AI dev platform Hugging Face released an open AI model for robotics called SmolVLA. Trained on “compatibly licensed,” community-shared datasets, SmolVLA outperforms much larger models for robotics in both virtual and real-world environments, Hugging Face claims. “SmolVLA aims to democratize access to vision-language-action [VLA] models and accelerate research toward generalist robotic agents,” writes Hugging Face. “SmolVLA is not only a lightweight yet capable model, but also a method for training and evaluating generalist robotics [technologies].” Hugging Face claims that SmolVLA is small enough to run on a single consumer GPU — or even a MacBook — and can be tested and deployed on “affordable” hardware, including the company’s own robotics systems. SmolVLA also supports an “asynchronous inference stack,” which Hugging Face says allows the model to separate the processing of a robot’s actions from the processing of what it sees and hears. As the company explains, “[b]ecause of this separation, robots can respond more quickly in fast-changing environments.” SmolVLA is available for download from Hugging Face.
Voice AI funding surges 8X as businesses humanize chatbots
Voice-based AI agents are advancing to such a degree that they are now outperforming call centers and beginning to replace human labor in industries from healthcare to retail, according to venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Making voice programmable means AI can now interpret, respond to and act on voiced queries with more accuracy and reliability. Moore said voice AI lets businesses respond to customers 24/7 instead of having to wait until an office is staffed. For consumers, “We believe voice will be the first — and perhaps primary — way people interact with AI.” Last year, voice AI startups raised $2.1 billion, up eightfold from 2023, according to research firm CB Insights. The 2024 bumper crop included ElevenLabs’ $180 million fundraising round. Growth was driven by advances in voice AI models — such as OpenAI’s Realtime API for speech-to-speech applications — that gave a big boost to applications in various use cases. “It’s really in the last 12 to 18 months that we’ve seen AI voice agents performing as well or better than humans,” Alex Levin, co-founder and CEO of voice AI company Regal, told. A year ago, OpenAI unveiled a “voice mode” built on top of GPT-4o that offered real-time voice responsiveness, the ability to be interrupted, and a diversity in emotional tones rather than robotic responses. ElevenLabs followed with Conversational AI in November, with version 2.0 coming out last month. Meanwhile, players like Kyutai and Speechmatics brought real-time, full-duplex conversations into production, Moore said. These models also became more affordable as latency dropped. OpenAI cut GPT-4o API costs by up to 87.5% last December, according to Moore.
Clearstream partners Azimut to develop DLT-based private funds solution – providing broader access to private market strategies, along with a liquidity option that will allow investors to unlock the illiquidity premium embedded in private asset portfolios
Stablecoins are gaining traction in B2B payments, offering speed, cost-efficiency and U.S. dollar stability. They represent an emerging reality across emerging markets. Annualized at $36 billion as of February, B2B transactions are no longer just theoretical experiments but are serving as critical plumbing for modern financial flows. The total stablecoin volume over that same period was $94 billion, meaning that B2B transactions now make up the largest segment of stablecoin payment volumes, surpassing even peer-to-peer transfers and card-linked spending. where stablecoin B2B payments are thriving is where banking can often fail. Latin America and Africa, in particular, are hubs of real-world adoption. In Brazil and Colombia, platforms like Bitso and Conduit have enabled faster euro and U.S. dollar settlement, replacing clunky wire networks. In Kenya and Ghana, businesses use stablecoins to sidestep currency devaluation and cross-border delays. “Stablecoins are a great way to transfer value,” Conduit CEO Kirill Gertman told. BVNK and LianLian Global partnered to enable merchants to use major stablecoins to fund cross-border transactions illustrates, crypto continues pushing forward with innovations designed to streamline corporate spending. PayPal used its own native stablecoin to pay EY, while the President Donald Trump family’s new stablecoin was reportedly used for a $2 billion investment into Binance by Abu Dhabi’s MGX.
