ETtech Explainer: Differentiating section 69A & 79 amid X row

The Union government has reportedly submitted that this mechanism complements rather than “eviscerates” the Section 69A blocking process. It has reportedly called X’s conflation of these processes an attempt to evade intermediary obligations while retaining protection from liability for third-party content.

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X faces widespread outage as users get affected globally

This marks yet another technical disruption for X in recent days. On March 28, the platform suffered a significant outage, affecting over 58,000 users at its peak. A day before that, both X and Reddit went down simultaneously, raising concerns about service stability.

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India and the AI ace: A strategic play

India is working towards becoming an AI leader by launching initiatives for infrastructure, innovation, and skill development. The government has allocated funds and set up high-end computing facilities. They focus on training and retaining talent. Private sector collaboration is needed. Comprehensive AI education is required to prepare future generations.

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Microsoft's premature release of GPT-4 test in India contributed to Sam Altman's ouster from OpenAI: WSJ report

In November 2023, Sam Altman was ousted as OpenAI CEO for lack of candor, with controversies surrounding GPT-4’s premature release, fund mismanagement, and internal conflicts leading to his eventual reinstatement.

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SaaS-ination? AI may be threatening traditional SaaS model

Artificial intelligence may be threatening the existence of the traditional Software-as-a-Service model, forcing even established companies to adapt and innovate, or risk oblivion.

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Elon Musk sells X to his own xAI for $33 billion in all-stock deal

Elon Musk has sold social media platform X to his xAI company in a $33 billion all-stock deal. The acquisition aims to merge xAI's AI expertise with X's vast reach. Musk values xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion, enhancing user experiences with advanced AI.

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Dholera chips in to make expats feel at home

Dholera, India’s first semiconductor hub, is developing a "Global Tent City" for expats, featuring international food streets, cultural shows, shopping, and recreational facilities to cater to global talent and make them feel at home.

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Nvidia-backed CoreWeave's shares open nearly 3% lower in market debut

The Nvidia-backed AI infrastructure firm was valued at $22.7 billion on a fully diluted basis.

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Mid-market firms may drive India’s GCC growth numbers

India is witnessing a rise in mid-market firms establishing global capability centers (GCCs), with revenues projected to grow 15-20% between 2024-2026. Flexible, cost-effective models drive adoption, attracting firms from the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

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Zaggle to acquire majority stake in PoS software firm Effiasoft for Rs 36.7 crore

The Hyderabad-based prepaid payments company will raise its stake in Effiasoft by another 5.6% through either cash or share swap, which will be decided at a later date.

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Uber offers driverless car tech companies a ride to market

Uber has launched autonomous vehicle (AV) rides with Waymo in Austin, Texas, aiming to become the top platform for AV commercialisation. While AVs promise scalability and efficiency, challenges include safety, regulations, and cost-effectiveness. Uber envisions a hybrid model with both AVs and human drivers.

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Groww in talks to rack up $200 million via pre-IPO funding at $6.5 billion valuation

Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, existing investor Tiger Global tapped, according to sources in the know. Groww, which started as a direct mutual funds distributor, is currently the largest stockbroker in the country in terms of active clients.

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ClarityX launches Places Pulse tool to detect patterns in consumer movements with Mappls MapmyIndia Data

Rakhi Prasad, cofounder of ClarityX said that with this tool, businesses and policymakers can point to demand spikes, identify location-based consumer behaviour, and strategise at zero cost. The tool uses Mappls MapmyIndia's hyperlocal maps data and location tech to analyse search trends by state, category and time frame to stay updated on popular destinations.

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AI bias, demand uncertainty hit pricing power of India’s IT

India’s $280 billion IT sector faces pricing pressure due to uncertain demand and AI adoption. Competition is rising, deal rates are dropping, and firms are leveraging automation and tier-2 locations to maintain profitability amid changing client expectations.

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OpenAI COO to spearhead global growth, partnerships in expanded role, Sam Altman says

OpenAI is partnering with SoftBank Group and Oracle to establish a network of data centers under the $500-billion Stargate project, aimed at powering artificial intelligence workloads. "Brad will lead our global deployment, focusing on business strategy, key partnerships, infrastructure, and operational excellence to maximize the impact of our research," Altman said.

