Hello,
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
Builder.ai, the once high-flying AI startup now reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy, has allegedly been involved in a years-long revenue inflation scheme, involving VerSe Innovation—the social media unicorn behind DailyHunt.
Between 2021 and 2024, the two companies allegedly engaged in “round-tripping”—a practice where companies bill each other for similar amounts to create the illusion of legitimate revenue, according to a report by Bloomberg.
VerSe has denied these allegations.
The government too had some explaining to do.
After an entrepreneur highlighted alleged bribery in GST registrations, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a post on X, said that providing services to taxpayers is the government’s duty, and this must be done while maintaining transparency and integrity.
ICYMI: Google’s Veo 3 is generating very realistic AI videos, and that is spooking both viewers and filmmakers.
If you feel that things are changing too fast, you’re not alone.
Venture capitalist Mary Meeker released a 340-page slideshow report to describe the speed at which AI is being developed, adopted, spent on, and used, backed up with chart after chart.
TLDR, it’s unprecedented.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- How interior design is changing with AI
- What makes BLR Brewing Co’s model lucrative
- Exploring mythology and reality through dance
Here’s your trivia for today: What fat-soluble vitamin present in green leafy vegetables was given its name because it is required for coagulation of the blood to take place?
Art and Culture
How interior design is changing with AI
In today’s tech-powered world, artificial intelligence is quietly transforming how interior spaces are designed and experienced. Smart systems can now adjust lighting based on the time of the day, regulate temperature for comfort, and even learn daily routines.
We are entering an era where great design is not just beautiful or functional—it’s intuitive, inclusive, and emotive, says Anuj Ramchandran, Associate Director (Design and Build) at Livspace, an interior design startup.
Enter the future:
- Emotive interiors go beyond functional zoning—sleeping, eating, and working—to support moments of inspiration, reflection, focus, or joy. AI helps identify these emotional peaks and reshapes the environment to match, highlights Ramchandran.
- One of the biggest challenges is ensuring AI doesn’t dilute the human element. While design is inherently emotional, AI is based on data and patterns. Relying heavily on machine learning can lead to homogenised results that lack cultural nuance or soul.
- Playing with translucency, reflection, and natural light through the use of materials like onyx, frosted glass, or perforated metals can dramatically change appearance throughout the day. “It creates visual poetry, inviting viewers to slow down and observe,” highlights Ankit Jain, Co-founder of AE Living.
Wine and Food
What makes BLR Brewing Co’s model lucrative
BLR Brewing Co, the brewery chain under BLR Restaurants, is charting a new expansion strategy—by being present inside the city’s large tech parks with residential communities.
“Our expansion is going to be in such a way that we’re looking at more convenience stores within the tech parks and communities,” says Prasanna Kumar, Co-founder of BLR Restaurants.
Key takeaways:
- Since launching its very first outlet in 2016, BLR has widened its offerings beyond just beer with a specialty coffee brand, Beanlore Coffee Roasters; an entertainment-focused cocktail-forward bar, Hamilton; and Hachi—a Japanese restaurant in partnership with Tokyo’s iconic F&B brand Tenya.
- BLR’s hyperlocal strategy is also aligned with its weekday business—BLR Brewing Co receives group bookings of up to 60 people on weekdays, and close to 25% of its revenue comes from events and corporate bookings.
- This year, Kumar is focusing on opening another BLR Brewing Co outlet in the Sarjapur locality, and a Beanlore outlet in Indiranagar. Rather than targeting the saturated and floating market of Central Bengaluru, Kumar is betting on the loyalty of the city’s suburbs and upcoming localities.
Art and Culture
Exploring mythology and reality through dance
Audiences today are drawn towards more nuanced, meaningful cinema, and A Song for Eresha fits the bill. Directed by AK Srikanth, the feature film in English follows the fictional story of Eresha, a much-venerated head of a prestigious arts institute called Aalayam.
“The storyline progresses with Eresha getting into a one-sided relationship with this person, who is viewing this dynamic similar to Arjuna’s perception of Urvashi, whom he considered god-like,” says Srikanth, whose earlier works Slow Rivers, Dvija, and Colors: White have won him accolades from critics and audiences alike.
News & updates
- Up and up: AI developer Anthropic is making about $3 billion in annualised revenue, according to two sources familiar with the matter, in an early validation of generative AI use in the business world. The milestone, which projects the company’s current sales over the course of a year, is a significant jump from December 2024 when the metric was nearly $1 billion, the sources said.
- Trump tariffs: President Donald Trump has announced the US will double its current tariff rate on steel and aluminium imports from 25% to 50%, starting on Wednesday. Trump said the move would help boost the local steel industry and national supply, while reducing reliance on China.
What fat-soluble vitamin present in green leafy vegetables was given its name because it is required for coagulation of the blood to take place?
Answer: Vitamin K. K is for koagulation (Danish).
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