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A lot of what we talk about with artificial intelligence and machine learning is what you might call “technical considerations” – which makes sense, because these are groundbreaking technologies.

But AI is going to be social, too – it’s going to have a social context. One way to explain that is that with ‘humans in the loop’ and assistive AI, the AI has to be able to interact with humans in particular ways.

So what about the social end of AI research?

The downturn in the technology sector — dragged by inflation, higher interest rates and geopolitical events — continues to persist, and one of the most acutely impacted areas has been VC funding for startups, particularly those outside the U.S. According to VC firm Atomico, companies in Europe are on track to raise just $42 billion this year — less than half the $85 billion that startups in the region raised in 2022.

The figures come from Atomico’s big report on the state of European tech, which it publishes annually.

It also found that startups in the region are raising less at each stage of funding from Seed through to Series C (and beyond), with later stage and larger companies feeling a particular pinch: just 7 “unicorns” (startups with a valuation of more than $1 billion) are set to emerge this year in Europe, compared to 48 in 2022 and 108 in 2021.

Foxconn plans to invest $1.54 billion in India, the latest in its growing expansion plan, following a surge in revenues in the South Asian market.

Foxconn said in a stock exchange filing that the investment will help it fulfil “operational needs.” The investment comes two months after the Taiwanese firm said it plans to double its workforce and investment in India by next year.

Foxconn works with many firms including Apple and assembles their devices in plants in India as many tech giants look to shift part of their manufacturing base to India in a move that analysts describe as “China+1.”