Sierra, a startup co-founded by Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, has achieved $100 million in annual revenue run rate in under two years. The company, specializing in AI-driven customer service agents, counts firms like Deliveroo and Cigna among its customers. Despite its rapid growth, Sierra faces strong competition from companies like Intercom. Its valuation has climbed to $10 billion, reflecting a hefty 100x revenue multiple. The company's outcomes-based pricing model appears to resonate well with both tech and traditional industries, showcasing the increasing demand for AI solutions across sectors. TechCrunch

Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 update has introduced critical failures affecting core components such as Explorer.exe, Start Menu, and Settings. The issue stems from delays in registering XAML packages, causing widespread user dissatisfaction. As Microsoft struggles to address these problems promptly, concerns over its dominance in the OS market grow, particularly as alternatives like Linux gain attention. The tech giant must act swiftly to prevent further erosion of user trust. XDA Developers

Researchers at the University of Vienna have exposed a flaw in WhatsApp's contact-discovery system, allowing the scraping of metadata at a massive scale. The vulnerability affected 3.5 billion accounts, with some encryption keys being reused across accounts, undermining the platform’s security model. Meta has since implemented rate limits and addressed related issues but emphasized that user messages remained secure. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in balancing accessibility with robust security. Tech Radar

Researchers have developed a skin cream capable of delivering insulin, potentially eliminating the need for injections for diabetic patients. In mouse trials, the cream normalized blood glucose levels within an hour, showing efficacy comparable to injections. If successful in human trials, it could revolutionize diabetes management by offering a less invasive and more user-friendly alternative. Science Alert

A study has linked lupus to infections caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), with lupus patients showing a significantly higher proportion of B cells infected by EBV compared to healthy individuals. This finding underscores the need for further research into viral contributions to autoimmune diseases and could pave the way for more targeted treatments. Science Alert