24 C 
Mandiants founder just raised $190M for his autonomous AI agent security startup
Mandia, who sold his previous company Mandiant to Google for $5.4 billion in 2022, has launched an agentic security startup.
ChatGPT can now create interactive visuals to help you understand math and science concepts
On Tuesday, OpenAI introduced dynamic visual explanations, a new ChatGPT feature that allows users to see how formulas, variables, and mathematical relationships change in real time. Instead of just reading an explanation or looking at a static diagram, users can now interact directly with interactive visuals. For example, when exploring the Pythagorean theorem, you can []
U.S. military contractor likely built iPhone hacking tools used by Russian spies in Ukraine
Google found a series of hacking tools they said were used by a Russian espionage group and a cybercriminal group in China. Sources from a U.S. government defense contractor said some of those hacking tools were theirs.
Pokmon Pokopia is even better than Animal Crossing: New Horizons
While Animal Crossing is pure escapism, Pokopia gives you the sensation of actually rehabilitating a broken world.
AgentMail raises $6M to build an email service for AI agents
AgentMail provides an API platform that lets you give AI agents their own email inboxes, with support for two-way conversations, parsing, threading, labeling, searching, and replying.
Thinking MachinesLab inksmassive compute deal with Nvidia
The multi-year deal involves at least a gigawatt of compute power and also includes a strategic investment from Nvidia.
Legora reaches $5.55 billion valuation as AI legal tech boom endures
Legora, an AI platform for lawyers, is now valued at $5.55 billion following a $550 million Series D led by Accel to fuel its growth in the U.S.
Meta acquired Moltbook, the AI agent social network that went viral because of fake posts
Meta says that Moltbook's approach to connecting agents through an always-on-directory is novel.
YouTube expands AI deepfake detection for politicians, government officials, and journalists
YouTube's AI deepfake detection tool is becoming available to politicians, journalists, and officials, letting them flag unauthorized likenesses for removal.
Adobe is debuting an AI assistant for Photoshop
Adobe is also adding new AI-powered image editing features to Firefly.
This SpaceX veteran says the next big thing in space is satellites that return to Earth
The company's first demonstration mission is expected in early 2027.
Zoom introduces an AI-powered office suite, says AI avatars for meetings arrive this month
Zoom is also introducing a real-time deepfake detection tech for meetings
Google rolls out new Gemini capabilities to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive
The idea behind the new features is to make the apps more personal and capable to help users get things done faster, right within the platforms themselves.
Hyperscale Power is the latest startup to challenge 140-year-old transformer tech
Startup Hyperscale Power is developing technology that promises to shrink power transformers, freeing up precious space within data centers.
AI network startup Eridu emerges from stealth with hefty $200M Series A
Unlike a vibe-coded product built by a college dropout, Eridu's co-founder, Drew Perkins, has been inventing networking tech since the dawn of the internet.
Whoop launches a new blood test focused on womens health
The wearable maker is launching a new panel focused on women's health through its Whoop Labs blood testing service. It's also adding a new feature to its app that surfaces information about hormonal changes during menstrual cycles.
Uzbekistans Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in seven months to $2.3B
Uzum now reaches 20 million users and processes $11B in payments as it expands its e-commerce and fintech ecosystem across Uzbekistan.
Apple now makes one in four iPhones in India: report
Apple reportedly produced 55 million units in India last year, a shift accelerated as Apple faced growing uncertainty in China.
Yann LeCuns AMI Labs raises $1.03 billion to build world models
AMI Labs, the new venture cofounded by Turing Prize winner Yann LeCun after he left Meta, has raised $1.03 billion at a $3.5 billion pre-money valuation.
An iPhone-hacking toolkit used by Russian spies likely came from U.S military contractor
Google found a series of hacking tools they said were used by a Russian espionage group and a cybercriminal group in China. Sources from a U.S. government defense contractor said some of those hacking tools were theirs.
