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Plus: Nvidia is taking over the world, humanoid robots scare me, and more tech companies are cracking down on teens.

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Nvidia Roundup

  • Nvidia is investing aggressively, having backed 59 AI startups so far in 2025 and taking a 2.9% stake in Nokia for $1B to integrate Nvidia tech into its network products. The company also unveiled BlueField-4, a new data processing unit launching in 2026, and NVQLink, a high-speed interconnect Huang calls the “Rosetta Stone” between quantum and classical supercomputers. Finally, Nvidia and HPE will build two new supercomputers for Los Alamos National Laboratory to advance national security and scientific research. (Bloomberg), (Bloomberg), (Dylan Martin / The Channel Company), (Wall Street Journal), (Anton Shilov / tom’s HARDWARE)

Humanoid

  • Foxconn is adding humanoid robots to its Texas factory. The machines, powered by Nvidia’s Isaac GR00T N model, will help build AI servers in Houston. It is one of the first large-scale humanoid deployments in the United States.(Reuters)

  • Cruise founder Kyle Vogt is back and building household robots. His new venture, The Bot Company, is raising $250M at a $4B valuation to make robots that can do chores like cleaning and cooking. Backed by Greenoaks, the startup’s value has doubled since spring. (Bloomberg)

  • The $20K Neo robot can fold laundry and grab your water bottle. WSJ’s Joanna Stern tested the humanoid made by 1X Technologies, which still requires human help through VR control. Rent it for $499 a month if you’re cool with cameras mapping your home. (Wall Street Journal)

Age Restrictions

  • Character.ai banned all users under 18 from chatting with its bots, citing safety concerns and regulatory pressure. Teens can still use the platform to make stories and videos, but conversations are off-limits starting Nov 25. The $500B startup says prolonged AI use may have unknown psychological effects as regulators investigate AI “companions” after several tragic cases. (Financial Times)

  • YouTube is age-restricting violent video game footage that shows realistic human characters in scenes of mass harm or torture. Starting Nov 17, creators will need to blur or edit gameplay to avoid losing under-18 viewers. (The Verge)

  • Australia will ban anyone under 16 from social media on Dec 10, in one of the strictest online safety laws yet. Meta and TikTok say they’ll comply but warn it’s nearly impossible to enforce and may push teens toward sketchier corners of the web. Companies face fines up to A$49.5M for failing to catch underage users.(AFP)

Social Media

  • YouTube’s TV app is getting an AI glow-up. It can now automatically upscale low-res videos to HD or even 4K, making old uploads look brand new. The update also adds instant shopping via QR codes and bigger thumbnails for high-res screens. (The Verge)

  • X users have to re-enroll their hardware security keys by Nov 10 or risk getting locked out. The shift comes as Twitter.com officially dies and everything moves to X.com. Only passkeys and Yubikeys are affected, not authenticator apps. (PCMag)

Adobe Max

  • Adobe went full AI at its MAX 2025 event. Photoshop’s Generative Fill now accepts outside AI models, Lightroom picks your best shots automatically, and Premiere Pro adds an AI Object Mask to speed up video edits.(The Verge)

  • Firefly just leveled up with new AI tools and YouTube Shorts integration. Creators can describe edits in plain language, generate soundtracks, and build short-form content directly inside Adobe apps. (The Wrap)

  • Adobe teased Project Moonlight, the AI creative director syncs your Creative Cloud apps and social accounts to plan, design, and post content automatically. It can even study your engagement and suggest what to make next. (The Verge)

Startup Raises

  • Harvey raised $150M at an $8B valuation led by a16z, doubling its worth in months. The legal AI startup now pulls in $100M ARR with clients like KKR and Bridgewater and has raised over $1B total. (Forbes)

  • Whatnot raised $225M at an $11.5B valuation, more than doubling its value in under a year. The livestream shopping app has sold $6B in goods and keeps users watching 80 minutes a day. (New York Times)

  • Mem0 raised $24M to give AI a memory. The YC-backed startup lets your AI remember you across apps instead of starting fresh every time. With 13M downloads and 186M API calls last quarter, it is already powering AWS’s Agent SDK.(TechCrunch)

OpenAI

  • OpenAI just restructured into a mega foundation. The new OpenAI Foundation now controls the for-profit arm, holding $130B in equity and committing $25B to global AI safety and health research. (OpenAI)

  • PayPal struck a deal to power payments inside ChatGPT. Soon users can hit “Buy with PayPal” mid-chat and merchants can sell directly through OpenAI’s platform. Shares rose 4% on the news. (CNBC)

  • Cameo is suing OpenAI over the word “Cameo.” The celebrity video app says OpenAI’s new feature in Sora confuses users and infringes its trademark. (Reuters)

  • OpenAI is giving India free ChatGPT Go for a year. The plan, usually $5 a month, offers better memory and 10 times more usage. With 700M smartphone users, India is becoming one of OpenAI’s biggest markets. (TechCrunch)

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