Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · 7d

New: Steve Simoni sold a company to DoorDash for $125M in 2022.

Now he's building Allen Control Systems, which makes an AI-powered autonomous machine gun turret called the "Bullfrog" to shoot drones out of the sky.

"The future is Skynet, basically."
www.reuters.com/technology/h...

How a Silicon Valley 'warlord' got the Pentagon’s attention

Steve Simoni was a Silicon Valley success story who sold a company to DoorDash. Now he sells an AI-powered weapon to shoot drones out of the sky.

www.reuters.com

David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · 7d

For anyone who cares about China, national security and tech... this book by my incredible friend @ebakerwhite.bsky.social is a must read.

Emily Baker-White @ebakerwhite.bsky.social · 8d

My TikTok book is out in stores today!

Why should you read it? Because 1 in 5 Americans now get their news from this thing. We should all understand how it works.

It was inevitable that strongmen would seek to control a tool this powerful. The book is the story of what happened when they did.

W. W. Norton & Company @wwnorton.com · Feb 3

The rise of the most effective attention-algorithm ever invented, and the superpower struggle to control it.

EVERY SCREEN ON THE PLANET: THE WAR OVER TIKTOK by Emily Baker-White.

In Stores 9.30.25.
wwnorton.com/books/every-...

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Emily Baker-White @ebakerwhite.bsky.social · Aug 26

Intel has been touting partnerships with sanctioned Chinese surveillance firms as Trump announces that the USG is taking a stake in the company:

www.forbes.com/sites/emilyb...

Intel Worked With Chinese Firms Sanctioned For Enabling Human Rights Abuses

As the U.S. government takes a 10% stake in Intel, Forbes has learned the tech company partnered with sanctioned Chinese surveillance firms Uniview, Hikvision and Cloudwalk.

www.forbes.com

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Alex Konrad @alexrkonrad.bsky.social · Aug 22

Scoop: Meta has held talks with Midjourney about a partnership including a potential acquisition, among several previously-unreported AI video startups it's met recently, sources tell me at @upstarts.bsky.social.

Midjourney's been busy, too, pitching an API.

www.upstartsmedia.com/p/meta-talks...

Scoop: Meta Held Talks With Midjourney As Part Of Video AI Talent Search

Meta has talked deals with Midjourney and video AI startups including HeyGen and Krea as part of its researcher talent hunt, sources tell Upstarts, while Midjourney has pursued other partnerships.

www.upstartsmedia.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Aug 20

Exclusive: Military leaders have said they need autonomous swarms of maritime drones to take on China.

But the Navy's effort to achieve this is under scrutiny following test failures, the firing of a top admiral and a pause on a contract with L3Harris.

www.reuters.com/business/aer...

Exclusive: The US Navy is building a drone fleet to take on China. It's not going well.

During a U.S. naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon’s top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly.

www.reuters.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Jul 24

I have a new job!

send me tips / say hi: [email protected]

Talking Biz News @talkingbiznews.bsky.social · Jul 21

@davidjeans.bsky.social hired by @Reuters to cover space and defense: talkingbiznews.com/media-news/r...

Reuters hires Jeans to cover space and defense - Talking Biz News

Reuters has hired David Jeans to be its space and defense correspondent. Jeans was a senior writer at Forbes, where he covered tech. He is also co-author of the book, “WONDER BOY: Tony Hsieh, Zappos, ...

talkingbiznews.com

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Talking Biz News @talkingbiznews.bsky.social · Jul 21

@davidjeans.bsky.social hired by @Reuters to cover space and defense: talkingbiznews.com/media-news/r...

Reuters hires Jeans to cover space and defense - Talking Biz News

Reuters has hired David Jeans to be its space and defense correspondent. Jeans was a senior writer at Forbes, where he covered tech. He is also co-author of the book, “WONDER BOY: Tony Hsieh, Zappos, ...

talkingbiznews.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Jul 1

New- Will Somerindyke supplied munitions to warzones for years.

Now with investor BVVC, he's joined the defense tech boom, and is in talks to raise "hundreds of millions" for Union, a startup making artillery shells.

www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Meet Silicon Valley’s Arms Dealer Will Somerindyke

Will Somerindyke founded Regulus Global a decade ago. Now, he’s raising hundreds of millions for ammunitions startup Union — and Regulus is the first customer.

www.forbes.com

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Zach Everson @zacheverson.com · Jun 17

In Oct. 2024, this very same Open AI exec, Katrina Mulligan, boasted on LinkedIn about going to a Taylor Swift concert with the Secretary of the Army.

@davidjeans.bsky.social and I wrote about it for @forbes.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Jun 10

New: Last week, Anduril's mega $30B funding round underscored how hungry investors are for military startups.

It also minted a new defense tech billionaire: Trae Stephens.
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Anduril Cofounder Trae Stephens Is Now A Billionaire

The recent funding round led by Founders Fund valued the hot military startup at $30 billion – and made its chairman Trae Stephens the latest defense tech billionaire.

www.forbes.com

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Emily Baker-White @ebakerwhite.bsky.social · Jun 3

New York friends! I’ll be in Greenwich Village next Tuesday evening for this lovely event — come through and say hi :)

www.nyfwa.org/nyfwa-event/...

Impact Award Discussion/Uncovering TikTok’s Impact – New York Financial Writers Association

Emily Baker-White, recipient of the NYFWA’s 2024 Impact Award for Distinguished Financial Journalism, will discuss how she broke one of the biggest tech stories

www.nyfwa.org

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Richard Nieva @richardnieva.bsky.social · May 27

For this year’s Midas List, we profiled Hemant Taneja and General Catalyst, which has been stretching the scope of its VC firm so far that it’s buying a hospital and cofounding AI companies. With @iainmartin.bsky.social
www.forbes.com/sites/iainma...

