OpenAI wants its conversational AI agent ChatGPT everywhere, and that includes classrooms — despite the immense potential for misuse and confusion there. Taking the bull by the horns, the company has proposed a few ways for teachers to put the system to use… outside its usual role as “research assistant” for procrastinating students. The chatbot […]
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Threads’ web launch did little to bring in more users, new data suggests
Instagram Threads users had been clamoring for a fully functional web version of the Meta-owned Twitter alternative since the app’s July debut. But last week’s release of the anticipated web app on August 22nd appears to have little significant impact on Threads’ usage, new data indicates. In the U.S., Threads’ website traffic jumped up by […]
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Savor the complete SaaS Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
Software as a service (SaaS) is an ever-evolving industry, especially now with AI changing the software landscape yet again. It’s why we dedicated a day and a stage to the topic at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023. We teased some of the programming a few weeks back, and today we’re excited to announce that the SaaS Stage […]
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A ‘people-first’ view of the AI economy
We have customized our 'people-first' framework to apply to AI companies and are using it to guide our investment decisions.
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Instagram is internally testing the ability to create Reels up to 10 minutes long
Instagram is internally testing the ability to create Reels that are up to 10 minutes in length, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday. The social media giant says it is not testing the capability externally. The feature was first uncovered by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who shared screenshots of the internal prototype on X. […]
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ChatGPT-maker OpenAI accused of string of data protection breaches in GDPR complaint filed by privacy researcher
Questions about ChatGPT-maker OpenAI’s ability to comply with European privacy rules are in the frame again after a detailed complaint was filed with the Polish data protection authority yesterday. The complaint, which TechCrunch has reviewed, alleges the US based AI giant is in breach of the bloc’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — across...
NHTSA raises more concerns about Tesla’s Autopilot safety
Once again, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is requesting more information from Tesla regarding the safety of Autopilot. In a special order dated July 26, the regulator shared concerns about a change to Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system that allows drivers to use the system for extended periods of time without prompting...
Starfish Space pulls Otter Pup servicing vehicle back from “the brink of death”
Against all odds, Starfish Space has managed to pull its first orbital mission back from the brink of catastrophe, with the startup saying Tuesday that it has re-gained control over the Otter Pup spacecraft that had been rapidly tumbling through space. The Kent, Washington-based startup said it will now move ahead with an “extensive checkout” […]
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Meta shut down a disinformation campaign tied to Chinese law enforcement
A massive social media disinformation campaign linked to Chinese law enforcement is no more, according to Meta. In its latest report on what Facebook and Instagram’s parent company calls “coordinated inauthentic behavior” — usually covert state-sponsored social media campaigns designed to shape public opinion — Meta detailed the discovery of a huge...
Meta avatars are finally getting legs (in beta)
It’s time to beta test Meta’s greatest technological innovation since the News Feed: legs. Now on Meta Quest headsets, you can download an update that lets you walk on two feet, just like our ancient ancestor, the Ardipithecus ramidus, an early hominid that achieved bipedality 4.4 million years ago. Now, it comes full circle. When […]
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Announcing the complete AI Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
AI — the tech that’s everywhere and touching everything — keeps evolving at a pace that’s surprising even in an industry where change is just about the only constant. It’s complicated, unregulated, thrilling and unnerving all at once. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, we’re dedicating a day and a stage to this galloping industry — and […]
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As appeals court rules in favor of Grayscale, a bitcoin spot ETF could be on the horizon
The ruling is in response to Grayscale’s lawsuit against the SEC, which denied the firm’s application to convert its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust into an ETF.
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FBI operation tricked thousands of computers infected by Qakbot into uninstalling the malware
A U.S. government operation has dismantled the infrastructure of the notorious Qakbot malware, which officials say caused “hundreds of millions” of dollars of damage worldwide. In an announcement on Tuesday, the FBI said that it had successfully “disrupted and dismantled” the Qakbot malware, and had identified more than 700,000 infected computers...
