Illustration by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Another xAI cofounder, Manuel Kroiss, has told people he is leaving Elon Musk’s company.
Just one cofounder out of 11 remains besides Musk.
The company has been in flux ahead of a widely anticipated IPO at SpaceX, which recently acquired xAI.
And then there was one.
XAI cofounder Manuel Kroiss has told people he is leaving the company, according to insiders with knowledge of his exit.
Kroiss, who is also known as “Makro,” is one of 11 engineers who helped launch the company alongside Elon Musk in 2023. With his exit, the number of cofounder departures now sits at 10.
Guodong Zhang, Zihang Dai, Toby Pohlen, Jimmy Ba, Tony Wu, and Greg Yang have all stepped away since January.
XAI and Kroiss did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Kroiss led pretraining, which helps train the company’s AI models on large datasets, and reported directly to Musk. He also worked on improving xAI’s coding models alongside Zhang, who left earlier in March. Musk said at the Abundance Summit earlier this month that xAI is “behind in coding,” but the company is working to “exceed our competitors on coding.”
Before joining xAI, Kroiss worked at Google and DeepMind.
Ross Nordeen, who came to xAI from Tesla, is the only remaining cofounder aside from Musk.
The company’s organizational structure has been in flux over the past few weeks, according to people with knowledge of the changes. Musk has taken over managing dozens of direct reports and has brought in workers from Tesla and SpaceX. It has also shed dozens of employees, the people said.
Earlier this month, Musk said on X that “xAI was not built right first time around, so is being rebuilt from the foundations up.”
He has also said that the company is resifting through old xAI candidates to bring in new people.
“Many talented people over the past few years were declined an offer or even an interview @xAI,” Musk wrote on X.
Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, acquired xAI earlier this year. The company is expected to file an initial public offering this year, which could value it at $1.5 trillion.
Netmore Group, the leading network operator and platform provider for Massive IoT, today announced a partnership with Allcom Telecom, taking another strategic step in expanding its leadership in the Brazil IoT market.
The collaboration aims to enhance connectivity offerings across the country by providing hybrid low power wide area networks optimized to meet the needs of a broad set of customer use cases across diverse environments.
Through this partnership Allcom will enhance its offering by integrating with Netmore’s LoRaWAN infrastructure, allowing customers to use a combination of NB-IoT and LoRaWAN services and seamlessly manage all connected devices in real-time through its Allmanager IoT platform. Unique to MVNO solutions in the region, Allcom also offers satellite backhaul for remote or underserved areas where terrestrial backhaul is unavailable, ensuring operational continuity for critical applications.
With demand for hybrid IoT connectivity growing, Netmore and Allcom are taking a major step forward in reducing complexity for low-bandwidth critical infrastructure and essential business application across Brazil.
“Brazil presents a unique combination of opportunities and challenges when it comes to IoT connectivity,” said Gustavo Zarife, VP South America at Netmore.
“By combining Netmore LoRaWAN with Allcom NB-IoT in a single offering, we are addressing critical coverage gaps and enabling our customers to scale projects with confidence, regardless of location. Our strategy in Brazil is clear: to deliver a hybrid, resilient infrastructure designed to meet the country’s diverse market needs.”
Reinforcing this strategy, the partnership also delivers important operational benefits to the market:
“Doing all of this on a single platform is a major differentiator. The partnership brings network resilience, expanded coverage, integrated billing, and other capabilities into one place,” says Marcio Fabozi, CEO of Allcom Telecom. “The multi-connectivity strategy enables us to cover customers as comprehensively as possible. It also makes operations simpler, more reliable, and more efficient to support applications across sectors such as utilities, smart cities, agribusiness, tracking, mobility, and industry.”
By Marc Kavinsky, Lead Editor at IoT Business News.
French connectivity specialist Move & Connect has struck an alliance with KORE to give European IoT operators a single-contract, API-managed way to run deployments across borders—an approach aimed at reducing operational friction in use cases where downtime is costly.
