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Cue Raises $5 Million to Expand AI Customer Service Platform Across Multiple Channels

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

Cue, an AI-powered customer service platform, has secured $5 million in funding in a round.

The raise was co-led by Knife Capital and FAM Investments, as the company looks to accelerate the development of AI agents capable of handling end-to-end customer interactions across multiple communication channels.

Announcing the raise, Richard Nischk, CEO of Cue said,

“It’s an exciting time of transformation for the company. We’re at an inflection point for AI in customer service, and we see more businesses starting to realise that they need a unified platform to succeed, not a patchwork of point solutions.”

Also commenting, Keet van Zyl, Founding Partner at Knife Capital said,

“Customer service remains the lifeblood of every enduring business. As AI reshapes enterprise software, the winners will be companies that enhance human capability rather than replace it. Cue has built a platform that delivers measurable value today, led by a team with the vision, technical depth and execution ability to be a category leader. That’s exactly the type of business Knife Capital looks to back”.

The investment comes as businesses increasingly seek unified customer engagement platforms that eliminate the fragmented experience of managing separate tools for WhatsApp, webchat, email, Messenger, SMS, and voice support.

Cue aims to replace these disconnected systems with a single AI-driven platform that enables businesses to automate and streamline customer service.

The company said its platform is already powering customer conversations for more than 500 businesses, processing over 500 million messages and conversations annually.

According to Cue, more than 60% of customer interactions are resolved autonomously by its AI agents, while the business has recorded 160% year-over-year growth in annual recurring revenue (ARR).

With the fresh capital, Cue plans to expand the capabilities of its AI agents beyond answering customer inquiries. The company envisions AI agents that can execute tasks such as qualifying sales leads and adding them directly to customer relationship management (CRM) systems, booking appointments, generating secure payment links, and resolving customer issues across integrated business platforms without human intervention.

The $5 million will accelerate three priorities:

  • Engineering: Cue’s next wave of autonomous AI agents, deeper voice infrastructure, stronger security, and a broader platform.
  • Go-to-market: Scaling sales and marketing across the UK and South Africa as Cue moves into new verticals and international markets.
  • Product: More channels, additional agent actions, deeper integrations and advanced analytics.

The funding marks another step in the growing adoption of artificial intelligence within customer service, as enterprises increasingly invest in AI-powered automation to improve response times, reduce operational costs, and enhance customer experience.

Founded in 2015, Cue is an AI-powered customer service platform building autonomous AI agents that resolve customer issues end-to-end across WhatsApp, webchat, email, Messenger, USSD, SMS and voice.

Cue powers customer conversations for more than 500 companies and brands across the UK and South Africa. Affinity Health, a Cue customer, reported a 73% reduction in customer communication costs after moving conversations onto WhatsApp with Cue.

Cue believes the next generation of customer service will move beyond conversational AI to autonomous agents capable of completing complex business workflows from start to finish.

Polygon Labs Layoffs Signal Strategic Shift Toward Blockchain Payments and Stablecoin Infrastructure

By
Paul Ugbede Godwin
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0

Polygon Labs, one of the most prominent companies in the blockchain industry, is undergoing a major transformation as it shifts its strategic focus from being a blockchain infrastructure provider to becoming a payments-oriented company.

The restructuring has reportedly resulted in staff layoffs, signaling a significant change in direction for the organization that once positioned itself primarily as a scaling solution for Ethereum.

Polygon established itself as a key player in the crypto ecosystem by developing layer-2 technologies aimed at improving Ethereum’s scalability, reducing transaction costs, and enabling decentralized applications to reach broader adoption.

The company gained prominence during the DeFi and NFT boom, attracting major brands, developers, and institutional partners. Global corporations such as Starbucks, Reddit, and Nike experimented with Polygon-based initiatives, reinforcing the network’s status as one of the leading blockchain ecosystems.

The broader cryptocurrency landscape has evolved considerably. Market participants are increasingly prioritizing real-world utility and sustainable revenue models over speculative blockchain applications.

Payments have emerged as one of the most promising sectors, particularly as stablecoins continue to gain traction among businesses and financial institutions. This shift appears to have influenced Polygon Labs’ strategic recalibration.

The company’s decision to reduce its workforce reflects the challenging environment facing many blockchain firms. Following the explosive growth period between 2020 and 2022, the industry has entered a more mature phase where operational efficiency and clear product-market fit have become essential.

Numerous crypto companies have implemented layoffs over the past two years as they seek to streamline operations and redirect resources toward areas with stronger commercial potential.

