Billion

• Family caregivers in Florida deliver an estimated $81 billion worth of unpaid care each year, according to a new AARP survey. • This substantial economic contribution underscores the vital role informal caregivers play in the state's health system. • Policymakers may consider support measures to address caregiver burden and sustain this workforce.

• OpenAI reached an $852 billion valuation and launched the ChatGPT super app on April 4, 2026, integrating chat, coding, search, and AI agents into a unified platform. • The app serves 900 million weekly users, positioning it as a comprehensive AI workspace for enterprise and personal use. • This launch intensifies competition in multimodal AI tools amid surging demand for integrated platforms.

• Shield AI, a U.S.-based developer of autonomous pilot platforms, secured $1.5 billion in Series G funding as part of a $2.25 billion capital package on April 4, 2026. • The round values the company at $12.7 billion, a 140% increase in one year, with its Hivemind platform selected by the U.S. military for defense applications. • This funding underscores surging investor confidence in AI-driven defense tech amid rising geopolitical tensions.

• Meta Platforms acquired Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup, in a deal valued at over $2 billion to advance AI infrastructure. • The acquisition bolsters Meta's capabilities in AI development amid US tech competition. • Details on Manus technology integration remain pending announcement.

‘Partnership’ on drug pricing also gives patients in Britain greater access to potentially life-extending treatments British drug exports to the United States will escape tariffs imposed by Donald Trump as part of a controversial UK-US medicines deal that critics fear will mean less money for the NHS.The deal will also give patients in Britain greater access to potentially life-extending drugs because the rules have been relaxed to allow the NHS to pay more for particular treatments. Continue reading...

• Blue Owl Capital investors requested $5.4 billion in redemptions from two private credit funds amid accelerating outflows in the financial services sector. • The fund manager reversed its policy by capping redemptions at 5% to manage liquidity pressures effectively. • This development highlights rising concerns over private credit market stability amid broader economic uncertainties.

Once-hyped, celebrity-backed company snapped up by American Exchange Group for fraction of former valueBusiness live – latest updatesAllbirds, the San Francisco sustainable trainer brand once valued at more than $4bn, is being sold for just $39m after global demand for its wool-based footwear failed to materialise.American Exchange Group, the owner of a string of brands including the fashion label Ed Hardy and the accessories maker Born, is snapping up the struggling company once touted as the future of footwear. Continue reading...