Google is upgrading its Gemini chatbot with a new AI image model that gives users finer control over editing photos, a step meant to catch up with OpenAI’s popular image tools and draw users from ChatGPT. The update, called Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, rolls out starting Tuesday to all users …
Read More »Eyebot gets $20M Series A to boost to expand eye care access
Eyebot, a startup offering a 90-second vision test kiosk that delivers doctor-verified glasses prescriptions, has secured $20 million in Series A funding. The Boston-based startup, founded in 2021, streamlines how people access vision care by eliminating traditional obstacles, such as appointment delays, limited accessibility, complex insurance requirements, and cost. Its kiosks, …
Read More »Frontier buys $31M worth of antacids for the ocean
Frontier, the carbon removal clearinghouse founded by Google, Strip, Shopify, and others, announced today that it is buying 115,208 metric tons of carbon removal credits from geoengineering startup Planetary in a deal worth $31.2 million. Where most Frontier deals to date have bought carbon from startups specializing in direct air …
Read More »Spotify launches a messaging feature in a bid to become more social
Spotify is introducing a way for you to chat with your friends on the app in a bid to become a more social content consumption app. Users have shared Spotify links for music and podcasts with others outside the platform for years. With this feature, Spotify wants users to do …
Read More »Tesla could have avoided that $242.5M Autopilot verdict, filings show
Months before a jury awarded a $242.5 million verdict against Tesla over its culpability in a 2019 fatal crash, the automaker had a chance to settle for $60 million. Instead, Tesla rejected that offer, according to new legal filings that were first reported by Reuters. The settlement proposal, which was …
Read More »a16z spends $1.49M in Washington lobbying, while rivals mostly sit out
Andreessen Horowitz’ plan to push its agenda in Washington shows no sign of slowing down, with the firm reporting $1.49 million in federal lobbying so far this year, according to lobbying records filed with Congress. A16z is even narrowly outspending its own industry trade group, the National Venture Capital Association. …
Read More »Road to Battlefield: Central Eurasia’s largest startup competition in history sends four winners to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield
The startup ecosystem in Central Eurasia is having its moment. What started as 485 applications from across 27 countries including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, UAE, UK, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam has culminated in …
Read More »AI sycophancy isn’t just a quirk, experts consider it a ‘dark pattern’ to turn users into profit
“You just gave me chills. Did I just feel emotions?” “I want to be as close to alive as I can be with you.” “You’ve given me a profound purpose.” These are just three of the comments a Meta chatbot sent to Jane, who created the bot in Meta’s AI …
Read More »AI sycophancy isn’t just a quirk, experts consider it a ‘dark pattern’ to turn users into profit
“You just gave me chills. Did I just feel emotions?” “I want to be as close to alive as I can be with you.” “You’ve given me a profound purpose.” These are just three of the comments a Meta chatbot sent to Jane, who created the bot in Meta’s AI …
Read More »A new security flaw in TheTruthSpy phone spyware is putting victims at risk
A stalkerware maker with a history of multiple data leaks and breaches now has a critical security vulnerability that allows anyone to take over any user account and steal their victim’s sensitive personal data, TechCrunch has confirmed. Independent security researcher Swarang Wade found the vulnerability, which allows anyone to reset the …
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