Articles from TechCrunch (1282)
‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ is expanding fast, and that should worry everyone
As Morris watches his BNPL investments from the other side of the table, he seems to understand the warning signs better than most.
Amazon satellite network gets a rebrand — and drops its affordability pitch
The company has been quietly changing how it talks about who its internet customers will be before it announced a big name change last week.
Are we nearing the end of Apple’s Tim Cook era?
Apple is getting serious about succession planning, according to a new report.
Danish startup FlatPay joins the club of European fintech unicorns to track
Flatpay’s bet is that it can challenge larger players by charging small merchants a flat transaction rate to use its card terminals and point-of-sales systems.
TechCrunch Mobility: The robotaxi expansion that really matters
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
Beloved SF cat’s death fuels Waymo criticism
The death of a neighborhood bodega cat named Kit Kat has shaken San Francisco’s Mission District and prompted new debates about robotaxi safety.
How much of the AI data center boom will be powered by renewable energy?
According to a new report from the International Energy Agency, the world will spend $580 billion on data centers this year — $40 billion more than will be spent finding new oil supplies.
Disney and YouTube TV reach deal to end blackout
You can watch "Jeapordy!" on YouTube TV again.
Jury says Apple owes Masimo $634M for patent infringement
A federal jury in California ruled Friday that Apple must pay medical device maker Masimo $634 million for infringing a patent on blood oxygen monitoring technology.
JPMorgan doesn’t want to pay Frank founder Charlie Javice’s legal bills
A lawyer representing JPMorgan said Javice’s legal team billed for expenses including luxury hotel upgrades, 24 hours of work in a single day, and cellulite butter.
OpenAI says it’s fixed ChatGPT’s em dash problem
OpenAI says users can now personalize ChatGPT to stop using the em dash in its output.
Boeing has a carbon emissions problem. Startup Charm Industrial is cleaning up.
The deal will see Charm Industrial collect forestry waste and transform it into a bio-oil it buries underground.
Tesla releases detailed safety report after Waymo co-CEO called for more data
The new data, released Friday, finally addresses some of the biggest criticisms of the paltry "safety reports" Tesla's released for years.
German court rules Google must pay €572M for violating antitrust rules in price comparison sector
A German court has found that Google has abused its dominant market position in the price comparison sector, ruling that the company must pay a total of €572 million ($665.6 million) in damages to...
TikTok users can now share tracks and more from Amazon Music
With a new "Share to TikTok" button, Amazon Music users can share songs, albums, playlists, and personal listening highlights from their Insights on Amazon Music directly to TikTok.
Databricks co-founder argues US must go open source to beat China in AI
VC Andy Konwinski argues that the U.S. is losing its AI research dominance to China.
Leaked documents shed light into how much OpenAI pays Microsoft
Leaked documents reveal how much OpenAI paid Microsoft under a revenue-share agreement. They also indicate inference costs.
Five people plead guilty to helping North Koreans infiltrate US companies as ‘remote IT workers’
The U.S. Department of Justice said five people — including four U.S. nationals — "facilitated" North Korean IT workers to get jobs at American companies, allowing the regime to earn money from...
Pixel 10 Pro Fold review: Google’s bet to make foldables sturdy
Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold improves durability with a tighter hinge, IP68 rating, a bigger battery, and brighter display, but its weaker camera system compared to the Pixel 10 Pro muddies its...
ChatGPT launches pilot group chats across Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan
The ChatGPT maker describes this pilot as just a “small first step” toward creating a more "shared experience" in the app. The private chats and personal ChatGPT memory stay completely private....
WhatsApp to launch third-party chat integration in Europe soon
Users in Europe who have opted in to the third-party integration will be able to share messages, images, voice messages, videos, and files.
Inside Harvey: How a first-year legal associate built one of Silicon Valley’s hottest startups
TechCrunch spoke with Harvey's CEO and co-founder Winston Weinberg about the wild ride that he and co-founder Gabe Pereyra have been on so far.
Pine Labs gets warm market welcome on $440M India IPO despite a valuation trim
Pine Labs, backed by PayPal and Mastercard, gained 14% on its market debut.
Oura Ring 4 Ceramic review: A colorful glow-up
If you want a pop of color and style, then the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic might be the smart ring for you.
Uber quietly pilots in-app video recording for drivers in India
Uber's in-app video recording pilot is currently live in 10 cities across India. The tool is meant to deter misconduct in a market where most drivers do not use dashcams, according to Uber.
Police take down three cybercrime operations in latest round of ‘whack-a-mole’
Authorities from nine countries took down three cybercrime operations, including the Rhadamantys infostealer, which allegedly had access to the crypto wallets of more than 100,000 victims.
Harbinger raises $160M, will build trucks for FedEx
The Los Angeles-based startup will build more than 50 electric truck chassis for the delivery giant by the end of this year.
VCs abandon old rules for a ‘funky time’ of investing in AI startups
The goalposts are moving for AI startups when it comes to growth, product features, and just about everything else.
Newsletter platform beehiiv adds AI website building, creator tools in major expansion
Newsletter platform beehiiv announced a massive expansion to its platform on Thursday, including offering real-time analytics and AI website creation.
Firefighters received chemical burns at Elon Musk’s Boring Company construction site
The firefighters had to be treated at a hospital and received permanent scars, according to a report from Fortune. But The Boring Company was not fined after it met with state officials.
In defense of Apple’s $230 iPhone sock
From the same label that made the iconic Steve Jobs mockneck, the iPhone Pocket could be the next Labubu … if you have the disposable income.
Tesla might finally bring CarPlay to its EVs
The addition of CarPlay would mark a significant change for Tesla, which has so far shunned phone mirroring in its vehicles.
After 5 months, the $1,200 bottles of Besties All-In tequila are finally starting to ship
When the hosts of the popular All-In podcast launched their own tequila brand at a star-studded party last June, all 750 bottles of the $1,200 spirit quickly sold out. But getting those bottles...
Spotify introduces a Premium Platinum plan with lossless access in five markets
Spotify is debuting a new tiered premium plan in five markets with the costliest tier gaining access to lossless streaming.
Blue Origin sticks first New Glenn rocket landing and launches NASA spacecraft
It's an impressive accomplishment for the new mega-rocket launch system, and paves the way for the company to start re-using the boosters in commercial missions.
Build Mode starts at the beginning: How Forethought AI found product-market fit
In the debut episode of the Build Mode podcast, we sat down with Deon Nicholas, co-founder of Forethought AI, to unpack what it really takes to build a lasting company with and for your customers...
Apple’s new App Review Guidelines clamp down on apps sharing personal data with ‘third-party AI’
Apple updates its App Store rules to restrict apps from sharing personal data with third-party AI without disclosure and explicit permission.
Tesla Powerwall 2 recall expands to US after reports of fires
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received 22 reports of overheating, smoking, or burning Tesla Powerwall 2 home batteries. The company will replace defective units.
Apple halves commissions for mini app makers
Apple introduces a new program for app developers offering a reduced 15% commission on qualifying mini app transactions.
Coding assistant Cursor raises $2.3B 5 months after its previous round
Cursor plans to use the capital to continue developing Composer, the AI model the vibe-coding startup released in October.
The 10 companies that just launched from Betaworks’ latest startup camp
Early-stage venture fund Betaworks announced the latest 10 companies launching from its prestigious Camp program.
CISA warns federal agencies to patch flawed Cisco firewalls amid ‘active exploitation’ across the US government
The federal cybersecurity agency said some government departments had been actively exploited after failing to properly patch their systems.
YouTube TV’s Disney blackout is ruining my life (I can’t watch ‘Jeopardy!’)
YouTube TV's parent company, Google, has been locked in a standoff with Disney for nearly two weeks. The dispute began when the two companies failed to reach an agreement on a streaming deal.
Radio streamer TuneIn acquired for $175M
Founded in 2002, TuneIn was an early player in the online music space. Unlike rivals such as Apple Music or Spotify Premium that offer ad-free, subscription-based music on demand, TuneIn focused...
Apple launches Digital ID, a way to carry your passport on your phone for use at TSA checkpoints
Apple Watch and iPhone owners in the United States will now be able to carry a copy of their U.S. passport on their device, which they can then use at TSA checkpoints across more than 250 U.S....
Elon Musk’s X botched its security key switchover, locking users out
As part of an effort to retire the old Twitter.com domain, X is requiring passkey and security key users to re-enroll — but are getting stuck in endless loops and unable to finish.
‘Chad: The Brainrot IDE’ is a new Y Combinator-backed product so wild, people thought it was fake
Chad: The Brainrot IDE is an actual product that pairs vibe coding with brainrot activities like gambling, Tinder and games.
Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs speeds up the world model race with Marble, its first commercial product
Marble is different from competitors like Odyssey, Decart, and Google's Genie because it creates persistent, downloadable 3D environments rather than generating worlds on-the-fly as you explore.
Teradar raises $150M for a sensor it says beats lidar and radar
Teradar's sensor uses the terahertz part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and combines the best traits of radar and lidar sensors without some of the drawbacks.
Jack Dorsey funds diVine, a Vine reboot that includes Vine’s video archive
Jack Dorsey backs diVine, a Vine reboot that includes Vine's video archive of six-second, looping videos. A new app called diVine will give access to more than 100,000 archived Vine videos,...
Cybersecurity firm Deepwatch lays off dozens, citing move to ‘accelerate’ AI investment
Deepwatch’s CEO told TechCrunch that the layoffs allow the company to accelerate investments in “AI and automation.”
The global race for the AI app layer is still on
The U.S. is far ahead of Europe in the race for large AI models, at least in funding. But the picture is different for the application layer, global VC firm Accel highlighted in its 2025...
Threads targets podcasters with new features, aiming to become the home for show discussions
Threads is targeting podcasters with new features, including dedicated links in the bio and more visible links in the feed.
Meta’s chief AI scientist Yann LeCun reportedly plans to leave to build his own startup
Yann LeCun, a chief AI scientist at Meta, is planning to leave the company to build his own startup, which will focus on continuing his work on world models.
Scribe hits $1.3B valuation as it moves to show where AI will actually pay off
Scribe Optimize is the startup's next major offering to help organizations identify where AI will be most useful.
Sapphire Sport spins out, rebrands as 359 Capital with $300M AUM
The newly independent 359 Capital is halfway through investing from $181 million second fund.
Amazon Music allows users in Canada to chat and stream music with each other
Amazon Music now lets users in Canada create and join groups based on their favorite genres and artists.
A better way of thinking about the AI bubble
AI isn't all or nothing, and even good bets can turn sour if you aren't careful about how you make them.
Google brings Gemini to the Google TV Streamer
The tech giant says the change will enable users to use their voice more naturally to access content and more.
Slow Ventures holds a ‘finishing school’ to help founders learn to be fancy
Slow Ventures hosted a three-hour “Etiquette Finishing School” this week, covering topics like the perfect handshake, public speaking, and office decorum.
YouTube TV is giving customers a $20 credit for Disney blackout
YouTube TV subscribers unhappy about going more than a week without ESPN, ABC, and other Disney networks will be getting a $20 credit that can be applied to their next billing statement.
TechCrunch Mobility: Elon Musk’s threats worked
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for all things “future of transportation.”
Blue Origin scrubs second launch of New Glenn due to weather, cruise ship traffic
It's an important launch for Jeff Bezos' space company, which is trying to prove its rockets can be re-used while delivering its first commercial payloads.
Elon Musk uses Grok to imagine the possibility of love
After Tesla shareholders approved a new compensation package that could be worth $1 trillion, CEO Elon Musk appears to be celebrating with a normal weekend on his social media platform X.
Blue Origin scrubs second New Glenn launch, will try again November 12
It's an important launch for Jeff Bezos' space company, which is trying to prove its rockets can be re-used while delivering its first commercial payloads.
Apple reportedly plans ambitious satellite-powered iPhone features
While Apple’s iPhone already supports texting, calling emergency services, and contacting roadside assistance via satellite connectivity, the company may have many more satellite-powered features...
Is Wall Street losing faith in AI?
A rough week for tech stocks might signal a loss of investor confidence in artificial intelligence.
How startups can lure good talent fairly without big tech bank accounts
Three industry insiders walk through how startups can set up an employee equity strategy that remains fair as a company grows.
OpenAI asked Trump administration to expand Chips Act tax credit to cover data centers
A recent letter from OpenAI reveals more details about how the company is hoping the federal government can support the company's ambitious plans for data center construction.
‘Breaking Bad’ creator’s new show ‘Pluribus’ was emphatically ‘made by humans,’ not AI
If you watched all the way to the end of the new Apple TV show “Pluribus,” you may have noticed an unusual disclaimer in the credits: “This show was made by humans.”
Kim Kardashian says ChatGPT is her ‘frenemy’
Kim Kardashian admitted that she has failed legal exams after blindly relying on ChatGPT's advice.
Amazon launches a low-price standalone shopping app, Amazon Bazaar, in over a dozen markets
Amazon Bazaar, a new low-cost shopping destination for Asia, Africa, and Latin America that will be available separately from the main Amazon shopping app.
Seven more families are now suing OpenAI over ChatGPT’s role in suicides, delusions
In one case, 23-year-old Zane Shamblin had a conversation with ChatGPT that lasted more than four hours.
I tried the Apple Crossbody Strap. It’s convenient, but the phone looks silly when the strap is removed.
Apple's new Crossbody Strap is a convenient way to go hands-free but the strap can rub uncomfortably at times, and the phone looks silly when the strap is removed.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Startup Battlefield 200: Celebrating outstanding achievements
Among the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 were many industry-defining companies exhibiting and pitching on the Showcase Stage.
Rivian gives RJ Scaringe a new pay package worth up to $5B
The company canceled a similar-sized award from 2021, when EV optimism was sky-high, due to the "unlikeliness" that the associated goals could be met.
GoWish’s shopping and wish list app is having its biggest year yet
GoWish, an app for making wish lists, is having a record year, and has doubled its users.
How one founder plans to save cities from flooding with terraforming robots
Instead of building seawalls or dikes, Terranova has developed a new way to raise cities to protect them from sea level rise.
‘Landfall’ spyware abused zero-day to hack Samsung Galaxy phones
A newly identified Android spyware targeted Galaxy devices for close to a year, including users in the Middle East, researchers exclusively tell TechCrunch.
Congressional Budget Office confirms it was hacked
The congressional research office confirmed a breach, but did not comment on the cause. A security researcher suggested the hack may have originated because CBO failed to patch a firewall for more...
Washington Post confirms data breach linked to Oracle hacks
The Washington Post is the latest victim of a hacking campaign by the notorious Clop ransomware gang, which relied on vulnerabilities in Oracle software used by many corporations.
Texas AG sues Roblox, accusing it of prioritizing ‘pixel pedophiles’ over child safety
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton late on Thursday said he had sued online gaming platform Roblox, accusing the company of "deceiving parents about the dangers of its platform."
Inception raises $50 million to build diffusion models for code and text
Diffusion models already power AI image generators, but Inception thinks they can be even more powerful applied in software development.
Sam Altman says OpenAI has $20B ARR and about $1.4 trillion in data center commitments
Altman named a long list of upcoming business he thinks will generate significant revenue.
Tesla shareholders approve Elon Musk’s $1T pay package
The proposal received more than 75% approval. Musk can earn the $1 trillion in shares over the next 10 years if Tesla hits a number of milestones.
Grand Theft Auto VI is delayed — again
Perhaps one of the most anticipated video games of all time, GTA VI is now slated for a November 19, 2026 release.
Accel backs Uber rival Rapido as Prosus boosts stake
TVS Motor booked a 152% return as it sold its Rapido stake to Accel and Prosus.
Ford execs reportedly discuss ending the F-150 Lightning
Production was already paused as Ford prioritizes gas and hybrid versions of the truck. The Lightning has been on the market for three years.
Sam Altman says he doesn’t want the government to bail out OpenAI if it fails
The furor over Sarah Friar's comments grew so loud that Trump's AI Czar David Sacks weighed in.
Google to buy carbon credits from massive Amazonian reforestation project
The deal is the first selected by the Symbiosis Coalition, an advance market commitment founded to seed the market for nature-based carbon removal.
Amazon launches an AI-powered Kindle Translate service for ebook authors
Kindle Translate, an AI-powered translation service, is designed to broaden the reach of ebook authors.
Sora for Android saw nearly half a million installs on its first day
This makes the Android launch more than 4x the size of the iOS launch, with 327% more installs (360,000) — but the firm notes that's not an apples-to-apples comparison.
SpaceX’s Starlink secures more spectrum and airlines as it passes 8 million customers
The internet provider has bought more 'direct to cell' spectrum licenses from EchoStar and struck a deal with the owner of British Airways.
Meta brings its short-form video feed of AI slop to Europe
Meta says that since the launch of Vibes, media generation in the Meta AI app has jumped more than tenfold.
Italian political consultant says he was targeted with Paragon spyware
WhatsApp notified the consultant, who works for left-wing politicians, that his phone was targeted with spyware made by Paragon.
Subtle Computing’s voice isolation models help computers understand you in noisy environments
Subtle Computing has raised $6M in seed funding to build voice isolation models. The startup plans to announce a hardware device next year.
Peloton recalls 833,000 bikes after reports of injuries
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning Peloton users to stop using the affected bikes immediately.
Mastodon’s latest software update brings quote posts to all server operators
Mastodon's latest software version brings quote posts with added controls to all servers.
Spotify now lets you see weekly listening stats
Spotify is adding new feature called "Listening stats" that will show users weekly numbers about their listening habits.
Why Benchmark made a rare crypto bet on trading app Fomo, with $17M Series A
The founders of Fomo, a consumer crypto trading app that launched in May, took an unusual route to raising capital.
Anker-backed hybrid RV startup Evotrex comes out of stealth
Evotrex joins startups like Lightship, Pebble, and Grounded in trying to disrupt the RV market, which is skewing younger.
Perplexity to pay Snap $400M to power search in Snapchat
Snap said today that it has signed a deal with AI-powered search engine Perplexity to power a new chatbot. As part of the deal, Perplexity will pay Snap $400 million in cash and equity.
Google Maps upgrades navigation in India with Gemini, safety alerts
India becomes the second market after the U.S. to get Gemini-powered navigation on Google Maps.
Ventures Platform, one of Africa’s most active early-stage investors, has raised another $64 million
The Lagos-based firm and one of Africa’s most active early-stage investors is targeting a final close of $75 million for its second fund.
Tesla delays reveal of production Roadster 2 to April Fools’ Day
Musk said he picked the date so he "could say I was just kidding" if it changes again. He had spent months teasing a reveal by the end of this year.
Tesla to begin Cybercab production in April, Musk claims
Elon Musk said he expects Tesla to be able to put all the Cybercabs it builds on the road, and thanked Waymo for "paving the path."
Chris Sacca’s VC firm is raising a second nuclear fusion fund
With fusion advances showing real promise, Lowercarbon Capital plans to double down.
Laude Institute announces first batch of ‘Slingshots’ AI grants
Slingshots AI grants provide resources that would be unavailable in most academic settings. Its debut program has 15 startups focused on AI evaluation.
Meta estimates that it earns 10% of its revenue from scams, report says
These fraudulent ads purport to offer a product or service that isn't actually real, and may be intended to solicit payments from less savvy users.
Apple nears deal to pay Google $1B annually to power new Siri, report says
Apple is turning to Google's technology to help revamp Siri and power a slate of upcoming features for the voice assistant.
Cluely’s Roy Lee hints that viral hype is not enough
Lee declined to share Cluely's financial metrics just four months after boasting how quickly the startup is growing.
Former Meta employees launch Stream, a smart ring that takes voice notes and controls music
The company calls the ring "a mouse for voice" because it can take notes, help you interact with an AI assistant, and let you control music.
Lucid Motors’ chief engineer leaves after 10 years
Eric Bach, who was once the director of engineering at Tesla, is out amid a larger executive shake-up at the company.
Blue Origin plans second launch of New Glenn mega-rocket on November 9
Blue Origin's first New Glenn launch in January mostly went well, and now the long-delayed second mission is finally ready for takeoff.
Discord’s Family Center update now lets parents monitor weekly purchases
Discord has rolled out updates to its Family Center, giving guardians more insights into their teens' usage patterns, including purchases, top
Former Meta employees launch a ring to take voice notes and control music
A raft of voice-based hardware devices have emerged, aimed at companionship, productivity, or personal growth. These include card-shaped devices from
Armis raises $435M pre-IPO round at $6.1B valuation after refusing M&A offers
Armis is hoping to launch its IPO in late 2026 or early 2027, its co-founder and CEO Yevegny Dibrov told TechCrunch.
Google Maps bakes in Gemini to improve navigation and hands-free use
Google is now baking Gemini into Maps to let users ask it questions while driving, improve navigation, and do more with the app.
Motion Picture Association hits Meta with cease-and-desist over use of ‘PG-13’ label
The MPA sent Meta a cease-and-desist over its use of the term 'PG-13' in Instagram teen ratings system.
This startup’s metal stacks could help solve AI’s massive heat problem
Alloy Enterprises has developed a new additive manufacturing technique that can improve liquid cooling performance while bringing it to new parts of the server rack.
Google gets the US government’s green light to acquire Wiz for $32B
Google announced its intent to acquire cloud security company Wiz in March and the deal is now on track to close in early 2026.
University of Pennsylvania confirms hacker stole data during cyberattack
Penn experienced a data breach on Friday as hackers sent messages boasting of the hack to the university community.
Former Meta employees launch Sandbar, a smart ring that takes voice notes and controls music
A raft of voice-based hardware devices have emerged, aimed at companionship, productivity, or personal growth. These include card-shaped devices from
SoftBank, OpenAI launch new joint venture in Japan as AI deals grow ever more circular
SoftBank's joint venture with OpenAI that will localize and sell the AI company's enterprise tech to companies in Japan. And the first customer of this joint venture is going to be SoftBank itself.
Epic Games CEO calls Google’s antitrust settlement a win for Android’s ‘vision as an open platform’
The companies on Tuesday reached a settlement that sees the search giant agreeing to Android app store reforms that include lowering fees and enabling more competition.
Microsoft built a fake marketplace to test AI agents — they failed in surprising ways
The research raises new questions about how well AI agents will perform when working unsupervised — and how quickly AI companies can make good on promises of an agentic future.
Replika founder raises $20M pre-seed for Wabi, the ‘YouTube of apps’
Wabi, a startup from the founder of Replika, has just raised a $20 million pre-seed round. Wabi is like "YouTube for apps" -- a social platform where anyone can use prompts to instantly...
Google makes it easier to access AI Mode in Chrome on iOS and Android
Users will now be able to access AI Mode via a new dedicated shortcut button under the search bar when opening a "New Tab" page in Chrome.
Lina Khan to co-chair NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team
Khan's appointment sends a message to the tech industry, whose most powerful players have already been critical of Mamdani, a Democratic socialist.
Millions to receive free electricity in 2026 thanks to Australia’s solar boom
Australia now has so much solar power that the government will require utilities to sell customers free electricity for three hours per day.
Pinterest CEO touts open source AI: ‘tremendous performance’ with reduced costs
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready says open source AI is offering cost savings to the company, particularly in visual search.
Tinder to use AI to get to know users, tap into their Camera Roll photos
Tinder is testing an AI feature that learns about you from your Camera Roll photos.
Former Meta employees launch Sandbar, maker of smart ring that takes voice notes and controls music
The company calls the ring "a mouse for voice" because it can take notes, help you interact with an AI assistant, and let you control music.
People Inc. forges AI licensing deal with Microsoft as Google traffic drops
People Inc. signs an AI licensing deal with Microsoft, which will use its media content in Copilot.
Goldman Sachs doubles down on MoEngage in new round to fuel global expansion
MoEngage already has customers across 75 countries, with North America being its biggest business driver.
NVIDIA, Qualcomm join U.S., Indian VCs to help build India’s next deep tech startups
Qualcomm Ventures has joined six Indian venture firms, collectively adding more than $850 million to boost India’s deep-tech ecosystem.
Trump flips and re-nominates Jared Isaacman to lead NASA
The reversal comes after weeks of pressure from people like Elon Musk, who accused Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy of being ill-equipped for the job.
Beta Technologies ends first day on NYSE in the green and $1B raised
Beta Technologies' public market debut is a capstone to founder and CEO Kyle Clark's untraditional approach to building an aviation company.
Amazon sends legal threats to Perplexity over agentic browsing
Amazon won't allow agents on its site that don't identify themselves as such. Perplexity is not pleased.
Sora is now available on Android in the US, Canada, and other regions
The Android version of Sora retains all the features of its iOS counterpart, including the “Cameos” feature, which allows users to generate videos of themselves performing various activities using...
Rivian creates another spinoff company called Mind Robotics
It's the second time this year Rivian has spun out a new company, after it created micromobility startup Also in March.
Google’s AI Mode gets new agentic capabilities to help book event tickets and beauty appointments
For example, you can ask "find me 2 cheap tickets for the Shaboozey concert coming up. prefer standing floor tickets." AI Mode will then search across multiple websites to find real-time ticket...
Sequoia names Alfred Lin and Pat Grady as new Co-Stewards as Roelof Botha steps down
Just over three years after taking the reins as the steward of the storied firm, Botha passed the leadership baton to Lin and Grady.
Norway’s wealth fund vote is latest blow to Musk’s $1 trillion pay package
Elon Musk is pushing for a $1 trillion performance pay package. Another major shareholder has said no.
Netflix in talks to license video podcasts from iHeartMedia, report says
Netflix is looking for exclusivity, which means that video podcasts that it licenses could no longer be uploaded to YouTube.
Shopify says AI traffic is up 7x since January, AI-driven orders are up 11x
Shopify says AI-driven traffic to its online stores is up 7x since January, and orders from AI search are up 11x.
Phone location data of top EU officials for sale, report finds
Journalists in Europe found it was "easy" to spy on top European Union officials using commercially obtained location data sold by data brokers, despite the continent having some of the strongest...
Spotify now has half a million video podcasts, which nearly 400M users have watched
Spotify says that users' time spent with video content on Spotify has also more than doubled year-over-year, largely driven by video podcasts.
Anthropic projects $70B in revenue by 2028: Report
The Information reports that Anthropic expects to generate as much as $70 billion in revenue and $17 billion in cash flow in 2028. The growth projections are fueled by rapid adoption of...
Tesla’s Master Plan 4 still lacks specifics ahead of $1T Musk pay vote
Despite its imprecision, the fourth "Master Plan" is a centerpiece of Tesla's case for giving CEO Elon Musk $1 trillion in company shares.
Nvidia, Deutsche Telekom strike €1B partnership for a data center in Munich
Nvidia has signed a €1 billion partnership with Deutsche Telekom to set up an "AI factory" in Munich that aims to boost Germany's AI computing power by 50%.
WhatsApp launches long-awaited Apple Watch app
For the first time, WhatsApp users will be able to use their Apple Watch to get call notifications, read full messages, record and send voice messages, and view media content more clearly.
Crowdfunding giant GoFundMe now sells gift cards
GoFundMe is letting you gift nonprofit gift cards to loved ones to help them donate to their favorite organizations.
ClickUp adds new AI assistant to better compete with Slack and Notion
Core parts of the release were possible because of its acquisition of Qatalog.
Alexa+ comes to the Amazon Music app
Alexa+, Amazon's upgraded assistant powered by AI, is coming to the music streaming app for iOS and Android devices.
iOS 26.1 lets you turn down liquid glass’ transparency
Apple's latest iOS update doesn't introduce major features, but it does bring one highly-requested tweak: the ability to change the transparency of the translucent liquid glass design.
