Uber sells self-driving unit to Aurora

Source: Uber

Uber selling off its self-driving division isn't a surprise. But now, we learn that it is selling its Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) to Aurora Innovation, an autonomous vehicle startup and once its rival. Uber will invest US$400 million in Aurora as part of the deal, and its CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will join the startup's board of directors.

As Engadget puts it, Uber is paying Aurora to take ATG off its hands. In the short term, Aurora will use ATG's tech for its self-driving truck. Later on, there will be robot taxis as Uber is licensing the tech from Aurora. 

This sale won't be the last sale Uber will make as it tries to carve a path to profitability. This month, Uber is said to be in advanced talks with Joby Aviation to sell its flying taxi division. This sale could be confirmed in the next few weeks.

Salesforce buys Slack for US$27.7 billion

Embed from Getty Images

There's another significant acquisition in the business software segment. Cloud computing giant Salesforce is buying workplace chat app Slack for US$27.7 billion, making it Salesforce's biggest acquisition yet. According to a press release from both companies, "Under the terms of the agreement, Slack shareholders will receive $26.79 in cash and 0.0776 shares of Salesforce common stock for each Slack share, representing an enterprise value of approximately $27.7 billion based on the closing price of Salesforce's common stock on November 30, 2020."

While we don't know what this would mean for the app, it seemed like this acquisition was a long time coming as the company hasn't been profitable in recent years, even as COVID-19 has forced more and more companies to focus on remote and online work. Slack continues to face intense pressure from competition like Microsoft Teams. Maybe this acquisition will make it easier for both companies to go against their competition.

One thing is certain, a Salesforce-backed Slack now has the latitude to be a dominant player in the business-software space. Not only do we expect tighter integration between Slack and Salesforce products and services, the staggering Salesforce partner ecosystem will be opened up to Slack which can potentially be the nerve-center of a businesses communication and activity. We're talking project management, marketing, sales, CRM, support and other functions piped into Slack. The future is bright and the software landscape had definitely changed because of this acquisition.

Source: The Verge

NVIDIA buys Arm for US$40bn

NVIDIA has officially announced that it bought the semiconductor design company Arm for US$40 billion, which will help expand the graphics giant's presence in mobile computing. It plans to invest more in artificial intelligence technology to bring it to platforms like smartphones, PCs, and self-driving cars. Arm will gain access to NVIDIA's products and more support for its R&D initiatives. NVIDIA says it will build an AI supercomputer powered by Arm CPUs at its Cambridge headquarters to cement its commitment to the acquisition.

NVIDIA assures that Arm's technology will maintain its open licensing model and neutrality with current customers, which means Arm designs can take advantage of NVIDIA's tech as well. We should expect some unconventional chip designs from NVIDIA in the future. NVIDIA and Arm's boards have approved the acquisition, and the companies expect to close the transaction within 18 months. It'll require regulatory approval in the US, UK, EU, and China, of course.

Source: Engadget

Microsoft reportedly wants to acquire TikTok's global business

Embed from Getty Images

If recent reports are accurate, Microsoft doesn't just want part of TikTok's business. The tech giant supposedly set its sights on a total buyout of TikTok's global business from China-based company ByteDance. The deal, however, wouldn't include ByteDance's sister Chinese app Douyin.

The report surfaces in the same week Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talked to US President Donald Trump about exploring the idea of acquiring TikTok's US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand businesses. Microsoft and ByteDance refused to comment about the rumours, and some reports refute the rumours. For now, we're keeping our eyes peeled for any updates on the popular app's future. 

Source: CNET