Tech is changing fast, with a new artificial intelligence accounting company raising millions and top brands launching gadgets you can actually fix yourself.
Why does this matter to you? It means the software that businesses use to run our daily lives is getting much smarter, while the expensive electronics we buy for our homes are finally designed to last longer.
Let's look at the office software side first. An AI accounting startup called Rillet recently became a "unicorn"—a term for a private company valued at $1 billion or more. Amazingly, the startup raised $100 million in just 48 hours without even planning to do so. Rillet uses AI agents, which are software programs that can perform complex tasks on their own, to manage corporate finances. This is a massive shift because many businesses are struggling with a shortage of human accountants. Instead of using older, complicated systems, over 600 customers are now using this smart tool to automate their math. The software even lets humans trace every step the AI took to ensure there are no errors.
Meanwhile, the physical gadgets we use at home are also getting a major upgrade, with a new focus on "repairability." This simply means you can easily fix the items yourself instead of throwing them in the trash when they break. For instance, the Fairphone 6 Plus is a highly repairable smartphone that is now being sold directly in the US for the first time. Framework is also offering its second-generation 12-inch laptop starting at $699, which lets you swap out parts easily. Even Sennheiser is releasing new wireless earbuds with batteries that you can replace at home.
These updates show that the future of tech is not just about making things flashier. Whether it is virtual assistants doing our taxes or modular phones we can fix with a screwdriver, technology is becoming much more practical.
