade concerns.

Wall Street Starts June on a Positive Note – U.S. stock indexes posted modest gains to kick off June. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,935.94, the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.1% to 42,305.48, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.7% to 19,242.61. These gains followed a strong performance in May, Wall Street's best month since 2023. Despite early losses due to disappointing manufacturing data, key technology stocks like Nvidia and Meta Platforms helped pull indexes higher later in the day.

Horizon3.ai – $100M Series C

San Francisco's Horizon3.ai, specializing in AI-driven cybersecurity, is raising a $100 million Series C round, having secured at least $73 million so far. The company provides autonomous threat detection tools that simulate cyberattacks to uncover vulnerabilities.

Ringg AI – $1M Seed

Bengaluru-based Ringg AI secured $1 million in seed funding from Capital 2B. The startup offers a no-code conversational AI platform that allows businesses to deploy real-time, multilingual voice agents for customer support, supporting over 15 languages.

The rise of AI-generated deepfakes is unsettling the boundaries between truth and fabrication. These hyper-realistic videos and voice clones can imitate public figures or loved ones with startling accuracy, making them potent tools for scams and misinformation.

Just this week, a woman was targeted by a scammer who used an AI-generated deepfake of actor Owen Wilson to convince her of a romantic relationship and job offer. The fraud not only duped her emotionally but led to financial damage—demonstrating the manipulative power of personalized deepfake content.

On the cybersecurity front, researchers report that criminals are deploying AI deepfake “sentinels” to test and circumvent corporate security systems. These synthetic identities, powered by generative AI and video manipulation, are probing weak points in verification tools, raising the risk of financial fraud and corporate espionage.

Policy and legislations are starting to act. Even the image created above can not be generated Last month, President Trump signed the bipartisan Take It Down Act, which criminalizes non-consensual intimate deepfake content. Even the image created above can not be generated without the explicit mention of “Deepfake“. This marks a significant milestone in addressing the darker sides of synthetic media—particularly its role in online harassment and exploitation.

However, experts warn that laws alone won’t solve the problem. Deepfake detection tools must keep pace with the technology. Some civil liberties groups also caution against overregulation, arguing that vague or sweeping bans could threaten freedom of expression and even satire—especially if definitions of “harm” are too broad or subjective.

Actionable Insights:

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36,000 per second

The rate at which automated cyberthreat scans occur globally, indicating a significant rise in AI-powered cyberattacks.

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