For years, pan-European IoT deployments have been less a technical challenge than an operational one. Devices can be designed to work anywhere, but the commercial and carrier realities of Europe—different operator relationships, varying coverage footprints, and inconsistent tools for monitoring fleets—often turn “multi-country” into a patchwork of contracts and management portals. That fragmentation becomes more than an inconvenience in critical infrastructure scenarios, where a connectivity issue can translate directly into service interruption and lost revenue.
Against that backdrop, Move & Connect and KORE Group Holdings have announced a strategic alliance intended to simplify how European businesses deploy and run cellular IoT across borders. The agreement pairs Move & Connect’s on-the-ground market and deployment expertise with KORE’s global connectivity footprint and connectivity management platform, including eSIM capabilities.
The core promise is straightforward: Move & Connect’s European customers gain access to KORE connectivity in more than 190 countries, with service managed through a single contract and API. In practical terms, that positions the two companies to act as a single operational interface for device fleets that routinely move across national boundaries—or for businesses scaling the same device type across multiple European markets.
Why this is more than another roaming deal
Partnership announcements between connectivity providers are common, and many boil down to “more coverage” messaging. What stands out here is the explicit emphasis on operational control via KORE’s platform and APIs, and on Move & Connect using that control to deliver managed services tailored to regional realities. That hints at a division of labor increasingly seen in mature IoT deployments: a global connectivity layer that is programmatically controlled, and a specialist provider that turns that control into day-to-day operational outcomes for specific verticals and geographies.
In the press release, the companies point to critical sectors including EV charging, retail and smart farming. These are not incidental examples. They are environments where distributed assets and field operations make troubleshooting expensive, and where service-level expectations are rising. The stated goal is to avoid the “unreliable connectivity and lack of unified visibility” that can emerge when fleets span multiple countries and multiple mobile network operators.
A concrete implication—without assuming unannounced product capabilities—is that a single contract plus API-based management can reduce the time it takes to onboard new countries or adjust connectivity policies across an installed base. For OEMs and enterprises, that can shift effort away from carrier-by-carrier negotiations and manual fleet administration toward repeatable rollout playbooks.
eSIM as an operating model, not a feature
KORE’s platform is described as including “extensive eSIM capabilities,” and the alliance is framed around lifecycle management rather than one-off SIM supply. That matters because eSIM in IoT is increasingly about maintaining control after deployment: managing profiles, standardizing provisioning processes, and enabling organizations to scale without rebuilding operational tooling every time they enter a new market.
This is where Move & Connect’s positioning becomes distinct. The company is not presenting itself as a pure connectivity reseller; it is emphasizing hands-on deployment knowledge—understanding device behavior and local geographies—and using KORE’s infrastructure to deliver an “enterprise-grade” service with local responsiveness. For system integrators, that combination can be attractive when customers want a single accountable partner but still need local expertise for rollout realities such as site readiness, device placement, and operational troubleshooting across dispersed estates.
An analytics layer on top of network data
Move & Connect also says it is developing a proprietary AI-powered analytics layer “on top of KORE’s network data.” While details are not disclosed, the intent is clear: to move up the stack from connectivity delivery into insights derived from connectivity operations.
One non-obvious takeaway for IoT professionals is what that suggests about the competitive battleground in managed connectivity. Connectivity management platforms have long provided visibility and control, but service providers are increasingly looking to differentiate with additional intelligence that can translate network and SIM telemetry into operational signals for customers. If Move & Connect succeeds, it strengthens the role of regional specialists as more than intermediaries—potentially becoming the operational analytics interface customers interact with daily, while the global provider remains the underlying connectivity and management substrate.
What it means for buyers and partners
For enterprises running multi-country deployments, the alliance is a reminder to evaluate connectivity not just on coverage maps, but on the management model: whether fleets can be governed through a single API and contract, and whether escalation paths and local expertise exist when deployments hit real-world issues.