Polygon’s pivot toward payments is notable because it aligns with one of the fastest-growing trends in digital finance.

Stablecoin transaction volumes have surged globally, attracting interest from payment processors, banks, fintech firms, and even governments exploring digital payment infrastructure.

Blockchain-based payments offer significant advantages, including near-instant settlement, lower cross-border transaction costs, and improved financial accessibility.

By focusing on payments, Polygon may seek to position itself as a foundational infrastructure provider for the next generation of internet finance.

Instead of primarily competing in the crowded blockchain scaling market, the company could leverage its existing technology stack to facilitate real-world transactions and enterprise payment solutions.

This strategy may also provide more stable revenue opportunities compared with relying heavily on decentralized finance activity or NFT-related transactions, both of which have experienced substantial volatility. The move also reflects a broader trend within the cryptocurrency industry, where companies are increasingly emphasizing practical use cases.

Investors and institutions are showing growing interest in blockchain applications that address real economic needs rather than speculative trading alone. Payments, remittances, tokenized assets, and financial infrastructure are emerging as key areas expected to drive the next phase of blockchain adoption.

Despite the strategic rationale, the layoffs highlight the human cost of industry transformation. Employees affected by the restructuring face uncertainty at a time when the blockchain sector is becoming increasingly competitive. For Polygon Labs, the decision may represent an effort to ensure long-term sustainability in an evolving market environment.

Polygon’s transition from a blockchain-focused organization toward a payments company illustrates the maturation of the digital asset industry. The company is betting that the future of blockchain lies not merely in creating faster networks but in enabling seamless financial transactions on a global scale.

If successful, this transformation could position Polygon as a major player in the emerging digital payments ecosystem and serve as a model for how crypto firms adapt to changing market realities.

EU Orders Google To Open Android And Search To AI Rivals, Reshaping Competition With Gemini

By
Samuel Nwite
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0
The US is after Google also

Alphabet’s Google will be required to give artificial intelligence rivals, including OpenAI, and competing search providers greater access to key Android and Search services under new European Union rules designed to curb the market power of Big Tech and foster greater competition in the AI era.

The European Commission on Thursday detailed the obligations Google must meet under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), six months after launching specification proceedings to clarify how the company should comply with the landmark legislation.

The measures represent one of the EU’s most significant regulatory interventions in the rapidly evolving AI market, extending the Digital Markets Act beyond traditional internet search into generative AI and digital assistants. The decision could reshape how AI developers compete on Android devices and how search-based AI services access information currently controlled by Google.

Under the ruling, Google will be required to open 11 Android operating system features to competing AI developers, enabling rival digital assistants to integrate more deeply with Android devices and compete directly with Google’s Gemini AI.

Among the most significant changes, users will be able to activate third-party AI assistants through voice commands in much the same way they currently invoke Google Assistant or Gemini. Those assistants will be able to perform tasks such as searching for local information, booking transportation, and executing other system-level functions without relying on Google’s own AI services.

The changes are scheduled to become available with the Android release planned for July 2027.

The Commission said access will not be unrestricted. Google will be allowed to provide the new capabilities only to developers that satisfy specific privacy and cybersecurity requirements designed to protect users and maintain device security.

Beyond Android, the Commission also ordered Google to share certain search-related data that it uses to improve its own search engine with competitors, including AI companies that offer search functionality.

The measure could benefit OpenAI and other developers building AI-powered search products by giving them access to anonymized data that would otherwise remain exclusive to Google’s search ecosystem. The Commission said the information-sharing framework includes anonymization requirements and a pricing mechanism governing commercial access.

Google will retain the ability to assess whether companies requesting access pose cybersecurity or data protection risks before sharing data.

The search data provisions are scheduled to take effect from January next year.

The decision is borne out of growing concern among European regulators that Google’s dominance in internet search could be reinforced by artificial intelligence unless competing AI developers receive broader access to critical infrastructure and datasets. Rather than waiting for competition concerns to emerge after markets consolidate around AI services, the EU is using the Digital Markets Act to impose interoperability requirements intended to lower barriers to entry before dominant positions become entrenched.

Google criticized the Commission’s decision, arguing that the mandated changes could compromise user protections.

“Today’s decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans,” Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs and chief legal officer, said in a statement.

“We have repeatedly offered solutions to safeguard users while satisfying the DMA’s goals, but these rulings discount extensive evidence of user harm,” he added.

The European Commission rejected those concerns, saying the measures include robust safeguards designed to balance competition with security and privacy.

EU Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, said the objective is to give European consumers more meaningful alternatives.