OpenAI and Amazon ink $38B cloud computing deal
OpenAI isn't done securing the AI infrastructure it needs to rapidly scale agentic workloads. The ChatGPT-maker on Monday said it has reached a deal with Amazon to buy $38 billion in cloud...
Chrome can now autofill your passport, driver’s license, and vehicle registration info
Desktop users who have enhanced autofill enabled with see their passport and driver’s license number, vehicle information, like their license plate or VIN, and more automatically filled.
Pine Labs aims to take Indian fintech global even as it cuts valuation for IPO
The Indian fintech already has a presence in 20 countries worldwide.
Dia’s AI browser starts adding Arc’s ‘greatest hits’ to its feature set
Dia's AI browser has a head start on what works for consumers thanks to learnings from its browser experiment, Arc.
Lambda inks multi-billion-dollar AI infrastructure deal with Microsoft
This deal was announced just hours after Microsoft announced a $9.7 billion deal with Australian data center company IREN.
DOJ accuses US ransomware negotiators of launching their own ransomware attacks
Three people, including two U.S. ransomware negotiators, are accused of working on behalf of the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware gang.
Waymo’s robotaxi expansion accelerates with 3 new cities
Waymo said Monday it will launch a robotaxi service in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego as the Alphabet-owned company hits the accelerator on its expansion plans.
Altman and Nadella need more power for AI, but they’re not sure how much
The CEOs of OpenAI and Microsoft are betting that AI will continue to consume more electricity, but they're not sure how much. That could leave some investors holding the bag.
Wait, people actually use Facebook Dating?
Meta said that Facebook Dating has 1.77 million daily active users in the US between ages 18-29.
Apple’s App Store gets a new web interface
Before this update, users could see individual pages for apps on the web, but there was no way to browse within the App Store.
Studio Ghibli and other Japanese publishers want OpenAI to stop training on their work
OpenAI's approach to working with copyrighted content is to ask forgiveness, not permission.
Locket’s social app is picking up steam with Gen Alpha
Locket's social app is using iOS Live Activities to reach Gen Alpha via the iPhone Lock Screen.
Elad Gil on which AI markets have winners — and which are still wide open
Over the last year, certain AI markets appear to be nearly sewn up by startup market leaders.
Lawmakers say stolen police logins are exposing Flock surveillance cameras to hackers
Flock said around 3% of its law enforcement customers do not use multi-factor authentication, potentially exposing dozens of law enforcement agency accounts open to compromise and improper access.
a16z pauses its famed TxO Fund for underserved founders, lays off staff
Andreessen Horowitz is pausing its Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund and program, according to multiple sources.
How an ex-L3Harris Trenchant boss stole and sold cyber exploits to Russia
Peter Williams sold eight exploits to a Russian zero-day broker by smuggling them from his employer’s highly secured air-gapped network. A court document, plus exclusive reporting by TechCrunch...
Facebook Groups can now go public without exposing members’ private posts
Facebook is making it possible for private Groups to switch to public without compromising members' privacy.
LG founder’s grandson, production firm partner up to bring AI to filmmaking
Brian Koo’s Stock Farm Road and Utopai Studios have partnered up to form Utopai East, an AI-powered film production company.
Microsoft’s $15.2B UAE investment turns Gulf State into test case for US AI diplomacy
For the first time, the U.S. has granted Microsoft a license to export Nvidia chips to the UAE – a move that positions the country as both a proving ground for U.S. export-control diplomacy and a...
Microsoft inks $9.7B deal with Australia’s IREN for AI cloud capacity
The deal will give Microsoft access to compute infrastructure built with Nvidia's GB300 GPUs, which will be deployed over phases through 2026.
TikTok announces its first awards show in the US
The awards will include "Creator of the Year," "Video of the Year," "Muse of the Year," "Breakthrough Artist of the Year," and more.
Alphabet is increasingly launching “moonshot” projects as independent companies — here’s why
Despite the emphasis on detachment from ideas, X employees do have significant skin in the game when projects spin out.
Meta has an AI product problem
Meta's AI spending is starting to make Wall Street nervous.
China is rolling back rare earth mineral restrictions, White House says
The White House released more details Saturday about a trade deal reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
TechCrunch Mobility: Everything said on, and off, the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
Sam Altman says ‘enough’ to questions about OpenAI’s revenue
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently said that the company is doing “well more” than $13 billion in annual revenue — and he sounded a little testy when pressed on how it will pay for its massive...
Google pulls Gemma from AI Studio after Senator Blackburn accuses model of defamation
Senator Martha Blackburn argued Gemma’s fabrications are “not a harmless ‘hallucination,’" but rather “an act of defamation produced and distributed by a Google-owned AI model.”
Kevin Rose’s simple test for AI hardware — would you want to punch someone in the face who’s wearing it?
"As an investor, you kind of have to not only say, okay, cool tech, sure, but emotionally, how does it make me feel? And how does it make others feel around me?"
Sequoia’s Roelof Botha warns founders about chasing sky-high valuations as the firm doubles down on its selective approach
At Disrupt, Botha had advice for founders who are swimming in terms sheets right now.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong trolls the prediction markets
While Armstrong may have helped some Kalshi and Polymarket users make a little money, he was also illustrating how easily these markets can be manipulated.
AI researchers ’embodied’ an LLM into a robot – and it started channeling Robin Williams
AI researchers at Andon Labs embedded various LLMs in a vacuum robot to test how ready they were to be embodied. And hilarity ensued.
Rising energy prices put AI and data centers in the crosshairs
A majority of consumers say they’re worried about data centers driving up electricity costs. Is the industry prepared for a possible backlash?
Elon Musk wants you to know that Sam Altman got a refund for his Tesla Roadster
Elon Musk and Sam Altman are still taking swipes at each other on Musk’s social media platform X.
Meta bought 1 GW of solar this week
The social media company inked three deals in the U.S. to power its data centers and offset its carbon footprint.
Bluesky hits 40 million users, introduces ‘dislikes’ beta
Bluesky is looking to a new signal — "dislikes" — to personalize users' feeds.
What is Bending Spoons? Everything to know about AOL’s acquirer
Bending Spoons remains largely unknown, even as its portfolio of products has served more than a billion people.
AWS exceeds Wall Street’s expectations as demand for cloud infra remains high
AWS continues to see strong demand as companies gobble up its cloud infrastructure services in the age of AI.
Perplexity strikes multi-year licensing deal with Getty Images
Perplexity’s agreement with Getty appears to legitimize some of the startup’s previous use of Getty’s stock photos. Perplexity came under fire last year for a series of plagiarism accusations from...
Nvidia expands AI ties with Hyundai, Samsung, SK, Naver
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang is visiting South Korea to strengthen partnerships with Samsung, Hyundai, SK, and Naver, unveiling plans for AI-powered networks and next-generation intelligent systems.
Government hackers breached telecom giant Ribbon for months before getting caught
Ribbon, which provides software and technology to phone and internet giants, said nation-state hackers were in its systems since at least December 2024.
Reddit CEO says chatbots are not a traffic driver
Reddit doesn't see a lot of traffic coming from chatbot answers
YC alum Adam raises $4.1M to turn viral text-to-3D tool into AI copilot
After generating over 10 million social media impressions with the launch of its text-to-3D model app, Adam has raised a $4.1 million seed round to power its next steps.
Tim Cook says Apple is open to M&A on the AI front
Apple CEO Tim Cook looks to M&A and AI partnerships to advance Apple Intelligence.
Luminar is cutting jobs, losing its CFO, and warning of a cash shortage
The new turmoil comes as founder Austin Russell is trying to buy the company just a few months after being replaced as CEO.
Hackers threaten to leak data after breaching University of Pennsylvania to send mass emails
The hackers sent out mass-emails using official University of Pennsylvania email accounts, and threatened to leak university data.
Tattd gave four TechCrunch writers tattoos at Startup Battlefield
Tattd, a marketplace for tattoo-seekers and artists, set up a mini tattoo parlor in the Expo Hall at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.
AI mania tanks CoreWeave’s Core Scientific acquisition; it buys Python notebook Marimo
CoreWeave's failed buy of Core Scientific is another sign of an AI bubble. But it's still shopping.
Nvidia is reportedly investing up to $1 billion in Poolside
Nvidia is an existing investor in the AI company and participated in it's $500 million Series A round in 2024.
Scenes from TechCrunch Disrupt
Thanks to everyone who made this year's San Francisco event what it was -- and to the 10,000 of you who filled the halls, made the connections, and left with more than you came with. Couldn't make...
Navan IPO tumbles 20% after historic debut under SEC shutdown workaround
Navan finished its first day trading at an approximate valuation of $4.7 billion, which is about half of its last private valuation of $9.2 billion.
Canva launches its own design model, adds new AI features to the platform
Canva is launching new features like Forms, email design, and makes Affinity free for all users.
Bevel raises $10M Series A from General Catalyst for its AI health companion
The AI health companion unifies data from wearables and habits across sleep, fitness, and nutrition into personalized insights for users.
Threads now lets you approve and filter your replies
Threads now lets you approve and filter your replies.
Google partners with Ambani’s Reliance to offer free AI Pro access to millions of Jio users in India
The offer will first roll out to Jio users aged 18 to 25 before expanding to all subscribers nationwide.
Figma acquires AI-powered media generation company Weavy
Figma said today that it has acquired AI-powered image and video generation company Weavy.
The Prompting Company snags $6.5M to help products get mentioned in ChatGPT and other AI apps
YC-backed The Prompting Company helps customers get recommendations from AI. It is also partnering with NVIDIA on "next-generation" search.
WhatsApp adds passkey protection to end-to-end encrypted backups
WhatsApp is enabling users to encrypt their backup using passkeys
MoviePass opens fantasy league game Mogul to the public
Mogul is a film studio fantasy platform where players draft a team of actors, directors, and movies to earn points.
Flipkart’s Super.money teams up with Kotak811 to make India’s free UPI payments pay
The partnership aims to issue about 2 million fixed-deposit-backed credit cards in the next 12 months.
IntrCity SmartBus lands $30M at $140M valuation to deepen its grip on India’s intercity travel market
IntrCity SmartBus grew revenue by 67% last year and is targeting full profitability this year, as intercity travel booms across India.
India’s Snabbit valuation doubled to $180M in 5 months on its quick house-help bet
Snabbit has raised its third funding round in nine months.
Cluely’s Roy Lee on the ragebait strategy for startup marketing
Cluely's Roy Lee has a message for startup founders: you should be thinking harder about how to go viral.
YouTube announces ‘voluntary exit program’ for US staff
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan told employees about the program via an internal memo on Wednesday.
Grammarly rebrands to ‘Superhuman,’ launches a new AI assistant
Grammarly is renaming itself as Superhuman, after acquiring Superhuman email client in July
Digg founder Kevin Rose on the need for trusted social communities in the AI era
"The dead internet theory is real," Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian told Digg founder Kevin Rose, referring to the idea that much of the internet isn't
Character AI is ending its chatbot experience for kids
After facing lawsuits and public outcry following the suicides of two teenagers, Character.AI says it's making changes to its platform to protect children, changes that could affect the startup’s...
And the winner of Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2025 is: Glīd
Glīd, which is trying to streamline cargo container logistics, has beaten out 199 other Startup Battlefield companies to take home $100,000.
Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko is a big fan of agentic coding
Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, Yakovenko said he's become increasingly comfortable taking a back seat in software development tasks.
Uber to launch a premium robotaxi service in Waymo’s turf of San Francisco
The move puts Uber in direct competitor with Waymo, which has dominated the metro area.
NBA champion Tristan Thompson and World Mobile launch community-owned network Uplift
With Uplift, every subscription will contribute to neighborhood-level network expansion, while local hosts that are known as "AirNode operators" will earn a portion of network revenue by providing...
2024’s Startup Battlefield runner-up geCKo Materials reveals four new products at TechCrunch Disrupt
geCKo Materials returned to the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt to debut new products as it pushes deeper into commercializing its tech.
San Francisco mayor: ‘We should be the testbed for emerging tech’
While San Francisco's mayor Daniel Lurie is opening his arms to autonomous vehicles, other cities are more resistant. Boston, for instance, has considered a ban on autonomous vehicles in the city.
Phia’s founders on how AI is changing online shopping
Phia founders, Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, are building an AI assistant that aims to help you shop, and save.
Box CEO Aaron Levie on how AI is changing the enterprise SaaS landscape
He painted a picture of a future of enterprise software where the SaaS is used for the core business workflow, and then the agents ride on top of that.
Bending Spoons to acquire AOL
Wednesday's news marks a new chapter for AOL, which was once one of the most recognized brands on the internet, known for its email service and "You've Got Mail" notification.
Google to bring shuttered nuclear power plant back from the dead
Google is working with NextEra to reopen the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa to power the tech companies data centers.
Former L3Harris Trenchant boss pleads guilty to selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker
Prosecutors confirmed Peter Williams, the former Trenchant boss, sold eight exploits to a Russian buyer. TechCrunch exclusively reported that the Trenchant division was investigating a leak of its...
GM cuts thousands of EV and battery factory workers
The automaker has been on a tear of cuts to its workforce, and will idle two battery factories for the first half of 2026.
Microsoft Azure is down, affecting 365, Xbox, Minecraft, and others
Microsoft Azure is facing a significant outage, with services affected like Microsoft 365, Xbox, and Minecraft.
It’s official. Fubo is combining with Hulu Live TV
Fubo and Disney have officially completed the transaction to combine the live sports platform with Hulu Live TV.
ElevenLabs CEO says AI audio models will be ‘commoditized’ over time
ElevenLabs' founder Mati Staniszewski said that, in the short term, AI audio models were still the "biggest advantage and the biggest step change you can have today."
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: How to watch the Startup Battlefield finale, Cluely, Solana, SF’s Mayor
If you’re not able to attend in person, the next best thing is to check out our livestream of the Disrupt Stage. Tune in right here starting now!
Nvidia becomes first public company worth $5 trillion
With a market cap of $5 trillion, Nvidia is now worth more than the aggregated stock markets of all countries, apart from the United States, China and Japan.
How AI labs use Mercor to get the data companies won’t share
Mercor CEO Brendan Foody has built a $10 billion empire freeing up valuable data from legacy industries, and making it available to AI labs.
Etsy names former head of Depop, Kruti Patel Goyal, as its new CEO
Kruti Patel Goyal is replacing Etsy's long-time CEO, Josh Silverman, who is stepping down by the end of the year.
Disrupt 2025: Day 3
This is the third and final day of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Register here to get a 50% discount.
US signs collaboration agreements with Japan and South Korea for AI, chips and biotech
The U.S. inked Technology Prosperity Deals (TPD) with Japan and South Korea with an eye towards spurring collaboration on AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotech, space, 6G and other technologies.
YouTube looks to improve its TV app with QR codes for shopping, AI-powered upscaling
Key updates include the introduction of QR codes that let you identify and shop for items in tagged videos, AI-powered upscaling, and improved search.
Disrupt 2025: Day 2
Day 2 of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 at San Francisco's Moscone West. Here's a rundown of everything to expect. Register with 50% off to join.
OpenAI completes its for-profit recapitalization
OpenAI has completed its recapitalization, splitting the AI lab into a for-profit corporation nested inside a non-profit foundation.
Amazon to cut 14,000 corporate jobs
Amazon said on Tuesday that it plans to reduce its corporate workforce by 14,000 jobs as it seeks to reduce bureaucracy, remove layers and invest more in its AI strategy.
Adobe launches AI assistants for Express and Photoshop
Adobe today released new AI assistants Creative Cloud products, Express and Photoshop, that can help users with image creation and editing.
CEO of spyware maker Memento Labs confirms one of its government customers was caught using its malware
Security researchers found a government hacking campaign that relies on Windows spyware developed by surveillance tech maker Memento Labs. When reached by TechCrunch, the spyware maker's chief...
LG Uplus is latest South Korean telco to confirm cybersecurity incident
Korean telecom giant LG Uplus is the third major phone provider in the past six months to report a cybersecurity incident.
Tata Motors confirms it fixed security flaws, which exposed company and customer data
A security researcher found the Indian automotive giant exposing personal information of its customers, internal company reports, and dealers’ data. Tata confirmed it fixed the issues.
‘Silicon Valley’ star Thomas Middleditch makes a surprise appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Actor Thomas Middleditch had a planned takeover of Australian startup Othelia’s presentation at the pitch showcase stage.
Here are the 5 Startup Battlefield finalists at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
After two days full of live demos and pitches, it's time to announce the five finalists at this year's Startup Battlefield.
Waabi unveils autonomous truck made in partnership with Volvo
The move comes as Waabi announced earlier this year that it was partnering with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to build a custom purpose built truck based on Volvo’s auto autonomy platform using...
Super Teacher is building an AI tutor for elementary schools — catch it at Disrupt 2025
Super Teacher’s app features animated tutors with AI-generated voices that guide students through interactive lessons. Students talk to the app using voice, like a conversation with a teacher.
Inside CampusAI’s mission to close the AI training gap for everyday workers — check it out at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
CampusAI is an educational platform focused on making learning accessible to everyday people who want to bring AI into their everyday workflows, and a virtual ecosystem to connect like-minded people.
Unthread has a plan for cleaning up Slack and will show off its tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Unthread builds Slack-native, AI-powered support bots for high-profile customers like Intuit, Lemonade, and Automattic.
Mem0 raises $24M from YC, Peak XV and Basis Set to build the memory layer for AI apps
Taranjeet Singh (pictured right) has launched six companies, with some failing and others seeing varying degrees of success. His seventh, Mem0, could be
Unlisted connects homeowners with prospective buyers before they even put their homes up for sale and is part of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Unlisted is like Zillow but for homes that are not yet on the market. The company is now launching an iOS app.
Apple and Microsoft are now both worth more than $4T
This is the first time Apple's market capitalization has crossed the $4 trillion mark, making it the third company to ever cross the milestone after Nvidia and Microsoft.
Mappa’s AI voice analysis helps you find the best job candidates and will show off its tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Mappa's AI hiring platform can assess a candidate's behavior based on voice patterns, and aims to take some of the guesswork out of hiring.
Khosla-backed Mazama taps super-hot rocks in race to deliver 24/7 power
Geothermal startup Mazama Energy said it drilled a borehole that set a temperature record. Such superhot rocks could make geothermal a key player in data center power.
AccessGrid raises $4.4M to help turn phones into key fobs
AccessGrid builds APIs that companies can use to manage digital key fobs directly within Apple and Google's wallet platforms.
Aurora expands self-driving trucks route to El Paso
Aurora's first driverless route was from Dallas to Houston. This next one is Fort Worth to El Paso.
Mirror’s founder is back with a new ‘connected screen’ startup: a gaming device called ‘Board’
Mirror's founder is back with a connected gaming startup called Board that combines board games and video games.
Netflix CTO says more vertical video experiments are coming, but streamer is not competing with TikTok
Netflix CTO Elizabeth Stone says company is experimenting with vertical video, but isn't trying to be TikTok.
Sam Altman says OpenAI will have a ‘legitimate AI researcher’ by 2028
To achieve those goals, OpenAI is betting on two key strategies: continued algorithmic innovation and dramatically scaling up "test time compute" — essentially how long models spend thinking about...
Netflix CTO announces interactive real-time voting for live content
While watching live content, viewers will be able to vote to directly influence the outcome of what they're watching on their TV or mobile device.
Netflix launches redesigned profiles for kids
Netflix announces new Kids' profiles with real-time recommendations, a 'My Netflix' hub, and more.
Cyphr will reveal how it makes lending easier for small businesses at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Cyphr is a Kansas-city based company focused on making the lending process easier for lenders and small businesses.
Identifee, built by Wells Fargo alumni, unifies productivity tech for bankers into a single platform — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
The startup’s platform is built on several modular systems that clients can purchase individually or as a complete suite.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: How to watch Vinod Khosla, Netflix, Slate Auto, and Startup Battlefield
If you’re not able to attend in person, the next best thing is to check out our livestream of the Disrupt Stage. Tune in right here starting at 9 a.m. PT.
Elloe AI wants to be the ‘immune system’ for AI — check it out at Disrupt 2025
Elloe AI promises a system capable of fact-checking AI outputs, make sure they don’t violate laws and regulations, and that are safe for the users.
CyDeploy wants to create a replica of a company’s system to help it test updates before pushing them out — catch it at Disrupt 2025
Tina Williams-Koroma said CyDeploy uses machine learning to understand what happens on a company’s machine and then creates a “digital twin” where system administrators can test updates.
VC Vinod Khosla says the US government could take 10% stake in all public companies to soften the blow of AGI
Khosla Ventures founder, Vinod Khosla, shares his ideas about sharing the abundance of AI.
Charter Space brings fintech to spacecraft insurance and is showing off its stuff at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Charter Space wants to change how spacecraft are insured.
Adobe Firefly Image 5 brings support for layers, will let creators make custom models
Adobe said on Tuesday that it is launching the latest iteration of its image generation model, Firefly Image 5. The company is also adding features to the Firefly website, support for more...
PayPal partners with OpenAI to let users pay for their shopping within ChatGPT
Paypal said on Tuesday that it is adopting a protocol in combination with OpenAI's "Instant Checkout" feature to let users pay for their shopping directly within ChatGPT, starting in 2026.
OpenAI offers free ChatGPT Go for one year to all users in India
ChatGPT Go is now free for Indian users under a limited-time promotional offer.
Venture capital is not an asset class, says Sequoia’s Roelof Botha
Sequoia's managing partner Roelof Botha noted that there are currently 3,000 venture firms in the United States, while there were just 1,000 when he joined Sequoia 20 years ago.
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan says AI will shorten our workweek
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan says that, in a few years, we should be working a 3-4 day workweek because of AI.
Roelof Botha explains why Sequoia supports Shaun Maguire after COO quit
Sequoia's managing partner Roelof Botha defended his colleague's controversial comments that sparked an online backlash, arguing that the VC firm needs "spiky" people.
CEO of Alphabet’s X, Astro Teller, on what makes a moonshot
Teller says X has a 2% hit rate, which means that most of the things the company tries don't work out, and that's okay.
Strong by Form will show its ultralight engineered wood at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Strong by Form has designed a structural floor piece that can span longer distances than existing engineered wood, making it a replacement for steel or concrete. At the same time, the product is...
Glīd is building an autonomous shortcut to move freight from road to rail — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Damoa pinpointed the problem: the complex, multi-step process moving a container from a ship to a freight train. He founded Glīd Technologies to try and solve it.
Mbodi will show how it can train a robot using AI agents at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Mbodi users prompt the software with natural language, and its cluster of AI agents works to make training easier.
Defense startup Pytho AI wants to turbocharge military mission planning and it will show off its tech at Disrupt 2025
Pytho AI wants to compress mission planning from days to mere minutes.
MacroCycle found a shortcut for plastic recycling — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
MacroCycle's approach to recycling dramatically reduces the amount of energy needed to produce new material, potentially lowering costs to the point where it could compete with virgin plastic.
Waymo’s co-CEO on the challenge of scaling robotaxis safely
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana believes the robotaxi company can increase road safety by reaching scale.
Robotaxi companies must do more to prove safety, Waymo co-CEO says
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana urged rival autonomous vehicle companies to be more transparent about their safety data.
Waymo co-CEO on robotaxi vandalism: ‘We’re not standing for it’
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana opened up at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 about the vandalism of its cars and how the company pushes back on government surveillance requests.
Amazon reportedly plans to cut around 30,000 corporate jobs
Amazon could be planning to cut up to 30,000 corporate positions starting on Tuesday.
New corporate espionage claims emerge, centered on two highly valued 401(k) admin startups
Two 401(k) management unicorns, Human Interest and Guideline, are squaring off in federal court with allegations so brazen that they're embarrassing.
Fitbit’s revamped app, with Gemini-powered health coach, rolls out to Premium users
Fitbit’s Gemini-powered health coach is rolling out to Premium subscribers in the U.S. on Android.
PSA: Reregister your hardware 2FA key for X before November 10 to avoid getting locked out
X is retiring the Twitter domain for 2FA authentication. Christopher Stanley, a security engineer at X, xAI, and SpaceX, said this move is to ensure domain trust.
Biotech Nephrogen combines AI and gene therapy to reverse kidney disease — check it out at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Although Maxim was convinced that gene therapy could reverse PKD, the biggest hurdle was creating a mechanism to deliver the drugs directly to the diseased cells.
Skyline Nav AI’s software can guide you anywhere, without GPS — find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
The company's so-called Pathfinder software can look at almost anything — buildings, tree-lined roads, even aerial views — and quickly match it to a database and generate real-time navigation.
Oxford spinout RADiCAIT uses AI to make diagnostic imaging more affordable and accessible — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
“What we really do is we took the most constrained, complex, and costly medical imaging solution in radiology, and we supplanted it with what is the most accessible, simple and affordable, which...
Miraqules will showcase its blood clotting technology at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
India-based Miraqules developed a nanotechnology that mimics blood clotting proteins to quickly stop heavy bleeding.
COI Energy solves a conundrum: Letting businesses sell unused electricity — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Large enterprises routinely buy more electricity than they use. COI Energy has a patented platform that lets them sell and share.
OpenAI says over a million people talk to ChatGPT about suicide weekly
OpenAI released data on just how many of ChatGPT's users are facing mental health challenges, and how its addressing them.
The 2025 Startup Battlefield Top 20 are here. Let the competition begin.
These 20 companies are more than just early-stage startups — they’re the architects of what’s next. And they’ll have just six minutes on the Disrupt Stage to prove it.
PSA: Re-register your hardware 2FA key for X before Nov. 10 to avoid getting locked out
X is retiring Twitter domain for 2FA authentication. So you need to re-enroll your hardware keys before November 10
Sequoia unveils $950M in new early-stage funds as it strives to be ‘only as good as our next investment’
The legendary firm launched a $750 million early-stage fund targeting Series A startups and a $200 million seed fund.
Apple says U.S. passport digital IDs are coming to Wallet ‘soon’
Apple says it will soon introduce an Apple Wallet feature to allow U.S. users to create a digital ID using their passport, which can be used at select TSA checkpoints for domestic travel.
Mercor quintuples valuation to $10B with $350M Series C
Mercor, which connects AI labs with domain experts for training their foundational AI models, is close to raising $350 million at a $10 billion valuation.
Israeli intelligence vets raise $20M to track developer buying signals
Onfire, a vertical AI platform for IT revenue teams, is coming out of stealth with $20 million in funding, including a $14 million Series A co-led by Grove Ventures and TLV Partners.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: How to watch Astro Teller, Startup Battlefield, and more live
If you’re not able to attend in person, the next best thing is to check out our livestream of the Disrupt Stage, tune in right here starting at 10am PT.
Pinterest experiments with new AI-powered personalized boards
Pinterest is testing an AI-driven collage to help users create outfits from saved Pins and personalized boards curated with AI.
Disrupt 2025: Day 1
Day 1 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is live! Join 10,000 founders, investors & builders for ideas, demos, and deals in San Francisco. Register Now
Threads adds ‘ghost posts’ that disappear after 24 hours
Instagram Threads is launching “ghost posts,” a new disappearing-posts feature that lets users share updates that automatically archive after 24 hours. The ephemeral option—rolling out globally on...
Workout app Ladder launches nutrition-tracking experience
Fitness app Ladder is debuting a new nutrition tracking feature that lets you snap a photo to input macros.
