💰 OpenAI Secures $40 Billion in Funding Round

Today’s Menu ☕️

💰 OpenAI Secures $40 Billion in Funding Round, Backed by SoftBank and Microsoft
⚖️ Apple Fined €150m in France Over Ad Tracking Practices
📱Apple Enables WhatsApp as Default for iPhone Calls and Messages

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💰FUNDING

OpenAI Secures $40 Billion in Funding Round, Backed by SoftBank and Microsoft

OpenAI has closed one of the largest private funding rounds in tech history, raising a staggering $40 billion at a post-money valuation of $300 billion, the company announced on Monday. The round was led by SoftBank, with participation from major existing backers including Microsoft, Coatue, Altimeter, and Thrive Capital.

According to CNBC, which cited a source familiar with the deal, $18 billion of the funding will be allocated to Stargate — OpenAI’s ambitious initiative to build a network of AI supercomputing data centers across the U.S. The Stargate project is seen as a cornerstone in OpenAI’s plan to scale both its AI capabilities and infrastructure.....…continue reading

💰TRAININGS 

Get Ready for upcoming Product Trainings from Tenth Code Media this April

As we enter a new quarter, it's the perfect time to refocus, set goals, and invest in career growth. Our upcoming training offers valuable insights into product development and design, equipping you with the skills to enhance strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, or transition into product management.

Introducing 2 awesome training courses:

1️⃣ New Product Development & Management Fundamentals
What You’ll Learn: The key stages of product development from idea to launch
Learn how to create and manage effective product roadmaps that align with business goals, conduct market research to develop products that truly resonate with users, and apply best practices in product lifecycle management to ensure long-term success.

🗓️ Date: Wednesday 10th – Thursday 11th April, 2025
📍Location: Canton Concourse, Oniru, Victoria Island - Lagos. 
✍🏽Registration Link: bit.ly/TCNPD0425 

2️⃣ Product Design Fundamentals
What You’ll Learn: The principles of user-centered design
Learn how to transform ideas into wireframes and prototypes, master essential UI/UX design tools and techniques, and gain industry insights to kickstart or advance your career in product design.

🗓️ Start Date: Saturday 27th April, 2025 (6 consecutive Saturdays), 
💻 Location: Online
✍🏽Registration Link: bit.ly/TCPD0125 

⚖️ GOVERNANCE

Apple Fined €150m in France Over Ad Tracking Practices

Apple’s privacy-first messaging around its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool has come under serious regulatory fire in Europe. This week, the French Competition Authority slapped the tech giant with a €150 million ($162 million) fine, accusing Apple of abusing its dominant market position in the mobile advertising space from 2021 to 2023.

This marks the first antitrust fine globally against Apple specifically for its ATT framework — a feature introduced in iOS to allow iPhone and iPad users to choose whether or not to allow apps to track their online activity.

While Apple touts ATT as a step forward for user privacy, French regulators disagreed, calling the tool “neither necessary nor proportionate” to its stated goals. More critically, the ruling states that ATT disproportionately harmed smaller publishers, advertisers, and digital networks who rely on third-party data for ad revenue — effectively giving Apple a competitive advantage in its own walled garden....…continue reading

📱SOCIAL MEDIA

Apple Enables WhatsApp as Default for iPhone Calls and Messages

In a significant shift for iPhone users, WhatsApp can now be set as the default app for both calls and messages on iOS — a move that further strengthens its position as a global communications hub.

This update comes as part of Apple’s iOS 18.2 release, which introduces greater flexibility by allowing users to choose third-party apps — not just Apple’s native ones — as defaults for key functions such as messaging, calling, browsing, and email.

Previously, iOS users were locked into using the Phone app and iMessage for default communication tasks. With this new policy change, they can now seamlessly initiate calls and send messages via WhatsApp, directly from the Contacts app or any screen where a phone number is tappable....…continue reading

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