“Thanks to these measures we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google’s AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy greater choice of services,” Virkkunen said.

For OpenAI and other AI developers, the decision could significantly improve their ability to compete within Google’s ecosystem. Access to deeper Android functionality would allow rival AI assistants to offer experiences much closer to Google’s own services, while shared search data could help improve the quality and relevance of AI-generated answers.

The ruling also highlights how AI has become the next major battleground for digital regulation. Whereas earlier antitrust cases focused on web browsers, search rankings and mobile app stores, regulators are now extending competition policy to AI assistants, foundation models and the data that powers them.

Against this backdrop, Google’s compliance with the Digital Markets Act is likely to become more complex as AI becomes integrated across Search, Android, Chrome and other products. The company must now balance regulatory obligations in Europe with maintaining product security, protecting proprietary technology, and preserving the competitive advantages that have underpinned its search business for more than two decades.

More broadly, the Commission’s decision signals that Europe intends to ensure the AI market develops with multiple competing platforms rather than allowing existing technology giants to leverage their established ecosystems into long-term dominance of generative AI. The measures, if successfully implemented, are expected to lower switching costs for consumers, accelerate innovation among AI developers and reshape competition across both mobile operating systems and AI-powered search services.

SpaceX Shares Close Below IPO Price For the First Time

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

Space Exploration Technologies, also known as SpaceX, has seen its shares slip below the initial public offering (IPO) price for the first time since its debut.

The stock finished Thursday’s session at $130.67, slipping under the $135 IPO price amid ongoing volatility that has erased much of the post-listing gains.

Shares of the Elon Musk-led company have declined in four consecutive trading sessions, plunging to a level 40% below a peak attained in the frenzied aftermath of an initial public offering (IPO) last month.

The decline underscores growing investor concerns over valuation, broader market pressures, and uncertainty surrounding the company’s near-term growth prospects.

Some analysts attribute the dropoff to sputtering demand as investors move past the company’s splashy public listing and take a closer look at its bottom line. Volatility often follows an IPO, they acknowledged, while differing in their assessments of the firm.

The retreat in the company’s stock prices came before the firm’s 13th Starship test flight, scheduled for Thursday, but ultimately scrubbed due to engine issues.

During the countdown, several of the Super Heavy booster’s 33 Raptor engines failed to ignite as expected, prompting the rocket’s onboard safety system to halt the launch sequence before the vehicle left the pad.

The mission was expected to be a major milestone for the Starship program, marking the first time the rocket would deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites into space while also testing an in-space engine relight and other key flight objectives.

Following the scrub, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said two engines would be replaced before the next launch attempt, which he expects could take place early next week.

While SpaceX remains a leader in satellite launches and space exploration, the move below its IPO price highlights the challenges even high-profile technology firms face in maintaining investor confidence amid shifting market conditions.

How SpaceX’s Historic IPO Sparked a Buying Frenzy

SpaceX’s stock market debut was one of the most anticipated public offerings in financial history, attracting overwhelming demand from institutional and retail investors eager to own a stake in Elon Musk’s space and satellite empire.

The company priced its initial public offering (IPO) at $135 per share, raising $75 billion in what became the largest IPO ever completed in the United States.

The record-breaking listing valued the company at more than $2 trillion, reflecting investor confidence in the long-term potential of its space launch business, Starlink satellite internet network, and artificial intelligence ambitions.

Investor enthusiasm was immediate. When trading began on the Nasdaq on June 12, SpaceX shares opened at $150, roughly 11% above the IPO price, before climbing as much as 31% intraday.

The stock eventually closed its first trading session at $160.95, representing a gain of about 19% from the offering price.

The strong debut was fueled by overwhelming demand, with reports indicating the IPO was oversubscribed several times, leaving many investors who failed to secure allocations scrambling to buy shares in the open market. The rally gathered further momentum in the days that followed as investors continued to pour money into the stock.

SpaceX shares surged to an all-time high of more than $225, driven by optimism surrounding the company’s dominance in commercial space launches, the rapid expansion of the Starlink satellite network, and expectations that the company would become a leading force in both aerospace and artificial intelligence.

The limited number of shares available for public trading also intensified buying pressure, amplifying the stock’s early gains.

However, the initial excitement gradually gave way to caution. Concerns over the company’s lofty valuation, heavy investment spending, broader weakness in technology stocks, and the prospect of insider share sales after lock-up restrictions expire triggered a sharp reversal.

Within weeks of its blockbuster debut, SpaceX shares erased much of their post-IPO gains, eventually slipping below the $135 offering price for the first time.

