Latest news with #Context
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I went to a NYC Tech Week kickoff event and heard there's one crucial thing AI can't do
It's officially Tech Week in New York, when the city cosplays as San Francisco and networking happy hours take over seemingly every bar. On Sunday evening, around 50 founders and investors kicked off the week with a power walk on the High Line — and while pretty much everyone seemed to be discussing AI, they told me that the event itself represented what new technology can't replace. I arrived at the walk a few minutes early to find a small crowd assembled, the brave wearing athletic shorts in the uncharacteristically cold June weather. As we started to walk, the word 'AI' seemed to dot every conversation I overheard. Of the six founders I talked to, five of them explicitly marketed their projects as AI companies. All of the AI enthusiasts I talked to, though, independently told me there's one crucial business skill that the technology can't master: interpersonal skills. "What AI will never replace is human connection, how to deal with people," Somya Gupta, 25, told me. Gupta founded Context just under a year ago, an AI education startup that partners with universities to help professors create fully AI-taught online courses. He said that face-to-face interaction is what makes Tech Week important. Ben Spray, 21, is the CEO of Consolidated Consulting, a private equity professional services firm, and is working to build another company. His next venture is an AI-powered IT department that he hopes will consume his current startup. Spray thinks that the humans at his startup outperform AI in two key areas: "Design and emotional intelligence." AI might be able to produce code, but it can't understand "really, really varied connections," Spray told me. Matt Bishop, who founded Open City Labs in 2017, told me he's been building AI chatbots "since before it was cool." His company unifies customers' health data from different providers and uses AI to generate personalized care plans. When it comes to certain tasks, AI has been shown to outperform doctors, Bishop, 42, told me. "But that does not mean I believe that we don't need doctors," he said. Instead, he thinks we need doctors to learn how they can use AI effectively. I also asked the tech bros — and, yes, they were mainly bros — about whether AI is taking jobs. Matt Slavik, 36, and Ondrej Illek, 32, founded a recruitment company that uses AI agents, and said they combine their human expertise with the agents' skills to help startups find talent faster. It's essential, though, to maintain a "human touch," Illek said. These days, that very recruitment process is "really challenging for young people," Bishop told me. It seems like the only way to succeed in a brutal job market is to embrace AI, at least according to those I asked. Gupta, who founded the AI education company, described himself as an optimist and said most of his friends had recently found jobs. Even he said AI is going to replace inefficient employees, but that those who learn how to work with it can turbocharge their productivity. As we walked up the west side of Manhattan, I was struck by the number of people that showed up, free from their computers and generally off their phones. Attendees paired off like they would have on a middle school trip — they talked about autonomous robots, but they talked person-to-person nonetheless. At Tech Week, I somehow still felt the "human touch."
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Context gets $11M to build an AI-powered office suite
Context, a startup building an AI-powered office suite, on Wednesday announced that it raised $11 million in a seed round led by Lux Capital with participation from Qualcomm Ventures and General Catalyst. The round, which brings the company's total raised to around $15.75 million, values Context at $70 million. Founder Joseph Semrai, a Thiel Fellow, started working on Context in 2024 after he realized that current digital office suites are not well suited to take advantage of AI models. "[W]e have a bunch of disparate applications that aren't necessarily built keeping the power of [AI models] in mind," Semrai told TechCrunch in a phone interview. "We want to take advantage of the fact that [models] can understand large context windows and use multiple applications at the same time to get the best result." Over the past few years, many startups in the productivity and browsing space have made user interface changes to adopt a chat-forward experience, largely thanks to the rise of AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT. Semrai thinks that Context, which is similarly chat-focused, can be a powerful tool for workers using an office suite, similar to how Cursor has become a useful application for programmers. Office suite makers like Google and Microsoft have infused AI into their applications. Canva, which has been in the creative space historically, is also designing products that suit all kinds of office work with AI at the center. Notion, meanwhile, is building an enterprise workplace with an AI search and research mode. Many of these products offer connectors to third-party applications. But Semrai said that while connecting to sources and retrieving data is becoming commoditized, new-age tools don't always deliver capabilities that help with analysis. That, he said, is where Context comes in — it's designed to make it easier for users to reason over the data they fetch from various sources and make decisions based on that. Context has a simple interface with a chat box in the center. You can ask the AI tool to perform research derived from your documents, integrations, and web knowledge. You can then ask it to convert all this to a document, spreadsheet, or presentation, while continuing to interact with it to generate different artifacts. Context also offers a Python interpreter to let you run code. The goal isn't necessarily replacing a fully-featured office suite like Microsoft 365. Rather, Context is going after a market not well-served by the current crop of tools, according to Semrai. For example, unlike many AI-powered data analysis products, Context will soon be able to work offline, enabling simple analysis and document drafting based on existing data and documents via Context's desktop client. Users can try out Context for free with 50 credits, one workspace, and 10 team members. Alternatively, they can pay $20 per month to get 2,000 credits with no limits on workspaces and team members. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at