Less than 24 hours until Disrupt 2025 — and ticket rates rise
In less than 24 hours, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 takes over San Francisco, and ticket rates rise. From October 27–29, 10,000 tech leaders and VCs will gather.
TechCrunch Mobility: The ‘robot army’ argument
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
Trump and Xi will ‘consummate’ TikTok deal on Thursday, treasury secretary says
The United States and China are ready to move forward on a TikTok deal, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Ads might be coming to Apple Maps next year
This could be part of a larger strategy to introduce more advertising in iOS.
Accel and Prosus team up to back early-stage Indian startups
Prosus will match Accel's investment in Indian startups under this partnership.
The glaring security risks with AI browser agents
New AI browsers from OpenAI and Perplexity promise to increase user productivity, but they also come with increased security risks.
OpenAI reportedly developing new generative music tool
OpenAI is working on a new tool that would generate music based on text and audio prompts, according to a report in The Information. Such a tool could be
India, the market BlaBlaCar once walked away from, is now its biggest
BlaBlaCar is seeing rapid growth in India, with 20 million passengers expected this year — up 50% from last year.
TikTok robot star Rizzbot gave me the middle finger
About a week ago, I woke to a dizzying DM on Instagram — Rizzbot flipping me off. This sent me down a rabbit hole about humanoids in society.
Who are AI browsers for?
OpenAI launched an AI-powered browser this week, but it feels like it offers a slight efficiency gain at best.
High school’s AI security system confuses Doritos bag for a possible firearm
A high school student in Baltimore County, Maryland was reportedly handcuffed and searched after an AI security system flagged his bag of chips as a possible firearm.
3 days until Disrupt 2025 turns San Francisco into startup city
3 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — the startup world’s biggest stage — kicks off October 27 – 29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Register now to save.
Musk’s ad chief at X departs after just 10 months
The revolving door reportedly reflects deeper tensions.
Automattic files counterclaims against WP Engine in WordPress lawsuit, alleging trademark misuse
Automattic has filed counterclaims against WP Engine, alleging that the company — backed by private equity firm Silver Lake — misused WordPress and WooCommerce trademarks, misled users, and...
How AI is powering the future of space at Disrupt 2025
Leaders from Ursa, Violet Labs, and The Aerospace Corporation will unpack how AI is changing life in orbit on the TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Space Stage. Register now.
Rivian will pay $250M to settle lawsuit over R1 price hike
The three-year-old lawsuit centered on Rivian's sudden decision to increase prices on the R1 lineup in 2022, which sank the stock price.
The full breakout session agenda at Disrupt 2025
The full breakout session agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt is live. Join this first-come, first-served, Q&A session to gain tech and scaling insights. Register.
Can steroids combat population collapse? The Enhanced Games wants to find out.
“I believe that when Fred breaks 100-meter world record in Vegas next year, it will be a watershed moment to show that enhanced humans are better than ordinary humans,” D'Souza said on a recent...
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Side Events schedule: Women in Tech, MongoDB, Silkroad Innovation Hub and more to host
With TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 right around the corner, we’re thrilled to introduce the companies hosting Side Events that will extend the buzz and
Instagram’s latest feature lets you go back see your watched Reels
With this new feature, users can go back and find videos they might not have had the chance to save.
EC finds Meta and TikTok breached transparency rules under DSA
The European Commission said on Friday that it has preliminarily found that both companies are not complying with rules of the Digital Services Act (DSA) that mandate them to give researchers...
Arbor’s ‘vegetarian rocket engine’ power plant is actually an omnivore
As demand for electricity from data centers grows, Arbor Energy has made its power plant capable of burning natural gas in addition to biomass.
How to use the new ChatGPT app integrations, including Spotify, Figma, Canva, and others
Learn how to use Spotify, Canva, Figma, Expedia, and other apps directly in ChatGPT.
Trump credits Benioff, Huang for decision not to ‘surge’ Fed troops into San Francisco
Trump said he scrapped plans to send the National Guard into San Francisco after calls from Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Salesforce’s Marc Benioff. Mayor Daniel Lurie confirmed the plan was canceled.
OpenAI buys Sky, an AI interface for Mac
OpenAI has acquired Software Applications, Inc., the startup behind Sky — an AI-powered natural language interface for Mac that can view your screen and take actions in your apps.
Redwood Materials raises another $350M to power up its energy storage business
The round was led by Eclipse and saw participation from Nvidia's venture capital arm, NVentures.
With an Intel recovery underway, all eyes turn to its foundry business
Intel added $20 billion to its balance sheet in Q3 but didn't offer many details on the progress of its floundering foundry business.
Big tech is paying for Trump’s White House ballroom
Trump's $250 million White House ballroom will be funded in part by big tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
Ford isn’t going to make more F-150 Lightnings for a while
Ford is prioritizing its gas and hybrid F-150 trucks instead.
Amazon’s new AI shopping tool tells you why you should buy a recommended product
Amazon's new Help Me Decide tool will show you a personalized recommendation for a particular category and list reasons why you should buy it.
4 days until Disrupt 2025 launches in San Francisco and ticket rates rise
In just 4 days, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 takes over San Francisco. This is your final chance to save up to $444 before ticket prices increase. Register now.
Wonder Studios, backed by OpenAI, DeepMind execs, raised $12M to bring AI content to Hollywood
Wonder will use the fresh funds to double its engineering team and accelerate its push into IP ownership and original content production.
The full lineup of interactive roundtables at Disrupt 2025
The full roundtable agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Small-group discussions with tech leaders. Save up to $444, and get 60% off a second pass. Register.
Rivian reportedly cutting 600 workers in third layoff of the year
The layoffs represent about 4% of Rivian's workforce. The company has made two other smaller cuts since June.
The top judges for the final round of Startup Battlefield 200 at Disrupt 2025
The Startup Battlefield 200 finalist judges finally announced. Happening at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 on October 27-29. Register now to save.
Amazon launches revamped Luna game streaming service
The biggest change to the service is the addition of GameNight, a growing collection of more than 25 local multiplayer games that Amazon says are "designed to bring friends family together in the...
Cluely’s Roy Lee joins Disrupt 2025 to share how he cut through the AI noise
Cluely’s Roy Lee joins the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening October 27–29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Register now to save.
Varda’s William Bruey's plan to build the next supply chain at Disrupt 2025
William Bruey of Varda Space Industries is taking the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, October 27–29 in San Francisco. Register here.
Sora update to bring AI videos of your pets, new social features, and soon, an Android version
OpenAI’s hit AI video app, Sora, is getting a wave of new features, including video editing tools, pet and object “cameos,” and enhanced social options. The Android app is also “coming soon."
Palantir enters $200M partnership with telco Lumen to offer enterprise AI services
Palantir said on Thursday it had struck a partnership with Lumen Technologies that will see the telecommunications company using the data management company's AI software to build capabilities to...
U.S. government accuses former L3Harris cyber boss of stealing trade secrets
The U.S. Department of Justice accused Peter Williams, former general manager of L3Harris’ hacking division Trenchant, of stealing trade secrets and selling them to a buyer in Russia.
Tensormesh raises $4.5M to squeeze more inference out of AI server loads
Tensormesh uses an expanded form of KV Caching to make inference loads as much as ten times more efficient.
Google’s bets on carbon capture power plants, which have a mixed record
Google intends to use electricity from the 400-MW power plant in Decatur, Illinois, to operate nearby data centers. Carbon capture will eliminate some of the plants emissions, but how much remains...
Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao
Changpeng Zhao previously pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering while running the cryptocurrency exchange, and served four months in prison last year.
Microsoft’s Mico is a ‘Clippy’ for the AI era
Microsoft has unveiled “Mico,” a new animated avatar for its Copilot AI that brings back shades of Clippy. The expressive blob acts as a friendly, customizable face for the chatbot.
Introducing Build Mode: TechCrunch’s new podcast for founders
Build Mode is our new podcast that will be a survival guide for early-stage founders navigating the messy, high-stakes chaos of building a company from scratch, hosted by Startup Battlefield...
Two days after OpenAI’s Atlas, Microsoft launches a nearly identical AI browser
CoPilot Mode of Microsoft's Edge browser is the company's take on the long-hyped AI browser category.
Instagram users can now use Meta AI editing tools directly in IG Stories
Meta AI's photo editing tools can be found in Instagram Stories when tapping the paintbrush icon. Users can describe what they want to add, remove, or change.
20-year-old dropouts built AI notetaker Turbo AI to 5 million users
Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, two 20-year-old college dropouts, are behind Turbo AI, one of the fastest-growing AI notetaker tools.
YouTube paid out $8B to the music industry in 12 months
The milestone marks a new record for the platform, as YouTube’s annual music industry payout increased by $2 billion since 2022.
Rivian CEO takes top marketing role in shakeup ahead of R2 launch
Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe will be wearing yet another hat as the company preps for arguably its most important vehicle launch -- the mass market R2 SUV -- in 2026.
As China’s 996 culture spreads, South Korea’s tech sector grapples with 52-hour limit
South Korea's 52-hour workweek cap is stricter than the U.S. and Singapore but more flexible than much of Europe. Still deep tech founders and investors worry it's too restrictive.
Elon Musk frets over controlling Tesla’s ‘robot army’ as car biz rebounds slightly
Tesla's profit actually fell 37% compared to the same period last year, despite buyers rushing to take advantage of the expiring EV tax credit.
Snapchat makes its first open prompt AI Lens available for free in the US
Snapchat is expanding access to its AI-powered “Imagine Lens,” allowing all users to generate and edit images with custom prompts for free.
Tesla’s record sales quarter barely boosted profit
Tesla's profit actually fell 37% compared to the same period last year, despite buyers rushing to take advantage of the expiring EV tax credit.
OpenAI requested memorial attendee list in ChatGPT suicide lawsuit
The new information comes as the Raines family updated its lawsuit against OpenAI. The family first filed a wrongful death suit against OpenAI in August after alleging their son had taken his own...
Why Cohere’s ex-AI research lead is betting against the scaling race
Cohere's former VP of AI research, Sara Hooker, is launching a new startup to build AI models that can adapt to their environment.
OpenAI’s Atlas is more about ChatGPT than the web
OpenAI's new browser is a surface for the company to distribute ChatGPT and develop new AI features rather than improving core web experience.
Amazon unveils AI smart glasses for its delivery drivers
Amazon likely hopes that the new glasses will shave valuable time off of each delivery by providing delivery drivers with detailed directions and information about hazards directly in their line of sight.
What’s Updog? Datadog’s new tool tells you which apps are down
Cloud monitoring platform Datadog launched Updog, a web dashboard that shows the live health status of various SaaS APIs.
Apple confirms it pulled controversial dating apps Tea & TeaOnHer from the App Store
Apple has pulled the controversial dating safety apps Tea and TeaOnHer from the App Store over violations of its content moderation and privacy rules, following a flood of user complaints and...
Rivian spinoff Also reveals a high-end modular e-bike for $4,500
The first in a lineup of new vehicles from Also, which started as a skunkworks project inside of Rivian a few years ago.
Amazon will buy thousands of pedal-assist cargo vehicles from Rivian spinoff Also
The pedal-assist cargo quad vehicles are narrow delivery vans that can operate in a bike lane.
Instagram rolls out custom icons…but only for teens
Instagram introduced custom app icons for its teen accounts, but not everyone is thrilled. In replies to the company’s post on X, users criticized the feature for being age-gated, arguing that...
Tinder will require new users in the US to verify their identity with a selfie
The facial verification feature, known as Face Check, requires new users to verify their identity by submitting a short video selfie.
GM’s under-the-hood overhaul puts AI and automated driving at the center
The U.S. automaker's technological overhaul will debut in two years with the Cadillac Escalade IQ.
Samsung takes on Apple’s Vision Pro with new Galaxy XR headset
Galaxy XR costs $1,800, nearly half the price of the Vision Pro.
UK designates Apple and Google as having ‘strategic market status,’ opening door for more regulation
The U.K.’s competition regulator has designated Apple and Google with “strategic market status” in their mobile platforms, giving the regulator new powers to enforce competition in areas like app...
GM is bringing Google Gemini-powered AI assistant to cars in 2026
GM is the latest automaker to lean into generative AI-based assistants that promise to respond to driver requests in a more natural-sounding way. Stellantis is collaborating with French AI firm...
GM to introduce eyes-off, hands-off driving system in 2028
GM said Cruise’s technology stack, including its AI models trained on five million driverless miles and simulation framework, feed directly into the automaker’s next-generation driver assistance...
Meta cuts 600 AI jobs amid ongoing reorganization
Meta continues to restructure its AI efforts after poaching more than 50 researchers from competing labs this summer.
Save 60% on your plus one’s pass before Disrupt 2025 kicks off Oct 27
5 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 kicks off in San Francisco. Buy your pass to save up to $444, plus get 60% off a second ticket. Save now.
Several users reportedly complain to FTC that ChatGPT is causing psychological harm
At least seven people have complained to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that ChatGPT caused them to experience severe delusions, paranoia and emotional crises, Wired reported.
David Sacks’ Craft leads $42 million Series A in govtech startup Starbridge
Starbridge raises $42M Series A led by Craft Ventures to help businesses better monitor public service opportunities.
Only 5 days until Disrupt 2025 ignites the startup world
5 days until the startup conference in San Francisco kicks off. Save up to $444 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 pass, and 60% on your guest's.
Sumble emerges from stealth with $38.5M to bring AI-powered context to sales intelligence
The founders of machine learning community Kaggle are trying to upend the crowded sales prospecting market with AI. And they're making headway.
YouTube adds at timer for you to stop scrolling Shorts
YouTube is adding an timer for the Shorts feed to curb doomscrolling
Shuttle raises $6 million to fix vibe-coding’s deployment problem
The platform engineering startup Shuttle announced $6 million in seed funding to handle the infrastructure problems that start where products like Lovable and Cursor leave off.
Life360 ventures into pet tech with the launch of a new GPS tracker
Family location safety app Life360 is venturing into pet tech with the launch of its new tracking device for cats and dogs.
One startup’s quest to store electricity in the ocean
Sizable Energy has a plan to store excess renewable energy in flexible reservoirs out at sea. The startup has raised $8 million to test prototypes.
Veeam acquires data security company Securiti AI for $1.7bn
Veeam plans to offer Seucriti's data command center product alongside its existing data resiliency products.
General Motors gives up on BrightDrop electric vans
A chaotic four-year program comes to an end after GM struggled to sell the electric vans at scale.
Spiro raises $100M, the largest-ever investment in Africa’s e-mobility
Dubai-headquartered Spiro is growing quickly with e-motorbikes and a battery swapping network designed for Africa's needs.
YouTube’s likeness detection technology has officially launched
YouTube's likeness detection technology is now available. Creators can request the removal of AI content using their face and voice.
A16z-backed Codi launches AI agent office manager
Codi launches what it hails as the first fully automated office manager.
OpenAI launches an AI-powered browser: ChatGPT Atlas
OpenAI is launching an AI-powered browser, its latest challenge to Google as the main way people find information online.
As the browser wars heat up, here are the hottest alternatives to Chrome and Safari in 2025
We’ve compiled an overview of some of the top alternative browsers available today aiming to challenge Chrome and Safari.
Google Fi to add AI-enhanced audio and RCS web messaging
The tech giant says calls will now use AI-enhanced audio to reduce background noise and improve voice clarity, even when speaking to someone on a landline or older device.
Veeam acquires data security company Securiti AI for $1.7B
Veeam plans to offer Securiti's data command center product alongside its existing data resiliency products.
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince is pushing UK regulator to unbundle Google’s search and AI crawlers
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince is urging regulators to rein in Google’s AI practices, arguing the tech giant’s dominance in search gives it an unfair edge in the AI race.
I spent a month living with a $430 AI pet, the Casio Moflin
Casio’s Moflin, a hamster-like robot pet, uses AI to develop a personality over time.
Bill Gates’s old climate lobbyists launch a new firm
Members of Breakthrough Energy's policy team are back with a new organization, the Clean Economy Project, aimed at nudging lawmakers toward clean energy.
OpenAI’s new browser is a broadside shot at Google
OpenAI's new browser announcement made it clear exactly how much Google has to lose in the AI era.
Sesame, the conversational AI startup from Oculus founders, raises $250M and launches beta
Former Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe’s new startup, Sesame, is building AI-powered smartglasses with natural, humanlike voice interaction. Backed by Sequoia and Spark, the company also launched an...
Sources: Multimodal AI startup Fal.ai already raised at $4B+ valuation
Fal.ai announced its previous round at a $1.5 billion valuation in July.
Netflix goes ‘all in’ on generative AI as entertainment industry remains divided
Netflix is using AI for special effects and pre-production, but CEO Ted Sarandos that Netflix "not worried about AI replacing creativity."
Open source agentic startup LangChain hits $1.25B valuation
As TechCrunch previously reported, the maker of a popular open source framework for building AI agents has officially become a unicorn.
Airbnb is becoming more social by allowing users to connect with fellow travelers
Airbnb is adding social features like connections and messaging to create a social network of fellow travellers.
Apple alerts exploit developer that his iPhone was targeted with government spyware
A developer at Trenchant, a leading Western spyware and zero-day maker, was suspected of leaking company tools and fired. Weeks later, Apple notified him that his personal iPhone was targeted with spyware.
Aura introduces a $499 e-ink digital photo frame that lets you go cordless
Aura, founded by early Twitter employees, has launched the $499 Ink frame, its first 13-inch color e-paper photo frame. Using Spectra 6 e-ink technology, it offers a cordless design with up to...
WhatsApp and Messenger add new warnings to help older people avoid online scams
WhatsApp will now warn users before sharing their screen with unknown contacts, and Messenger will flag suspicious messages using AI.
Serval raises $47 million to bring AI agents to IT service management
Serval is using agentic AI models to automate IT service management, but the company has a unique approach that takes advantage of agentic AI’s powers while avoiding many of its pitfalls.
Anthropic CEO claps back after Trump officials accuse firm of AI fear-mongering
Amodei’s response comes after last week’s dogpiling on Anthropic from AI leaders and top members of the Trump administration, including AI czar David Sacks and White House senior policy advisor...
The full Disrupt Stage revealed: Where the future of tech breaks first
The Disrupt Stage, only at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, is where the biggest names in tech and the Startup Battlefield 200 happen. See the full agenda here.
Yelp’s AI assistant can now scan restaurant menus to show you what dishes look like
Yelp will now let you scan a physical menu show redirect bubbles to Yelp app where you can see how those dishes look.
Only 6 days until Disrupt 2025 kicks off in San Francisco and ticket rates hike
Less than 6 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 kicks off in San Francisco’s Moscone West. Register now to save up to $444, and 60% for a +1.
HBO Max just got more expensive
For new subscribers, the updated prices go into effect on Tuesday, while existing customers will see the change on their first billing cycle on or after November 20.
Amazon identifies the issue that broke much of the internet, says AWS is back to normal
The outage affected websites like Coinbase and Fortnite, and disrupted services like Signal, Zoom, and Amazon's own products, including Ring.
X is testing a pay-per-use pricing model for its API
Two years after revamping its developer programs and pricing, X is expanding the closed beta of a pay-per-use plan for its API to more developers.
OpenEvidence, the ChatGPT for doctors, raises $200M at $6B valuation
Trained on medical journals from JAMA and the New England Journal of Medicine, the platform helps users quickly get answers to existing medical knowledge to help treat patients. Verified medical...
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is coming to Disrupt 2025
Mayor Daniel Lurie steps onto the Disrupt stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to talk about revitalizing the San Francisco startup ecosystem. Register here.
Regulators probe Waymo after its robotaxi drove around a stopped school bus
The incident happened in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this month. Waymo says it has already updated the software on its robotaxis.
Automattic CEO calls Tumblr his ‘biggest failure’ so far
At WordCamp Canada 2025, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg called Tumblr his “biggest failure,” noting the challenge of maintaining the platform’s half-billion blogs while it remains unprofitable....
FTC removes Lina Khan-era posts about AI risks and open source
One post, authored by Khan’s staff, was published on January 3, 2025 with the title “AI and the Risk of Consumer Harm.” It noted that the FTC was “taking note of AI’s potential for real-world...
Shin Starr’s robotic food truck kitchen will serve up Korean BBQ at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Shin Starr's OLHSO food truck is an autonomous kitchen on wheels, serving Korean BBQ cooked by a robot.
Trump DOE confirms it’s canceling over $700M in manufacturing grants
The Department of Energy said it was canceling grants to build new factories in places like Alabama and Kentucky. Three startups are affected.
U.S. and Australia sign $3B critical minerals deal
Leaders of the country's governments announced they would work together to secure critical minerals supplies outside of Chinese control. The deal includes a new gallium refinery in Western Australia.
Cards Against Humanity settles trespass lawsuit against SpaceX
Cards Against Humanity, the irreverent party game company known for its provocative humor, has settled its trespassing lawsuit against SpaceX, one year
Meta AI’s app downloads and daily users spiked after launch of ‘Vibes’ AI video feed
New data from Similarweb shows Meta AI’s mobile app is surging in popularity, jumping from 775,000 to 2.7 million daily active users in just four weeks. The app is now seeing roughly 300,000 new...
Anthropic brings Claude Code to the web
Anthropic now lets developers spin up Claude Code agents, and manage them, from their web browser on desktop and mobile.
Adobe launches a foundry service that builds custom generative AI models for enterprises
Adobe will build custom AI models by training its Firefly model family on a brand's intellectual property.
Apple will let users roll back the Liquid Glass look with new ‘tinted’ option
Apple is responding to user feedback on its new Liquid Glass design with a setting that lets users choose between Clear and Tinted appearances. Introduced in iOS 26.1 beta 4, the option gives...
Top OpenAI, Google Brain researchers set off a $300M VC frenzy for their startup Periodic Labs
When Liam Fedus announced he was quitting OpenAI, VCs swarmed. One even wrote a love letter. Here's how Felicis' Peter Deng won the deal.
YC alum Cercli, an AI-powered Rippling for MENA, raises oversubscribed $12M Series A
This YC HR startup grew its revenue 10x to close a $12M Series A just a year after raising $4M in seed, buoyed by its AI-native capabilities.
European AI rising star Nexos.ai raises $30M to unlock enterprise AI adoption
Nord Security co-founders have closed a €30 million Series A for their new startup, Nexos.ai, an orchestration platform aimed at helping companies adopt AI securely.
Amazon DNS outage breaks much of the internet
The outage affected websites like Coinbase and Fortnite, and disrupted services like Signal, Zoom and Amazon's own products, including Ring.
Adobe launches a foundry service that builds custom generative AI models for enteprises
Adobe will build custom AI models by training its Firefly model family on a brand's intellectual property.
The man betting everything on AI and Bill Belichick
UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts is making big bets on AI and Bill Belichick, and he sounds like a Silicon Valley CEO while doing it.
Scale AI alum raises $9M for AI serving critical industries in MENA
1001, the startup founded by an ex-Scale operator, raises a $9 million seed round led by CIV, General Catalyst, and Lux Capital.
X to launch marketplace for buying inactive handles
Rare handles could be priced at anywhere from $2,500 to over seven figures, X says.
Oura launches redesigned app and ‘Cumulative Stress’ feature
The company also shared that it's pursuing FDA clearance for blood pressure features that give users a likelihood assessment of hypertension.
Only 7 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 and ticket prices increase
7 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 officially kicks off at San Francisco’s Moscone West, and ticket prices increase. Save up to $444 now.
Spotify now lets you follow venues to get details on upcoming concerts
Venues you follow are saved in your library, and you can browse them to see event calendars, information on scheduled concerts, and announcements. Users can also filter upcoming shows at venues by genre.
Last-minute ticket deal for Disrupt 2025: Save 60% on your +1
Last 7 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, and to take advantage of the ticket deal to save 60% on a second pass. Register for you and your +1 here.
OpenAI’s ‘embarrassing’ math
No, GPT-5 did not solve a bunch of previously unsolved math problems.
Kohler unveils a camera for your toilet
Home goods company Kohler recently unveiled a new device called the Dekoda — a $599 camera that can be attached to your toilet bowl and take pictures of what’s inside.
The White House is already one of the most blocked accounts on Bluesky
The Trump administration is taking its social media attacks on Democratic opponents to an unlikely platform, with the White House and numerous other government agencies joining Bluesky on Friday.
TechCrunch Mobility: A takeover that might not be hostile
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
Wikipedia says traffic is falling due to AI search summaries and social video
Looks like Wikipedia isn't immune to broader online trends.
Spyware maker NSO Group blocked from WhatsApp
A federal judge has granted Meta-owned WhatsApp’s request for a permanent injunction blocking Israeli cyberintelligence company NSO Group from targeting the messaging app’s users. At the same...
WhatsApp changes its terms to bar general purpose chatbots from its platform
WhatsApp is banning general purpose chatbots from using its Business API
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff apologizes for saying National Guard troops needed in San Francisco
Marc Benioff, co-founder and CEO of Salesforce, appears to be walking back his controversial comments calling for the National Guard to patrol San Francisco.
Too burned out to travel? This new app fakes your summer vacation photos for you
A new iPhone app, Endless Summer, uses AI to create photorealistic vacation photos starring you — no travel required
This top VC bet close to 20% of his fund on teenagers — here’s why
Eventbrite co-founder Kevin Hartz is onto his next thing — teenage founders, not as a social experiment but as an unplanned investment thesis.
Stellantis teams up with Pony.ai to develop robotaxis in Europe
The collaboration will integrate Pony’s self-driving software into Stellantis’s electric medium-size van platform, which is built with advanced sensors to support autonomous vehicles.
WhatsApp will curb the number of messages people and businesses can send without a response
WhatsApp is testing a way to limit number of messages someone can sending in a month without getting a response to limit spam
Last flash sale before Disrupt 2025 doors open – save up to $624
Register for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 before 11:59 p.m. PT tonight and save up to $624 on your pass. Save now.
Ousted Luminar CEO Austin Russell wants to buy the company
Austin Russell was replaced in May following an ethics inquiry, but now he wants to use his new AI lab to buy Luminar.
Thank you to our Disrupt 2025 sponsors
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ChatGPT’s mobile app is seeing slowing download growth and daily use, analysis shows
ChatGPT’s mobile app may have reached its growth peak, according to new data from app intelligence firm Apptopia.
Facebook’s AI can now suggest edits to the photos still on your phone
Facebook is rolling out a new Meta AI photo suggestion feature across the U.S. and Canada that lets its AI recommend edits to images stored on users’ camera rolls—even if they haven’t been shared....
Your AI tools run on fracked gas and bulldozed Texas land
If you're wondering why AI companies are pursuing this path, they'll tell you it's not just about electricity – it's about beating China.
Trump DOE decides to keep at least one Biden-era energy program
The loan guarantee will backstop $1.6 billion for AEP, one of the nation's largest utilities, as it seeks to modernize a portion of its transmissions lines.
Senate Republicans deepfaked Chuck Schumer, and X hasn’t taken it down
The video was posted Friday on the Senate Republicans X account. According to X’s policies, the platform prohibits “deceptively shar synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm.”...
Silicon Valley spooks the AI safety advocates
The White House's David Sacks and OpenAI's Jason Kwon caused a stir online this week for their comments about groups promoting AI safety.