For OEMs, the combination of a global platform and a European connectivity specialist may simplify commercialization in multiple countries, particularly when devices are expected to be installed and managed at scale by third parties. And for connectivity providers and integrators, the announcement underscores a broader trend: value is increasingly created at the operational layer—lifecycle management, programmatic control, and analytics—rather than in raw connectivity alone.
Mathilde Turco had a mini-facelift in Seoul at the age of 34.
Courtesy of Mathilde Turco.
Mathilde Turco was unhappy with the appearance of her skin at 34.
She considered cosmetic surgery and decided on a mini-facelift.
The New Yorker flew to Seoul for the procedure, which, she said, gave her the desired result.
This interview is based on a conversation with Mathilde Turco, 34, a content creator and sales professional for an electrical contracting company from Brooklyn, New York. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Four years ago, when I entered my 30s, I began to notice sagging on my face and a general loss of elasticity, making me appear older than I was.
It really bothered me, especially when I was making videos as a content creator or having on-camera meetings in my sales job.
I’d pull my skin taut when I looked in the mirror, and it became a habit. As a perfectionist, I became a little obsessed and started thinking of ways to make my skin look younger.
The surgeons recommended a mini-facelift
Initially, I tried treatments such as resurfacing lasers and fillers, but I was still very aware of fine lines, especially around my mouth.
In the summer and fall of 2025, I consulted some cosmetic surgeons in New York about facelift surgery, and none of them said I was too young for it.
Instead, they recommended a mini-facelift, which is far less invasive than the deep-plane one I originally thought I needed, to also tighten my jawline. This would have involved a deeper scar.
Still, I was on a tight budget, so I widened my search abroad. I had online consultations with clinics in Tunisia, Colombia, and my native France before deciding on a place in the Gangnam district of Seoul.
Turco before she went under the knife.
Courtesy of Matilde Turco.
South Korea attracted my attention because its cosmetic surgery industry uses innovative, high-tech techniques. I liked the natural look of the results.
I told my fiancé about my plans, but didn’t tell too many other friends or family. I thought they’d be scared or tell me to wait until I’m older, but it’s a very personal decision.
I’m a grown woman who can make up my own mind. I didn’t want to worry them for no reason.
My girlfriend and I flew to Seoul a week before the surgery on February 9, 2026, and stayed for a total of a month.
I needed painkillers
One surgeon performed the mini-facelift — including an endoscopic forehead lift — and another doctor did my breast implants at the same time. The operation lasted around seven hours.
I woke up with some discomfort, but it was manageable with painkillers. There was a minimal incision around the hairline, and it started healing pretty quickly.
Turco is pleased with her looks after having a facelift.
Courtesy of Mathilde Turco.
I was very careful and only ventured outside when the medical team said it was OK. Once the swelling and bruising had receded, I was able to go sightseeing with my friend again.
Back in New York City, I’ve been taking things easy as I fully recover. My eyebrows are still high, but they’re settling back into place as each day and week go by.
The surgeon told me it would probably take up to six months for all the sensations in your temple area to return.
It’s boosted my confidence
I did this for myself, and it’s obviously not about him, but my fiancé seems to have appreciated the results. He’s pleased that I’m pleased.
I look at my reflection and am so glad I went ahead with the procedure. I don’t see those smile lines as much. It’s given me a lot more confidence.
Some people have said, “Oh, you don’t look that much different,” which is fine by me. I want it to look as natural and as subtle as possible.
Jatee Kearsley’s bakery, Je T’aime Patisserie, gained fame after a viral feature on Righteous Eats.
Going viral changed the trajectory of her business but took a toll on her mental health.
Kearsley says she wouldn’t want to go viral again, even though that may sound ungrateful.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jatee Kearsley, the owner and pastry chef of Je T’aime Patisserie, which offers a “Black girl twist” on French pastries in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. It has been edited for length and clarity.
In April 2024, I sat in my bakery with my Bible study group and told them I had $2,000 in my bank account and no idea how I was going to pay my employees the next day.
