Having built and sold e-commerce shipping startup Deliverr to Shopify for $2.1 billion in 2022, co-founder and CEO Harish Abbott knows the logistics industry well. Abbott felt that many manual tasks in logistics could be automated using AI. That’s why last year he launched Augment which offers an AI assistant …
Read More »Fashion retailers partner to offer personalized AI styling tool ‘Ella’
The luxury membership platform Vivrelle, which allows customers to rent high-end goods, announced Thursday the launch of an AI personal styling tool called Ella as part of its partnership with fashion retailers Revolve and FWRD. The launch is an example of how the fashion industry is leveraging AI technology to …
Read More »X’s encrypted DM feature, XChat, is rolling out more broadly
X’s long-awaited encrypted DMs feature, XChat, is becoming more widely available. Though the feature shipped in beta in May, XChat is now accessible for more users, including those who do not subscribe to X Premium. Separate from the existing DM inbox, XChat is end-to-end encrypted. The chat system supports media …
Read More »OpenAI announces AI-powered hiring platform to take on LinkedIn
OpenAI says it’s developing an AI-powered hiring platform to connect businesses and employees, a service that would put the outfit in close competition with LinkedIn. The product is called the OpenAI Jobs Platform, and the company expects to launch the service by mid-2026, an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch. OpenAI CEO …
Read More »Nepal blocks Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X over rule breach, amid censorship concerns
Nepal has ordered internet service providers to block access to major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, after the companies failed to comply with local registration rules — drawing criticism from media rights groups and raising concerns over censorship and free expression. On Thursday, Nepal’s Ministry of …
Read More »Waymo cleared to offer robotaxi rides at San Jose airport
Waymo has been cleared to serve its first airpot in California: San Jose Mineta International. The company announced Thursday that it will start testing its robotaxis there in the coming months, and that it plans to start offering commercial rides by the end of the year. The company has spent …
Read More »Captions rebrands as Mirage, expands beyond creator tools to AI video research
Captions, an AI-powered video creation and editing app for content creators that has secured over $100 million in venture capital to date at a valuation of $500 million, is rebranding to Mirage, the company announced on Thursday. The new name reflects the company’s broader ambitions to become an AI research …
Read More »GE Aerospace to invest $300M in Beta Technologies to pair up on hybrid-electric power
GE Aerospace is taking a sizable stake in electric aviation company Beta Technologies, with the pair teaming up to build a hybrid-electric turbogenerator for next-gen aircraft. GE will also invest $300 million, pending regulatory approval, under a strategic deal announced Thursday. The new partnership comes as hybrid solutions gain momentum …
Read More »Roelof Botha of Sequoia Capital is coming to Disrupt 2025
We’re excited to announce that Roelof Botha, Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital and one of the most influential voices in venture capital, will join us live onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, home of the 20th anniversary celebration of TechCrunch, October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. For more than …
Read More »iPhone 17, the ‘thinnest iPhone ever,’ and everything else we’re expecting out of Apple’s hardware event
Apple is hosting its new hardware event on September 9 at 10 a.m. PT. The company is expected to release its iPhone 17 lineup, along with updates for the Apple Watch and AirPods. As always, there are many rumors circulating, including bigger screens and improved cameras for the iPhone 17 …
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