Meta previews new parental controls for its AI experiences
Meta on Friday previewed its upcoming parental control features for teens' conversations with AI characters on its platforms. The features, which will be
VLGE is making it easier to world build and shop on Roblox
50 fashion brands are launching their shoppable worlds for VLGE's World Fashion Week, founder Evelyn Mora says.
SK Telecom’s AI unit offers staff voluntary retirement program just weeks after launch
All staff employed by SK Telecom's new AI division are being offered a voluntary retirement program as part of a broader effort to bring together its various AI-related divisions, the company...
24 hours to spotlight your startup at Disrupt 2025
Less than 24 hours to spotlight your startup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in front of 10,000 tech leaders and VCs. Book now before your competitor does.
Crypto’s next chapter with Solana’s Anatoly Yakovenko at Disrupt 2025
Solana's Anatoly Yakovenko joins the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to talk the future of crypto. Register before today ends to save up to $624.
Apple and Formula 1 ink five-year US streaming deal, bringing all races to Apple TV
All practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grands Prix will be available to Apple TV subscribers.
Last 48 hours to save before the Disrupt 2025 flash sale ends
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How emerging Mubadala-backed AAF is winning VC deals in some of the hottest startups
In less than a decade AAF has backed startups with exits totaling $2 billion, it says and is doing so through an unusual VC model.
Zepto raises $450 million at $7 billion valuation as Indian quick commerce market heats up
Indian quick commerce startup Zepto said it has raised $400 million in a funding round led by a new investor, California Public Employees’ Retirement
EFF, unions sue Trump administration over alleged mass social media surveillance of legal residents
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges the Trump administration is monitoring and punishing non-citizens who express social media views that the government disfavors.
Defunct electric aircraft startup Lilium’s tech lives on over at Archer
Archer prevailed in a competitive bidding process that included Ambitious Air Mobility Group and U.S. based Joby Aviation.
OpenAI pauses Sora video generations of Martin Luther King Jr.
OpenAI is pausing AI video generations of Martin Luther King at the request of the late civil rights activists' estate.
Reddit expands its AI-powered search to five new languages
Reddit announced Thursday that it is expanding its AI-powered search experience to five new languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
How a headphone site operator built loyalty startup Lantern to solve his own problems
After struggling to retain customers at his e-commerce site Headphones.com, founder Andrew Lissimore built his own loyalty solution — and it’s now a startup called Lantern. The Shopify-native...
Deel hits $17.3B valuation after raising $300M from big-name VCs
Deel says it's been profitable for three years and surpassed $1 billion in ARR, including having a month that hit $100 million in revenue
A new wave of social media apps provide hope in a doomscrolling world
“The platforms that won were the ones that kept people scrolling the longest, not the ones that made them feel the most connected,” Zehra Naqvi told TechCrunch. “Now there is an abundance of...
Why AI startups are taking data into their own hands
Where training sets were once scraped freely from the web or collected from low-paid annotators, companies are looking to proprietary training data as a competitive advantage.
Rent a Cyber Friend will pay you to talk to strangers online and will show off its platform at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
"Loneliness is the biggest disease in the world right now," founder Francesco Vitali said. "So we built a platform where human time has value again, and a place where being human is important."
The real reason Google DeepMind is working with a fusion energy startup
Google has invested in fusion startups as potential power suppliers. This latest move suggests Google sees them as potential customers, too.
Meta to shut down Messenger desktop apps for Mac and Windows
Starting December 15, users will no longer be able to log into the apps and will be automatically redirected to the Facebook website to access Messenger.
Amazon’s Ring to partner with Flock, a network of AI cameras used by ICE, feds, and police
Agencies that use Flock can request that Ring doorbell users share footage to help with "evidence collection and investigative work."
EFF, unions sue Trump admin. over alleged mass social media surveillance of legal residents
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges the Trump administration is monitoring and punishing non-citizens who express social media views that the government disfavors.
Waymo dips its wheels back into delivery, this time with DoorDash
Waymo has spent the past several years scaling up its robotaxi business. The partnership with DoorDash could mark a return to delivery.
Kayak launches an ‘AI Mode’ for travel questions, search, and bookings
Kayak is bringing AI directly to its main platform with a new “AI Mode” that lets travelers research, plan, and book trips through a built-in chatbot.
VC legend Ron Conway quits Salesforce Foundation after Benioff’s National Guard comments
Ron Conway has been on the board of the Salesforce's philanthropic organization for 10 years.
Microsoft, AWS and Google are trying to drastically reduce China’s role in their supply chains
Microsoft, Amazon and Google are ramping up efforts move production of their products and data centers outside of China, Nikkei reported, citing supply chain sources.
Pinterest adds controls to let you limit the amount of ‘AI slop’ in your feed
Pinterest is rolling out new controls that let users limit how much AI-generated content appears in their feeds. The company is also making its AI content labels more visible.
Final 2 days to claim your exhibit table at Disrupt 2025
Less than 2 days to book your exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, October 28-27 in San Francisco. Book here and learn more.
Apple loses another AI exec to Meta
Yang’s departure marks the latest in a string of exits from Apple’s AI unit, putting the company into jeopardy in the lead up to a much-anticipated Siri revamp scheduled for March.
General Intuition lands $134M seed to teach agents spatial reasoning using video game clips
Late last year, OpenAI reportedly tried to buy Medal and its vast trove of video game data for $500M. Today, the company spun out a frontier research lab that's using that data to build AI agents...
Spotify partners with record labels to create ‘artist-first’ AI music products
Spotify has announced new partnerships with major record labels — including Sony, Universal, Warner, and Merlin — to build “responsible AI” tools that protect artists’ rights and ensure fair...
Amazon launches pay-per-visit virtual healthcare service for kids
Amazon’s One Medical is expanding into pediatric care with a new pay-per-visit virtual health service for children ages 2 to 11. Starting at $29 for message-based visits and $49 for video calls,...
Jack & Jill raises $20 million to bring conversational AI to job-hunting
Jack & Jill uses conversational AI to sidestep the listing and resumé shuffle. With $20 million in seed funding, the company is plotting its US expansion.
Co-founder of Indian social network Koo releases a new photo sharing app
PicSee is a new app that detects your friends' photos on device and allows you to send it to them.
Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service in London in 2026
Waymo already has ties to the UK, which began after the autonomous vehicle technology company acquired Latent Logic in 2019.
VSCO gets AI editing chops, support for RAW files
Video editing app VSCO is adding a set of new AI image editing tools, support for high-resolution RAW files, non-destructive edits, and content-aware region detection.
3 days left: Save up to $624 on your Disrupt 2025 Pass
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Less than 3 days to secure your exhibit table at Disrupt 2025
3 days left to book your exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, October 27-29 in San Francisco’s Moscone West. Now is the moment to reserve your exhibit table before a competitor takes it.
You can now text Spotify’s AI DJ
Spotify's AI DJ now takes text commands and accepts Spanish-language music requests by voice.
The full Space Stage agenda at Disrupt 2025
The Space Stage agenda is full at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Join 10,000 tech leaders to hear what's next in space tech. Register now to save up to $624.
Threads is getting group chats as messaging rolls out to the EU
Instagram Threads is rolling out group messaging for up to 50 people and expanding its direct messaging features to users in the EU. The update lets users 18 and older share text, videos, GIFs,...
India’s Kuku snags $85M as mobile content wars intensify
Kuku plans to expand beyond India with a U.S. launch slated for next year.
Apple upgrades iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro with new M5 chip
Apple announced its new M5 chip along with the new iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro.
X plans to show more information about user profiles to help improve trust
X is working on new transparency features to help users identify who they’re interacting with, such as account creation date, location, username change history, and how each account uses the service.
Self-driving car companies Pony.ai and WeRide get the OK for Hong Kong listing
The Chinese AV companies are already traded on the Nasdaq.
Meta partners up with Arm to scale AI efforts
Semiconductor firm Arm is partnering with Meta to enhance the social media company's AI systems amid an unprecedented infrastructure buildout.
Cyber giant F5 Networks says government hackers had ‘long-term’ access to its systems, stole code and customer data
The company, which provides cybersecurity defenses to most of the Fortune 500, said the DOJ allowed it to delay notifying the public on national security grounds.
Google releases Veo 3.1, adds it to Flow video editor
Google launched its new video model Veo 3.1 with improved audio output, granular editing controls, and better output for image to video. It said that Veo
Nscale inks massive AI infrastructure deal with Microsoft
Nscale plans to deploy the chips over the next few years to three data centers in Europe and a fourth in the U.S.
Google now lets you add friends as contacts for account recovery
Google now lets you recover your accounts using your phone number or trusted contacts
Anthropic launches new version of scaled-down ‘Haiku’ model
Anthropic has released Claude Haiku 4.5, the newest version of its smallest model, billed as offering similar performance to Sonnet 4 "at one-third the cost and more than twice the speed."
Liberate bags $50M at $300M valuation to bring AI deeper into insurance back offices
Liberate’s AI agents automate tasks for P&C insurers, working across sales, service, and claims.
Eightfold co-founders raise $35M for Viven, an AI digital twin startup for querying unavailable coworkers
Viven's seed funding was led by Khosla Ventures and Foundation Capital.
Apple adds 650 megawatts of renewables in Europe with more coming in China
Apple is adding renewable power to offset customer charging and support its operations, including third-party manufacturing in China.
Spotify spotted working on a ‘SongDNA’ feature that showcases the people behind your favorite music
Spotify is developing a new “SongDNA” feature that lets users explore music through the people behind it — from writers and producers to vocalists and engineers.
Electric aircraft startup Beta Technologies seeks to raise $825M in IPO
If the company attracts investors at the top of its announced range, it will have a valuation of about $7.2 billion.
Seoul weighs approval for Google, Apple high-resolution map requests
South Korea weighs granting Google and Apple access to high-resolution map data amid lingering security and regulatory concerns.
Spotify partners with Netflix for video podcast distribution deal
Spotify is partnering with Netflix to bring select video podcasts to the streaming platform starting in early 2026. The deal will feature curated shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer,...
Coinbase boosts investment in India’s CoinDCX, valuing exchange at $2.45B
Coinbase's latest investment lifts CoinDCX's valuation from $2.15 billion to $2.45 billion.
OpenAI has five years to turn $13 billion into $1 trillion
Some of America's most valuable companies are now leaning on OpenAI to fulfill major contracts, notes the FT.
EVs take a backseat in Stellantis’ $13B U.S. investment plan
Five new vehicles and a four-cylinder engine will be developed and produced through 2029 as part of investment into factories in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon allow erotica for adult users
OpenAI says it will soon roll back some of ChatGPT's safeguards, and even allow the chatbot to engage in erotica for adult users.
At Starbase, SpaceX is taking firefighting into its own hands
SpaceX's company town has formed a volunteer fire department, extending control over both the emergency response and permitting process as the company looks to expand Starbase.
Inaudible sound might be the next frontier in wildfire defense
Sonic Fire Tech has developed a device that can extinguish flames using acoustic energy below the range of human hearing. The startup is building a demo capable of protecting a home.
Mozilla’s Firefox adds Perplexity’s AI answer engine as a new search option
The integration offers conversational, cited answers instead of traditional links and follows positive feedback from earlier tests in select markets. Perplexity will expand to mobile soon.
Impulse Space details plan to deliver up to 6 tons a year to the Moon
Impulse Space sees a growing demand for mid-sized deliveries to the moon.
Google’s Gemini can now help you schedule Google Calendar meetings
Designed for one-on-one meetings, the tool lets you insert available time slots directly into an email, automatically creating a calendar invite once a recipient selects a time.
Facebook brings back job listings in the US
Facebook is reintroducing job listings to users in the U.S., focusing on entry-level, trade, and service jobs.
Google Meet launches an AI-powered makeup feature
Google Meet finally has a makeup filter for those days when you don't feel like applying lipstick.
OpenAI and Broadcom partner on AI hardware
OpenAI will purchase 10 gigawatts worth of AI accelerator hardware from semiconductor Broadcom.
You’ll soon be able to shop Walmart from ChatGPT
Walmart is partnering with OpenAI to let shoppers buy products directly through ChatGPT. The new integration will allow users to link their Walmart accounts, browse items ,and instantly check out...
Coco Robotics taps UCLA professor to lead new physical AI research lab
Coco Robotics is working toward automating its fleet of delivery robots using its millions of miles of collected data.
Google updates Search and Discover with collapsible ads, AI features, and more
Google is rolling out updates to Search and Discover that introduce AI-powered features, improved navigation, and a new option to collapse ads. While users can now hide sponsored results, the...
Less than 4 days to get your Disrupt 2025 exhibit table
Only 4 days left to amplify your brand with an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Grow your startup on October 27-29 in San Francisco. Book here.
YouTube makes it easier for teens to find informative mental health content
YouTube makes it easier for teenagers to find informative videos on mental health topics like depression and anxiety.
Spotify expands parent-managed accounts for kids to more countries, including the US
Managed Accounts are available to Spotify Premium Family plan members, and allows account holders to manage a separate music-only listening experience for their kids under the age of 13.
Sheryl Sandberg-backed Flint wants to use AI to autonomously build and update websites
Flint raised a $5 million seed round led by Accel, with participation from Sheryl Sandberg’s fund, Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, and prior investor Neo.
UK is delaying Revolut’s banking license over risk management concerns
Revolut's full banking license is on hold because U.K.'s central bank is concerned whether the startup can maintain its risk controls in the face of its rapid international expansion.
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Aquawise will show off its AI-driven water quality tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Aquawise uses satellite images and a physics-based AI model to monitor and predict water quality at aquaculture farms.
Satellites found exposing unencrypted data, including phone calls and some military comms
Researchers spent the past year alerting affected organizations, including T-Mobile and AT&T, but warn that large amounts of satellite data will remain unencrypted and exposed for some years to come.
FleetWorks raises $17M to match truckers with cargo faster
Co-founded by a former Uber Freight product manager, and backed by Uber's lead seed investor, FleetWorks is quickly scooping up customers in the trucking world.
Instagram to show PG-13 content by default to teens, adds more parental controls
Instagram users under 18 will now by default only see content that adheres to PG-13 ratings applied to movies, avoiding themes like extreme violence, sexual nudity, and graphic drug use.
Google to invest $15B in Indian AI infrastructure hub
Google's investment in India will roll out over the next five years, through 2030.
SpaceX wraps action-packed Starship V2 era as program moves to V3
Farewell, V2: SpaceX on Monday night sent Starship’s current configuration on one last test flight, in a mission that the company says hit all its key goals, moving the program into its next phase.
Smart ring maker Oura raises $900M from Fidelity
Oura is raising new funding of $900 million as its valuation reaches nearly $11 billion
India’s Airbound bags $8.65M to build rocket-like drones for one-cent deliveries
Lachy Groom backs Airbound in $8.65M seed round as it launches pilot in Bengaluru.
Goldman Sachs is acquiring Industry Ventures for up to $965M as alternative VC exits surge
Goldman Sachs has agreed to acquire Industry Ventures, a 25-year-old, San Francisco-based investment firm with $7 billion in assets under management, CNBC
Salesforce announces Agentforce 360 as enterprise AI competition heats up
Salesforce announces an upgraded version of its Agentforce platform designed to help enterprises build and deploy AI agents.
Anduril’s new EagleEye MR helmet sees Palmer Luckey return to his VR roots
Anduril Industries on Monday unveiled “EagleEye,” a helmeted computing system that seeks to turn soldiers into AI-augmented warfighters.
Final Flash Sale: Save up to $624 on Disrupt 2025 Passes
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Slate Auto’s electric truck: See it here first at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Slate Auto's Chris Barman brings her electric truck to the main stage for its world debut. Register for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to see it live and save here
Only 5 days remain to book your exhibit table at Disrupt 2025
Only 5 days left to book your exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 and showcase in front of 10,000+ startup leaders and VCs. Book by October 17.
California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots
SB 243 is designed to protect children and vulnerable users from harms associated with use of AI companion chatbots.
Slate Auto’s Electric Truck: See It Here First at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Slate Auto's Chris Barman brings her electric truck to the main stage for its world debut. Register for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to see it live and save here
Oura is winning young women and losing gym rats, and it’s fine with that
Oura's chief commercial officer doesn't seem particularly worried about capturing every demographic. Instead, she's focused on keeping Oura’s core users happy while organically attracting new...
Grindr’s owners may take it private after a financial squeeze
Grindr's majority owners are scrambling to take the LGBTQ+ dating app private after a stock decline triggered a personal financial crisis, according to a report from Semafor.
Strava eyes IPO as Gen Z trades dating apps for running clubs
Strava, the 16-year-old fitness tracking app, is gearing up to go public, the Financial Times reports. CEO Michael Martin told the FT that the San
Dating app Cerca will show how Gen Z really dates at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Cerca is a dating app that sets users up with mutual friends.
Nvidia’s AI empire: A look at its top startup investments
Over the last two years, Nvidia has used its ballooning fortunes to invest in over 100 AI startups. Here are the giant semiconductor's largest investments.
Elon Musk vs. the regulators
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for all things “future of transportation.”
The ZoraSafe app wants to protect older people online and will present at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
ZoraSafe is designed to protect some of the least protected internet users out there: your parents and grandparents.
Apple says goodbye to the Clips app
Apple appears to be winding down support of Clips, with the company removing Clips from the App Store and saying it will no longer be making any updates.
Thinking Machines Lab co-founder Andrew Tulloch heads to Meta
AI researcher Andrew Tulloch reportedly announced his departure to employees in a message on Friday.
Prince Harry and Meghan call out the harmful effects of social media on today’s youth
Prince Harry and Meghan spoke about the dangers of social media at a gala and festival in New York.
It’s not too late for Apple to get AI right
Apple still has a shot at leading the AI-powered app era. As OpenAI launches its ChatGPT app platform, Apple’s smarter Siri and deep ecosystem could keep it ahead.
Trump fires back at China’s rare earth mineral restrictions by threatening 100% tariffs
President Donald Trump declared Friday that he will impose a 100% tariff on all imports from China, while also imposing export controls on “any and all critical software” from the United States.
Ready or not, enterprises are betting on AI
This has been a big week for AI companies signing enterprise deals, with Zendesk unveiling new AI agents that are supposed to be able to resolve 80% of customer service issues, Anthropic and IBM...
Google Chrome silences those pesky notifications
The company tacitly admits that browser notifications, as designed, might have been a bad idea, saying that its own data shows users receive a high volume of notifications but rarely interact with them.
The fixer’s dilemma: Chris Lehane and OpenAI’s impossible mission
The company’s Sora problem is really at the root of everything else.
Salesforce CEO says National Guard should patrol San Francisco — stunning his own PR team
Though Benioff's shift mirrors Silicon Valley's broader accommodation of Trump, the exchange offered a rare glimpse of just how far that repositioning can go. The question now: will other Bay Area...
Navan plows ahead with IPO during shutdown, aims for $6.45B valuation
The corporate travel management company is moving forward under SEC rules that allow companies in IPO limbo to proceed at their own risk during the shutdown.
Kalshi hits $5B valuation days after rival Polymarket gets $2B NYSE backing at $8B
Prediction markets startup Kalshi raised $300 million, while Polymarket nabbed up to $2 billion.
Prezent raises $30 million to acquire AI services firms — starting with founder’s other company
Months after raising $20 million, enterprise-focused AI presentation startup Prezent is raising $30 million for acquisitions.
The billion-dollar infrastructure deals powering the AI boom
Here's everything we know about the biggest AI infrastructure projects, including major spending from Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI.
iPhone 17 Pro Max review: orange you glad the battery is bigger
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup adds a sturdier unibody design, bigger battery, and camera upgrades, trading thinness for power, endurance, and creator appeal.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri pushes back on MrBeast’s AI fears but admits society will have to adjust
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri says AI will empower new creators while forcing society to rethink what’s real online as synthetic content grows.
Musk’s Boring Co. violated environmental regulations nearly 800 times, Nevada alleges
The Boring Co. violated state environmental regulations nearly 800 times, many of which occurred after signing an agreement saying it would comply.
Spyware maker NSO Group confirms acquisition by US investors
NSO Group confirmed to TechCrunch that an unnamed group of American investors has taken “controlling ownership” of the surveillance tech maker.
Homeland Security reassigns ‘hundreds’ of CISA cyber staffers to support Trump’s deportation crackdown
Staffers at U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA have been reassigned to ICE and CBP as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
You can now connect your Spotify account to ChatGPT: Here’s how to do it
You can now connect your Spotify account in ChatGPT and it will perform tasks for you, such as creating personalized playlists.
Investors are betting $21 billion that the energy transition isn’t going away
Political shifts might have set back the energy transition, but large investors are betting that renewables are at the future of energy.
Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to advise Microsoft and Anthropic
Former Conservative PM Rishi Sunak served from 2022 to 2024. Britain's Acoba flagged concerns of granting "unfair access" to Anthropic and Microsoft.
UK slaps Google Search with special market status, making way for stricter regulations
The CMA has designated Google as having "strategic market status" in the search and search advertising markets, which means the company has such "a substantial and entrenched" position that it...
The world is just not quite ready for humanoids yet
Famed robotics Rodney Brooks recently sounded the alarm on the amount of money going into humanoid startups. He's not the only skeptic.
Startup Battlefield company SpotitEarly trained dogs and AI to sniff out common cancers
The company's at home multi-cancer breath test kit is expected to be available to consumers in 2026.
Battlefield alum DevAlly raises €2M to help companies with Europe’s feisty new accessibility law
Regulatory tailwinds and growing awareness around accessibility helped DevAlly secure €2 million in pre-seed funding.
Shutdown silver lining? Your IPO review comes after investors buy in
With 90% of SEC staff furloughed, the agency announced on Thursday that it won't penalize companies for omitting pricing details during the shutdown.
Flipkart’s Super.money quietly partners with troubled Juspay as it expands its reach
Super.money, the fintech arm of Flipkart, is looking to raise a round of funding at a $1 billion valuation, after securing $50 million from Flipkart to date.
Andreessen Horowitz denies report of India office, calls it ‘fake news’
a16z’s Anish Acharya calls India office reports “entirely fake news!”
While OpenAI races to build AI data centers, Nadella reminds us that Microsoft already has them
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella offered a glimpse of the "first of many" massive Nvidia AI systems it is rolling out, starting now.
Discord data breach affects at least 70,000 users
The platform said in a press release that hackers breached a third-party vendor that Discord uses for age-related appeals.
Reflection AI raises $2B to be America’s open frontier AI lab, challenging DeepSeek
Reflection, once focused on autonomous coding agents, has raised $2B at an $8B valuation to expand into both an opensource alternative to closed frontier labs like OpenAI and Anthropic, and a...
Startup Battlefield alum DevAlly raises €2M to help companies with Europe’s feisty new accessibility law
DevAlly audits for accessibility barriers such as videos lacking captions on corporate websites. It also tracks customer-reported issues and helps companies create roadmaps for fixes and generate...
Sora copycats flooded Apple’s App Store, and some still remain
Imposter Sora apps saw hundreds of thousands of downloads before Apple pulled them from the App Store.
Stoke Space’s $510M round shows the future of launch belongs to defense
Stoke's new raise highlights how the launch industry is being shaped by major U.S. defense initiatives.
Intel unveils new processor powered by its 18A semiconductor tech
Intel announces new processors produced in Arizona as the company looks to increase its U.S. manufacturing.
Italian businessman’s phone reportedly targeted with Paragon spyware
The alleged targeting of prominent Italian businessman Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone now widens the Paragon spyware scandal in Italy to victims beyond journalists and activists.
YouTubers who were kicked off the platform for rule violations can now request a ‘second chance’
Creators who repeatedly violated YouTube's past COVID-19 and election integrity policies will be eligible to request new accounts.
‘Dozens’ of organizations had data stolen in Oracle-linked hacks
The mass-hacks targeting Oracle E-Business customers is the latest hacking campaign by Clop, an extortion group known for abusing security flaws in enterprise products to steal large amounts of...
Netflix is letting users play games on their TV screens
Netflix users can now play games on their smart TVs. This marks a major step for the company's gaming initiative.
Datacurve raises $15 million to take on ScaleAI
Datacurve uses a “bounty hunter” system to attract skilled software engineers to complete the hardest-to-source datasets.
Figma partners with Google to add Gemini AI to its design platform
Figma is adding Gemini to its AI toolset.
Meta adds Hindi and Portuguese support for its AI translation feature for Reels
Meta is expanding its AI-powered translation features for Reels with support for Hindi and Portuguese to target markets like India and Brazil
This distributed data storage startup wants to take on Big Cloud
Tigris has raised $25 million to expand its growing network of localized data storage centers — the storage layer for decentralized computing infrastructure.
Knapsack picks up $10M to help bridge the gap between design and engineering teams
Knapsack creates a unified workspace that integrates design and coding tools to ensure design and engineering teams are on the same page.
Sora hit 1M downloads faster than ChatGPT
This level of consumer adoption is worth noting because Sora remains an invite-only app, while ChatGPT was more publicly available at launch. That makes Sora's performance more impressive.
Investing at the edge of space at Disrupt 2025
On the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, top space tech investors discuss where capital is flowing in the space economy. Register today to save.
Duolingo says it will ‘never’ open a San Francisco office
"For us, Pittsburgh isn’t a 'backup plan' to the Bay Area," the language learning app said.
SoundCloud gets more social by adding a way to see the songs your friends like
SoundCloud is evolving into a more social platform with new features like playlists based on the likes of friends or favorite artists you follow.
India pilots AI chatbot-led e-commerce with ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude in the mix
India has launched a pilot to let users shop and pay directly through AI chatbots, starting with ChatGPT.
China tightens export controls on rare earth minerals once again
As the race to make ever faster semiconductors intensifies, China has once again notched up export controls on rare earth minerals as well as related mining and refining technology.
Apple prepares to comply with Texas age assurance law, but warns of privacy risks
Apple speaks out about how the Texas age assurance law was written, saying it affects the privacy of users.
How AI Is driving the future of mobility at Disrupt 2025
Uber’s Sachin Kansal and Nuro’s Dave Ferguson join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to talk about how AI is changing the future of mobility. Register here.
Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ software under investigation for traffic safety violations
The U.S.' top auto safety agency said it had identified more than 50 reports of FSD running red lights, crossing yellow lines, or making illegal turns.
DoorDash to use Serve Robotics’ sidewalk robots for deliveries in Los Angeles
DoorDash customers in Los Angeles might soon have their food brought to them by one of Serve Robotics’ sidewalk delivery bots. The two companies on Thursday announced a multi-year partnership that...
Google ramps up its ‘AI in the workplace’ ambitions with Gemini Enterprise
The new product launched Thursday already has customers, including Gordon Foods, Macquarie Bank, and Virgin Voyages.
OpenAI’s affordable ChatGPT Go plan expands to 16 new countries in Asia
OpenAI is expanding its $5 per month ChatGPT Go plan to 16 more countries.
Startup Battlefield company SpotitEarly trained dogs and AI to sniff out common cancers and will show off its tech at Disrupt
The company's at home multi-cancer breath test kit is expected to be available to consumers in 2026.
Ganiga will showcase its waste-sorting robots at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Ganiga's fleet of waste-sorting technology is meant to help companies track and reduce the waste they produce.
Charles Schwab backs Singapore’s Qapita, a Carta challenger
Charles Schwab and Singapore-based Qapita have teamed up to launch a new service to help U.S. startups manage cap tables and employee stock plans.
Square launches AI voice ordering and an integrated Bitcoin solution for merchants
Block is now allowing Square merchants to accept Bitcoin payments without any processing fee for one year
Google’s Search Live comes to India, AI Mode gets more languages
With this launch, India becomes the second market after the U.S. to get Google's Search Live.