Stablecoins fuel $36 billion in B2B payments as issuers eye mature markets
Stablecoins are gaining traction in B2B payments, offering speed, cost-efficiency and U.S. dollar stability. They represent an emerging reality across emerging markets. Annualized at $36 billion as of February, B2B transactions are no longer just theoretical experiments but are serving as critical plumbing for modern financial flows. The total stablecoin volume over that same period was $94 billion, meaning that B2B transactions now make up the largest segment of stablecoin payment volumes, surpassing even peer-to-peer transfers and card-linked spending. where stablecoin B2B payments are thriving is where banking can often fail. Latin America and Africa, in particular, are hubs of real-world adoption. In Brazil and Colombia, platforms like Bitso and Conduit have enabled faster euro and U.S. dollar settlement, replacing clunky wire networks. In Kenya and Ghana, businesses use stablecoins to sidestep currency devaluation and cross-border delays. “Stablecoins are a great way to transfer value,” Conduit CEO Kirill Gertman told. BVNK and LianLian Global partnered to enable merchants to use major stablecoins to fund cross-border transactions illustrates, crypto continues pushing forward with innovations designed to streamline corporate spending. PayPal used its own native stablecoin to pay EY, while the President Donald Trump family’s new stablecoin was reportedly used for a $2 billion investment into Binance by Abu Dhabi’s MGX.
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Uber adds a new type of account with a simpler UI for the elderly with features like ride updates for family members, saved destinations, and the ability to use a family member’s card for payments
Uber revealed a new type of account, called Senior Accounts, for older users that prioritizes a simpler app experience with features like ride updates for family members, saved destinations, and the ability to use a family member’s card for payments. Uber said Senior Accounts present a simpler app experience with larger text and icons, as well as less complex screens. Users can switch this mode on using the accessibility settings in the app. Users in the U.S. can now add older adults to their family account via the “Family” menu under the Accounts tab. Users who manage the family account can add their own payment methods, edit the list of saved destinations, book a ride for older adults, and contact drivers during a ride. People in the family group can also follow senior users’ rides. Uber said senior users can add their Medicare Flex card to pay for eligible medical visits. The company said it plans to make Senior Accounts available worldwide, though it didn’t specify when the feature would roll out to other countries. Uber added teen accounts in a few cities in the U.S. in 2023 and later rolled it out to more regions and countries.
Warby Parker Co-CEO expects Google AI glasses would be coming after 2025
AI-powered glasses from Google and eyewear retailer Warby Parker will not hit the market until after this year, according to Dave Gilboa, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker. “We believe that glasses are the perfect form factor for AI. Warby Parker’s alliance with Google on AI-powered smart glasses marks a major milestone for the D2C eyewear brand. Gilboa said they are still engaged in early work for the glasses, but he believes that generally AI-powered glasses’ ability to offer real-time contextual information will make it much more useful to consumers. Much like how smartphones unleashed a wave of innovation by enabling connected mobility, Gilboa said smart glasses will do the same for AI. “It can know what you’re looking at and can understand what you’re hearing. As a result, AI can process information in real time,” Gilboa said. “They have context around you as an individual; they know what’s on your calendar. They know everything about you.” “For the first time, people will really want to adopt smart glasses for all-day everyday use because they look good and have so much utility,” Gilboa added. Their smart glasses project benefits from Google’s broad ecosystem that includes Android, Search, Maps and YouTube, as well as its experience in generative AI. “They have such depth of data around their individual users that being able to tap into that with a smart glasses product is what we think is going to be really transformative in a number of ways to the world, but also to our business,” Gilboa said.
Snap launches Lens Studio iOS and web apps for creating AR Lenses with AI and simple tools
Snap has launched a stand-alone Lens Studio iOS app and web tool, designed to make it easier for anyone to create AR Lenses through text prompts and simple editing tools. With the Lens Studio app, users will be able to do things like generate their own AI effects, add their Bitmoji, and browse trending templates to create customized Lenses. Up until now, Lens Studio has only been accessible via a desktop application for professional developers. While the desktop application will remain the primary tool for professionals, Snap says that the new iOS app and web tool are designed to allow people at all skill levels to create Lenses. While Snap currently has an ecosystem of over 400,000 professional AR developers, the company is looking to attract more people who are interested in creating Lenses with the launch of these simpler tools. The company is also rolling out advanced tools for professionals. Snap released new Lens Studio tools that AR creators and developers can use to build Bitmoji games. The tools include a turn-based system to enable back-and-forth gameplay, a new customizable Character Controller that supports different gameplay styles, and more.
