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In focus
- Kata.ai eyes the Middle East after doubling revenue and tripling EBITDA
- How a crypto scam suspect found cover in Hollywood
- Google’s Gemini 3 top of the class for AI models
Hello reader,
I often travel by train in Jakarta, and I’ve noticed lately that several stations have started using AI-generated voices for their announcements.
I also recently received a call from an ecommerce platform’s call center and realized the voice speaking to me was AI. In both instances, the tone gave it away instantly.
AI-powered voice chat is clearly becoming more common. Indonesian conversational AI firm Kata.ai is one company supplying these solutions, alongside its customer service agent tools.
In today’s first Top Story, I dive into Kata.ai’s performance this year and its push into the Middle East. The company grew its revenue by more than 2x in 2025 and expanded to Dubai in July.
It plans to enter more markets in the region, where governments are aggressively investing in AI infrastructure. The region is pushing hard for AI transformation, Kata.ai co-founder and CEO Irzan Raditya told me.
Speaking of transformation, our second Top Story covers a Hollywood star and an alleged crypto scammer who are attempting to remake their tarnished reputations.
The tale unfolds in an investigative story by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), with contributions from my colleague Elyssa Lopez. You can find another story from ICIJ that we published here.
The latest report uncovers the links between controversial actor Kevin Spacey’s comeback and Vladimir “Lado” Okhotnikov, a Russian entrepreneur accused of running global crypto Ponzi schemes.
The investigation reveals how Okhotnikov is using Spacey’s new film to polish his image despite facing allegations of fraud. Folks involved in major crypto scams seemingly have endless ways to attract attention and investors.
Jofie Yordan, journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Kata.ai’s revenue leap sets stage for Middle East expansion
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