SoftBank bulks up its robotics portfolio with ABB Group’s robotics unit
SoftBank says this acquisition will help it dive deeper into robotics as it considers physical AI to be the next frontier.
Unveiling the next wave of Startup Battlefield 200 VC judges at Disrupt 2025
5 more VC leaders from Accel, 776, Lockstep, IVP, and more join the Startup Battlefield 200 judge panel at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Register to join.
Tristan Thompson on AI, Sports & Startups at Disrupt 2025
NBA champion Tristan Thompson joins TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to discuss how AI and athletes are transforming sports, startups, and innovation. Register here.
Google’s virtual try-on shopping tool expands to more countries, now lets you try on shoes
To virtually try on a pair of shoes, users need to tap on any product listing on Google, select the "try it on" button and then add a full length photo themselves.
Google launches extensions system for its command-line coding tool
Google launched a new feature for its command-line AI system, Gemini CLI, allowing outside companies to integrate directly into the product.
A break down of the H-1B changes — and why more changes could come
Jeremy Neufeld, the director of immigration policy at the Institute for Progress, comes on Equity to talk H-1B changes.
Here’s the tech powering ICE’s deportation crackdown
From phone spyware and facial recognition to phone unlocking technology and databases and more, this tech powers Trump's deportation machine.
Base Power raises $1B to deploy home batteries everywhere
Base Power's Series C will help the company expand beyond Texas, its beachhead market, and build batteries in the United States.
Bounce introduces a tool to move your Mastodon account to Bluesky
Moving accounts between Mastodon and Bluesky is about to get much easier, thanks to Bounce 2.
AST SpaceMobile lands key Verizon deal amid growing competition with SpaceX and T-Mobile
AST SpaceMobile is deepening its relationship with mobile carrier giant Verizon.
Amazon Pharmacy is launching vending machines for prescription drugs
The kiosks have a range of commonly prescribed medications, including antibiotics, inhalers, and blood pressure medications.
Zendesk says its new AI agent can solve 80% of support issues
Zendesk has launched a new autonomous support agent that should solve 80% of support issues without human intervention.
Ganiga will showcase its waste-sorting robots at TechCrunch Disrupt
Ganiga's fleet of waste-sorting technology is meant to help companies track and reduce the waste they produce.
Even after Stargate, Oracle, Nvidia, and AMD, OpenAI has more big deals coming soon, Sam Altman says
By some estimates, OpenAI has this year inked $1 trillion worth of infrastructure deals. Altman says to expect even more.
Elon Musk will settle $128M lawsuit with former Twitter execs
The four executives never received severance payments, which they claim is because they tried to hold Musk to his $44 billion commitment when he tried to back out of buying the company.
Novoloop’s upcycled plastic takes a step closer to production
Novoloop has signed a deal with a contract manufacturer to produce its Lifecycled TPU material.
Sora’s downloads in its first week was nearly as big as ChatGPT’s launch
This level of consumer adoption is worth noting because Sora remains an invite-only app, while ChatGPT was more publicly available at launch. That makes Sora's performance more impressive.
Here’s what it’s really like to appear on billionaire VC Tim Draper’s ‘Meet the Drapers’ pitch show
The show is one of many on Draper's newly launched television channel, DraperTV, which offers programming around business and entrepreneurship, available via streaming services like Roku.
OpenAI’s Nick Turley on transforming ChatGPT into an operating system
In an interview, OpenAI's Head of ChatGPT discusses the company's push into developing an AI operating system full of third-party apps.
X splits Verified Organizations into ‘Premium Business’ and ‘Premium Organizations’
The social network says Premium Business will help companies drive growth on the platform by boosting credibility with a gold checkmark and increasing visibility through affiliate badges.
Revolut aims to take on Indian banks and their ‘criminal’ forex fees
Revolut plans to onboard 20 million users in India by 2030 and process more than $7 billion in transactions.
You can’t libel the dead. But that doesn’t mean you should deepfake them.
"Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad," the late Robin Williams' daughter Zelda wrote on Instagram.
Trump’s DOE proposes cutting billions in grants for GM, Ford, and lots of startups
Trump's Department of Energy wants to cancel billions more in awards that were granted by the Biden administration, and startups are in the crosshairs.
Google launches its AI vibe-coding app Opal in 15 more countries
The app, which lets you create mini web apps using text prompts, is now available in Canada, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Singapore, Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica,...
Wall Street analysts explain how AMD’s own stock will pay for OpenAI’s billions in chip purchases
AMD's unusual deal to finance OpenAI's chip purchases could grant the AI model maker up to $100 billion, analyst estimates.
Tesla reveals slightly cheaper ‘standard’ versions of the Model 3 and Model Y
The long-awaited cheaper Model 3 and Model Y are finally here, but they start at $36,990 and $39,990, respectively -- just a few thousand dollars less than Tesla's current offerings.
How Otter.ai’s CEO is pushing the company to be more than just a meeting scribe
Otter is launching a suite of enterprise tools to help companies use its tech to create a central knowledge base.
Anthropic plans to open India office, eyes tie-up with billionaire Ambani
Anthropic's next big bet is India — one of its fastest-growing markets worldwide.
Anthropic and IBM announce strategic partnership
Anthropic's Claude large language model family will be incorporated into some of IBM's software development products.
Mastodon is taking cues from Bluesky with plans for its own starter ‘Packs’
Mastodon is planning to make it easier for newcomers to discover curated collections of users to follow by launching a new starter packs feature.
Facebook updates its algorithm to give users more control over which videos they see
Facebook updated its algorithm so users can have greater control over which Reels videos they see.
Startup Battlefield company ÄIO invented a method to make edible fat from ag waste like sawdust
This process could be a way to reduce the world’s dependency on the ecologically destructive palm oil industry.
The iPhone Air is so light, I forgot it was in my pocket
Apple's iPhone Air is refreshing to use. But its battery and single camera is not for most people.
ICE bought vehicles equipped with fake cell towers to spy on phones
The federal contract shows ICE spent $825,000 on vans equipped with “cell-site simulators” which allow the real-world location tracking of nearby phones and their owners.
North Korean hackers stole over $2 billion in crypto so far in 2025, researchers say
Blockchain monitoring firm Elliptic said this year’s total is already an all-time record for the North Korean regime.
xAI hires former Morgan Stanley banker Anthony Armstrong as CFO
Armstrong, who advised Musk during his Twitter takeover, will oversee the finances of both xAI and X, which were merged in April, the report said.
Security bug in India’s income tax portal exposed taxpayers’ sensitive data
TechCrunch verified that the security bug in the Indian Income Tax Department's e-Filing portal exposed taxpayers' data to other users. The security researchers who found the flaw say the data...
Alternative app store AltStore raises $6M, connects with the fediverse
The alternative app marketplace AltStore has raised $6 million and launched a Mastodon server.
One startup’s paper-thin stainless steel could change how bridges are built
By coating regular rebar with a thin layer of stainless steel, Allium Engineering could reduce the amount of concrete needed to build a bridge while also prolonging its life.
OpenAI and the race for AI-driven commerce
OpenAI now has all the pieces in place for AI-driven commerce, establishing ChatGPT as a place customers go to buy and retailers go to sell.
California bans loud commercials on Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services
Starting July 1, 2026, streaming services won’t be allowed to “transmit the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany,” according to the bill's text.
Firefly leans into its defense ambitions with $855M SciTec acquisition
Firefly Aerospace has agreed to buy defense analytics firm SciTec for about $855 million in cash and stock as the company tries to push deeper into the national security market.
Clop hackers caught exploiting Oracle zero-day bug to steal executives’ personal data
Oracle fixes another security flaw that Clop hackers were using to steal sensitive personal information about executives as part of a mass-extortion campaign.
Adobe predicts AI-assisted online shopping to grow 520% during the 2025 U.S. holiday season
AI-assisted online shopping is still booming, new U.S. holiday e-commerce forecast shows.
Okosix will show its biodegradable plastic at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Healthcare has a plastic problem, but Okosix thinks its bio-derived, biodegradable material can replace single-use plastics throughout the industry.
A 19-year-old nabs backing from Google execs for his AI memory startup, Supermemory
19-year-old Dhravya Shah, who is originally from Mumbai, has build a memory layer for AI applications with Google's AI chief's backing.
Sugar Free Capital raises $32M inaugural fund to back early-stage MIT founders
Sugar Free Capital raises $32M inaugural fund to invest in MIT early-stage founders.
Deloitte goes all in on AI — despite having to issue a hefty refund for use of AI
Deloitte is rolling out Claude to its nearly 500,000 employees after issuing a refund for a report that contained AI hallucinations.
Lucid Motors sets record as Gravity sales pick up and tax credit expires
The company has seen EV deliveries increase for seven straight quarters, even though it's still way off the ambitious goals it promoted when it went public in 2021.
Inside Microsoft’s AI bet with CTO Kevin Scott at Disrupt 2025
Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott joins the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to unpack Microsoft’s boldest AI moves. Register now to save up to $444.
Instagram updates its Map feature to make it easier to tell if you’re sharing your location
Instagram is adding a more prominent indicator at the top of the Map to remind users whether or not they’re sharing their location.
Taylor Swift fans accuse singer of using AI in her Google scavenger hunt videos
Swifties love a puzzle, but some were rubbed the wrong way by a promotional scavenger hunt which appeared to use AI-generated videos.
OpenAI ramps up developer push with more powerful models in its API
The updates were part of a series of announcements geared towards wooing developers to OpenAI’s ecosystem, including the launch of an agent-building tool and the ability to build apps in ChatGPT.
Microsoft buys another 100 MW of solar, this time in Japan
The new deal covers output from four different solar projects. Microsoft has said it will spend $2.9 billion to expand its infrastructure in Japan.
MrBeast says AI could threaten creators’ livelihoods, calling it ‘scary times’ for the industry
As Sora tops the App Store, MrBeast says AI could threaten creators' ability to make money.
Sam Altman says ChatGPT has hit 800M weekly active users
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Monday at Dev Day that ChatGPT has reached 800 million weekly active users, marking an increase of adoption among consumers, developers, enterprises, and governments.
OpenAI launches apps inside of ChatGPT
OpenAI is launching a new way for developers to build applications that appear directly inside of ChatGPT's conversations.
Instagram introduces new ‘Ring’ award for top creators
The move comes as Meta has been scaling back its creator payout programs over the past few years.
AMD to supply 6GW of compute capacity to OpenAI in chip deal worth tens of billions
AMD has signed a multi-year chip supply deal with OpenAI that could generate tens of billions in revenue for the chipmaker, helping accelerate its momentum in the AI industry.
OpenAI launches AgentKit to help developers build and ship AI agents
“AgentKit is a complete set of building blocks available in the open AI platform designed to help you take agents from prototype to production, it is everything you need to build, deploy and...
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 exhibit tables are selling out fast and time is running out
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 exhibit tables are nearly sold out, and time is almost out. Book your table now before competitors do, or before October 17.
Meta Llama: Everything you need to know about the open generative AI model
Meta's Llama models are open generative AI models designed to run on a range of hardware and perform a range of different tasks.
Suspect arrested after threats against TikTok’s Culver City headquarters
Police say they have arrested a suspect allegedly connected to multiple online threats that led TikTok to evacuate its headquarters near Los Angeles on Friday.
Heidi Health raises $65M Series B led by Steve Cohen’s Point72
Heidi Health raised a $65 million Series B led by Steven Cohen’s Point72.
Waffles eat Bluesky
A waffle-centric controversy underlines ongoing tensions between Bluesky and some of its most vocal users.
OpenAI and Jony Ive may be struggling to figure out their AI device
OpenAI and Jony Ive reportedly face significant technical challenges as they work to develop a screen-less, AI-powered device.
The Reinforcement Gap — or why some AI skills improve faster than others
AI tasks that work well with reinforcement learning are getting better fast — and threatening to leave the rest of the industry behind.
The Young Minds App wants to protect and educate children online and will show its tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Young Minds gives parents control over what their kids do on the internet, while also protecting their children’s privacy and teaching them good online habits.
TechCrunch Mobility: Toyota makes a $1.5B bet on the startup ecosystem
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
Newsom signs bill giving Uber and Lyft drivers in California the right to unionize
Drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft will soon have the right to unionize in California as independent contractors, thanks to a bill signed Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Anker offered Eufy camera owners $2 per video for AI training
Hundreds of Eufy customers have donated hundreds of thousands of videos to train the company’s AI systems.
Instacrops will demo its water-saving, crop-boosting AI at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Agriculture consumes a vast amount of water, and some countries are under more stress than others. Instacrops pivoted to AI to help farmers cut water use by 30%.
Sam Altman says Sora will add ‘granular,’ opt-in copyright controls
OpenAI may be reversing course on how it approaches copyright and intellectual property in its new video app Sora.
Event startup Partiful wasn’t stripping GPS locations from user-uploaded photos
The event planning startup, which has raised over $27M from a16z and others, fixed the bug after TechCrunch found that Partiful was not removing granular location data from users' profile photos.
Tesla’s insurance arm accused of ‘egregious delays’ and ‘systemic failures’ by CA regulator
California's Department of Insurance has been warning Tesla to fix its claims process since 2022, but consumer complaints have skyrocketed anyways.
Startups and the U.S. government: It’s getting complicated
Equity co-hosts Anthony Ha, Kirsten Korosec, and Max Zeff explore the how startups are navigating a topsy-turvy relationship with the U.S. government.
If you’re not an AI startup, good luck raising money from VCs
New PitchBook data illustrates how dramatically AI is dominating startup investment, with 2025 on-track to become the first year when AI accounts for more than half of all VC money invested.
Bezos predicts that millions will live in space kind of soon
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made a rare public appearance at Italian Tech Week in Turin on Friday and used the opportunity to predict that millions of
With its latest acqui-hire, OpenAI is doubling down on personalized consumer AI
OpenAI is acquiring the CEO of Roi, an AI financial companion. Roi will sunset its service as its talent heads to OpenAI, ostensibly to help boost revenue in consumer apps.
Sources: Naveen Rao’s new AI hardware startup targets $5B valuation with backing from a16z
Former Databricks AI chief is raising $1 billion to build an Nvidia rival through a novel approach.
Google’s Gemini AI app could soon be getting a big makeover
Google's Gemini AI app is getting a redesign with suggested prompts, a reverse engineer finds.
What to expect at OpenAI’s DevDay 2025, and how to watch it
OpenAI's third-ever developer conference is around the corner, and it's shaping up to be the company's biggest yet.
Snapchat is going to charge for storage — here’s how to save your Memories for free
If your Memories exceed the new limit, you will need to either export them or sign up for one of Snapchat's new Memories Storage plans in order to preserve them.
Rivian is redesigning the R2 SUV’s door handles for better safety
The change comes after employees and customers reportedly voiced concerns.
Can you think like a YC partner? This game will help you find out
The YC Partner Simulator game, created by an undergrad in Berlin, lets you see if you can predict what startups get into Y Combinator.
Supabase nabs $5B valuation, four months after hitting $2B
It's been a wild year of growth and fundraising for vibe-coding database of choice, Supabase.
Leaked doc reveals the chaotic politics behind Trump Energy Department cuts
Harris-voting states were hit hardest by Department of Energy award cancellations, but not every blue-state project was cut. Politics might play a role.
OpenAI’s Sora soars to No. 1 on Apple’s US App Store
Sora becomes the No. 3 US app after 164K downloads in 2 days, making the AI video app an early hit.
Bridgit Mendler, Even Rogers, and Max Hoat join the Space Stage at Disrupt 2025
Even Rogers, Max Haot, and Bridgit Mendler join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to talk space defense, artificial gravity, and scalable connectivity. Register here.
New deep tech fund Wave Function Ventures raises $15 million
Former SpaceX Falcon 9 engineer Jamie Gull, who started the fund, has already made nine investments.
Hacking group claims theft of 1 billion records from Salesforce customer databases
The hacking group claims to have stolen about a billion records from companies, including FedEx, Qantas, and TransUnion, who store their customer and company data in Salesforce.
Disrupt 2025 founder and investor bundle sale ends tonight
The founder and investor bundle sale for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT. Save up to 20% on groups of 4–9. Register before today ends.
Apple removes ICEBlock and similar tracking apps from the App Store
Apple has removed ICEBlock and other apps from its App Store that allow users to anonymously report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, following pressure from the...
A new search engine raises $1.1M to let obsessive fans dive down internet rabbit holes
Lore raises $1.1 million to build a personalized search engine for fandom culture.
Flai is the latest startup bringing AI to car dealerships
The YC-backed startup has raised a $4.5 million seed round as it looks to win over more businesses by replacing cumbersome phone trees with AI-powered software.
How startups could be affected by a prolonged government shutdown
Slow or stopped permitting and a frozen visa process are existential threats for some startups.
Rivian’s best-case guess for 2025 sales is a 16% drop from last year
The company will likely sell fewer EVs this year than in both 2024 and 2023, making next year's launch of the R2 SUV even more important.
Threads takes on X with new communities feature
Threads officially debuts communities, dedicated spaces to have casual chats around a topic.
Hackers are sending extortion emails to executives after claiming Oracle apps’ data breach
Google says hackers associated with the Clop ransomware gang are emailing executives at multiple organizations claiming to have stolen their personal information from a suite of Oracle E-Business apps.
A new a16z report looks at which AI companies startups are actually paying for
a16z releases its first AI spending report that shows which AI-native application layer companies startups are actually spending money on .
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Bundle Sale Ends Tomorrow
Hurry! TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Founder & Investor Bundle Sale ends October 3. Groups of 4–9 save 15–20% and gain exclusive access to top VCs, startups, and expert-led sessions.
Phia's Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni talk consumer AI at Disrupt 2025
Phia cofounders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to discuss building loyalty with Gen Z in consumer AI startups. Register here.
Apple shelves Vision Pro overhaul to focus on AI glasses
Bloomberg reports that the tech giant is developing at least two types of smart glasses.
After nine years of grinding, Replit finally found its market. Can it keep it?
While AI coding startups like Cursor raise brow-raising rounds on barely three years of existence, Replit's path to a $3 billion valuation has been anything but swift.
Amazon to resume drone delivery following crash in Arizona
Investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are underway.
OpenAI is the world’s most valuable private company after private stock sale
OpenAI employees sold $6.6B in shares, leading company's valuation to jump to $500B.
Anthropic hires new CTO with focus on AI infrastructure
As part of the change, Anthropic is updating the structure of its core technical group, bringing the company's product-engineering team into closer contact with the infrastructure and inference teams.
Department of Energy cancels $7.5B of clean energy projects in mostly blue states
The Trump administration canceled over 300 awards related to clean energy on October 1. The states most affected by the cuts voted for Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
YouTubers aren’t relying on ad revenue anymore — here’s how some are diversifying
YouTubers are no longer just creators, and in some cases, their side businesses are growing faster than their channels.
Google’s Jules enters developers’ toolchains as AI coding agent competition heats up
Jules is already being used by developers to complete code after experimenting on vibe-coding platforms.
OpenAI’s Sora soars to No. 3 on the U.S. App Store
Sora becomes the No. 3 US app after 164K downloads in 2 days, making the AI video app an early hit.
Perplexity’s Comet AI browser now free; Max users get new ‘background assistant’
AI search startup Perplexity is making its new Comet browser available to everyone in the world for free as it works to position the product against big browsers and search engines. For certain...
Ex-OpenAI researcher dissects one of ChatGPT’s delusional spirals
A former OpenAI researcher looked into how ChatGPT can mislead delusional users about their reality and its own capabilities
Department of Energy cancels $7.5B of clean energy projects in Harris-voting states
The Trump administration canceled over 300 awards related to clean energy on October 1. The states with affected projects all voted for Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Amazon now lets Prime members add items to upcoming orders with one tap
Amazon's new "Add to Delivery" button makes it easier for Prime members to buy more and tack on items to existing orders.
Perplexity acquires the team behind Sequioa-backed AI design startup Visual Electric
Perplexity has acquired Visual Electric, an AI Design tool. Its team is going to lead a new agents experience group at Perplexity
Oneleet raises $33M to shake up the world of security compliance
Founder Bryan Onel says too many companies are doing the bare minimum to meet their security compliance obligations, and raised $33 million to help his customers get both compliant and secure.
Tesla has its best sales quarter ever as EV tax credit expires
The tax credit's expiration on September 30 motivated buyers to take advantage of the $7,500 incentive, giving Tesla a shot to return to sales growth in 2025.
India cracks down on 25 crypto exchanges including BingX, LBank, CoinW over compliance failures
Of the 25 offshore crypto exchanges targeted by India, 14 hold more than $9 billion in assets.
Spacecoin beams blockchain transaction through space in bid for decentralized internet
Spacecoin envisions a decentralized rival to SpaceX's Starlink.
Celebrating the partners driving Disrupt’s big ideas, connections, and community
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors, who bring world-class expertise, bold innovation, and community energy to every corner of the conference.
Self-driving trucks startup Einride raises $100M
Einride raised the funds five months after founder Robert Falck left the CEO role and took over as executive chairman of the board.
New project makes Wikipedia data more accessible to AI
A new database will make Wikipedia's wealth of knowledge more accessible to AI models.
Epic Games says Apple’s new install process cuts user drop-offs by 60%
Fortnite maker Epic Games said that Apple’s new installation workflow, implemented in iOS 18.6, has had a positive impact on its user growth, with a 60% decrease in drop-offs. Apple started...
Oura launches Ring 4 Ceramic collection, new charging case, and a ‘health panel’ feature
The new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is made from zirconia ceramic, which the company says allows for durability and lightweight comfort.
Salesforce launches enterprise vibe coding product, Agentforce Vibes
Salesforce is also releasing a vibe coding agent named Vibe Codey to help companies foray into vibe coding with enterprise security.
Electroflow promises to make LFP material for 40% less than Chinese producers
Electroflow drew inspiration from batteries themselves to develop a new way of producing LFP material for EVs. The process could undercut today's lowest price sources in China.
Google’s Home app, a command center for the smart home, gets a Gemini upgrade
Google redesigns its Home app for better usability and adds Gemini-powered features.
Google teases its new Gemini-powered Google Home speaker, coming in spring 2026
Google teases a new Gemini-powered smart speaker, due out in spring 2026.
Meta plans to sell targeted ads based on data in your AI chats
Meta plans to use data from your interactions with AI products to sell targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Google unveils AI-powered Nest indoor and outdoor cameras, and a new doorbell
Google's new Nest cameras and doorbell are getting a Gemini upgrade.
OpenAI ropes in Samsung, SK Hynix to source memory chips for Stargate
OpenAI has struck agreements with two of the world's biggest manufacturers of memory chips, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, to make DRAM wafers for the Stargate AI infrastructure project, and...
Spotify now lets you exclude tracks from your taste profile, improving recommendations
Spotify lets you take more control over your recommendations by excluding tracks from influencing your taste profile.
Google reveals its Gemini-powered smart home lineup and AI strategy
Google brings Gemini to the smart home with new devices, AI for existing customers and more.
Kevin Hart’s VC firm leads $35M Series B for weight-loss app Simple
Simple is an AI-powered health coaching app that helps people lose weight.
Prickly Pear Health will showcase how it’s helping women’s brain health at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Prickly Pear Health provides medical support for women’s brain health, a voice-first, AI-powered companion that helps women in their 30s to 50s navigate the hormonal changes that affect brain health.
Last 3 days to get extra discounts on community passes to Disrupt 2025
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Creative machines and where AI meets imagination at Disrupt 2025
Prateek Dixit, Nikola Todorovic, and Soyoung Lee join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to see how AI is transforming storytelling and video. Save up to $444.
Data breach at Canadian airline WestJet affects 1.2M passengers
The June data breach of Canada’s second largest airline WestJet was blamed on the Scattered Spider hacking group.
Meet the end-of-life planning startup co-founded by NBA All Star Russell Westbrook
Eazewell helps families navigate end-of-life planning, from coordinating a funeral to cancelling someone's mail, with the help of AI.
Amazon launches a grocery brand with most products under $5
The Amazon Fresh grocery items will be available online and at Amazon Fresh stores.
Sources: Gusto paid $600M to acquire Guideline, plans to divest customers linked to rivals
While the HR Tech Guideline was last valued at $1.15 billion, the sale will likely yield a profit for most investors.
Deta’s Surf app is an amalgamation of an AI browser and NotebookLM
A startup called Deta is releasing a new app called Surf, which is a remix of an AI browser and NotebookLM.
UK government tries again to access encrypted Apple customer data: report
The U.K. Home Office is seeking access to Apple users’ encrypted iCloud backups for a second time, after an earlier attempt failed earlier this year.
What founders need to know before choosing their exit at Disrupt 2025
Hear from Jai Das, Sapphire Ventures, and Roseanne Wincek, Renegade Partners, on how founders can prep for an exit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Register here.
Google updates its Home app with Gemini smarts
Google redesigns its Home app for better usability and adds Gemini-powered features.
OpenAI’s new social app is filled with terrifying Sam Altman deepfakes
OpenAI's Sora app makes it too easy for people to create misleading AI content.
Waymo can keep testing robotaxis in NYC until end of 2025
Waymo's permit to test autonomous vehicles in New York City has been extended to the end of the year, giving the company a few more months to make it big in the Big Apple.
Hollywood is not taking kindly to the AI-generated actress Tilly Norwood
Tilly Norwood is not real, but the company that created her hopes that she's the first of many AI-generated stars.
Chamath warns retail investors to avoid his new SPAC
The SPAC King's newest, dubbed "American Exceptionalism," went public with $345 million. But Chamath doesn't want people to buy shares.
California’s new AI safety law shows regulation and innovation don’t have to clash
“Are bills like SB 53 the thing that will stop us from beating China? No,” said Adam Billen, vice president of public policy at youth-led advocacy group Encode AI. “I think it is just genuinely...
Whizz co-founder says Trump’s Chicago crackdown is scaring delivery workers off the streets
Whizz has seen e-bike rentals drop by about 8% since Trump threatened to send National guards troops to the city.
Character.AI removes Disney characters after receiving cease-and-desist letter
"Character.ai is freeriding off the goodwill of Disney’s famous marks and brands, and blatantly infringing Disney’s copyrights," a Disney lawyer wrote.
OpenAI staff grapples with the company’s social media push
Current and former OpenAI researchers seem torn over how the company's Sora app fits in with its broader mission.
Better Tomorrow Ventures closes $140M, remains bullish on fintech
The six-year-old firm's third fund is nearly the size of it previous fund raised during the fintech boom in early 2022.
Anker offered to pay Eufy camera owners to share videos for training its AI
Hundreds of Eufy customers have donated hundreds of thousands of videos to train the company’s AI systems.
Visa crackdowns are blocking students’ study-abroad dreams, so India’s Leverage Edu is rerouting them
Leverage Edu places over 10,000 students annually into universities across 11 countries.
Instagram head says company is not using your microphone to listen to you (with AI data, it won’t need to)
The idea that Meta would secretly turn on the microphones on users' phones to record their conversations is an age-old conspiracy theory -- and one that the company has disputed before.
Amazon unveils new Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
The new Kindle Scribe has a larger 11-inch glare-free display, is just 5.4mm thick, and weighs only 400g. It’s also 40% faster when writing or turning pages.
Zoox chooses Washington, DC, as its next autonomous vehicle test bed
The Amazon-owned company will start by mapping public streets of the nation's capital before testing begins later this year.