When I opened my bakery a year prior, I knew it would be hard. I had taken out loans. I had put in my own savings. I understood that small businesses require money for everything: rent, ingredients, payroll, insurance, and taxes.
Still, nothing prepares you for sitting in your own store and realizing you might not be able to cover payroll. Then, the day after meeting with my Bible study group, everything changed.
We were featured on Righteous Eats, a social media feed run by Jaeki Cho and Brian Lee that features New York City restaurants. The video went viral, and by the following weekend, my bank account looked completely different.
Going viral was a blessing. I will never pretend it wasn’t. It changed the trajectory of my business. However, I don’t think people talk enough about what going viral does to your mental health.
For me mentally, I don’t want to go viral again. That might sound ungrateful, but it’s honest.
Going viral didn’t make the work easier
Kearsley makes every croissant from scratch.
Business Insider
On a normal day before going viral, my team and I of about four, were making, on average, 200 croissants a week. After we went viral, demand shot up to about 200 croissants every other day.
I specifically remember selling four chocolate croissants the day before going viral and then 30 the day of. We make all types of croissants from scratch: chocolate, almond, ham and cheese, blueberry cheesecake, and more.
Croissants from Kearsley’s bakery.
Business Insider
We laminate the dough, hand-roll each one, proof them, bake them, and fill them. Going viral didn’t make our team any bigger, and I had to loop in friends, family, and volunteers to help fill orders and deliveries.
There were weekends when it was just me and one other person in the bakery at 6 a.m., trying to keep up.
Other days, I was filling 160 mini croissants for catering orders on top of regular production. I’ve even hand-rolled croissants on my day off because there was no one else to do it.
Going viral brought more customers, but it also brought higher expectations
Going viral helped Kearsley’s business, but it took a toll on her mental health.
Business Insider
People would leave reviews saying they waited hours, only to find we were sold out. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. So I slept on a bench in the bakery for a week straight after going viral to make sure I was keeping up with the demand that was needed during that time.
There’s also the emotional weight that comes with virality. When we went viral the first time, it was exciting. It also meant strangers had opinions about everything: my prices, my neighborhood, the fact that I accept Electronic Benefits Transfer.
I accept EBT because I know what underserved, overlooked communities of people are dealing with. And I never wanted there to be a moment where someone walked into Je T’aime Patisserie and wasn’t able to afford it.
Kearsley with trays of dough in her bakery.
Business Insider
I specifically wanted Je T’aime Patisserie to be in a neighborhood where people don’t have things. Historically, Bed-Stuy is an underserved, overlooked food desert.
So, it was super important for me to make sure that my food impacts the neighborhood by providing high-quality, fresh pastries. People thought that accepting EBT was going to ruin my business, but it actually helped.
Everything I have achieved with my shop is because I accept all types of people in my store, including EBT and SNAP holders.
It’s not about the money or going viral
Kearsley taught herself how to bake.
Business Insider
I know this is Business Insider, and we’re supposed to talk about numbers. But if I’m being honest, this has never been about the money for me.
If this were just about money, I would make different decisions. I would raise my prices more aggressively. I would stop worrying about whether a single mom can afford a croissant. I would probably choose a different neighborhood.
But I opened in Bed-Stuy on purpose. People told me my bakery “belonged” in Manhattan. I disagreed. I wanted someone who has never tried a fresh croissant or a quiche to walk into my shop and feel like they deserve it.
Financially, EBT makes up a small percentage of my revenue. But the support and gratitude from those customers mean more to me than the dollar amount ever could.
If I could run this business without making money, I would. Unfortunately, that’s not realistic in New York City. You need money to survive. But my passion has always been about helping people and impacting my community.
Cross-progression refers to the ability to carry progress, saves, purchases, and unlocks across different platforms. It’s quickly become the most sought-after quality in modern gaming. Cross-play, the ability to play across different platforms, has been around for a while, but it didn’t allow players to carry all the progress they’ve made with them.