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DNA testing firm 23andMe files for bankruptcy as demand dries up

Sales of the consumer kits frequently picked up during holiday season, but 23andMe has struggled to retain customers mainly because people would use the kits once and see little reason to order another one. In 2023, hackers exposed the personal data of nearly 7 million 23andMe customers over a five-month period, dealing a major blow to the company's reputation and compounding its growth problems.

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P2P lending slows as RBI move clouds future of key players

The peer-to-peer (P2P) lending sector has experienced a significant slowdown over the past year as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened regulations on the industry. According to two founders in the sector, the total assets managed through P2P lending platforms have plummeted from approximately Rs 10,000 crore a year ago to around Rs 3,000 crore.

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Amazon India to scrap referral fees on 1.2 crore products under Rs 300

Amazon's move, the largest seller fee reduction till date, will be applicable across more than 135 product categories including apparel, shoes, jewellery, grocery, home décor, beauty, toys, and kitchen products. Currently, referral fees – a commission sellers pay Amazon on each sale – range from 2% to 16% in these categories.

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STPI-supported startups raise Rs 286 crore fund from investors

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) director General Arvind Kumar said the organisation, formed under the Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS) of the Ministry of Electronics and IT, has given early-stage seed capital of Rs 30.87 crore to 136 startups.

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India’s IT sector treads the tightrope between tariff wars and recession fears

India's software services exporters face uncertainty as global tariff wars, particularly from the US, and economic concerns impact growth prospects. While demand from key sectors like BFSI showed early recovery, fears of recession, rising costs, and AI adoption challenges could dampen prospects. Hiring trends are increasingly centred around AI-related skill

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19 years of Twitter

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Leap of faith: Spiritual apps on global quest

Devotional apps like AppsForBharat, Vama.App, and Utsav expand globally, targeting the Indian diaspora with digital rituals and ecommerce. Fueled by Maha Kumbh’s surge, they drive growth through engagement and venture capital funding.

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WhatsApp monitors fraudulent activities, scams; bans 9.96 million Indian accounts

According to WhatsApp, even before receiving user complaints, the Meta-owned messaging app banned 1.32 million accounts. This, it said, demonstrated its AI-driven abuse detection system

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Eye on AI, tech companies rejig top deck, plan structural overhaul

India’s IT services sector is undergoing leadership and structural changes due to AI’s rising influence and a tough business environment. Several companies appointed new CEOs, revamped roles, and restructured operations to enhance efficiency and remain competitive.

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Hero MotoCorp to invest up to Rs 525 crore in Euler Motors for 32.5% stake

The investment in the three-wheeled electric commercial vehicle maker will be made in one or more tranches. According to the company, the investment will give it a strong foothold in the fast-growing electric three-wheeler market, where EVs could account for 35% of total sales soon.

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Hero MotoCorp to invest up to Rs 525 crore in Euler Motors for 32.5% stake

The investment in the three-wheeled electric commercial vehicle maker will be made in one or more tranches. According to the company, the investment will give it a strong foothold in the fast-growing electric three-wheeler market, where EVs could account for 35% of total sales soon.

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Fintech sees early green shoots as growth-stage deals pick up

The fintech investment landscape is reviving, with growth-stage deals attracting over $550 million in 2025. Regulatory clarity, emerging wealth-tech opportunities, and major IPOs from firms like PhonePe and Groww are boosting investor confidence in the sector.

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‘Meta will launch community notes-based fact checker in the US first’, says company's senior executive

Meta will replace third-party fact-checking with community notes in the US first, delaying global rollout until 2026. Meta’s Joel Kaplan emphasised AI innovation, regulatory clarity, and India’s potential in open-source AI development.

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Google to pay $28 million to settle claims it favoured white and Asian employees

Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini confirmed the settlement on Tuesday, but added, "We continue to disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone differently, and remain committed to paying, hiring and levelling all employees fairly."

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Hit a regulatory bump? Interministerial panel set up to address fintech troubles

The government has formed an inter-ministerial committee to address fintech industry challenges, balancing innovation with regulation. It includes key regulators and fintech leaders, aiming to analyze sector growth and propose policy recommendations within three months.

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Zomato faces insolvency plea over alleged Rs 1.64 crore unpaid dues

Zomato faces an insolvency plea from Nona Lifestyle over alleged unpaid dues of Rs 1.64 crore. The NCLT has adjourned the case to April 3 for further clarification.