TechCrunch
28-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Context gets $11M to build an AI-powered office suite
Context, a startup building an AI-powered office suite, on Wednesday announced that it raised $11 million in a seed round led by Lux Capital with participation from Qualcomm Ventures and General Catalyst. The round, which brings the company's total raised to around $15.75 million, values Context at $70 million. Founder Joseph Semrai, a Thiel Fellow, started working on Context in 2024 after he realized that current digital office suites are not well suited to take advantage of AI models. '[W]e have a bunch of disparate applications that aren't necessarily built keeping the power of [AI models] in mind,' Semrai told TechCrunch in a phone interview. 'We want to take advantage of the fact that [models] can understand large context windows and use multiple applications at the same time to get the best result.' Over the past few years, many startups in the productivity and browsing space have made user interface changes to adopt a chat-forward experience, largely thanks to the rise of AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT. Semrai thinks that Context, which is similarly chat-focused, can be a powerful tool for workers using an office suite, similar to how Cursor has become a useful app for programmers. Context founder Joseph Semrai Image Credits: Context Office suite makers like Google and Microsoft have infused AI into their applications. Canva, which has been in the creative space historically, is also designing products that suit all kinds of office work with AI at the center. Notion, meanwhile, is building an enterprise workplace with an AI search and research mode. Many of these products offer connectors to third-party applications. But Semrai said that while connecting to sources and retrieving data is becoming commoditized, new-age tools don't always deliver capabilities that help with analysis. That, he said, is where Context comes in — it's designed to make it easier for users to reason over the data they fetch from various sources and make decisions based on that. Context has a simple interface with a chat box in the center. You can ask the AI tool to perform research based on your documents, integrations, and web knowledge. You can then ask it to convert all this to a document, spreadsheet, or presentation, while continuing to interact with it to generate different artifacts. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Context also offers a Python interpreter to let you run code. The goal isn't necessarily replacing a fully-featured office suite like Microsoft 365. Rather, Context is going after a market not well-served by the current crop of tools. For example, unlike many AI-powered data analysis products, Context will soon be able to work offline, Semrai said, enabling simple analysis and document drafting based on existing data and documents via Context's desktop app. Users can try out Context for free with 50 credits, one workspace, and 10 team members. Alternatively, they can pay $20 per month to get 2,000 credits with no limits on workspaces and team members.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Context Networks and River City Amusements Expand Digital Ad Network Across Wisconsin Taverns and Restaurants Powered by Mobiquity Technologies' Data Intelligence Platform
NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mobiquity Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: MOBQ), a leading provider of next-generation data intelligence and advertising technology solutions and Context Networks, Inc., a leader in programmatic advertising for the gaming industry, today announced the expansion of its digital ad network in partnership with River City Amusements. The rollout brings Context's Deep Intelligence Marketing strategy to taverns and restaurants throughout West Bend and Milwaukee—transforming in-venue gaming screens into dynamic, brand-safe advertising spaces. The launch marks the first regional deployment of Context's proprietary Contextual Promotions Media Network™ (CPMN™) in Wisconsin and leverages the robust data and AI-driven technology of Mobiquity Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: MOBQ)—a critical partner powering the back-end intelligence and cross-channel ad distribution. This initial deployment includes 38 venues and 165 gaming screens and is projected to scale to over 70 establishments and 344+ gaming screens by summer 2025. Mobiquity's AdTech platform plays a key role in enabling hyper-targeted, data-informed ads across these displays, extending campaigns to mobile and Connected TV (CTV) devices for a unified brand experience. 'Local bars and restaurants are high-value environments for brand engagement, and our partnership with Mobiquity Technologies allows us to deliver precision-targeted ads in those exact moments,' said Matthew Olden, CEO of Context Networks. 'Together, we're creating a new category of retail media, seamlessly integrated into everyday social spaces.' Using AI, machine learning, and real-time behavioral data, the CPMN™ delivers emotionally resonant and geographically tailored ads, complete with interactive QR codes for instant offers and engagement. Business owners benefit from passive revenue generation, while advertisers gain exclusive access to attentive, high-intent audiences. Mobiquity Technologies' proprietary platform brings advanced audience targeting, real-time optimization, and cross-device capabilities to the network, reinforcing its position as a key enabler of next-generation advertising solutions across retail and gaming environments. 'This is a powerful demonstration of how Mobiquity's technology can assist in unlocking new monetization pathways,' said Dean Julia, CEO of Mobiquity Technologies. 