Gaming ecosystems are now much more sophisticated, and players want their game progression to reflect that as well. Major publishers have responded by making unified accounts and a cloud-based progression standard. However, several games still haven’t caught up.
Why Cross-Progression Has Become a Priority for Players
Gaming has changed as an industry and an art form. This is seen in the growing popularity of eSports. According to a BC.Game review, more players are wagering on eSports event outcomes and using crypto to do so. Experts from CryptoManiaks claim that crypto wagers are processed faster and can be made anonymously, unlike fiat wagers.
Gamers are also more likely to switch platforms, not just once every couple of years, but within a single gameplay session. Cross-progressions allow them to do so without restarting the game. Such an approach increases the lifetime spending on the game. Soon, the feature became a standard one, rather than a luxury.
Industry Leaders Setting the Standard
Some of the biggest games and companies in the industry have embraced cross-progression, and once they did, it became the standard. Fortnite set the benchmark early, allowing progress and purchases to move freely across console, PC, and mobile platforms. Call of Duty: Warzone and recent Modern Warfare titles followed along.
Destiny 2 and Genshin Impact were somewhat behind, but they introduced the option once the benefits were widely accepted. The move strengthens social play and competitive continuity and helps the brands retain player loyalty. Today, most live-service releases offer the option.
Major Titles That Still Lack Full Cross-Progression
Several major games still haven’t introduced cross-progression, even as the rest of the industry has. Some offer a limited version of it.
Grand Theft Auto Online is the most obvious example. Progress transfer was allowed when the consoles were updated, and the users could keep their progress when moving to a newer version of the same console, but that was the extent of the feature. It’s a game with a long life and a huge player base, but their frustration didn’t make the developers change their minds.
Apex Legends is another high-profile holdout. Players can play across different platforms, but that’s all. The developers have addressed the issue openly, saying they are aware of the demand and that the process is technically challenging, but it hasn’t gone much further than that.
Sports franchises such as EA Sports FC, NBA 2K, and Madden NFL present another major gap. Given the time and money the players invest in these games, such a poor user experience is surprising, and it doesn’t seem to be improving anytime soon.
Why Some Games Still Don’t Support Cross-Progression
There’s a mix of technical, platform, and business challenges that’s holding the progress down. Older titles have separate databases for separate platforms, making the change impossible or at least too expensive to try. Engine limitations and legacy architecture can further complicate synchronization across ecosystems.
Platform policies are another reason why cross-progression isn’t available. Each purchasing platform has its own revenue-sharing agreement, making it difficult to use an item purchased on another platform.
Finally, some games simply weren’t designed as long-term live services. The production companies would rather focus their resources on creating new titles than introducing such a complicated and expensive feature for older ones.
The Future: Will Cross-Progression Become Mandatory?
The industry is changing in ways that are very well suited to cross-progression. This includes the focus on cloud gaming, handheld PCs, and multi-device play. After a while, the feature will be the industry standard and basically mandatory for new games.
Most new multiplayer and live-service games now include cross-progression at launch. Many features were once seen as novel and luxurious and are now common and expected; the same could happen to cross-progression.
Cross-Progression and IoT: Converging Toward Unified Digital Experiences
Beyond gaming, cross-progression reflects a broader shift toward persistent digital identities and cloud-synchronized data—core principles also driving IoT ecosystems. As connected devices multiply, seamless data continuity, interoperability, and real-time synchronization across platforms are becoming essential to deliver consistent user and system experiences
To Sum Up
Cross-progression refers to carrying progress from one platform to another. These include items purchased within the game and the skills and unlocks that go with them. It’s already possible to play the same game on different platforms, but not all games allow cross-progression yet. Many big names in the industry did allow it, however, and it helps explain how modern fans are engaging with the games.
Some of the biggest games in the industry, like GTA, still don’t allow it, and it seems they won’t soon. However, many features that were once luxuries are now commonplace, and it could happen with cross-progression too.
