AGTech

YouTube is working to make ad slots less interruptive | TechCrunch YouTube is making changes to mid roll ads to improve the experience for viewers while also helping creators potentially earn more.

YouTube is working to make ad slots less interruptive

Automattic-owned Beeper is releasing redesigned desktop and iOS apps | TechCrunch WordPress.com owner Automattic last year acquired the multi-service messaging app Beeper for $125 million and said it would merge it with Texts.com, an

Automattic-owned Beeper is releasing redesigned desktop and iOS apps

Anthropic reportedly ups its next funding round to $3.5B | TechCrunch AI startup Anthropic is reportedly finalizing a funding round that would value the company at $61.5 billion.

Anthropic reportedly ups its next funding round to $3.5B

Startup Battlefield 200 applications are open | TechCrunch TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 applications are now open for early-stage startups to compete at Disrupt 2025 from October 27-29. Apply now.

The startup battle begins now: TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 applications are open

The lesson of Larry Ellison's misadventures in farming | TechCrunch Larry Ellison’s leap into farming with his company, Sensei Farms, serves up a classic reminder: being a genius in one arena doesn’t mean success in

The lesson of Larry Ellison’s misadventures in farming

Electric aircraft founder Kyle Clark threw out the Silicon Valley playbook | TechCrunch On a cool morning last November, 800 people gathered before sunrise in a South Burlington hangar to witness the maiden flight of Beta Technologies’ first

Electric aircraft founder Kyle Clark threw out the Silicon Valley playbook

This mental health chatbot aims to fill the counseling gap at understaffed schools | TechCrunch As school districts struggle to support the mental health of their students, a startup called Sonar Mental Health has built a “wellbeing companion” called

This mental health chatbot aims to fill the counseling gap at understaffed schools

Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk | TechCrunch It appears that xAI's chatbot, Grok 3, briefly censored certain unflattering mentions of Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk

Did xAI lie about Grok 3's benchmarks? | TechCrunch OpenAI researchers accused xAI about publishing misleading Grok 3 benchmarks. The truth is a little more nuanced.

Did xAI lie about Grok 3’s benchmarks?

The fallout from HP’s Humane acquisition  | TechCrunch Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re looking at the internal chaos surrounding HP’s $116 million acquisition of AI Pin maker Humane; Mira

The fallout from HP’s Humane acquisition 

Court filings show Meta staffers discussed using copyrighted content for AI training | TechCrunch Court filings suggest that Meta staffers discussed using copyrighted materials to train Meta's AI models, including models in its Llama family.

Court filings show Meta staffers discussed using copyrighted content for AI training

Apple pulls iCloud end-to-end encryption feature for UK users after government demanded backdoor | TechCrunch In an unprecedented step, Apple caved to a reported U.K. government’s demand to prevent users from using end-to-end encryption in iCloud.

Apple pulls iCloud end-to-end encryption feature for UK users after government demanded backdoor

3 reasons every founder and VC should be at All Stage 2025 | TechCrunch Join 1,200 founders to exchange ideas and meet the right VC to fuel your next big move at TechCrunch All Stage 2025 (formerly Early Stage) on July 15 at SoWa Power Station in Boston.

Three reasons every founder and VC should be at TechCrunch All Stage 2025

OpenAI rolls out its AI agent, Operator, in several countries | TechCrunch OpenAI said on Friday that it is rolling out Operator, its so-called AI agent that can perform tasks on behalf of users, for ChatGPT Pro subscribers in

OpenAI rolls out its AI agent, Operator, in several countries

Rivian will launch hands-off highway driver assist 'in a few weeks' | TechCrunch Rivian said Thursday it plans to launch a hands-off version of its driver assistance system for highway driving "in a few weeks," and an "eyes-off"

Rivian will launch hands-off highway driver assist ‘in a few weeks’

Arize AI hopes it has first-mover advantage in AI observability | TechCrunch Arize helps companies test and evaluate AI products as they are building them and observe them for errors once they are live.

