Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

Barbie-maker Mattel and OpenAI have teamed up to bring generative AI to the toy-making and ever-expanding pipeline of IP repackaging. This partnership marks new territory for OpenAI, which has signed licensing deals with news publishers and enterprise players, but never a toymaker. However, it’s consistent with the AI giant’s overall strategy of embedding itself across industries, and it might give OpenAI a foothold in Mattel’s growing entertainment arm. The iconic toymaker delighted grown-up audiences in 2023 when it released the blockbuster “Barbie” movie. The company is currently working on films based on other toys like Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, Barney,…

Selling software to companies is such a time-consuming process. Even after customers are convinced a product is right for their organization, they still need to ensure the software meets all their security requirements. Chas Ballew realized just how painfully slow and tedious the vendor security and compliance review process was when he was running Aptible, a hosting platform for healthcare companies that he co-founded in 2013. “What we saw was that every time one of our customers was trying to close a deal, they would have to explain all of their security and compliance practices over and over again to…

Accel, the storied venture firm that invested early in Facebook and Slack, is set to lead a new funding round in the Swedish “vibe coding” startup Lovable at a valuation of at least $1.5 billion, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal.Vibe coding, which allows novices with limited programming expertise to create code using AI, has been all the rage lately. Market leader Cursor’s parent company, Anysphere, which is also backed by Accel, is reportedly in talks for a $9.9 billion valuation and now could be deployed internally by Amazon, Business Insider previously reported.Other competitors include Cognition AI, Microsoft’s…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports generated predictable partisan outrage on Thursday, with Democrats saying Republican-led draft legislation would claw back freedoms won by athletes through years of litigation against the NCAA.Three House committees are considering legislation that would create a national standard for name, image and likeness payments to athletes and protect the NCAA against future lawsuits. Last week, a federal judge approved a $2.8 billion settlement that will lead to schools paying athletes directly, and NCAA President Charlie Baker said now that his organization is implementing those major changes, Congress needs to…

DraftKings’ responsible gaming chief Lori Kalani says the gambling industry is at an inflection point — much like social platforms a decade ago, when user privacy concerns bubbled to the surface.Kalani, who represented Meta at a previous law practice, pointed to Facebook’s investment in building and marketing privacy tools to users. There was an adoption period when people started to take ownership of their online privacy.Gamblers are similarly getting access to new tools for setting bet limits or tracking their betting behavior, and the industry needs to make sure people are using them.”If somebody is getting online and playing with…

Former television host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52.Lewis, who was known for her role as an MTV VJ and host of “Teen Summit,” was battling Stage 4 breast cancer.”She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote on Facebook. “Lord, rest her soul.”Former MTV VJ shares battle with breast cancerTV Personality Ananda Lewis visits Hallmark’s ‘Home & Family’ on March 21, 2019 in Universal City, California. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)Lewis first revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020. She revealed the news in an Instagram…

Warp was founded in 2021 to help companies streamline their shipping supply chains and reduce costs through its tech-enabled network of shippers, carriers and warehouses. Now, it wants to make supply chains further efficient by using robots to automate its web of warehouses. Daniel Sokolovsky, the co-founder and CEO of Warp, told TechCrunch that Warp is always looking for ways to make shipping more efficient for its customers, which include enterprises like Walmart, Gopuff, and HelloFresh. With the advancements in AI, the company thought there could be more opportunities to automate. Warp can’t automate the long-haul trucking or short-range delivery…

Chris Kreider is heading to the Anaheim Ducks as part of a trade from the New York Rangers, ending the veteran winger’s time with the organization after more than a decade as its longest-tenured player.The teams completed the deal Thursday. The Rangers got center prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick from the Ducks for Kreider and a fourth-round pick, plus the salary cap space they can use this summer.“We want to thank Chris Kreider for all of his contributions to the Rangers organization over his stellar career,” general manager Chris Drury said. “Chris has been an integral part of…

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Daniel Suarez has become the unofficial tour guide for all things Mexico City as NASCAR prepares to race internationally this Sunday for the first international points-paying Cup Series event of the modern era.From where to eat, what to do, how to navigate the city and even basic conversation in Spanish, Suarez has been the go-to guy in the garage since NASCAR said it would take the Cup Series outside the United States for just the third time in 77 years.The Monterrey native has made multiple trips to NASCAR as the face of Sunday’s race at Autodromo…

NEW YORK (AP) — A shaky economy. Overwhelming student debt. Few job prospects. Some recent college graduates have a burdensome mountain of reasons to move back home. For others, the choice may be easy as they seek to save money, or desire the physical and emotional comforts of family.But the familiar may feel different with the changing dynamics that come with growing up. One thing is certain: If you’re a new grad or the parents of one, you’re not alone in navigating new terrain. Maturity and respect among all parties is a good place to start before those packing boxes…