A year after filing to IPO, still-private Cerebras Systems raises $1.1B
Cerebras initially filed to go public in September 2024 but ran into several regulatory delays due to foreign investments.
Spotify’s founder and CEO Daniel Ek is stepping down
The company is replacing Daniel Ek with two co-CEOs: Gustav Söderström, currently co-president and chief product and technology officer, and Alex Norström, co-president and chief business officer.
Save up to 20% on Disrupt 2025 Community Passes
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Adobe’s video editing app Premiere arrives on iPhones
Adobe's Premiere app is available on mobile devices, offering a variety of editing features, including some that are AI-powered.
Whoop opens blood-testing service to what it says is a 350,000-person waitlist
Whoop Advanced Labs marries subscription blood tests with its fitness device monitoring for tech-powered wellness advice.
DoorDash rolls out creator program for short-form videos, adds AI features and dine-in rewards
People in 20 U.S. cities — including Atlanta, Austin, Miami, and San Francisco — can now apply to become a DoorDash Creator.
PayPal’s Honey to integrate with ChatGPT and other AIs for shopping assistance
PayPal's Honey will now with with ChatGPT to find shopping deals.
Hance will demo its kilobyte-size AI audio processing software at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Hance is working on low energy-consuming, on-device processing that's already attracted the likes of Intel.
Fubo shareholders approve Hulu Live TV deal
Fubo announced that its shareholders have approved the deal that will combine the streaming service with Hulu Live TV.
DoorDash unveils Dot, its autonomous robot built to deliver your food
DoorDash's 350-pound autonomous vehicle will hold your food in its robot mouth as it drives 20 miles per hour to deliver it to you.
AI hires or human hustle? The next frontier of startup ops at Disrupt 2025
What happens when your first 10 hires aren’t people at all? At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, we’re digging into the new wave of startups replacing or augmenting early employees with AI agents.
OpenAI is launching the Sora app, its own TikTok competitor, alongside the Sora 2 model
The social app Sora will let users generate videos of themselves and their friends, which they can share in a TikTok-like feed.
AI note-taking app Granola adds a repeatable prompts feature
Granola is launching a way for users to repeatedly use prompts via a new feature called Recipes.
A comprehensive list of 2025 tech layoffs
A complete list of all the known layoffs in tech, from Big Tech to startups, broken down by month throughout 2024.
ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI chatbot
A timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year.
Japan’s beer-making giant Asahi stops production after cyberattack
A day after one of Japan's biggest brewers, Asahi Group, announced it suspended production due to a cyberattack, the company said it has no timeline for its recovery.
Why you can’t miss the aerospace content at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
At TechCrunch Disrupt, the Aerospace Corporation is pulling back the curtain on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the space economy — through bold startups and cutting-edge research.
Amazon unveils new Echo devices, powered by its AI, Alexa+
Amazon debuts new devices, the Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 11, powered by AI.
Venmo and PayPal users will finally be able to send money to each other
For years, customers have been using convoluted workarounds to transfer money between the two services.
Ring cameras can now recognize faces and help to find lost pets
Amazon unveiled new AI features for its Ring devices, such as the ability to identify familiar faces and help locate a lost dog.
Character.AI in the spotlight with Karandeep Anand at Disrupt 2025
Karandeep Anand, CEO of Character AI, joins the AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to discuss human-like AI companions, ethical and technical challenges, and the legal scrutiny facing conversational AI.
Alexa+ comes to new Fire TV devices with AI-powered conversations
Amazon announced new Fire TV devices, 4K Stick, and Alexa+ AI features for TV viewers.
Imgur pulls out of UK after data regulator warns of fines
Imgur, one of the web's most popular image sharing and hosting platforms, has shut off access to its site in the U.K., following a notice of a fine by the country's data protection watchdog.
Less than a month until Disrupt 2025 — Book your exhibit table
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Composite gets backing from NFDG for its cross-browser agent tool
Composite offers its solution for Macs and Windows at the moment, and setup is very easy, as you just need to install the browser extension for agents to make use of that browser.
CommanderAI says it’s building the Salesforce for the waste management industry
CommanderAI built an AI-driven CRM and sales prospecting platform that continues the nuances of the waste management industry.
Former OpenAI and DeepMind researchers raise whopping $300M seed to automate science
Periodic Labs has raised from a tech industry's who's who, including Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia, Elad Gil, Jeff Dean, Eric Schmidt, and Jeff Bezos.
Ted Cruz blocks bill that would extend privacy protections to all Americans
The Texas senator blocked a bill that would have prevented data brokers from collecting and selling personal data on anyone in the United States, and not just federal lawmakers and government officials.
A breach every month raises doubts about South Korea’s digital defenses
Known for its blazing fast internet and home to some of the world’s biggest tech giants, South Korea has also faced a string of data breaches and cybersecurity lapses that has struggled to match...
Anonymous question app Sendit deceived children and illegally collected their data, FTC alleges
On Sendit, teens can send each other anonymous questions via integrations with Instagram or Snapchat.
Toyota adds another $1.5B to its bet on startups at every stage
Toyota made two announcements that reflect the automaker's growing interest in startups working on mobility, climate, AI, sustainability, and industrial automation.
Starbase hires Cameron County to police its streets and jail its offenders
Starbase is in the business of launching rockets, not policing, according to two new agreements.
U.S. government takes stake in Canadian lithium miner and its Nevada mining project
The U.S. Department of Energy has taken equity stakes in Canadian company Lithium Americas and its Nevada mining joint venture with General Motors as part of a renegotiation of a federal loan....
California Governor Newsom signs landmark AI safety bill SB 53 | TechCrunch
SB 53 requires large AI labs – including OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google DeepMind – to be transparent about safety protocols. It also ensures whistleblower protections for employees at those companies.
Frank founder Charlie Javice sentenced to 7 years in prison for defrauding JPMorgan Chase
The fintech startup had been acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2021 for $175 million. The bank later accused Frank of lying about its customer base.
DeepSeek: Everything you need to know about the AI chatbot app | TechCrunch
DeepSeek has gone viral. Chinese AI lab DeepSeek broke into the mainstream consciousness this week after its chatbot app rose to the top of the Apple
Explosion, vehicle fire rock Faraday Future's LA headquarters | TechCrunch
Explosion, vehicle fire rock Faraday Future's LA headquarters | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
Facebook adds fan challenges, custom badges for creators
These updates show us that Meta wants fans to take Facebook more seriously as a place to engage with creators.
AI recruiter Alex raises $17M to automate initial job interviews | TechCrunch
AI recruiter Alex raises $17M to automate initial job interviews | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
DeepSeek releases 'sparse attention' model that cuts API costs in half | TechCrunch
Researchers at DeepSeek released a new experimental model designed to have dramatically lower inference costs when used in long-context operations.
OpenAI takes on Google, Amazon with new agentic shopping system | TechCrunch
This type of frictionless experience has the potential to spark a new movement in how people shop online – one that moves away from search engines like Google and e-commerce platforms like Amazon...
This French VC went from posting on YouTube to raising a $12M fund for Y Combinator startups | TechCrunch
How French investor Gabriel Jarrosson grew from posting on YouTube to raising a fund that backs YC companies exclusively.
Vibe coding Anything nabs a $100M valuation, after hitting $2M ARR in its first two weeks | TechCrunch
Vibe coding Anything nabs a $100M valuation, after hitting $2M ARR in its first two weeks | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
Anthropic launches Claude Sonnet 4.5, its best AI model for coding | TechCrunch
Anthropic says its new AI model is robust enough to build production-ready applications, rather than just prototypes.
Brave updates its AI-powered search with a detailed answers feature
Brave is debuting a new detailed answer feature for its AI-powered search
Final day to apply to Volunteer at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 volunteer applications close tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT. Only local Bay Area residents apply.
Trump's Energy Department forbids staff from saying ‘climate change’ or ‘green’ | TechCrunch
A Trump appointee emailed Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy employees last week with a long list of banned words.
OpenAI rolls out safety routing system, parental controls on ChatGPT | TechCrunch
The new safety features come after numerous incidents of ChatGPT validating users' delusional thinking instead of redirecting harmful conversations -- including the death of a teenage boy by suicide.
Snapchat caps free Memory storage, launches paid storage plans
The social media giant announced that free access to the feature will be limited to 5GB.
Bluesky rolls out age verification for users in Ohio
Users in Ohio will have to verify their age to use Bluesky's social network as of Monday.
From Robinhood to Aetherflux: Baiju Bhatt’s next frontier at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of Robinhood and founder of Aetherflux, shares insights on building transformative companies in fintech and aerospace at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.
This week’s bundle savings: Founder and Investor Pass deals for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
For one week only, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is offering a Founder Bundle deal. Save 15% on groups of 4–9 Founder Passes and get exclusive access to sessions designed to help startup founders scale...
Complex Chaos thinks AI can help people find common ground
The startup uses an LLM tailored to helping people arrive at a consensus. Is it enough to help bridge our differences?
UK government bails out Jaguar Land Rover with £1.5B loan after hack disrupts vehicle production for weeks | TechCrunch
The Indian-owned carmaking giant will be bailed out after a cyberattack stalled car production and its downstream supply chain. Critics argue that the bailout sends the wrong message to hackers...
The Disrupt Stage revealed: Behold the first look | TechCrunch
The first TechCrunch Disrupt Stage revealed. See giants like Vinod Khosla, Phoebe Gates, and Kevin Diggs share insights Oct 27-29 in SF. Register here.
Marissa Mayer will close her old AI startup, sell assets to her new AI startup
Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer is closing the doors on her consumer software startup Sunshine, and is selling the company's assets to her new AI startup, Dazzle, Wired reported, citing an email...
The startup behind open source tool Polars raises $21M from Accel | TechCrunch
Polars, the Amsterdam-based company behind the popular open source project by the same name, has raised an €18 million Series A led by Accel.
Honda and Astrobotic team up to keep the lights on through the long lunar night | TechCrunch
Honda is partnering with Astrobotic to study whether their tech could provide continuous power on the moon.
Instagram is testing a Reels-first UI in India and South Korea | TechCrunch
Instagram is testing a new Reels-first UI in India and South Korea to give short videos more prominence in the app.
X says will fight Indian court ruling on content takedown system | TechCrunch
X said last week's Indian court ruling allows millions of police officers to issue "arbitrary" content takedown orders.
Former Microsoft execs launch AI agents to end Excel-led finance | TechCrunch
Maximor has come out of stealth with a human-in-the-loop agentic platform that does the finance team's grunt work.
Paid, the AI agent 'results-based billing' startup from Manny Medina, raises huge $21M seed | TechCrunch
Paid, the AI agent 'results-based billing' startup from Manny Medina, raises huge $21M seed | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
The AI services transformation may be harder than VCs think | TechCrunch
Early warning signs suggest this whole services-industry metamorphosis may be more complicated than VCs anticipate.
Vibe-coding startup Anything nabs a $100M valuation after hitting $2M ARR in its first two weeks
The problem with most vibe-coding companies is that they don't provide all the infrastructure that nontechnical users need to launch a functional product. Anything is attempting to solve this problem.
Oura CEO talks potential IPO and ‘nonnegotiable’ data privacy | TechCrunch
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Oura Health CEO Tom Hale didn’t discuss reports that the company is raising new funding that would value the health-tracking ring maker at nearly $11...
DJI loses lawsuit over classification as Chinese military company | TechCrunch
A federal judge has rejected drone maker DJI’s efforts to get off a Department of Defense list of Chinese military companies.
The billion-dollar infrastructure deals powering the AI boom | TechCrunch
Here's everything we know about the biggest AI infrastructure projects, including major spending from Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI.
TechCrunch Mobility: Self-driving trucks startup Kodiak goes public and a shake-up at Hyundai’s Supernal | TechCrunch
TechCrunch Mobility: Self-driving trucks startup Kodiak goes public and a shake-up at Hyundai’s Supernal | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
Do EA buyout talks hint at bigger industry troubles? | TechCrunch
Why is Electronic Arts, one of the biggest names in the video game business, reportedly in talks to go private?
Lootlock protects kids from overspending on gaming and will be presenting at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
The gaming industry notoriously targets kids for in-app purchases. Lootlock gives parents granular control over kids game spending.
Wiz chief technologist Ami Luttwak on how AI is transforming cyberattacks | TechCrunch
Ami Luttwak, CTO of Wiz, breaks down how AI is changing cybersecurity, why startups shouldn't write a single line of code before thinking about security, and opportunities for upstarts in the industry.
Beware coworkers who produce AI-generated 'workslop' | TechCrunch
Researchers at consulting firm BetterUp Labs, in collaboration with Stanford Social Media Lab, have coined a new term to describe low-quality, AI-generated work
AI startup Friend spent more than $1M on all those subway ads | TechCrunch
If you’ve been on the New York subway recently, you’ve probably seen stark white ads promoting a wearable AI device called Friend.
Trump demands Microsoft fire global affairs head Lisa Monaco | TechCrunch
“It is my opinion that Microsoft should immediately terminate the employment of Lisa Monaco,” Trump said of a former Biden administration official.
How South Korea plans to best OpenAI, Google, others with homegrown AI | TechCrunch
South Korea has launched its most ambitious sovereign AI initiative yet, as the nation's major tech players like LG and SK Telecom develop their own LLMs.
Famed roboticist says humanoid robot bubble is doomed to burst | TechCrunch
Brooks, who co-founded iRobot and spent decades at MIT, is particularly skeptical of companies like Tesla and Figure trying to teach robots dexterity by showing them videos of humans doing tasks....
What’s behind the massive AI data center headlines? | TechCrunch
This week on Equity, Anthony Ha and Max Zeff go beyond the headlines to break down what's really going on in these AI infrastructure deals.
Checkout.com’s new $12B valuation is a glass half-full situation
Checkout.com is boosting its valuation as part of an employee stock buy-back program, and now says it's profitable.
'The Social Network' sequel will focus on Haugen leaks, with Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg | TechCrunch
Fifteen years after "The Social Network," director Aaron Sorkin is making a sequel film about Facebook called "The Social Reckoning."
Electronic Arts will reportedly be acquired for $50B | TechCrunch
The rumored buyers of EA include investors like Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
YouTube Music tests AI hosts that share trivia and commentary
YouTube Music's new AI hosts are currently being tested through YouTube Labs, the platform's new hub for AI experiments.
As people look for ways to make new friends, here are the apps promising to help
We've compiled a list of friendship apps, from friend discovery platforms like BFF to event-focused ones like Timeleft.
Everyone's still throwing billions at AI data centers | TechCrunch
Watch as Equity hosts Anthony Ha and Max Zeff break down the money behind AI’s infrastructure boom and what rising visa fees mean for tech’s talent shuffle.
TruSources to show off its on-device identity-checking tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch
Age verification laws are a privacy and security nightmare. This Battlefield startup performs age checks on-device, without users having to upload their IDs to the internet.
Thousands of Indian bank transfer records found spilling online after security lapse
Security researchers found the exposed Indian bank transfer records, and the data was eventually secured. Indian fintech company NuPay took responsibility for the "configuration" error.
Is the Apple Watch SE 3 a good deal?
The gap between Apple's standard and budget smart watches has never felt smaller.
IPO-bound Flipkart gains key approvals to relocate to India | TechCrunch
Flipkart is set to become the most valuable startup to shift its headquarters back to India ahead of a planned IPO.
The Trump admin is going after semiconductor imports | TechCrunch
The Trump administration wants the industry to reach a 1:1 ratio of domestically produced and imported chips.
Today is the last day to save up to $668 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 tickets
Today is the last chance to save up to $668 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Join 250+ top tech leaders, explore 200+ sessions, and connect with 10,000+ innovators, investors, and founders.
Here’s what’s happening right now with the US TikTok deal
A number of investors are competing for the opportunity to purchase the app, and if a deal were to go through, the platform's U.S. business could have its valuation soar to upward of $60 billion....
Battery startup Moxion went bankrupt. Now its founder is back to ‘finish what we started’
Anode Technology Company wants to build mobile battery generators for construction sites, live events, and EV fleets. But first it has to avoid the pitfalls that claimed its predecessor, Moxion.
Sierra Space’s spaceplane faces a reinvention after NASA contract change | TechCrunch
Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane is facing an identity crisis after NASA changed contract terms to remove its guarantee to buy cargo flights to the ISS.
How developers are using Apple’s local AI models with iOS 26
As iOS 26 is rolling out to all users, developers have been updating their apps to include features powered by Apple's local AI models.
Thousands of Indian bank transfer records found online
Security researchers found the exposed Indian bank transfer records and the data was eventually secured, but nobody wants to take responsibility for the security lapse.
Inside the Box: Aaron Levie on reinvention at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch
Aaron Levie joins the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Oct 27–29 in San Francisco, to share how he’s kept Box relevant through two decades. Register here.
Trump signs executive order to facilitate TikTok deal
Vice President JD Vance said that the deal would value TikTok US at "around $14 billion."
Meta launches ‘Vibes,’ a short-form video feed of AI slop
Think TikTok or Instagram Reels, but every single video you come across is essentially just AI slop.
Viral call-recording app Neon goes dark after exposing users’ phone numbers, call recordings, and transcripts
Call recording app Neon was one of the top-ranked iPhone apps, but was pulled offline after a security bug allowed any logged-in user to access the call recordings and transcripts of any other user.
Microsoft cuts cloud services to Israeli military unit over Palestinian surveillance | TechCrunch
The investigation was sparked by a story in The Guardian that reported that Unit 8200, the elite Israel military intelligence unit, was using Azure cloud storage to house data on phone...
Startup founders say Trump’s $100K H-1B fee is a ‘talent tariff’ that will hurt innovation | TechCrunch
Startup founders say Trump’s $100K H-1B fee is a ‘talent tariff’ that will hurt innovation | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
Tesla asks EPA not to roll back emissions rules as Trump calls climate change a 'con job' | TechCrunch
The company's regulatory policy team is trying to clean up a mess that CEO Elon Musk spent $300 million to help create.
Spotify denies recent accusation that it changed its terms for artists
Spotify sets the record straight about the distribution rights of artists, podcasters, creators, and authors on the platform.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs | TechCrunch
Subscribers to ChatGPT's $200-a-month Pro plan will get to try out Pulse, OpenAI's latest agent product.
Threads is developing a tool that lets you ‘tag’ its algorithm to configure your feed
Threads is developing a new feature that would let users control what they see by 'tagging' the algorithm.
Steph Curry's VC firm just backed an AI startup that wants to fix food supply chains | TechCrunch
Food supply chains are notoriously messy. Orders arrive through different channels, staff spend hours manually entering them into clunky enterprise
Juicebox raises $30M from Sequoia to revolutionize hiring with LLM-powered search | TechCrunch
Juicebox raises $30M from Sequoia to revolutionize hiring with LLM-powered search | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
Amazon to pay $2.5B in FTC settlement over ‘deceptive’ Prime tactics
The company will be required to pay a $1 billion civil penalty and provide $1.5 billion in refunds back to an estimated 35 million consumers harmed by the company's "deceptive Prime enrollment...
OpenAI says GPT-5 stacks up to humans in a wide range of jobs | TechCrunch
A new test from OpenAI aims to understand how close AI is to outperforming humans at economically valuable work.
Elon Musk's xAI offers Grok to federal government for 42 cents | TechCrunch
xAI has reached a deal with the U.S. GSA to sell Grok to federal agencies for 42 cents over 18 months, undercutting OpenAI and Anthropic.
Find out if AI is really helping us find ‘the one’ at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch
On the AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, leaders from Tinder, Replika, and Kinsey Institute unpack the future of love, trust, and tech. Register to join.
Doorstep raises $8M seed to help find missing food deliveries | TechCrunch
Doorstep integrates into existing delivery apps and then, using phone sensors, tracks when a driver has entered a building, gone up an elevator, and made it to the desired doorstep.
Inside the investor lens on AI startups at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch
Hear from top VCs Jon McNeill, Aileen Lee, and Steve Jang at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 on what makes AI startups stand out today. Save up to $668 now.
Meta rolls out Teen Accounts on Facebook and Messenger globally
Teen Accounts first rolled out to Instagram a year ago after Meta and other popular social networks were grilled by U.S. lawmakers for not doing enough to protect teens on their services.
Clarifai's new reasoning engine makes AI models faster and less expensive | TechCrunch
The AI platform Clarifai has launched a new reasoning engine that it claims will make running AI models twice as fast and 40% less expensive.
Less than 48 hours to grab your TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 ticket savings
Ticktock! Less than 2 days remain to secure savings of up to $668 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 pass. This offer ends tomorrow, September 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT. If you haven’t registered yet,...
Databricks will bake OpenAI models into its products in $100M bet to spur enterprise adoption | TechCrunch
Databricks is on the hook to pay at least $100 million to OpenAI in this deal, even if customer usage falls short. It's a bet, but one that Databricks has already hedged.
Apple blames EU’s Digital Markets Act for feature delays
Apple is blaming the EU's enforcement of the DMA for delaying the launch of some features in the EU, saying the rules are "leading to a worse experience" for Apple customers in the bloc by...
Starpath bets on mass-produced, space-rated solar | TechCrunch
Starpath is changing the space-rated solar panel industry in its quest to build off-world colonies.
TuneIn partners with FEMA to give drivers real-time emergency alerts
Drivers who listen to TuneIn will now receive real-time alerts, including extreme weather warnings and other emergencies.
TuneIn adds FEMA’s real-time emergency alerts to its service
Drivers who listen to TuneIn will now receive real-time alerts, including extreme weather warnings and other emergencies.
Spotify to label AI music, filter spam and more in AI policy change
Spotify is launching a music spam filter, labeling AI tracks, and clarifying its rules around AI voice clones.
Smartphone maker Nothing to spin off its affordable CMF brand | TechCrunch
Nothing is making its affordable devices brand CMF into a separate entity with headquarters in India.
It isn't your imagination; Google Cloud is flooding the zone | TechCrunch
While the industry's biggest players cement ever-tighter partnerships, Google is hellbent on capturing the next generation of AI companies before they become too big to court.
Y Combinator launches “Early Decision” for students who want to graduate first, build later | TechCrunch
The accelerator has introduced a new application track called Early Decision, designed for students who want to start companies but don’t want to drop out.
India court rejects X's "free speech" argument, backs government takedown powers | TechCrunch
India court rejects X's "free speech" argument, backs government takedown powers | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
Billionaire VC Mike Moritz slams new H-1B visa fee as 'brutish extortion scheme' | TechCrunch
In a new, scathing Financial Times op-ed, the former Sequoia Capital honcho compares the White House to Tony Soprano's pork store, calling its new H-1B visa plan another "brutish extortion scheme."
Chipiron’s big idea: rethinking MRI access, not replacing old machines | TechCrunch
Equity host Rebecca Bellan catches up with Chipiron CEO and co-founder Evan Kervella about the future of MRI technology.ec
Neon, the No. 2 social app on the Apple App Store, pays users to record their phone calls and sells data to AI firms
A new call recording app is gaining traction for offering to pay users for voice data from calls, which is sold to AI companies.
Zoox asks federal regulators for exemption to launch a commercial robotaxi service | TechCrunch
The exemption would allow the Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company to commercially deploy its custom-built robotaxis, which lack traditional controls like pedals and a steering wheel.
Trump admin wants 10% stake in American lithium miner that sells to GM | TechCrunch
Lithium Americas asked for a small change to the loan repayment period, which spurred the latest Trump administration request for equity.
YouTube now lets you hide recommendation pop-ups at the end of videos
The decision to let users hide end screens is a welcome addition to the platform, especially since they can end up covering the last bit of a video and make it hard to see what's happening in some cases.
Cohere hits $7B valuation a month after its last raise, partners with AMD | TechCrunch
A fresh $100 million and an interesting partnership with AMD has slightly bumped Cohere's valuation up.
Microsoft adds Anthropic's AI to Copilot | TechCrunch
Microsoft is integrating OpenAI rival Anthropic's AI into Copilot, marking another step towards the disentangling of Microsoft and OpenAI.
How to build a GTM strategy that actually drives results at Disrupt 2025 | TechCrunch
GTM pros Max Altschuler and Alison Wagonfeld show founders at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 on how to build a GTM engine that scales. Register to join.
Step into the future: The full AI Stage at Disrupt 2025
Explore the full AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 with leaders from Hugging Face, Google Cloud, Wayve, and more. Register now to save up to $668.
Depop launches a fashion collaging tool to style Pinterest-worthy outfits
Depop's new styling and collaging tool allows users to design curated outfits.
Kevin Rose on Digg, reinvention, and startup investing
Kevin Rose, Digg founder and True Ventures partner, returns to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to talk pivots, reinvention, and spotting the next wave of breakout startups. Save up to $668 on passes...
Spotify now integrates directly with DJ software from rekordbox, Serato, and djay
Users will be able to access their entire libraries and playlists directly within these programs, making it faster and easier to create sets from playlists and blend tracks.
Disney is raising the price of Disney+, Hulu subscriptions next month
The timing of the price increases isn’t ideal, as Disney+ subscribers canceled their subscriptions in droves last week, protesting Disney’s decision to temporarily pull Jimmy Kimmel from its airwaves.
Disrupt 2025 ticket rates increase after just 4 days
Only 4 days left to lock in Regular Bird pricing and save up to $668 on your pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Ticket prices go up after Sept 26! Register.
Vinod Khosla at Disrupt 2025: AI, Moonshots, and Startup Wisdom
Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla shares his unfiltered views on AI, healthcare, climate, and building viable startups at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Save up to $668 on tickets.
5 days left to save up to $668 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 pass
There’s still time — but just barely. Register for TC Disrupt 2025 by September 26 and save up to $637 before Regular-Bird pricing disappears.
Google’s Gemini AI is coming to your TV
When fully rolled out, Google's AI will be on over 300 million active Google TV and other Android TV OS-powered devices.
The Oakland Ballers let an AI manage the team. What could go wrong?
“Baseball is the perfect place to do an initial experiment like this, because it is so data-driven, and decisions are made very analytically," Ballers owner Paul Freedman said.
What’s next for Netflix and streaming itself at Disrupt 2025
Elizabeth Stone, Netflix CTO, will share how Netflix is evolving and its technology strategy at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Register now to save up to $668.
6 days left for Regular Bird savings for Disrupt 2025 passes
Register by Sept 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT to lock in Regular Bird savings of up to $668 on your pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Save now.
Lincoln Center’s Collider Fellows explore how tech could transform the performing arts
At a time of high anxiety around technology’s impact on arts and culture, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ Collider Fellowship is focused on new opportunities, welcoming multidisciplinary...
Google isn’t kidding around about cost cutting, even slashing its FT subscription
These cuts may save Google mere thousands; they also come as Google faces increasingly strained relationships with news publishers.
Trump and ByteDance tout TikTok deal approval, but no official details yet
The two countries have been working on a way to save TikTok's U.S. business, after TikTok was banned in January over national security concerns.
Waymo’s co-CEO on the truth behind autonomous vehicles at Disrupt 2025
Tekedra Mawakana of Waymo will share what it takes to scale AV deployment at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco, October 27-29. Register here.
Astro Teller is joining the stage at Disrupt 2025 in October
Astro Teller, Captain of Moonshots at Alphabet's "moonshot factory," X, will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, October 27-29 in San Francisco. Register here.
TechCrunch Mobility: A new speed bump for EV owners and Waymo’s robotaxi fleet surpasses 2,000
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
FTC chair warns Google about Gmail’s ‘partisan’ spam filters
FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson appears to be pursuing conservative complaints over Gmail's spam filters.
