Ampla, a Lender to Consumer Brands, Faces Financial Struggles

A popular lender backed by venture capital firms is struggling financially, sending shock waves through the small clothing and home furnishing companies that count on its financing. The lender, Ampla, spent years courting small direct-to-consumer brands with low rates and a pitch that it understood their needs. In recent weeks, its top executives have been…

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Colorado Bill Aims to Protect Consumer Brain Data

Consumers have grown accustomed to the prospect that their personal data, such as email addresses, social contacts, browsing history and genetic ancestry, are being collected and often resold by the apps and the digital services they use. With the advent of consumer neurotechnologies, the data being collected is becoming ever more intimate. One headband serves…

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Microsoft Hires DeepMind Co-Founder to Run Consumer A.I.

Mustafa Suleyman, a co-founder of Google’s DeepMind artificial intelligence lab, is leaving the start-up he was running to lead Microsoft’s consumer A.I. business, in another sign of Microsoft’s aggressive plans for the technology. Mr. Suleyman will report directly to Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chief executive, the company said on Tuesday. Mr. Suleyman, whose start-up, Inflection AI,…

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