TECH NEWS

Palo Alto Networks paid $500M for Thrive-backed Console, sources say

Palo Alto Networks paid $500 million in cash and stock to acquire Console, a two-year-old startup that uses AI agents to automate routine IT help desk tasks, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.

The companies officially announced the acquisition on Tuesday but didn’t reveal terms of the deal. Since its founding in 2024, Console has raised $29 million across two rounds: a $6.2 million seed led by Thrive Capital and a $23 million Series A co-led by DST Global and Thrive.

Before the sale, Console was valued at $157 million, according to PitchBook, delivering a rapid return for investors including SV Angel, Abstract Ventures, and notably Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora, who participated as an angel investor. Palo Alto Networks declined to comment.

The cybersecurity giant said that it will integrate Console into Cortex, its platform that uses AI to automatically detect and neutralize threats. Console’s...

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NASA turns to a stripped-down Sortie Suit for the first Artemis landings

NASA has told Axiom Space to develop a simpler Sortie Suit for the first lunar landings, cutting mass and complexity to support a 2028 target. The same acceleration cancelled the Lunar Gateway, and ESA’s three guaranteed European astronaut flights were secured against Gateway hardware. NASA is simplifying the spacesuit

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Justice Department sides with OpenAI in publishers’ copyright fight

The Justice Department filed a statement of interest backing OpenAI’s fair use defence in the consolidated publisher copyright cases, arguing that licensing costs would threaten national security. EU law has no fair use doctrine, and the AI Act applies its copyright obligations to any provider placing a model on

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The AI skills gap is growing while schools wait for perfect answers

TL;DR Schools are treating AI primarily as a cheating risk while the skills gap widens. Gallup found teachers using AI weekly save 5.9 hours/week. The WEF estimates 39% of current skills may be outdated by 2030. Kirk Drake argues schools should give teachers approved tools, paid training,

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Tesla’s driver assist faces new pressure after two fatal crashes where the cars stopped dead

Electrek has matched two fatal US freeway crashes to redacted Tesla reports showing a driver assistance system verified as engaged with the car stopped at 0mph in a live lane. The Netherlands approved FSD Supervised in April under UN Regulation 171, sealed the reasoning as commercial secrets, and an EU-wide

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NASA turns to a stripped-down Sortie Suit for the first Artemis landings

Justice Department sides with OpenAI in publishers’ copyright fight

The AI skills gap is growing while schools wait for perfect answers

Tesla’s driver assist faces new pressure after two fatal crashes where the cars stopped dead