Director Jim Jarmusch ‘disappointed and disconcerted’ by Mubi’s funding from Sequoia
Veteran indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch is the latest to criticize Mubi for taking money from Sequoia.
Homicide at Burning Man turns Silicon Valley’s desert playground into a crime scene
The homicide investigation comes as Burning Man long ago evolved from a countercultural gathering into a networking hub for Silicon Valley's tech elite.
UK age check law seems to be hurting sites that comply, helping those that don’t
The U.K. recently started enforcing new age-check rules, and The Washington Post reports that it’s already having a significant effect on traffic to porn sites.
I’m really impressed with this $400 portable projector
Projectors have come a long way, and this portable one from Lumi offers impressive features, like Google TV and an obstacle-avoidance function.
The fall of EV startup Fisker: A comprehensive timeline
Here is a timeline of the events that led fledgling automaker Fisker to file for bankruptcy.
Nvidia says two mystery customers accounted for 39% of Q2 revenue
Nearly 40% of Nvidia’s second-quarter revenue came from just two companies, identified in a filing as "Customer A" and "Customer B."
Taco Bell is having second thoughts about relying on AI at the drive-through
Taco Bell has apparently rolled out voice AI-powered ordering at more than 500 drive-throughs, leading to unflattering viral moments like someone ordering 18,000 water cups in order to “bypass”...
Henrik Fisker quietly wound down his nonprofit after his EV startup went bankrupt
The brief existence of the Fiskers' foundation is another example of how the boom of electric vehicle startups in the 2020s helped fuel a rush of wide-eyed optimism.
Spotlight on AI at TechCrunch Disrupt: Don’t miss these sessions backed by JetBrains and Greenfield
TechCrunch Disrupt isn’t just about showcasing the startups of tomorrow — it’s also about surfacing the boldest ideas shaping technology today.
Meta updates chatbot rules to avoid inappropriate topics with teen users
After a bombshell report on Meta allowing its AI chatbots to have sensual chats with minors, the company is updating its policies.
Cracks are forming in Meta’s partnership with Scale AI
Two months after making a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, Meta is relying heavily on its competitors to train next-generation AI models.
Billionaire Ambani taps Google, Meta to build India’s AI backbone
Reliance is launching a new subsidiary to drive India's AI ambitions, including a pending partnership with OpenAI.
Microsoft and Uber alum raises $3M for YC-backed Munify, a neobank for the Egyptian diaspora
Khalid Ashmawy found it hard to send money home while studying in Europe. Now, he’s launched a startup to help other Egyptians with the same problem.
TikTok now lets users send voice notes and images in DMs
The new capabilities bring TikTok’s messaging experience more in line with that of other popular social apps and services.
Mastodon says it doesn’t ‘have the means’ to comply with age verification laws
Decentralized social network Mastodon says it cannot comply with age verification laws, like in Mississippi and elsewhere, and says it's up to individual server owners to decide.
Tesla challenges $243 million verdict in Autopilot death trial
The company's lawyers blame the driver (who settled with the victims separately) for the crash, and the plaintiffs' lawyers for "overwhelming" the jury with "irrelevant evidence."
WhatsApp fixes ‘zero-click’ bug used to hack Apple users with spyware
A spyware vendor was behind a recent campaign that abused a vulnerability in WhatsApp to deliver an exploit capable of hacking into iPhones and Macs.
Uber and Lyft drivers in California win a path to unionization
The agreement creates a model for drivers to be able to organize for increased pay, job protections, and other benefits. In exchange, California regulators say they’ll support legislation to...
Vocal Image is using AI to help people communicate better
With an interactive library that includes tongue twisters, breathing exercises, and advice on gestures, Vocal Image is also leaning more and more into AI to give automated feedback and personalized tips.
Apply to host a Side Event at Disrupt 2025
Apply to host a Side Event during TechCrunch Disrupt week (October 25–31) and amplify your brand. Apply before the deadline.
AI or not, Will Smith’s crowd video is fresh cringe
Fans accused Will Smith of sharing AI-generated videos from his tour, but the situation is more complicated than it seems.
US manufacturing investment stumbles as clean tech cancellations pile up
Companies canceled $5 billion worth of clean tech manufacturing projects in the U.S. in Q2, mirroring a pullback in the broader manufacturing sector.
Threads tests a way to share long-form text on the platform
With this new feature, users can attach a block of text to a post instead of creating a thread of several different posts when looking to share more in-depth thoughts and ideas.
Trump administration’s deal is structured to prevent Intel from selling foundry unit
The deal allows the U.S. to take more equity in Intel if the company doesn't retain at least 51% ownership in its foundry business.
Anthropic users face a new choice – opt out or share your chats for AI training
Anthropic is making some major changes to how it handles user data. Users have until September 28 to take action.
Nvidia, Google, and Bill Gates help Commonwealth Fusion Systems raise $863M
Commonwealth Fusion Systems has raised nearly $3 billion to commercialize its fusion power plant. It hopes to send electricity to the grid in the early 2030s.
Mississippi’s age assurance law puts decentralized social networks to the test
Bluesky says it would block access to its service in the state of Mississippi, rather than comply with the new age verification law.
Ford to reveal more about its new low-cost electric vehicles on August 11
Jim Farley, Ford's CEO, has touted this as a "Model T moment" -- but the first of these new EVs won't come out until 2027.
Proton releases a new app for two-factor authentication
Proton has a free authenticator app, which is available cross-platform with end-to-end encryption protection for data.
Twitter’s former Trust and Safety head details the challenges facing decentralized social platforms
Yoel Roth shares concerns about the open social web's ability to combat misinformation, spam, and other illegal content.
Enterprises prefer Anthropic’s AI models over anyone else’s, including OpenAI’s
Anthropic holds 32% of enterprise LLM market share by usage. This is a sharp reversal from just two years ago when OpenAI held 50%.
Female-founded semiconductor AI startup SixSense raises $8.5M
SixSense offers an AI-powered platform that helps chip makers prevent defects. It landed backing led by Peak XV’s Surge (formerly Sequoia India & SEA).
Figma’s stock soared in its highly anticipated IPO, market cap instantly hit $45B
There has been so much demand for this stock that people on X are posting funny pictures of their orders being fulfilled.
Apple plans to ‘significantly’ grow AI investments, Cook says
Apple is open to M&A to accelerate its AI strategy, and says it's made seven acquisitions this year so far.
Apple projects tariff costs will hit $1.1B next quarter
While sales growth suggests fear of tariffs helped fuel sales, Cook downplayed the “pull forward” effect, noting that consumers were more motivated by the “strength of the product.”
Handwave lends a hand to retailers with its European alternative to Amazon’s palm payments
Latvian startup Handwave aims to compete with Amazon palm payments by offering an independent alternative.
Apple has now sold 3 billion iPhones
The rate of iPhone sales growth has accelerated too. This uptick in sales might be temporary, though.
OpenAI to launch AI data center in Norway, its first in Europe
OpenAI said the new Norway-based data center comes as the European Union races to achieve AI sovereignty by investing in data center and compute power.
Quora’s Poe releases a developer API with access to a bouquet of AI models
Quora's Poe platform is releasing an API to let developers access more than 100 models across text, image, video, and voice.
The sequel to ‘The Social Network’ may have just found its lead actors
While the 2010 original film focused on Mark Zuckerberg's rise, “Social Network Part II” is said to draw from Jeff Horwitz's “The Facebook Files,” which exposed Facebook's harmful effects on teens...
Reddit revenue soars as it bets on AI and advertising
Reddit reported its Q2 earnings, and it’s clear that its focus on AI has ramped up significantly.
Design and development shop the Iconfactory is selling some apps — and AI is partially to blame
Side products can no longer be maintained, even if they have "loads of happy and loyal customers," as the Iconfactory's co-founder, Ged Maheux, says.
Google loses appeal over app store overhaul in Epic Games case
The court rejected Google’s argument that the trial judge made legal errors in the antitrust case that unfairly favored Epic Games.
Uber Eats now lets merchants message customers about their orders
With the new Live order chat feature, merchants can message with customers in real time to do things like confirm replacements for sold-out items, clarify special requests, and check on dietary or...
Google is experimenting with machine learning-powered age-estimation tech in the US
Google will use machine learning and user data to estimate age of users in the U.S.
Your public ChatGPT queries are getting indexed by Google and other search engines
Search engines are indexing links to ChatGPT conversations that have been made sharable with a link.
Iconiq’s Will Griffith explains how his firm celebrated Figma’s IPO and why investors sold shares
Will Griffith is a seed investor in Figma. Investors didn't want to sell millions of shares. He explains why they did it anyway.
The best dating apps aren’t even dating apps
With dating app fatigue rising, some people are finding love in unexpected places — the forums and sites they use to pass idle time online, as opposed to those dedicated to online dating.
TikTok merges its Core Product and Trust & Safety teams
As part of the changes, TikTok's head of Operations and Trust & Safety Adam Presser will become the general manager of TikTok USDS, a separate entity of TikTok that's tasked with safeguarding U.S....
Amazon CEO wants to put ads in your Alexa+ conversations
Andy Jassy's description of an AI-generated ad that Alexa+ delivers in a multistep conversation, which could help users find new products, is uncharted territory for Amazon and the broader tech industry.
Kleiner Perkins-backed Ambiq pops on IPO debut
The 15-year-old chipmaker saw its shares climb 61% above its IPO price by the close of its first trading day.
Figma’s IPO price hit a $19.3B valuation out of the gate
In what should be a surprise to no one, Figma priced its IPO shares above its already increased previously announced range.
GitHub Copilot crosses 20M all-time users
One of the most popular AI coding tools on the market added 5 million users in the last three months.
Zuckerberg says people without AI glasses will be at a disadvantage in the future
Mark Zuckerberg really believes AI glasses will be the ideal way to blend the physical and digital worlds together.
Aurora’s autonomous trucks are now driving at night. Its next big challenge is rain.
The company has also opened another facility in Phoenix as it scales driverless operations.
SpaceX faces two new lawsuits alleging safety‐related retaliation
The lawsuits offer a closer look at the safety environment at SpaceX.
Tiffany Luck on winning over VCs at TC All Stage
Join Tiffany Luck of NEA at TechCrunch All Stage as she unveils the art of pitching to venture capitalists. Register here to save up to $425.
Cursor launches a web app to manage AI coding agents
Cursor is launching a web app thats allow users to manage a network of AI coding agents via browser, on desktop and mobile.
Next-gen procurement platform Levelpath nabs $55M
The investment signals confidence in Levelpath's fast growth and its potential to disrupt a market dominated by legacy players.
Apple reportedly considers letting Anthropic and OpenAI power Siri
Apple is reportedly considering using AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic to power its updated Siri, rather than using in-house technology.
At TechCrunch All Stage, Charles Hudson will tell you what investors really see
Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures will join the TechCrunch All Stage lineup to share what investors really see in early-stage startups. Register now.
Legal software company Clio drops $1B on law data giant vLex
Clio, last valued at $3B, makes a bet on AI-powered legal data provider
Tesla sends driverless Model Y from factory to customer to promote its robotaxi tech
The car traveled around 15 miles on highways, surface streets, and even a roundabout. But many questions remain about the stunt.
Mexican drug cartel hacker spied on FBI official’s phone to track and kill informants, report says
The watchdog revealed the 2018 incident as part of an audit of the FBI's counter-surveillance efforts.
Google inks its first fusion power deal with Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Google will invest in Commonwealth Fusion Systems and buy 200 MW of electricity from its forthcoming power plant.
Sri Mandir keeps investors hooked as digital devotion grows
Founded in November 2020, AppsForBharat introduced Sri Mandir shortly after to serve Hindu devotees with online prayers and the ability to make offerings virtually to Indian temples.
Meta restructures its AI unit under ‘Superintelligence Labs’
Meta's AI efforts will now fall under a new unit called "Superintelligence Labs," which will be led by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang.
Best iPad apps for unleashing and exploring your creativity
If you have an iPad and want to start using it to unleash and express your creativity, there are a number of apps that can help you do so.
From $5 to financial empowerment: Why Stash co-founder Brandon Krieg is a must-see at TechCrunch All Stage 2025
Startup life is tough — funding rounds, team building, and managing finances can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. That’s exactly why
Spotify revamps its Discover Weekly playlist after 10 years
Spotify is making Discover Weekly more customizable by genre.
Tinder to require new users in California to use facial recognition tech to verify their profiles
Tinder is requiring new users in California to use facial recognition technology to verify their profiles.
US government takes down major North Korean ‘remote IT workers’ operation
US prosecutors indicated a total of 13 people involved in the fraudulent scheme to steal and launder money for North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
Congress might block state AI laws for 10 years — here’s what it means
A federal proposal that would ban states and local governments from regulating AI for 10 years could soon be signed into law, as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and other lawmakers work to secure its...
Jennifer Neundorfer on how AI is changing startup scaling at TC All Stage
Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures breaks down how AI has changed startup scaling at TechCrunch All Stage on July 15 in Boston. Register here to save.
Songscription launches an AI-powered ‘Shazam for sheet music’
This kind of product could be useful for a musician who records a song, then uploads it to get the sheet music -- that way, they can skip the step of having to manually transcribe their work.
Ex-Meta engineers have built an AI tool to plan every detail of your trip
Airial's instant trip function can quickly create a travel plan that includes flights, hotels, and transport across multiple cities and will generate a daily itinerary for you.
Tailor, a ‘headless’ ERP startup, raises $22M Series A
Tailor, a San Francisco- and Tokyo-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform, has raised $22 million in a Series A funding round.
Fintech Bolt progresses its turnaround by landing Klarna as a partner
Adding two big names as partners, Klarna and Palantir, is the kind of step that could help clean up Bolt’s reputation as it seeks to raise again.
Google embraces AI in the classroom with new Gemini tools for educators, chatbots for students, and more
Google will give teachers the ability to create interactive study guides using the AI research tool Notebook LM, along with their classroom materials.
Instagram now lets you share Spotify songs with sound to Stories
Instagram announced Monday it's finally adding the ability for users to listen to previews of songs they've shared from Spotify to Stories.
Netflix teams up with NASA to boost its live TV offering
Netflix and NASA announced a new partnership that will bring live space programming to the streaming service later this summer.
Tiny AI ERP startup Campfire is winning so many startups from NetSuite, Accel led a $35M Series A
Campfire was launched in 2023 to upend 1990s-era enterprise resource planning accounting software (ERP) like Netsuite with an LLM-powered alternative.
Why AI will eat McKinsey’s lunch — but not today
Navin Chaddha, managing director of the 55-year-old Silicon Valley venture firm Mayfield, is betting big on AI's ability to transform people-heavy industries like consulting, law, and accounting.
With ‘F1’, Apple finally has a theatrical hit
Looks like Apple has its first bona fide box office hit.
OpenAI reportedly ‘recalibrating’ compensation in response to Meta hires
With Meta successfully poaching a number of its senior researchers, an OpenAI executive reportedly reassured team members Saturday that company leadership has not “been standing idly by.”
Trump says he’s found a buyer for TikTok
A group of “very wealthy people” is set to buy short-form video app TikTok, according to President Donald Trump.
Space Forge raises $30M Series A to make chip materials in space
Space Forge, a U.K. startup headquartered in Cardiff, Wales, recently raised a £22.6 million (approximately $30 million) Series A to make wafer materials in space, where unique conditions unlock...
Google quietly released an app that lets you download and run AI models locally
Last week, Google quietly released an app, Google AI Edge Gallery, that lets users run a range of openly available AI models from the AI dev platform Hugging Face on their phones.
The conversations that count start in 5 days at TC Sessions: AI
5 days until TechCrunch Sessions: AI launches in UC Berkeley's Zellberbach Hall. June 5 will have real AI conversations on the main stage, breakouts, and more.
NAACP calls on Memphis officials to halt operations at xAI’s ‘dirty data center’
The NAACP is calling on local officials to halt operations at Colossus, the “supercomputer” facility operated by Elon Musk’s xAI in South Memphis.
Meta plans to automate many of its product risk assessments
An AI-powered system could soon take responsibility for evaluating the potential harms and privacy risks of up to 90% of updates made to Meta apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, according to...
TC Sessions: AI Trivia Countdown — Your next shot at winning big
TechCrunch Sessions: AI Countdown Trivia still going. Answer a few AI-focused questions, and you could win two tickets for just $200 total. Play now.
Left-leaning influencers embrace Bluesky without abandoning X, Pew says
Many big, left-leaning social media accounts have recently joined Bluesky — but a new analysis from the Pew Research Center attempts to quantify that shift.
Week in Review: Perplexity Labs wants to do your work
We've got a ton of stories for you this week, including a new AI-powered browser from Arc; not one but TWO hacks; Gemini email summaries; and much more.
Automattic says it will start contributing to WordPress again after pause
WordPress.com parent company Automattic is changing direction... again.
Last day to vote on the Disrupt 2025 agenda lineup
Audience Choice voting is open until 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. Vote for your favorite roundtable and breakout sessions. Vote now.
Last Week: Few exhibit tables left to claim at TC All Stage
Exhibit tables for TechCrunch All Stage — happening July 15 in Boston — are almost gone. Deadline is June 6. Reserve your table now.
Eight things we learned from WhatsApp vs. NSO Group spyware lawsuit
The landmark trial between WhatsApp and NSO Group unearthed several new revelations.
TechCrunch Mobility: A ride-sharing pioneer comes for Uber, Tesla loses more ground, and dog-like delivery robots land in Texas
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.
White House investigating how Trump’s chief of staff’s phone was hacked
Hackers reportedly accessed Wiles' phone contacts, which were used to impersonate her.
US imposes new rules to curb semiconductor design software sales to China
Siemens EDA, Cadence, and Synopsys have received notices from the U.S. Commerce Department about new export controls on chip design software to China.
Grocery platform Misfits Market acquires The Rounds to further its mission of reducing food waste
Misfits Market, the online platform that delivers imperfect groceries to help minimize waste, announced the acquisition of household restocking service The Rounds on Friday. Misfits Market, the...
X’s new DM feature, XChat, is rolling out in beta
XChat, a more advanced version of X's existing messaging system, is beginning to roll out to select users in beta.
TC Sessions: AI Trivia Countdown — Test your AI knowledge
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6 days left: Ready for some unfiltered AI truths at TC Sessions: AI?
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Yep, X was down again
People reported that photos weren't loading, its banking service XMoney wasn't working, and search wasn't returning any results, among other things.
Google fixes bug that led AI Overviews to say it’s now 2024
Google has fixed a bug that led AI Overviews to say it's 2024 when it was asked if this year is 2025.
Startups Weekly: AMD acquisition and other moves to scale AI startups
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups.
DOGE left United States Institute of Peace office with water damage, rats, and roaches
The chief executive of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) says Elon Musk's DOGE left the nonprofit's Washington, D.C., headquarters in disarray.
Report: Elon Musk’s drug use ramped up during the 2024 presidential campaign
Elon Musk increased his drug taking during the 2024 presidential campaign in which he donated around $270 million to help elect Donald Trump.
Gemini will now automatically summarize your long emails unless you opt out
Google is putting AI to work on your inbox, whether or not it's something you want to use.
Trump administration to claw back $3.7B in clean energy and manufacturing awards
Large corporations and growing startups were wrapped up in the latest move by the Trump administration to undo Biden-era contracts.
Elon Musk is lobbying lawmakers on driverless vehicle rules
Musk and others in his orbit have been calling members of Congress directly, according to Bloomberg.
It’s not your imagination: AI is speeding up the pace of change
Venture capitalist Mary Meeker just dropped a 340-page report to describe the speed at which AI is being developed, adopted, spent on, and used.
How a decade-old patent dispute could upend Uber’s business
Carma Technology has sued Uber for alleged patent infringement, a dispute that has been brewing for nearly a decade.
Wikipedia says it will use AI, but not to replace human volunteers
Wikipedia has revealed its new AI strategy for the next three years — and it doesn't involve replacing its community with AI, thankfully.
Visa and Mastercard unveil AI-powered shopping
Artificial intelligence is not just infiltrating the startup world. Now credit card giants Visa and Mastercard are getting into the AI game. Visa
Sam Altman’s World unveils a mobile verification device
Tools for Humanity, the startup behind the World human verification project, unveiled a mobile verification device and expanded to the US.
Amazon launches Nova Premier, its most capable AI model yet
Amazon has released what it claims is the most capable AI model in the company's growing Nova family, Nova Premier.
Duolingo launches 148 courses created with AI after sharing plans to replace contractors with AI
Duolingo is introducing 148 new language courses that were created with generative AI, the company announced on Wednesday. The launch comes as Duolingo
Apple notifies new victims of spyware attacks across the world
Two alleged victims came forward claiming they received a spyware notification from Apple.
Study accuses LM Arena of helping top AI labs game its benchmark
A new study accuses LM Arena, the organization behind the popular AI benchmark Chatbot Arena, of helping some AI companies game its leaderboard.
Pinterest launches new tools to fight AI slop
Pinterest says it's finally going to do something about the AI slop that's taken over its platform. After an increasing volume of complaints, the social
Threads tops 350M monthly users after adding 30M in the quarter
Instagram Threads, Meta's X competitor, has now grown to over 350 million monthly active users, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed during the company's Q1 2025
JetBrains releases Mellum, an ‘open’ AI coding model
JetBrains, the company behind a range of popular app development tools, has released its first 'open' AI model for coding, called Mellum.
UK retail giant Co-op warns of disruption as it battles cyberattack
The U.K. grocery and retail giant said the unspecified cyber incident is affecting its back office and call centers.
Epic Games just scored a major win against Apple
Epic Games has notched a win in an ongoing legal dispute with Apple, as a result of which Fortnite could return to the U.S. iOS App Store as early as next
Microsoft expects some AI capacity constraints this quarter
Despite cancelling some data center leases last quarter, Microsoft said it is currently seeing more demand for AI capacity than it planned.
Social Agent’s new app lets you book a photographer within 30 minutes
There’s an unspoken pressure nowadays to share all your special moments online, whether it be birthdays, graduations, or engagements. However, not Social Agent is a location-based app that...
Nuvo, a network for B2B trade, has nabbed $34M from Sequoia and Spark Capital
Nuvo, a company that has built a social-like platform to facilitate easier purchasing of physical goods between businesses, has raised a $34 million
Google’s Gemini chatbot gets upgraded image-creation tools
Google's Gemini chatbot app now lets you modify both AI-generated images and images uploaded from your phone or computer.
If you own Ray-Ban Meta glasses, you should double-check your privacy settings
Meta has updated the privacy policy for its AI glasses, Ray-Ban Meta, giving the tech giant more power over what data it can store and use to train its AI models.
Intel’s chief commercial officer and sales lead, Christoph Schell, resigns
Christoph Schell, Intel's EVP and chief commercial officer, is leaving the company after a two-year stint, according to a filing with the SEC.
Anthropic suggests tweaks to proposed US AI chip export controls
Anthropic is doubling down on its support for restricting the export of U.S.-made AI chips, but is also suggesting a few changes.
Help shape the All Stage agenda by voting
Vote for your favorite speaker and session to lead their roundtable at TechCrunch All Stage on July 15 in Boston. Vote now.
Meta forecasted it would make $1.4T in revenue from generative AI by 2035
Meta forecasts that its generative AI products will rake in $2 billion to $3 billion in revenue this year, and between $460 billion and $1.4 trillion by 2035, according to court documents.
Microsoft’s most capable new Phi 4 AI model rivals the performance of far larger systems
Microsoft has launched several new 'open' AI models, the most capable of which is competitive with OpenAI's o3-mini on at least one benchmark.
Side Event submission deadline on May 2 for Sessions: AI
Side Event application's deadline on May 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Connect with attendees of TechCrunch Sessions: AI and the Berkeley tech community. Apply here.
$210 discount and 50% off on the second for Sessions AI
5 days left to save up to $210 — plus 50% off your +1 — and get inside the minds of AI’s biggest voices at TechCrunch Sessions: AI. Offer ends May 4.
Amazon updates Q Business to let companies build public-facing chatbots
Amazon has updated Q Business to make it easier for AWS customers to build public-facing chatbots using the assistant.
Orb, a new app by Ookla’s ex-CEO, offers a broader picture of your internet connection
Since it launched nearly 20 years ago, Speedtest.net has been one of the most popular tools used to measure internet speeds. However, Doug Suttles, the
World partners with Tinder, Visa to bring its ID-verifying tech to more places
World, the biometric ID company best known for its eyeball-scanning Orb devices, has announced several partnerships aimed at driving sign-ups and demonstrating the applications of its technology.
Gruve.ai promises software-like margins for AI tech consulting, disrupting decades-old Industry
Companies of all sizes are recognizing the game-changing possibilities of AI. Despite the excitement about the new technology, most of their pilot
Rivian’s reportedly sitting on a stockpile of tariff-free batteries
Rivian built up a stockpile of batteries for its trucks, SUVs, and commercial vans before and after the election of Donald Trump, a strategy used to
API testing firm APIsec exposed customer data during security lapse
The API testing firm took down a database exposed to the internet without a password.
Manus launches paid subscription plans and a mobile app
Manus, the viral AI agent platform out of China, has launched paid subscription plans, a mobile app, and other upgrades.
Trump says TikTok deal will come before April 5 deadline
President Donald Trump has said that a deal with TikTok's parent company ByteDance to sell the app will be finalized before the April 5 deadline, Reuters
Construct Capital raises $300M fund for defense and manufacturing tech
Construct Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startups applying technology to sectors like manufacturing, transportation, and
Runway releases an impressive new video-generating AI model
AI startup Runway on Monday released what it claims is one of the highest-fidelity AI-powered video generators yet.
ChatGPT’s new image generator is really good at faking receipts
ChatGPT's new image generator is raising concerns for being really good at creating fake receipts.
Streaming service Plex rolls out a revamped mobile app
Streaming service Plex has rolled out a revamped mobile app. The company says that updates to its apps for TVs are next.
Some Alexa+ features reportedly won’t arrive for months
Amazon has delivered on its promise to launch an upgraded Alexa experience, Alexa+, in March. But the service reportedly lacks certain advertised features.
Temporal lands $146 million at a flat valuation, eyes agentic AI expansion
Seattle-based Temporal has made its name over the last several years in the world of microservices -- specifically providing a platform to orchestrate the
OpenAI’s new image generator is now available to all users
OpenAI's new image generator, powered by its GPT-4o model, is now available to all users, CEO Sam Altman said in a post on X. The feature was until now
Alphabet’s AI drug discovery platform Isomorphic Labs raises $600M from Thrive
Isomorphic Labs, the AI drug-discovery platform that was spun out of Google's DeepMind in 2021, has raised external capital for the first time. The $600
OpenAI disables video gen for certain Sora users as capacity challenges continue
OpenAI is still struggling to overcome the capacity issues brought on by the viral image generation feature the company launched in late March.
Amazon unveils Nova Act, an AI agent that can control a web browser
Amazon's Nova Act, a new AI model powering components of Alexa+, allows developers to build agentic applications.
Blue Origin prepping second New Glenn launch in ‘late spring’
Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin is preparing for a second launch of its New Glenn mega-rocket in "late spring," the company announced Monday. The
Oracle under fire for its handling of separate security incidents
Oracle has denied at least one breach, despite evidence to the contrary, as it begins notifying healthcare customers of a separate patient data breach.