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Exporters take wind out of shippers’ sails

Worried by the uncertainty from the US' incoming tariffs, exporters in sectors like electronics, gems, jewellery, apparel, and footwear are facing various logistical challenges to speed up deliveries by air, instead of using their usual shipping methods.

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Uber in early discussions with EV ride-hailing startup BluSmart for a possible acquisition

Uber is in early talks to acquire BluSmart Mobility, boosting its electric cab presence in India. The move comes amid Gensol Engineering’s financial troubles, increasing competition, and Uber’s strategic focus on the mobility sector.

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Ola Electric’s subsidiary faces insolvency plea over payment dispute

Rosmerta Digital Services filed an insolvency plea against Ola Electric Technologies over alleged payment defaults. Ola Electric disputes the claims and plans legal action while restructuring contracts, managing layoffs, and targeting Ebitda profitability next quarter.

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OpenAI and Elon Musk agree to fast tracked trial over for-profit shift

Billionaire Elon Musk and OpenAI jointly proposed a trial in December, according to a federal court filing on Friday.

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Intel's new CEO to receive $1 million as base salary

The company named Tan as the CEO on Wednesday, tasking the industry veteran to lead a faltering transition to a successful chip manufacturing firm as well as chip design house. He will take charge on March 18.

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US IRS pauses modernisation investments to evaluate AI technology

The agency will review a number of technology modernisation initiatives that have been taken in recent years, including the new Direct File free filing system for tax returns that was launched last year under the Biden administration, the official told reporters.

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Venture firm 3one4 Capital returns entire first fund capital to sponsors

3one4 Capital fully returned its first fund’s capital, with unrealised returns set for 4x gains. The 2016 fund backed startups like Darwinbox and Licious. The firm has exited multiple investments and anticipates IPOs from key portfolio companies.

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JPMorgan engineers' efficiency jumps as much as 20% from using coding assistant

The efficiency gains from the coding assistant will also allow JPMorgan's Indian centres to devote more time to high-value projects focusing on artificial intelligence and data, said Lori Beer, global chief information officer, JPMorgan Chase.

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Data center build-out stokes fears of overburdening biggest US grid

AI data centers are driving record US electricity demand, straining the aging grid. With fossil fuel plants retiring and new power projects delayed, regulators warn of reliability risks, especially in PJM’s high-demand region.

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SIA-India welcomes SpaceX's partnerships with Airtel, Jio

​​ "These collaborations will accelerate broadband expansion and play a crucial role in enhancing connectivity across industries such as ports, rural enterprises, mining, oilfields, villages, and India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZs), where satellite technology can deliver substantial value," Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-india, said.

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Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani predicts that India will have one million startups by 2035

Nandan Nilekani predicts India will have one million startups by 2035, driven by AI, capital, entrepreneurship, and formalisation. Speaking at Arkam Ventures' meet, he outlined key reforms for an $8 trillion economy, stressing digital inclusion, land monetisation, and MSME growth.

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Energy storage startup AmpereHour Energy raises $5 million from Avaana Capital

AmpereHour Energy raised $5 million from Avaana Capital and UC Impower to expand manufacturing, R&D, and product development. The startup, specialising in energy storage, aims to scale capacity to 1 GWh in 18 months amid rising industry demand.

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Sequoia partner on Murati’s AI startup: “We’re talking to her”

Murati, who departed from OpenAI in September last year, launched her new company, Thinking Machines Lab, earlier this year. Sequoia had previously supported another OpenAI alumnus, Ilya Sutskever, when he raised $1 billion for his startup, Safe Superintelligence, last year.

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Apple preparing for a major software overhaul: Report

The revamp, which is loosely based on Vision Pro's software, would include a style update of icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons, the report said. Vision Pro is Apple's mixed-reality headset.

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Elon Musk’s X faces global outage for the third time

According to real-time monitoring website Downdetector, over 40,000 reports were recorded during the second outage, with users encountering issues on both the X website and mobile app.

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ET Corporate Awards | At the core, our startup DNA still continues: Zomato CFO Akshant Goyal

While receiving the Emerging Company of the Year award at The ET Awards for Corporate Excellence in Mumbai, CEO Deepinder Goyal said Zomato is a unique business in India, in terms of the amount of direct and indirect employment the business creates.

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5G’s cosmic ring: Unlocking global connectivity with non-terrestrial networks

Satcom is answering the call for enhanced connectivity, but are India’s 5G non-terrestrial networks ready to take off? The integration of 5G NTN could revolutionise connectivity, enabling remote services and opening new revenue streams for telecom players, though challenges remain in scaling and profitability.