Amazon increases its free shipping minimum to $35 for non-Prime members in some regions
Amazon is increasing its free shipping minimum to $35 for customers who don’t have a Prime membership in some regions, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. Up until now, the free shipping minimum was $25. Amazon says it’s testing the new free shipping threshold randomly by zip code-grouped regions and that everyone in the same region will...
Devolut leverages e-commerce growth in Latin America to develop reverse logistics tool
With the explosion of e-commerce during the global pandemic, companies not only had to adopt Amazon-like shipping skills, but also how to coordinate and manage returns.
In Latin America, the reverse logistics process “is a mess,” according to Agustin Shutte, founder and CEO...
Reliance’s financial services unit to offer insurance, merchant lending
Jio Financial Services, the financial services unit of Mukesh Ambani-run Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, plans to expand to merchant lending and insurance, Ambani said at Reliance’s annual general meeting in a speech that is likely to have a repercussions for countless...
Reliance appoints Ambani’s children to board, wife resigns
Reliance Industries said Monday it has appointed the three children of billionaire Mukesh Ambani — Isha Ambani, Akash Ambani and Anant Ambani — to its board, the latest in the succession plan at the country’s largest company, which operates the nation’s largest telecom operator and retail chain.
Nita, Ambani’s wife, has resigned from the board, said...
After Threads, Bluesky also adds a way to see your own likes
Bluesky introduced a bunch of updates on Friday to its mobile apps and website including a new tab to see your own likes, notification support for apps, and an emoji picker for the web composer.
Earlier this month, Bluesky’s rival Threads added a new tab in settings, called...
Tesla’s China rival Xpeng buys ride hailing giant Didi’s smart EV assets for $744M
Chinese electric vehicle upstart Xpeng is acquiring the smart EV assets of ride hailing giant Didi for $744 million, marking another significant alliance that the Tesla challenger has struck in recent months.
In an announcement on Monday, Didi said the duo is forming a strategic partnership to “promote the global application of smart electric vehicles...
The battery business is booming and Zeekr kicks off it IPO roadshow
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Never express your ‘use of funds’ slide as percentages
When investors look at a startup slide deck, they are looking for something very specific. Yes, they want to know if the team is great and the market is huge and the problem is worth solving and the solution makes sense. Of course. But another thing they are looking for is whether...
Looking for your next book? These 9 authors have reading recommendations for you
What’s the hardest part of reading? More often than not, it’s picking a good book. “L’embarras du choix,” as we say in French: Presented with infinite options, it becomes very hard to make a decision. That’s why recommendations are so helpful.
And who’s best placed to recommend books than people who, you know, write books? With this in mind, TechCrunch+...
Better.com’s public market debut was Miserable.com
Welcome back to The Interchange, where we take a look at the hottest fintech news of the previous week. Better.com finally went public last week, and the stock’s performance was worse than expected. Affirm, on the other hand, saw its shares get a boost on the back of a...
A Brazilian phone spyware was hacked and victims’ devices ‘deleted’ from server
A Portuguese-language spyware called WebDetetive has been used to compromise more than 76,000 Android phones in recent years across South America, largely in Brazil. WebDetetive is also the latest phone spyware company in recent months to have been hacked.
In an undated note...
Yes, in my backyard
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Can startups help solve the U.S. housing crisis? BuildCasa thinks so. It raised a $3.5 million round of pre-seed funding to let California homeowners...
The mugshot that launched a thousand memes
Memes can happen in the blink of an eye, like a Jeopardy! contestant who accidentally makes a sexual innuendo under the pressure of stage lights, or a kid who randomly gets interviewed on a playground and professes his undying love for America’s most plentiful crop, corn.
But...
How founders raised money so far in 2023
Welcome to Startups Weekly. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday.
This week, DocSend dropped a big load of statistics about the VC activity over the past half year or so. For TC+, I did a deep dive into the trends that are starting to show up. Subscribe for the...
