Yazılar

LinkedIn Lawsuit Over Customer Data Use for AI Models Dismissed

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A class action lawsuit against Microsoft’s LinkedIn, which accused the platform of using customers’ private messages to train artificial intelligence models, has been dismissed. The case was dropped by plaintiff Alessandro De La Torre on Thursday in the U.S. federal court in San Jose, California, just days after the suit was filed. LinkedIn had argued that the allegations were unfounded.

De La Torre’s lawsuit claimed that LinkedIn violated the privacy of its Premium users by disclosing their private messages to third parties involved in developing AI. He accused the platform of breaching its promise to use customer data only to enhance its services, not for external uses like AI training.

The issue came to light when LinkedIn updated its privacy policy in September, revealing that a new account setting would not affect data used in previous AI training. This disclosure sparked concerns among users about how their data was being handled.

However, LinkedIn clarified that it had not shared private messages with third parties for AI training. In a LinkedIn post, Sarah Wight, the company’s vice president and legal counsel, confirmed, “We never did that.” De La Torre’s legal team acknowledged the clarification, stating that users could take comfort in knowing their private messages had not been used for AI purposes.

ElevenLabs Secures $180 Million in Series C Funding, Valuation Hits $3.3 Billion

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Voice AI startup ElevenLabs announced on Thursday that it has raised $180 million in a Series C funding round, bringing the company’s valuation to $3.3 billion, tripling its previous worth. The round was co-led by Andreessen Horowitz and Iconiq Growth, with participation from new investors such as NEA, World Innovation Lab, Valor, Endeavor Catalyst Fund, and Lunate.

The surge in investment comes as venture capitalists look to capitalize on the growing commercial potential of generative AI products following the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Based in London, ElevenLabs plans to use the new funds to further research into more expressive and controllable voice AI, create new products, and expand its tools for developers and businesses.

Since its founding in 2022, ElevenLabs has raised a total of $281 million. The company offers AI-generated voice tools that can create voices in different languages, accents, and emotional tones. CEO Mati Staniszewski emphasized that the goal of the funding is to create digital interactions that feel as natural and effortless as human conversations.

In 2024, ElevenLabs expanded its product offering to include speech generation, voice design, sound effects, and AI-driven dubbing in 32 languages. It has also forged partnerships with major publishers like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic, as well as gaming studios such as Paradox and Cloud Imperium Games.

Existing investors such as Sequoia Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Smash Capital, and SV Angel are also increasing their backing.

 

Seagate Projects Third-Quarter Revenue Below Expectations Amid Slow PC Market Recovery

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Seagate Technology has forecasted a disappointing third-quarter revenue, projecting figures below analyst expectations due to weak sales of its storage devices for personal computers, as the PC market remains sluggish.

Key Points:

  • Weakened PC Market: Despite the integration of on-device AI features and an expected Windows 11 refresh cycle, Seagate’s outlook reflects the ongoing struggles in the PC market. Global PC shipments in 2024 saw only a 1% rise, with the total number of units falling below 250 million for the second consecutive year.
  • Revenue Forecast: Seagate anticipates third-quarter revenue to be around $2.10 billion, plus or minus $150 million. This forecast is below analysts’ average estimate of $2.19 billion, based on data from LSEG.
  • Profit Estimates: Seagate expects an adjusted profit of $1.70 per share for the third quarter, which is slightly above analysts’ estimate of $1.69.
  • Cloud and AI Prospects: While the forecast is gloomy for the near term, analysts suggest that the growing investment in infrastructure for generative AI development by cloud providers could provide a boost to Seagate’s sales in 2025. Seagate’s disk drives are crucial for storing vast amounts of data, making the company a key player in the evolving AI-driven tech landscape.
  • Recent Performance: For the second quarter ending Dec. 27, Seagate reported revenue of $2.33 billion, in line with analysts’ expectations of $2.32 billion.