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Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani on AI commoditisation, data, and the rise of Indian startups

Nandan Nilekani discussed the declining returns of building large AI models, highlighting China’s affordable, open-source approach. He emphasised the importance of high-quality data, such as AI4Bharat’s work, and the growing number of Indian startups using scalable technologies.

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Top tech and startup stories this week

Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories this week. Let’s take a look.

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Apple says some AI improvements to Siri delayed to 2026

Apple stated that it is developing a more personalised version of Siri with enhanced awareness of users' personal context and the ability to perform actions within and across apps. However, the company acknowledged that delivering these features is taking longer than expected and anticipates their rollout in the coming year.

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Public sector banks eye fintech tie-ups for MSME loans

Public sector banks are strengthening fintech partnerships to boost MSME lending amid a government push. Co-lending models and digital solutions are driving growth, though operational challenges remain in scaling supply chain financing.

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SpaceX aims for Thursday Starship test flight

Elon Musk's SpaceX is now aiming for Thursday to conduct the next test flight of its massive Starship rocket, following a last-minute cancellation on Monday.

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RBI-fintech meet discusses expanding digital payments market, checking fraud

The meeting was attended by the new RBI Governor and senior officials of the apex bank. Senior executives from the payments, digital lending, and account aggregator startups represented the industry.

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Lenskart’s Peyush Bansal charts global expansion amid IPO buzz

Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal highlighted that, although discussions about an IPO are ongoing, the company is primarily focused on growth and maintaining consistency with customers, which is crucial for long-term success.

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Cybertrucks to Smart Gadgets, Mobile World Congress bustles with cutting-edge tech in Barcelona

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Apple defeats US consumer lawsuit over iCloud storage, for now

U.S. District Judge Eumi Lee in San Jose, California, on Friday said the plaintiffs in the class action had not shown Apple violated federal or state antitrust law. However, she ruled they could amend their complaint and refile it.

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Corporate payments fintech startup Ramp valued at $13 billion after share sale deal

The five-year-old startup hit the new valuation as it sold $150 million worth of its secondaries to investors including Singaporean wealth fund GIC, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures and General Catalyst, Ramp said in a statement on Monday.

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Together eyes final close of Fund-II by June to up AI play

Venture capital firm Together Fund expects to close its $150 million Fund-II by June and ride India's artificial intelligence (AI) wave. Founded in 2021 by Freshworks founder Girish Mathrubootham and Eka Software founder Manav Garg, Together plans to focus on AI through its second fund and support 19-20 firms in the segment.

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Trump names cryptocurrencies to be in strategic reserve; prices spike

Trump said on social media that his January executive order on digital assets would create a stockpile of currencies including XRP (Ripple), SOL (Solana), and ADA (Cardano).

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ETtech Deals Digest

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Tech to let you hear the future: AI-driven sound innovation

Shyam Gollakota, a professor at the University of Washington, is using AI to enhance how we hear and interact with sound. The technology can isolate individual sounds, place it in a spatial context, and control what the listener hears, improving auditory experiences.

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Fair Winds: TCS to navigate challenges with AI and emerging opportunities

TCS had its share of ups and downs in the last 12 months, but what lies ahead for the $29-billion IT giant in 2025? As the company faces increasing competition and a changing market, opportunities in AI, digital transformation, and deal consolidation could steer its growth.

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Ola's AI venture runs into human (resources) glitch

Most of the exits took place between March and November 2024, some quitting within a year of joining the firm and a few leaving in a matter of months. ET reported last year that Ravi Jain, who was brought in from Ola Electric in May 2023 as business head, had left the firm. Jain's LinkedIn shows he quit in November.

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Top tech and startup stories this week

Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories this week. Let’s take a look.

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US court finds Byju Raveendran, Think & Learn, company directors guilty of fraud

According to the lenders' statement, the court confirmed that several fund transfers from Byju’s Alpha were fraudulent and constituted theft. It also ruled that Riju Ravindran breached his fiduciary duties as a director of Byju’s Alpha.

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NCLT approves Shailendra Ajmera as new resolution professional of Byju’s parent firm

This follows Byju’s parent firm Think & Learn's committee of creditors passing a resolution to replace resolution professional Pankaj Srivastava with Ajmera.

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