Verizon and Trustly install new in-store process that simplifies the ability for customers to enroll in pay by bank autopay and secure associated discounts within a single transaction.
Verizon and Trustly have partnered to extend pay-by-bank options to Verizon’s brick-and-mortar retail stores, allowing customers to use their bank accounts directly for purchasing devices, upgrades and accessories. A primary goal for Verizon is to lower payment acceptance costs by encouraging customers to switch from card payments to ACH/pay by bank, and the new in-store process simplifies the ability for customers to enroll in autopay and secure associated discounts within a single transaction. Verizon’s strategy of offering discounts for pay by bank is highlighted as a successful method for influencing customer payment choices and is particularly appealing to younger consumers. Kerrie Larpenter, director of enterprise customer success at Trustly, and Attie Muse, senior director of payment strategy and operations at Verizon said, “Adding pay by bank as an option in a retail setting adds the payment option in a trusted, secure environment.” “By using Trustly to remove the friction of traditional ACH, like the manual entry of banking credentials, we made direct bank payments a more appealing option for customers,” Attie Muse, senior director of payment strategy and operations at Verizon. Muse and Larpenter said that pay by bank’s appeal — and the attendant discounts and incentives — are especially attractive to Generation Z and millennial consumers as it ties into responsible budgeting.
Virtual accounts give banks the ability to rewire how payments create value, turning one-time payouts into always-on financial relationships
A growing number of banks are starting to see disbursements; not as the end of a process, but the start of a relationship. At the center of this shift is a powerful new strategy — virtual accounts. More than just a modern payment tool, virtual accounts give banks the ability to rewire how payments create value, turning one-time payouts into always-on financial relationships. Shifting the focus from virtual accounts as a tactic to virtual accounts as a strategy is important to driving momentum against that shift. Because virtual accounts allow banks to move beyond simply sending money to a recipient’s existing account at another financial institution or FinTech digital wallet. Instead, they offer the chance to issue a branded digital account to those receivers instantly and at scale. And they can do that where funds are deposited, and this is where the opportunity for new engagement around that account begins. For financial institutions, traditional disbursements often generate little future value beyond the corporate account that wants to move the money to a recipient. Thinking about virtual accounts as a strategy flips the economics. Instead of seeing static money, recipients gain faster access to funds, financial management tools, and even rewards. Banks gain new revenue streams, behavioral insights, and lasting customer relationships. For banks under pressure to innovate and differentiate, this strategy offers a powerful competitive edge. The magic of virtual accounts is in their ability to close the loop inside of an existing bank ecosystem. Funds don’t just exit the bank. They stay in branded environments where they can be spent, transferred or saved.
Forge launches GameLink and PayLink, a link-in-bio with payments built for games providing a centralized hub for any game to connect purchase, content, community, and launch a direct-to-consumer experience within minutes
Forge, the platform for community-driven game marketing and engagement, announced Forge GameLink and PayLink, a groundbreaking Link-in-Bio product purpose built for game studios and publishers. Building on Forge’s mission to empower game developers and foster direct connection with players, GameLink provides a centralized hub for any game to connect purchase, content, community, and launch a direct-to-consumer experience within minutes. Forge PayLink enables any game developer to link out from their existing in-app purchase flow and seamlessly integrate payment processing, without disrupting the checkout process. Additionally, games can feature their SKUs directly on their GameLink. Game developers can use PayLink to increase their revenue by up to 35% with just a few minutes of integration. Unlike traditional game websites which serve as static landing pages, Forge GameLink offers developers and publishers the ability to create dynamic, customizable and easily managed Link-in-Bio style landing and community hub for their game. Forge GameLink is integrated into the recently announced Forge Direct suite, enabling a seamless upgrade path to a full featured customizable community portal complete with quests, loyalty rewards, and direct-to-player commerce. Additionally, games can directly list SKUs on their Forge GameLink for purchase. Mobile games can link to their SKUs via PayLink to seamlessly provide support for existing MOR and alternative payment options within their existing in-app checkout experience. By providing direct payment processing options, games can boost revenue and provide increased retention through loyalty, rewards, and other incentives with the Forge platform.