Arize AI hopes it has first-mover advantage in AI observability

Exclusive: After raising $1 billion, fintech Varo closes another $29 million, replaces founder CEO Fintech Varo has been hoping to raise a $55 million Series G round but has, so far, closed on $29 million to date, according to a recent SEC filing. Varo

After raising $1 billion, fintech Varo closes another $29 million, replaces founder CEO

US Army soldier pleads guilty to AT&T and Verizon hacks | TechCrunch Cameron John Wagenius pleaded guilty to hacking AT&T and Verizon and stealing a massive trove of phone records from the companies, according to court

US Army soldier pleads guilty to AT&T and Verizon hacks

Bumble sunsets acquired apps, Fruitz and Official, to cut costs | TechCrunch Bumble is discontinuing its two acquired apps, the dating and relationship apps Fruitz and Official. The move was shared during the company’s Bumble is shutting down Fruitz and Official, the company...

Bumble sunsets acquired apps, Fruitz and Official, to cut costs

Kuda and CEO face allegations of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal from former executive, per filing | TechCrunch An employment tribunal case has placed Kuda, one of Africa’s fastest-growing digital banks, under scrutiny over allegations of workplace discrimination and wrongful dismissal.

Kuda and CEO face allegations of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal from former executive, per filing

Pokémon Go maker Niantic is reportedly selling its games division | TechCrunch Niantic, the company behind the popular augmented reality game Pokémon Go, is looking to sell its game development business, Bloomberg reported.

Pokémon Go maker Niantic is reportedly selling its games division

Meta announces LlamaCon, its first generative AI dev conference | TechCrunch Meta on Tuesday announced that it'll host its first-ever dev conference dedicated to generative AI.

Meta announces LlamaCon, its first generative AI dev conference

X doubles its Premium+ plan prices after xAI releases Grok 3 | TechCrunch Hours after Elon Musk's AI company, xAI released the latest version of its AI model, Grok 3, X has significantly hiked the price for its top Premium+

X doubles its Premium+ plan prices after xAI releases Grok 3

Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, releases its latest flagship model, Grok 3 | TechCrunch Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, released its latest flagship AI model, Grok 3, on Monday, along with new capabilities in the Grok app for iOS and the web.

Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, releases its latest flagship model, Grok 3

What the US' first major AI copyright ruling might mean for IP law | TechCrunch Copyright claims against AI companies just got a potential boost. A U.S. federal judge last week handed down a summary judgment in a case brought by tech

What the US’ first major AI copyright ruling might mean for IP law

Can sim drivers make the shift to F1? Max Verstappen thinks so | TechCrunch Motorsports have long been a pay-to-play arena, with young drivers spending thousands of dollars just to get started in karting. Four-time Formula One

Can sim drivers make the shift to F1? Max Verstappen thinks so

These researchers used NPR Sunday Puzzle questions to benchmark AI 'reasoning' models | TechCrunch Researchers used questions from the NPR Sunday Puzzle challenge to build a benchmark to test AI 'reasoning' models.

These researchers used NPR Sunday Puzzle questions to benchmark AI ‘reasoning’ models

OpenAI tries to 'uncensor' ChatGPT | TechCrunch OpenAI is changing how it trains AI models to explicitly embrace "intellectual freedom … no matter how challenging or controversial a topic may be," the

OpenAI tries to ‘uncensor’ ChatGPT

Death of OpenAI whistleblower deemed suicide in new autopsy report | TechCrunch Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI employee, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26; on Friday, the city’s medical examiner ruled his death

Death of OpenAI whistleblower deemed suicide in new autopsy report

North Carolina Amazon workers vote against unionizing | TechCrunch Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Garner, North Carolina voted against unionizing in election results announced today. According to Carolina Amazonians

North Carolina Amazon workers vote against unionizing