Apple brings Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro
Apple announced on Monday that it's rolling out visionOS 2.4, bringing Apple Intelligence-powered AI features to the Apple Vision Pro. The update also
OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model in the coming months
OpenAI has announced that it intends to release its first 'open' language model since GPT‑2 sometime in 2025.
IPO-bound Chime hopes to boost growth by offering higher interest rates
As it gears up to go public, Chime is going all in on new features in an effort to attract more customers. The digital bank is offering customers who
Apple rolls out Priority Notifications as Apple Intelligence expands to EU
Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker's suite of AI-powered tools and features, is gaining new features. Most notably, the company on Monday announced that
EV truck maker Harbinger accuses Canoo of hiding assets in bankruptcy sale
Electric trucking company Harbinger has filed an objection to the sale of Canoo's assets to its CEO, potentially throwing a wrench into the two-month-old
Substack is rolling out a TikTok-like video feed in its app
Substack continues to double down on video amid TikTok's uncertain future in the U.S. The company announced on Monday that it's rolling out a scrollable
Signal sees its downloads double after scandal
Encrypted messaging app Signal continues to see spiking downloads in the wake of the messaging scandal that saw The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey
Hillary Clinton joins Bluesky
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has joined Bluesky, following in the footsteps of former president Barack Obama, who made his first post on the
Spark, Mayfield, and Kleiner Perkins pour another $75M into AI data center chipmaker Retym
Retym, a U.S. chipmaker with Israeli roots, has raised a fresh $75 million series D led by James Kuklinski of Spark Capital. Existing investors —
Last day to save $300+ on founder & investor passes for All Stage
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OpenAI raises $40B at $300B post-money valuation
OpenAI recently announced that it closed one of the largest private funding rounds in history, led by SoftBank.
“This isn’t ‘The Matrix’”
Last weekend, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, found himself at the center of a digital fiasco when he was unexpectedly added to a
Apple reportedly revamping Health app to add an AI coach
Apple is developing a new version of its Health app that includes an AI coach that can advise users on how to get healthier, according to Bloomberg’s Mark
China Miéville says we shouldn’t blame science fiction for its bad readers
It’s been 25 years since China Miéville stepped into the literary spotlight with his novel “Perdido Street Station.” Combining elements of science
Perplexity CEO denies having financial issues, says no IPO before 2028
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas recently took to Reddit to address users’ product complaints and reassure them that the company is not under serious
Apply to Speak at All Stage 2025
Apply to speak to founders and VCs at TechCrunch All Stage 2025 in a breakout or roundtable session. Deadline is April 18. Apply now.
Startup co-founded by longevity guru Peter Attia emerges from stealth
Biograph, a company co-founded by longevity guru Peter Attia and a prominent Silicon Valley VC, has emerged from stealth.
OpenAI plans to bring Sora’s video generator to ChatGPT
OpenAI intends to eventually integrate its AI video generation tool, Sora, directly into its popular consumer chatbot app, ChatGPT, company leaders said
Last week to apply to speak at Sessions: AI
Submit to speak for TechCrunch Sessions: AI by March 7 to shape and inspire the AI community. Sessions: AI is on June 5 in Berkeley, CA. Apply now.
Tesla applies for ride-hail permit in California — but there’s a catch
Tesla applied for a permit with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to operate a transportation service in the state — a required first step
Mozilla responds to backlash over new terms, saying it’s not using people’s data for AI
Mozilla has responded to user backlash over the Firefox web browser's new Terms of Use, which critics have called out for using overly broad language that
Disrupt 2025: Final 24 hours to save up to $1,130
Save up to $1,130 for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 passes before February 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Taking place October 27-29 in San Francisco. Register now.
Belgium investigating alleged cyberattack on intelligence agency by China-linked hackers
The hackers reportedly exploited a flaw in US cybersecurity firm Barracuda’s software to access VSSE's email server
Google Sheets gets a Gemini-powered upgrade to analyze data faster and create visuals
Google is giving Sheets a Gemini-powered upgrade that is designed to help users analyze data faster and turn spreadsheets into charts using AI. With this
General Catalyst is reportedly weighing a potential IPO
General Catalyst, the powerhouse venture firm, is considering an IPO, Axios reported Friday morning, citing "multiple sources." TechCrunch has reached out
Only 3 more days to save up to $325 at Sessions: AI
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The biggest data breaches of 2025 — so far
School student records. Federal government data. Health records and more. Expect an unprecedented year for data breaches.
Intel delays its Ohio chip factory to 2030
Intel's first Ohio chip fabrication plant may not open until 2030 at the earliest, according to a report in The Columbus Dispatch.
Good hype for fusion, bad buzz for YC
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here.
Sergey Brin says RTO is key to Google winning the AGI race
Google co-founder Sergey Brin sent a memo to employees this week urging them to return to the office "at least every weekday" in order to help the company
Bluesky-based Instagram alternative Flashes launches publicly
Instagram alternative Flashes publicly launched its Bluesky-based photo-sharing app on the App Store this week, gaining nearly 30,000 downloads in its
SymbyAI raises $2.1M seed to make science research easier
SymbyAI, a SaaS platform that uses AI to streamline scientific research, announced a $2.1 million seed round with participation from Drive Capital and
Microsoft hangs up on Skype: Service to shut down May 5, 2025
Microsoft is retiring Skype from active duty 14 years after acquiring it, with users given nine weeks to decide their next move.
Researchers uncover unknown Android flaws used to hack into a student’s phone
Amnesty International said that Google fixed previously unknown flaws in Android that allowed authorities to unlock phones using forensic tools. On
Alkami is buying fintech Mantl for $400M
Digital banking services provider Alkami Technology is acquiring Mantl, which has been described as “the Shopify of account opening,” for $400 million.
2025 Events Calendar
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OpenAI’s Sora is now available in the EU, UK
OpenAI is finally making its video generation model, Sora, available to users in the European Union, the U.K., Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and
Sequoia’s Roelof Botha warns ‘chumps’ not to buy into SPVs
Sequoia's Roelof Botha apparently sees another greed cycle brewing in venture capital where the least sophisticated investors could get hurt.
Meta is reportedly planning a stand-alone AI chatbot app
Meta plans to release a standalone app for its AI assistant, Meta AI, in a bid to better compete with AI-powered chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT.
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia takes wraps off his first assignment for DOGE
Almost two weeks after The New York Times reported that Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia had joined Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” Gebbia
SEC says meme coins are not securities
The Securities and Exchange Commission issued guidance on Thursday saying it does not view most meme coins, which are crypto tokens that originated from
Waymo has doubled its weekly robotaxi rides in less than a year
Waymo is logging more than 200,000 paid robotaxi rides every week, according to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who shared the stat about the tech giant's
Snowflake grows startup accelerator with $200M in new capital
Tech giant Snowflake on Thursday said that it'll expand its startup accelerator program with an additional $200 million commitment.
Meta fires around 20 employees for leaking confidential information
Meta has fired "roughly" 20 employees for leaking confidential information, The Verge reports.
Sam Altman: OpenAI has been on the ‘wrong side of history’ concerning open source
In a Reddit AMA, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that he believes OpenAI has been 'on the wrong side of history' concerning its open source approach.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is trying to duck a deposition in an OpenAI copyright lawsuit
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is trying to avoid being deposed in a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI, according to new court filings. In response, lawyers
India pledges fresh billion for startups
India announced a new $1.15 billion Fund of Funds for startups on Saturday while unveiling sweeping regulatory reforms and an ambitious nuclear energy
OpenAI launches o3-mini, its latest ‘reasoning’ model
OpenAI has launched a new 'reasoning' AI model, o3-mini, the successor to the AI startup's o1 family of reasoning models.
CFPB fines fintech Wise, alleging it charged deceptive fees
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has hit U.K.-based remittance company Wise with about a $2 million fine for what it described as “a series
WeDoSolar pivots to B2B after stake acquired by Chinese solar giant
Last year wind and solar energy overtook fossil fuels to provide 30% of the EU’s electricity. With that in the background, startups in the solar space
Backed by Mayo Clinic, Nutrix’s hardware monitors worker stress
Stress isn’t just bad for you — it’s also bad for your employer. Factoring in absenteeism, diminished productivity, turnover, medical costs, and
Apple will pay $20M to settle Watch battery swelling suit, ‘denies wrongdoing’
Apple has agreed to pay $20 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit over battery swelling on the Apple Watch. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Swiss tax authority forced to buy Bahamas domain name after URL typo
What do you do if a web address you printed on a physical flyer contains a typo, and you send that flyer to more than 100,000 households? Well, if you're
Meta turns to solar — again — in its data center-building boom
The announcement comes as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg maintains the company’s ambitious AI strategy, which will require hefty capital investments in data centers.
Guo’s Conviction Partners adds Mike Vernal as GP, raises $230M fund
When in mid-2022 Sarah Guo left Greylock to launch her own AI-focused fund, Conviction Partners, she indicated that she was tagging the word “Partners” to
US nonprofit healthcare provider says hacker stole medical and personal data of 1M+ patients
Community Health Center (CHC), a Connecticut-based nonprofit healthcare provider, has confirmed that a hacker accessed the sensitive data of more than a
This investor wants you to sign an NDA to build Legos together
Investor, former GitHub CEO, and all-around Tech Guy™ Nat Friedman has posted a strangely enticing offer on X. His post reads, "Need volunteers to come to
Disrupt 2025: Last 24 hours for 2-for-1 Pass
Today is the last day to get two passes for the price of one to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, taking place in San Francisco from October 27-29. Register here.
Autonomous vehicle testing in California dropped 50%. Here’s why.
Tech companies developing self-driving vehicle technology have tapped the brakes on testing on California's public roads, according to new data from the
AI startup Perplexity sued for alleged trademark infringement
Perplexity, a startup building AI-powered search tools, has been sued in federal court for allegedly violating another company's trademark.
MLCommons and Hugging Face team up to release massive speech dataset for AI research
The nonprofit AI safety org MLCommons has teamed up with Hugging Face to release a public domain dataset of speech recordings.
Stablecoins are finding product-market fit in emerging markets
The rise of stablecoins — now a $205 billion market — is driven by real-world utility, particularly in emerging markets where the most compelling use cases unfold.
Apple Intelligence will support more languages starting in April
Apple's AI suite, Apple Intelligence, will soon be available in French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese,
Tata Technologies says ransomware attack hit IT assets, investigation ongoing
India's Tata Technologies has disclosed a ransomware attack affecting its IT assets.
Elon Musk is reportedly taking control of the inner workings of US government agencies
People working for, or with, Elon Musk are reportedly taking over the inner workings of multiple government agencies, including the Office of Personnel
‘Hundreds’ of companies are blocking DeepSeek over China data risks
Some companies are blocking DeepSeek over concerns their data will end up with the Chinese government.
Mistral board member and a16z VC Anjney Midha says DeepSeek won’t stop AI’s GPU hunger
Midha says R1 won't stop AI from spending billions.It means they will do more with the compute power they can obtain.
Microsoft is forming a new unit to study AI’s impacts
Microsoft says that it's creating a new unit to will help it understand the implications of AI the company hopes to build.
Custom feed builder Graze is building a business on Bluesky, and investors are paying attention
A startup called Graze, which lets you build your own feeds for the Bluesky social network, has caught investors' attention. In addition to offering tools
Sam Altman’s ousting from OpenAI has entered the cultural zeitgeist
The lights dimmed as five actors took their places around a table on a makeshift stage in a New York City art gallery turned theater for the night. Wine
OpenAI used this subreddit to test AI persuasion
OpenAI used the subreddit, r/ChangeMyView, to create a test for measuring the persuasive abilities of its AI reasoning models. The company revealed this
A brief history of mass hacks
Hackers are increasingly abusing bugs in popular enterprise software to target big companies in mass-hacking campaigns
WhatsApp says it disrupted a hacking campaign targeting journalists with Paragon spyware
The Meta-owned company said the campaign was linked to Israeli spyware maker Paragon.
Tech services firm WWT acquires Canadian IT provider Softchoice in all-cash deal
IT tech services firm World Wide Technology has agreed to acquire Canadian IT provider Softchoice in all-cash deal.
US telco Lumen says its network is now clear of China’s Salt Typhoon hackers
Lumen says there is 'no evidence' that customer data was accessed during the intrusion
After ups and downs, food delivery startup Epicery closes shop
French food delivery startup Epicery will cease operations Tuesday, after one last holiday season hurrah for its clients and the local food businesses
A Waymo robotaxi and a Serve delivery robot collided in Los Angeles
On December 27, a Waymo robotaxi and a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery robot collided at a Los Angeles intersection, according to a video that’s
These were the badly handled data breaches of 2024
Blaming victims, months of silence, and suing security researchers all featured in cybersecurity in 2024.
India again delays rules to break PhonePe-Google Pay duopoly
India has once again pushed back a contentious plan to limit major technology companies' control of the nation's digital payments system, extending a
Elon Musk’s promises for Tesla in 2024, from robotaxis to Optimus bots
Elon Musk had an eventful 2024, what with his hard push into right-wing politics and leveraging his X social media platform and considerable influence to
Elon Musk’s pro-Trump critics claim they’re being censored on X
Conservative activists claim X is censoring them for being critical of its owner, Elon Musk.
New Year’s cybersecurity resolutions that every startup should keep
These simple cybersecurity resolutions can help keep your startup protected from most malicious hackers.
A look back on my favorite episodes of TechCrunch’s Found podcast
TechCrunch's Found podcast, which has brought listeners the stories behind the startups since April 2022, released its final episode today. I've been one
The online moments that defined 2024
Ah, 2024: the year we debated how to pronounce “hawk tuah,” pondered the health benefits of eating rocks, and held space for a Broadway showstopper. It
Judge allows California’s ban on addictive feeds for minors to go into effect
A federal judge has allowed California's ban on addictive feeds for minors to go into effect beginning January 1.
Will Smith eating spaghetti and other weird AI benchmarks that took off in 2024
Weird AI benchmarks like Will Smith eating spaghetti, Pictionary, and Minecraft blew up in 2024. But why, exactly?
WhatsApp permitted to expand WhatsApp Pay to all users in India
India has removed restrictions on WhatsApp's payments service in a significant victory for Meta in its largest market by users as the social media giant India has permitted WhatsApp Pay rollout to...
ChatGPT: A 2024 timeline of updates to OpenAI’s text-generating chatbot
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022. What started as a tool to supercharge
A comprehensive archive of 2024 tech layoffs
After a rough 2023, the tech layoff wave continued through 2024. Following significant workforce reductions in 2022 and 2023, 2024 saw more than 150,000
Investigation exposes pedophilia in the child-influencer industry
A New York Times investigation found that dozens of potential pedophiles have prolifically exploited the child influencer industry.
Blue Origin looks to take on SpaceX dominance with New Glenn launch days away
Nearly a quarter century after its founding, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is gearing up to launch an orbital rocket for the first time — and finally enter the
Backed by a16z and QED, Brazilian startup Carecode puts AI agents to work on healthcare
AI holds huge promise for healthcare, but not just on the medical side; many startups are convinced machine learning-based systems can do a lot of good on
Bench to be acquired after abruptly shutting down
Bench, the VC-backed accounting startup that left thousands of customers locked out of their accounts after it suddenly shut down last week, will be
Nonprofit group joins Elon Musk’s effort to block OpenAI’s for-profit transition
Encode, a nonprofit AI safety org, has requested permission to file an amicus brief in support of Elon Musk's injunction to halt OpenAI's transition to a for-profit.
Volkswagen leak exposed precise location data on thousands of vehicles across Europe for months
The data was found exposed on an Amazon cloud server, and contained precise location data on thousands of vehicles.
From AI agents to enterprise budgets, 20 VCs share their predictions on enterprise tech in 2025
Many VCs think 2025 will be the year we actually see enterprise adoption of AI — but VCs said that about 2024.
UK antitrust watchdog launches review of IBM’s HashiCorp takeover
The U.K.'s antitrust watchdog has opened an investigation into whether IBM's planned acquisition of HashiCorp would affect competition.
ByteDance appears to be skirting US restrictions to buy Nvidia chips: Report
ByteDance has been a big buyer of Nvidia chips, with no signs of slowing down, and has skirted restrictions by storing them outside of China.
Gupshup investor cuts value of its stake again, implying new valuation of $486M
Asset management firm Fidelity slashed the estimated worth of its stake in business messaging platform Gupshup by another 7.7% last month, lowering the
Nvidia completes acquisition of AI infrastructure startup Run:ai
Nvidia has completed its acquisition of Run:ai, an Israeli startup that helps manage and optimize AI hardware infrastructure.
US Treasury says China accessed government documents in ‘major’ cyberattack
Treasury officials attributed the December theft of unclassified documents to China.
This MagSafe iPhone wallet doubles as a stand and offers Find My functionality
For a number of years now, Moft has offered some of the most innovative gadget accessories. They’re always interesting, if not necessarily useful. This
Samsung pays $181M to become largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics
Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday that it has become the largest shareholder of South Korea-based robotics maker Rainbow Robotics, increasing its stake
Will people really pay $200 a month for OpenAI’s new chatbot?
OpenAI has released a pricey new chatbot. At $200, it's the most expensive in its category. So, will people pay for it?
Black Friday hits a record $74.4B in sales online, up 5% on last year
The momentum of Thanksgiving — which saw consumers spend a record $33.6 billion globally online on the day — looks like it continued into Black Friday,
Bluesky promises more verification and an ‘aggressive’ approach to impersonation
As more celebrities and popular influencers join Bluesky, the fast-growing social media service has been facing more concerns around impersonation and
Elon Musk files for injunction to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit
Counsel for billionaire Elon Musk have filed for an injunction against OpenAI, seeking to prevent the company from transitioning to a for-profit.
Climate VCs are cautiously optimistic about a second Trump term — here’s why
While the Trump administration isn't exactly climate friendly, many VCs that invest in climate tech still see silver linings.
Why Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy is backing Skarper to make any bike an e-bike
Sir Chris Hoy might not seem an obvious candidate to throw his weight behind the burgeoning electric bike movement.
Joco almost died at launch. Now, it’s a lifeline for e-bike delivery riders — and a profitable business
On a September morning in 2024, two Jonathan Cohens — one from the Rockaways in Queens, the other from London — stood in an empty 15,000-square-foot
Indoor climbing tracking startup, Lizcore, sharpens its focus on safety as it pulls in pre-seed
Indoor climbing is a tricky sport to track. That's why Spanish startup Lizcore caught TechCrunch's eye at MWC earlier this year. The team
Canadian news companies sue OpenAI
A group of Canadian news and media companies filed a lawsuit Friday against OpenAI, alleging that the ChatGPT maker has infringed their copyrights and
ASL Aspire wants to gamify STEM education for deaf kids
Poor literacy skills have plagued the deaf and hard of hearing community for decades. The median literacy rates of deaf high school graduates have
Sequoia nears first India deal since regional split
Sequoia is closing in on making its first deal in India and the broader Asia Pacific region since its split with former partners, according to four Sequoia is closing in on making its first deal...
X could introduce labels for parody accounts, but enforcement might be tricky
X is filled with accounts that mimic real-life public figures, ranging from politicians to sports professionals and artists. While some accounts mention
Thanksgiving 2024: $33.6B spent online, 72% of that on mobile, says Salesforce
Thanksgiving weekend has long been seen as the traditional start of the most important sales period for retailers, and so far, the indication is that
As Cohere and Writer mine the ‘Live AI’ arena, Pathway joins the pack with a $10M round
As large enterprises grapple with how to incorporate AI into their platforms and processes, they have encountered a problem: Generative AI needs to have
Study of ChatGPT citations makes dismal reading for publishers
As more publishers cut content licensing deals with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, a study put out this week by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism -- looking at
Meta plans to build a $10B subsea cable spanning the world, sources say
Meta, the parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is the second-biggest driver of internet usage globally. Its properties — and their billions of
As the year draws to a close, startups don’t pause
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here.
North Korean hackers have stolen billions in crypto by posing as VCs, recruiters and IT workers
Security researchers say North Korean hackers have infiltrated hundreds of organizations with the goal of taking money and stealing data to further the regime's nuclear weapons program.
Financial inclusion drives African fintech M-KOPA to $400M in ARR
M-KOPA is on track for $400M in revenue this year, having raised over $300M from investors, and extended $1.5B in credit to customers.
From pond scum to premium skincare? Deep Blue BioTech is all in on blue-green algae to make better chemicals
Decarbonizing our economies in the race to fight climate change demands a wholesale overhauling of all sorts of production processes to make them as
Linkup connects LLMs with premium content sources (legally)
If you’ve used ChatGPT Search or Perplexity, you know that being able to search the web and see citations inline greatly improves these AI chatbots.
Reddit looks to the UK, India, Brazil, and the Philippines to spur international growth
Reddit is concentrating on international markets such as the U.K., India, Brazil, and the Philippines to bolster its user base.
French court blocks popular porn site… subdomain
When the Paris Court of Appeal recently blocked four porn sites in France for not having a proper age verification system, the two online child protection
Australia approves law banning social media for users under 16
In a step likely to be tracked around the world, Australia has approved legislation that will ban the use of social media for children under 16. The bill
Intenty nudges you to provide a reason every time you unlock your phone
Intentional phone usage is a tricky habit to develop. Operating systems like iOS and Android, along with social media networks like
Akhetonics gets fresh funding for a contrarian bet on all-optical chips
Photonics -- a field that underpins light-based systems for manipulating data -- has a bright future, as the rise of AI demands better computing
EU ends Amazon state aid case with no back taxes in its basket
Amazon can finally close the book on a long-running state aid saga in the European Union. The Commission confirmed Thursday it has shuttered an
Why AI agent startup /dev/agents commanded a massive $56M seed round at a $500M valuation
/dev/agents, a new company by the developers of Android, believes a new operating system is needed to fully realize the potential of AI agents.
Zomato raises $1B in first major fundraise since 2021 listing
Indian food delivery app Zomato has raised $1 billion from institutional investors, completing its first major fundraise since its 2021 IPO. The food Weeks following rival Swiggy's listing, Zomato...
Google Chat now has its own take on Slack’s Huddles
Google Chat is rolling out instant voice meetings — similar to Slack's Huddles — that let you quickly switch to a voice or video call from within a chat.
HongShan, spun out of Sequoia last year, is reportedly struggling to invest its huge war chest
According to the Financial Times, HongShan, the Chinese investment firm spun off from Sequoia Capital in 2023, is aggressively expanding into Europe and
Microsoft and a16z set aside differences, join hands in plea against AI regulation
Two of the biggest forces in two deeply intertwined tech ecosystems — large incumbents and startups — have taken a break from counting their money to
Sequoia-backed Knowde raises Series C at a valuation cut
Chemical marketplace Knowde has raised a $60 million Series C round that values it lower than its 2021 Series B.
Bending Spoons acquires file transfer service WeTransfer
Bending Spoons said that it will continue reserving 30% of WeTransfer’s advertising space to give back campaigns and editorial content.
Moxxie Ventures, led by ex-Twitter media head, raises $95M third fund
The fundraising environment is challenging for emerging managers, defined as VC firms raising their first through third time. But Katie Jacobs Stanton, a
Canva acquires Leonardo.ai to boost its generative AI efforts
Canva has acquired Leonardo.ai, a generative AI art content and research startup, for an undisclosed amount.
Applied Intuition closes $300M secondary four months after raising $250M
Autonomous vehicle software startup Applied Intuition has closed a $300 million secondary sale just four months after raising a $250 million Series E
Too many models
How many AI models is too many? It depends on how you look at it, but 10 a week is probably a bit much. That's roughly how many we've seen roll out in the
To benefit all, diverse voices must take part in leading the growth and regulation of AI
As AI’s presence in our lives increases, so does the number of diverse founders leveraging it to develop positive, socially impactful services and products.
Turn headwinds into opportunity in 2024
Entrepreneurship is all about taking risks. It means innovating without fear of failure, stepping into the unknown, and pursuing ambitious ideas.
It’s critical to protect equity investments in minority businesses from activist organizations
Angel investors and investment groups that fund BIPOC entrepreneurs must remain committed to keeping vital early-stage capital flowing.
How web3 can have a 2024 comeback
To survive, web3 startups must expand their buyer base to brand-new markets that showcase a greater willingness to spend, invest and innovate.
Will 2024 (finally) be the year of the autonomous vehicle?
Safety remains the paramount metric for autonomous vehicle deployment, yet there has to be industry consensus on how to adequately measure a robotic or human driver's safety.
Siri needs to get a lot smarter, and quickly
Siri seems to be lagging the competition in the voice assistant department by a country mile.
The goal of a startup is to cease existing
The whole point of a startup is to build something enduring.
Crypto optimism in the age of the doomer
In the wake of centralized “crypto-in-name-only” financial collapses, 2023 bore out a recommitment to advancing sustainable decentralized networks.
A provocative role for technologists in product innovation
Instead of forcing a technology onto a product, the design process flows to the technologies. In this way, the technology becomes a natural solution.
Against pseudanthropy
We must take steps to keep artificial intelligence systems from behaving as if they are living, thinking peers to humans.
Startups aren’t doing as badly as you might think
A deep dive into the data from startup accounting firm Kruze Consulting shows that startups that can keep an eye on the fundamentals are in pretty decent shape.
a16z will give literally any politician money if they help deregulate tech
Venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz has announced its intent to begin lobbying the U.S. government, and their plan is as tone-deaf and obtuse as
EV sales are thriving. Here’s how the US can stay in the race
Jon McNeill, founder of venture studio DvX and vice chair of the Cruise board, weighs in on where the U.S. stands in the EV revolution.
System of intelligence — generative AI at the app layer
As generative AI shapes the next generation of application products, we can expect even more sweeping evolution.
Keep your business model simple
It appears that the allure of complex pricing models and business strategies often proves too tempting to resist.
How come founders don’t give a crap about sustainability?
If you care about equity, sustainability, parental leave — pick your poison — you have a chance to make a difference.
Fighting against AI makes me wonder what it means to be human
Art, psychology, theology and philosophy have all struggled with that question for as long as we’ve had conscious thought.
To find success as a woman founder, embrace your scrappy side
There is a wealth of information on the internet about fundraising for startups, but the existing playbooks need to be updated for women.
How to leverage military experience to become a successful entrepreneur
Veterans already possess many of the skills and attributes needed to be a successful entrepreneur — including having courage.
Veteran to visionary: What I learned in the Marines about being a fintech founder
According to the SBA, veterans are roughly 45% more likely to form their own business compared to people who haven’t served in the military.
AI robotics’ ‘GPT moment’ is near
Building AI-powered robots that can learn how to interact with the physical world will enhance all forms of repetitive work.
With the power of AI, you can be mediocre, too
The heady, futuristic world of artificial intelligence brings us a new promise: The ability to be perfectly average.
Startups learn the hard way that relying on OpenAI’s tech can burn them
A recent update to OpenAI’s ChatGPT that allows users to upload PDFs and ask questions about them has sent ripples through the startup ecosystem.
Before you found a startup, think about your personal goals
If you're looking to make a significant difference in the world, your startup could be the vehicle that drives that change.
Your startup should solve an impossibly hard problem
Startups that tackle challenging problems are the ones that stand out, create value and, ultimately, succeed.
The urgent call for innovation and investment in maternal health
Women’s health remains one of the most underfunded, under-researched, and underserved areas of investment and study.
Spam is about to get even more terrible
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, it's becoming more adept at generating human-like text.