The decline underscored the volatility that often follows high-profile IPOs, as early optimism gives way to closer scrutiny of fundamentals and future growth prospects.

This marks a notable shift for a company that generated significant attention as it transitioned from private to public markets after 24 years under Elon Musk’s leadership.

Analysts note that the rapid rise and fall reflect typical post-IPO behavior for highly anticipated tech listings, where initial hype often gives way to profit-taking and more realistic valuations.

Some market watchers view the current levels as potentially attractive for long-term investors, while others caution that upcoming share lockup expirations and execution risks could add further pressure in the months ahead.

SpaceX remains one of the most valuable publicly traded companies, but the recent decline of it shares, underscores how quickly sentiment can shift even for a business with groundbreaking achievements in reusable rockets and satellite internet.

Trump Media Launches Premium Truth Social Data Service, Raising New Ethics Questions Over Presidential Posts

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

Trump Media & Technology Group on Thursday unveiled a premium data service that will provide paying customers with licensed, real-time access to content posted on Truth Social, a move aimed at Wall Street firms and other professional users seeking immediate access to market-moving information from the platform.

The new offering, delivered through an Application Programming Interface (API), will allow subscribers to receive real-time posts and historical data from selected Truth Social accounts. While the company did not specifically mention President Donald Trump’s account in its announcement, the service is widely expected to derive much of its value from the president’s frequent use of the platform for official statements on economic policy, tariffs, geopolitics and financial markets.

“Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” Trump Media interim Chief Executive Kevin McGurn said in announcing the service.

The launch represents Trump’s social media company’s latest effort to diversify beyond advertising and subscriptions by monetizing the unique influence of its platform, particularly as institutional investors, trading firms and news organizations increasingly monitor presidential communications for market-sensitive developments.

President Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account is the largest on Truth Social, with approximately 12.9 million followers as of Thursday, according to the company and third-party estimates. The president has routinely used the platform as his primary channel for announcing policy decisions, including tariffs, military actions, executive orders, and other government initiatives before they appear elsewhere.

That practice has effectively turned Truth Social into a critical source of information for financial markets, where investors increasingly rely on automated systems capable of reacting to headlines within milliseconds.

The new API is designed to serve precisely that audience.

Institutional investors, hedge funds, algorithmic traders, and financial data providers commonly purchase low-latency feeds from social media platforms to capture breaking information before it becomes widely disseminated. Such services are also used to build sentiment analysis models that scan posts for market signals and adjust trading strategies accordingly.

Unlike comparable products offered by other social media companies, however, Truth Social occupies a unique position because it hosts the primary communications channel of a sitting U.S. president.

That distinction has prompted renewed scrutiny from ethics experts, who believe the arrangement creates potential conflicts between public office and private financial interests.

Virginia Canter, an ethics attorney with Democracy Defenders Fund, said the arrangement raises significant concerns because President Trump continues to communicate official government decisions through a platform tied to his family’s financial interests.

“It’s a huge conflict of interest,” Canter said.

“He has an obligation to the American people to convey information to them publicly, and he’s now funneling it through a private channel in which he has a private interest as one of its largest shareholders.”

Canter added that Truth Social has effectively “become the de facto presidential press room.”

The White House referred questions to the Trump Organization, which declined to comment. Trump Media did not immediately respond to follow-up questions.

Although President Trump transferred his holdings in Trump Media to a revocable trust managed by his son, Donald Trump Jr., after returning to office, the Trump family remains the company’s largest shareholder.

According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings, approximately 114 million shares, representing about 42% of Trump Media, were transferred into the trust following Trump’s election victory.

The API launch also highlights how social media has become an important source of market-moving information. Financial firms have long subscribed to premium data products from platforms such as X and other networks to obtain faster access to breaking news and public sentiment.

Truth Social is now seeking to compete in that market by capitalizing on its role as the first destination for many presidential announcements.

The initiative could create a new recurring revenue stream for Trump Media at a time when the company continues to search for sustainable business growth. Since going public through a special purpose acquisition company merger in March 2024 under the ticker DJT, the company’s shares have fallen about 84%, according to FactSet data.

For investors, the premium data service underpins an effort to reposition Truth Social as more than a consumer social network by targeting institutional clients willing to pay for faster access to information capable of influencing financial markets.

However, analysts believe the service gaining broad adoption will likely depend on the extent to which Wall Street firms view Truth Social as indispensable for monitoring presidential communications, as well as whether ongoing ethical and political scrutiny affects institutional demand.

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