This Top VC Wants To Use Main Street America As An AI Lab

Investors are always encouraging startups to push the innovation envelope. General Catalyst’s Hemant Taneja is applying that advice to his own firm.

www.forbes.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · May 13

Shield AI's outgoing CEO Ryan Tseng told me the company has turned a new page and that safety hazards have been addressed.

Under new CEO Gary Steele, of Proofpoint and Splunk, the company is hoping to scale its autonomous pilot software, Hivemind.
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · May 13

The injury, caused by one of Shield AI's V-BAT drones, came after executives didn't address a known safety hazard and other engineering issues, Forbes found.

Military contract opportunities were lost. Sales are falling short. And CEO Ryan Tseng is stepping down.

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · May 13

NEW: Shield AI is one of defense tech’s most hyped startups, largely thanks to its V-BAT drone.

But last year, a grisly injury involving a U.S. service member threw the $5 billion company off course.
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

How A Grisly Injury Threw $5 Billion Drone Startup Shield AI Off Course

Shield AI executives overlooked its V-BAT drone’s safety hazards. With sales falling short and the CEO stepping down, the company is trying to win back military customers.

www.forbes.com

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Rashi Shrivastava @rashis.bsky.social · May 7

“Meta is seeing every other big tech firm and reading the tea leaves, seeing that maybe the expected windfall from civilian use of AI is not going to appear,” said Shana Marshall from George Washington University. Great story by @davidjeans.bsky.social.
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Meta’s Military Ambitions Take Shape Under Trump Administration

Meta is recruiting former national security officials, months after opening up its Llama AI model for military use.

www.forbes.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · May 7

New: Meta is recruiting former national security officials to bolster its military ambitions, months after allowing its Llama AI model to be used for military use.
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Meta’s Military Ambitions Take Shape Under Trump Administration

Meta is recruiting former national security officials, months after opening up its Llama AI model for military use.

www.forbes.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Apr 16

Alarm bells are ringing:

- China has kneecapped American drone companies with sanctions (Skydio, others).
- Failed attempts to ban DJI have stifled the American industry.
- Just over 20 drone companies received Pentagon approval, after hundreds applied
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Silicon Valley’s Military Drone Companies Have A Serious Chinese Parts Problem

As Pentagon leaders call for thousands of drones to face China, they are grappling with an uncomfortable reality: Silicon Valley is addicted to Chinese drone components.

www.forbes.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Apr 16

Chinese parts are everywhere: We found the Pentagon halted use of drones made by Croatia-based Orqa over concerns of Chinese radio modules, and a Chinese company it acquired.

Even last month, VP Vance was pictured wearing Chinese-made drone display goggles during a base tour.

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Apr 16

New- Pentagon leaders are calling for thousands of drones to face China.

But they face an uncomfortable reality: Silicon Valley drone companies rely on Chinese components.
www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Silicon Valley’s Military Drone Companies Have A Serious Chinese Parts Problem

As Pentagon leaders call for thousands of drones to face China, they are grappling with an uncomfortable reality: Silicon Valley is addicted to Chinese drone components.

www.forbes.com

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Zach Everson @zacheverson.com · Apr 9

Looks like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's $1 million investment to hang with Trump at Mar-a-Lago this weekend paid off--

"Trump administration backs off Nvidia's 'H20' chip crackdown after Mar-a-Lago dinner"

www.npr.org/2025/04/09/n...

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Apr 9

New: Hoan Ton-That, the co-founder and former CEO of Clearview AI, has been removed from the controversial facial recognition company's board.

www.forbes.com/sites/davidj...

Clearview AI’s Founder Removed From Facial Recognition Company’s Board

Ton-That had stepped down as CEO and became president in December due to the company’s struggles to secure major federal government contracts and raise funding.

www.forbes.com

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Amy Feldman @amyfeldman7.bsky.social · Apr 1

Palantir sues Y Combinator startup Guardian AI over alleged trade secret theft. My latest for @forbes.com www.forbes.com/sites/amyfel...

Palantir Sues Y Combinator Startup Guardian AI Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft

Former Palantir employees Mayank Jain and Pranav Pillai started Guardian AI to help healthcare providers fight insurance claim denials. Now their former employer is suing them for allegedly stealing t...

www.forbes.com

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David Jeans @davidjeans.bsky.social · Mar 25

Subscribed and you should too. Can't wait to see where
@alexrkonrad takes this. Will be a must read for those following startup land.

Alex Konrad @alexrkonrad.bsky.social · Mar 25

I am thrilled to announce the launch of my new tech media brand, Upstarts Media 🎉

Upstarts will focus on the startup ecosystem, from inception through IPO 📈

We launch a twice-weekly Upstarts newsletter next week. Video, podcast, and events to follow!

Read more: open.substack.com/pub/upstarts...

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Zach Everson @zacheverson.com · Mar 20

New: "Trump’s Liquor Licenses Under Scrutiny After N.Y. Conviction—But New Jersey Keeps Pushing Back Decision"

me, for @forbes.com

Trump’s Liquor Licenses Under Scrutiny After N.Y. Conviction—But New Jersey Keeps Pushing Back Decision

New Jersey officials have yet to rule on whether Trump’s felony convictions disqualify his golf clubs from holding liquor licenses.

www.forbes.com

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