The business of tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
A respected AI testing firm changed its tests, and the gap between top US models and free-to-download rivals, many from China, grew from 3 points to 12.
Read more: New AI test finds US leaders ahead of Chinese rivals by moreGoogle's charity arm is putting over $9.5 million into five groups building AI tools for teachers, a sign that more AI is headed for classrooms.
Read more: Google gives $9.5 million to groups building AI tools for teachersBilt, known for rent rewards, is buying sports loyalty tech firm Lava for $300 million. Fans and Bilt members may see rewards that reach well beyond rent.
Read more: Rent rewards company Bilt buys sports fan app maker Lava for $300MFriendly Technologies unveiled an AI assistant that helps internet provider support staff diagnose and fix Wi-Fi problems, which could mean shorter calls for customers.
Read more: Wi-Fi support tool lets agents fix home internet fasterWorkday has launched a platform for building AI agents in HR and finance that are meant to stop and explain themselves when they step outside their permissions.
Read more: Workday Lets Companies Build AI Helpers for HR and Finance With LimitsNvidia is raising prices again on its RTX 50 graphics cards, by up to about $500, so anyone planning a gaming PC or upgrade may pay more.
Read more: Nvidia raises graphics card prices again, by up to $500ElderVoice says its AI caller, Evelyn, flagged a Denver woman's panicky call and texted her daughter within a minute. Here is how it works and what it costs.
Read more: AI phone companion for seniors texts family when a parent sounds distressedA Bloomberg columnist says AI leaders have weak answers on how they will pay for giant data centers, which could affect the AI tools your business relies on.
Read more: AI Giants Face a Big Question: How Will They Pay for Their Data Centers?Reflect Orbital wants 50,000 mirror satellites to send sunlight to Earth after dark for a fee. Astronomers warn of a brighter night sky above homes and businesses.
Read more: A startup wants 50,000 mirror satellites to beam sunlight to Earth at nightBillionaire investor Bill Ackman says Big Tech's huge AI spending will pay off, as a roughly $2 trillion stock sell-off tests investor patience.
Read more: Bill Ackman bets Big Tech's AI spending will pay offDocuSign is buying Suplari, an AI company that tracks supplier spending, so firms can check whether what they pay matches what their contracts say.
Read more: DocuSign buys Suplari to help companies track supplier spendingTraversal, which uses AI to find the cause of website outages, raised $120 million at a $1 billion value. Faster fixes can mean fewer lost sales.
Read more: Startup that uses AI to fix website outages is now worth $1 billionCanva is cutting jobs and restructuring after growth slowed for the first time in a decade. Teams that rely on its design tools may see changes.
Read more: Canva cuts more than one in five jobs after growth slowsBlock's third-quarter revenue rose 10% to $6.7 billion, Cash App profit jumped 27%, and the company raised its full-year gross profit outlook.
Read more: Block beats expectations as Cash App growth lifts profit outlookSmall business sales rose 2.3% in October from a year earlier, the best gain since July 2025, as shoppers spent more per purchase heading into the holidays.
Read more: Small business sales rose 2.3% in October, best since July 2025Drone strikes disrupted Russian banking and delivery apps, and Moscow is now weighing underground data centers. The lesson applies to any business.
Read more: Russia wants to move data centers underground after drone strikesA small business guide says subscription and retainer income needs active management, starting with a few key numbers and automated billing.
Read more: Why Steady Subscription Income Needs Active ManagementAMD's quarterly sales rose 45% to $13.38 billion as AI pushed data center demand up, while its PC and gaming business shrank.
Read more: AMD sales jump 45% as AI demand fills its data centersBallistic Ventures, an investor that only backs cybersecurity startups, is seeking $490 million as AI makes online attacks faster and easier to scale.
Read more: Cybersecurity investor Ballistic Ventures wants $490 million for new fundsPalantir's revenue nearly doubled and U.S. business sales passed government sales, but many new corporate deals are short trials that could be dropped.
Read more: Palantir's sales nearly doubled, but its new business customers may not stayMaybelline now lets shoppers preview lipstick, eye and brow shades on their own face inside ChatGPT, then find where to buy them.
Read more: Maybelline lets you try on makeup inside ChatGPT using your cameraWalmart is growing its investment in Symbotic by $6 billion, and new robot systems are headed to 25 of its U.S. regional distribution centers.
Read more: Walmart puts $6 billion more into warehouse robots from SymboticUS officials have reportedly held up approval for chip equipment SK Hynix needs in China, which also complicates its plans for new plants in New York.
Read more: US stalls chip equipment SK Hynix needs for its China factoriesCisco says it is combining what it sees across business networks with OpenAI models to build security that adapts on its own. Details are scarce.
Read more: Cisco is using OpenAI models to spot and stop cyberattacks faster