Electric air taxi maker Archer hits back at Joby in countersuit alleging concealed Chinese ties
Archer's countersuit comes four months after Joby sued its rival for alleged 'corporate espionage.'
Founders Fund nears $6B close for latest growth fund, sources say
The fresh fundraise comes less than a year after Founders Fund closed its third growth fund, a $4.6 billion vehicle intended primarily for follow-on investments in its successful late-stage companies.
OpenAI and Google employees rush to Anthropics defense in DOD lawsuit
More than 30 OpenAI and Google DeepMind employees signed onto a statement supporting Anthropic's lawsuit against the Defense Department after the agency labeled the AI firm a supply-chain risk, according to court filings.
Anthropic launches code review tool to check flood of AI-generated code
Anthropic launched Code Review in Claude Code, a multi-agent system that automatically analyzes AI-generated code, flags logic errors, and helps enterprise developers manage the growing volume of code produced with AI.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber steps down
Bluesky's board will search for a replacement while Graber becomes Chief Innovation Officer.
It looks like the DOJ isnt going to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster
The DOJ and Live Nation agreed to a tentative settlement, but dozens of State Attorneys General don't want to drop the lawsuit.
Slate Auto changes CEO months ahead of affordable EV launch
Former Amazon Marketplace vice president Peter Faricy is the new person in charge of the company.
Xprize founder Peter Diamandis launches new contest to manifest a new Star Trek
The famed author and investor has launched the Future Vision Xprize with sponsors like Google, Marc Benioff, Ben Horowitz, to fund optimistic sci-fi films.
Qualcomms partnership with Neura Robotics is just the beginning
Neura Robotics is going to build new robots on top of Qualcomm's new IQ10 processors that were released at CES.
Russian government hackers targeting Signal and WhatsApp users, Dutch spies warn
Dutch intelligence is accusing Russia-backed hackers of running a large-scale global hacking campaign against Signal and WhatsApp users.
Zoox starts mapping Dallas and Phoenix for its robotaxis
It's a precursor to launching robotaxis in those cities, though the Amazon-owned company is still waiting for federal approval to commercially operate its purpose-built AV.
The 2027 Chevy Bolt is the McRib of the automotive world
TechCrunch drove the 2027 Chevy Bolt and found that incremental improvements build on a solid basic recipe to deliver an affordable EV.
Flipkart moves its headquarters back to India ahead of IPO
Flipkart's headquarters shift comes as the Walmart-backed e-commerce giant reaches about $30 billion in GMV.
The facial recognition question is where things get more tangled.
Palmer Luckeys retro gaming startup ModRetro reportedly seeks funding at $1B valuation
The company launched its first product, a Game Boy-style handheld device called the Chromatic, in 2024.
Will the Pentagons Anthropic controversy scare startups away from defense work?
On the latest episode of TechCrunchs Equity podcast, we discussed what the controversy means for other startups seeking to work with the federal government.
Owner of ICE detention facility sees big opportunity in AI man camps
AI data center developers are increasingly relying on a style of camp popularized as housing for men working in remote oil fields.
TechCrunch Mobility: Rivians R2 gambit
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for all things future of transportation.
Google just gave Sundar Pichai a $692M pay package
Most of it is tied to performance, including new stock incentives linked to Waymo and Wing, its drone delivery venture.
Grammarlys expert review is just missing the actual experts
A recently-added feature in Grammarly purports to improve users writing with help from the world's great writers and thinkers and some tech journalists, too.
OpenAI robotics lead Caitlin Kalinowski quits in response to Pentagon deal
Hardware executive Caitlin Kalinowski announced today that in response to OpenAI's controversial agreement with the Department of Defense, shes resigned from her role leading the company's robotics team.
PopSockets founder David Barnett talks about building a viral business
David Barnett, founder of PopSocket, stops by Equity to talk about scaling the business and what he's learned as a leader.
OpenAI delays ChatGPTs adult mode again
The feature, which will give verified adult users access to erotica and other adult content, had already been delayed from December.