'Context Networks' vision is innovative, and we're proud to provide the data and delivery engine behind this retail media evolution.' Advertisers from beverage, lifestyle, and rideshare sectors are already seeing opportunities to align campaigns with high-traffic nightlife venues and customer engagement points. Local businesses can also run ZIP code–specific promotions alongside national brands, expanding access to premium advertising tools previously out of reach. 'This partnership helps Wisconsin's hospitality sector embrace new revenue models without disrupting operations,' said Lester Hahn, CEO of River City Amusements. 'It's a turnkey solution that benefits everyone—from patrons to business owners to brand marketers.' The successful Wisconsin rollout is expected to serve as a template for expansion into additional U.S. markets in 2025 and beyond. About Mobiquity TechnologiesMobiquity Technologies, Inc. (OTC: MOBQ) is a leading provider of next-generation data intelligence and advertising technology solutions. Through its subsidiaries, including Advangelists, Mobiquity Networks, AdHere, and MobiExchange, the company offers innovative programmatic advertising technologies, consumer behavior insights, and automated ad management systems. Mobiquity Technologies serves a diverse range of industries, including retail, political, automotive, gaming, hospitality and entertainment. Learn more at About Context NetworksContext Networks, Inc. is the first programmatic advertising platform built specifically for the gaming industry. Its Contextual Promotions Media Network™ (CPMN™) enhances revenue and engagement through personalized, in-venue digital advertising. By combining AI, blockchain, and data analytics, Context delivers secure, measurable, and emotionally resonant brand experiences. Visit About River City AmusementsRiver City Amusements is a Wisconsin-based operator providing state-of-the-art gaming and amusement equipment to hospitality venues. The company focuses on innovative solutions that support local businesses and elevate customer engagement through entertainment and technology. Safe Harbor StatementThis press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties, or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. MEDIA CONTACTS Mobiquity TechnologiesColumbia Marketing Groupjohn@ Context Networks and River City AmusementsRich Phillipsrjphillips@ +1-512-680-4305Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Taylor Swift's Rerelease of 'Reputation' Song Sends Internet Into Meltdown
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Taylor Swift debuted "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" in a new episode of The Handmaid's Tale, and fans took to social media to share their excitement. Newsweek reached out to Swift's representative via email for comment on Tuesday. The Context "Look What You Made Me Do" was Swift's lead single off her sixth studio album, Reputation, which was released in 2017. Following a dispute with her former record label Big Machine Records, the billionaire pop star, 35, vowed to rerecord her original albums. To date, Swift has rerecorded Fearless (Taylor's Version), Red (Taylor's Version), Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and 1989 (Taylor's Version). Taylor Swift performs onstage during her Reputation Stadium Tour at AT&T Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Taylor Swift performs onstage during her Reputation Stadium Tour at AT&T Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Matt Winkelmeyer/TAS18/Getty Images for TAS What To Know Swifties—a term used to refer to fans of Swift—were treated to a surprise rerecord of "Look What You Made Me Do" in the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu. The tune was introduced at the beginning of the episode, when Elisabeth Moss' character, June Osborne, heads an uprising against the Commanders in Gilead. What People Are Saying The Handmaid's Tale star and executive producer Elisabeth Moss—who attended Swift's Eras Tour in Toronto with costar Bradley Whitford—told Billboard this week: "I've been wanting to use a Taylor song for many years on the show, and we finally found the perfect spot for a track from her, and I'm so glad we waited because there could not be a more perfect song for a more perfect moment. Taylor has been such an inspiration to me personally. As a Swiftie myself, and I think I can speak for [costar] Yvonne [Strahovski] and our entire cast as well, who are all Swifties, it's such an honor to be able to use her music in the final episodes of our show." The Handmaid's Tale editor Wendy Hallam Martin said in a statement to Billboard: "In trying many songs for this specific moment in our series and knowing how much Lizzie wanted a strong female voice and message, Taylor was really the artist that delivered both lyrically and tonally. Our bada** main character June in this scene, really was saying 'look what you made me do' and the song couldn't have been more on point. A perfect pairing." On X, formerly Twitter, fans shared their thoughts after the scene aired. Well-known Swiftie and rapper Flavor Flav wrote in a comment with over 62,000 views: "Look what you made her do." X user @FaerieGodFag said: "YAAAAAS I LOVE IT." @shahadmajiliLWYMMD added: "Taylor's Version AAAAHHHHHHH SKSKSKSKSJSJSKKSK." @ASillyLivie posted: "WHAT!!!!!!" @SandraWyldstyle shared: "Couldn't have picked a better song or Artist for the intro!!!! @taylorswift13 @taylornation13." @swiftafboikatie chimed in: "OMG!!!!!!!!!! [oh my God]" @SuazoUli remarked: "WHAT IS GOING ON WE NEED ANSWERS RIGHT NOW @taylornation13." What Happens Next "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" comes amid fan rumors that Swift may be gearing up for a Reputation (Taylor's Version) announcement at the American Music Awards next week. Earlier this month, the Grammy Award winner's website had items for sale at 26 percent off, and her shop spelled out AMAs with the first letters of the words: Apparel, Music, Accessories and Sale. The American Music Awards are set to take place on Monday, May 26. New episodes of The Handmaid's Tale are released on Tuesdays.
