NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Spotify’s CEO Just Backed a $12B AI Defense Startup

Helsing, a fast-growing defense tech company based in Munich, has just raised almost $700 million in funding, making it one of the most valuable private tech companies in Europe. 😲

The round was led by Prima Materia, the investment firm founded by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, who has become one of Helsing’s biggest backers.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Founded in 2021, Helsing specializes in AI-based capabilities with a software-centric approach that has enabled rapid market adoption.

• The company is expanding beyond software into drones (HF‑1, HX‑2), under‑water systems, and even an AI “fighter‑pilot” (Centaur), recently tested on Saab Gripen E.

• Helsing has been actively supporting frontline operations in Ukraine since 2022, reflecting its real-world impact and operational relevance.

AI-powered defense is one of the hottest areas of research and investment at the moment.

This substantial raise signals a strategic push by European governments to bolster security and autonomy in a rapidly shifting global landscape. Check out Helsing’s offerings here.

He Used AI to Keep His Dad’s Voice Alive

When someone we love nears the end of life, we often wish for more time: more stories, advice, and shared moments. One New York family turned to AI to preserve that connection, as reported by Susan Dominus in The New York Times.

Peter Listro, 83, has been diagnosed with terminal blood cancer and given less than a year to live. His son, Matt, has chosen to create an AI-powered video avatar of Peter, one that can respond to questions after he’s gone.

The family worked with StoryFile, a company in the growing “grief tech” space. These tools use recorded video and AI to help people stay connected to loved ones after death.

How it works:

• Peter sat for hours of video interviews, answering questions about his childhood, life experiences, and future advice, such as what to say on Matt’s wedding day or when he becomes a father.

• The final product is a digital avatar of Peter that responds on-screen to real questions.

• The AI doesn’t generate new content; it only says what Peter actually recorded.

“It won’t change the reality that I’ve lost my father,” Matt told The New York Times. “But it lessens the blow ever so slightly.”

As grief tech evolves, could tools like this may become a new way we stay connected to those we’ve lost? I’m not sure how I feel about it to be honest.

Cheating-as-a-Service? This Startup Just Raised $15M

Cluely, a startup helping people “cheat on everything,” just raised $15 million from Andreessen Horowitz, and the round reportedly values the company at $120 million.

Here’s what Cluely offers: AI tools that quietly assist users during job interviews, exams, and sales calls by providing answers on questions. It even has a video where it shows a young man being helped by AI to answer questions on a first date.

The company says it’s not about dishonesty, but about leveling the playing field, especially for capable people who struggle with nerves, language barriers, or fast-talking interviewers.

21-year-old founder Roy Lee was suspended from Columbia University earlier this year after creating a tool called Interview Coder.

In a viral demo, he showed himself taking a live Amazon technical interview while the AI tool ran invisibly in the background—feeding him real-time answers via a hidden browser overlay.

Lee says he used the same setup to pass interviews at Amazon, Meta, and TikTok. 😳

📺 Watch this 1:44 min video of Roy Lee showing how to use Interview Coder to cheat on questions on LeetCode.

While Cluely’s tools can help users feel more confident in high-pressure situations, others see it as crossing a line when it comes to trust. What do you think?