Posts by Nathan Pine
Netflix buys Ben Affleck’s AI film tech company, InterPositive
In 2022, Ben Affleck became so fixated on AI in film production that he quietly launched his own film tech company, InterPositive. Netflix brought the startup into the spotlight Thursday morning as it announced the full acquisition of the company. InterPositive’s mission, which focuses on developing “AI-powered tools built by and for filmmakers” and using…
Read MoreAI actor Tilly Norwood’s world is expanding with the ‘Tillyverse’
The digital world of the first AI actor, Tilly Norwood, is expanding. AI talent studio Xicoia, which created Norwood, has announced plans for a “rapid expansion” for the digitized actor. The developments include a digital universe dubbed the “Tillyverse,” where ”Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live, collaborate and build careers.” The…
Read MoreTrump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s AI after clash with Pentagon
President Trump on Friday directed federal agencies to stop using technology from San Francisco artificial intelligence company Anthropic, escalating a high-profile clash between the AI startup and the Pentagon over safety. In a Friday post on the social media site Truth Social, Trump described the company as “radical left” and “woke.” “We don’t need it,…
Read MoreBlock to cut more than 4,000 jobs amid AI disruption of the workplace
Fintech company Block said Thursday that it’s cutting more than 4,000 workers or nearly half of its workforce as artificial intelligence disrupts the way people work. The Oakland parent company of payment services Square and Cash App saw its stock surge by more than 23% in after-hours trading after making the layoff announcement. Jack Dorsey,…
Read MoreOutside group spends $4.8 million on TV ads backing San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan for governor
An independent expenditure committee backed by Silicon Valley executives spent $4.8 million on television ads supporting San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s gubernatorial bid that will begin airing Thursday. The two 30-second ads highlight the Democrat’s life story — being raised in a working-class family and working on a grounds crew and as a middle school…
Read MoreUber unveils new services as it prepares to bring robotaxis to L.A. soon
Uber announced a new set of services to support ride-hailing for autonomous vehicles ahead of its planned launch of robotaxis in Los Angeles in the coming months. Uber’s new program, called Uber Autonomous Solutions, aims to give robotaxi ventures easy access to Uber’s customers, software and infrastructure. Participating companies would get access to Uber’s platform,…
Read MoreIn a frenetic digital era, he’s helping Angelenos rediscover the classic cassette player
Stepping into Jr. Market boutique in Highland Park is like entering a 1980s time warp. Built into a refurbished shipping container, it’s filled with everything from tiny Walkman-style portables to colorful, number-flip clock radios and, naturally, boom boxes of all sizes. Few are more imposing than the TV the Searcher, a Sharp boom box from…
Read MoreBernie Sanders kicks off billionaires tax campaign with choice words for the ‘oligarchs’
Populist Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday formally kicked off the campaign to place a billionaires tax on the November ballot, framing the proposal as something larger than a debate about economic and tax policy as he appeared at a storied Los Angeles venue. “The billionaire class no longer sees itself as part of American society.…
Read MoreMark Zuckerberg testifies in L.A. trial over claims social media makes kids addicted
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg made an extended, pugnacious appearance in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, defending his company from the witness stand against a lawsuit that alleges social media harms children. The Meta boss appeared in a dark suit and gray tie, his signature chestnut curls slightly mussed, darting occasional nervous looks…
Read More‘The 1% Club’ Cements Position As Top-Selling British Format With Sweden & Italy Deals
EXCLUSIVE: The 1% Club has sold to Sweden and Italy, cementing its position as the top-selling new UK format of the past decade, according to BBC Studios. In terms of new British-made originals, ITV’s The 1% Club, which sees 100 contestants in a studio compete to make it to the end and answer a question…
Read MoreBelgium’s Oldest Distributor Belga Films Collapses But “Future Looks Bright” For Sister Companies Belga Studios & Independent Films, Says CEO
In a stark sign of the challenges facing Europe’s independent distribution and exhibition sector, news broke on Tuesday that Belgium‘s oldest distributor Belga Films has been liquidated. Belgian newspaper Le Soir first reported the news, detailing that the company’s bankruptcy and liquidation had been declared by the commercial court of Walloon Brabant on February 12,…
Read MoreEurope’s STOXX 600 hits record high on earnings boost; ECB in focus
Pan-European index is at 626.36 by 0945 GMT, with all major regional benchmarks in the black Published Wed, Feb 18, 2026 · 06:11 PM THE STOXX 600 rose 0.8 per cent to hit a record high on Wednesday (Feb 18) as defence and banking shares gained while investors assessed corporate updates and reports of leadership…
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