Google unveils new open LLMs, Rivian downsizes its workforce, and Signal introduces usernames

Welcome, everyone, to Week in Review (WiR), our regular newsletter covering noteworthy events in the tech industry.

This week, Google made waves by launching two new open large language models, Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B, as part of its ongoing efforts to assert dominance in generative AI. These models, described by the company as “inspired by Gemini,” its flagship family of GenAI models, are now available for both commercial and research purposes.

In other news, database company MariaDB disclosed the possibility of going private in a $37 million deal. This nonbinding proposal arises 14 months after MariaDB’s initial public offering via SPAC, as reported by Paul.

Plenty more unfolded throughout the week, and we’ll cover it all in this edition of WiR. But before we delve in, a friendly reminder to subscribe to receive the WiR newsletter directly in your inbox every Saturday.