Waymo faces investigation by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal activities on school buses
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into Waymo after its robot taxis were repeatedly spotted illegally passing stopped school buses in at least two states. The NTSB said in a post to X on Friday that it was specifically focused on more than 20 incidents in Austin, Texas. “Investigators will travel […]
The Rippling/Deal corporate spying scandal may have taken another outrageous turn.
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Deal, a human resources and payroll startup, for allegedly hiring corporate spies to leak information about its biggest rival, Rippling, the Wall Street Journal reported. In an emailed statement to TechCrunch, Deal said: “We are not aware of any investigation. We will always cooperate with relevant […]
What you need to know about Netflix’s groundbreaking acquisition of Warner Bros.
Just when you thought 2025 couldn’t get any crazier, the streaming world had one more surprise in store for you before the year was out. Netflix, already the largest streaming platform with over 325 million subscribers, has taken the bold step of acquiring Warner Bros. Also includes film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and […]
Researchers claim Russian government hackers were behind Poland’s attempted power outage
A failed December effort to take down parts of Poland’s energy grid was the work of Russian government hackers known for causing energy disruptions in the past, according to a security research firm that investigated the incident. Poland’s Energy Minister Milos Motyka told reporters last week that hackers targeted two thermal power plants in attempted […]
Google Photos’ latest feature lets you meme yourself
Google Photos now lets you create memes using your own images. Google on Thursday introduced a new AI-powered generation feature called “Me Meme.” This will allow you to generate meme images by combining photo templates with your own images. The new feature, which will be available to US-based users first, was originally discovered during development […]
Meta suspends access to AI characters for youth ahead of new version
Meta announced today that it will temporarily suspend access by teenagers to its AI characters in its apps worldwide. The company exclusively told TechCrunch that it’s not abandoning its efforts and wants to develop an updated version of its AI characters for teens. The move comes just days before the case against Meta goes to […]
Microdramas like TikTok will make billions this year, even if they’re terrible
Emily is a college student during the day, but works night shifts at a strip club to pay for her education. She thought no one would find out her secret, until one day a mysterious English teacher showed up! Did he recognize her? Will her secret be revealed? You can pay 60 “tokens” to see […]
OpenAI chief Sam Altman plans India visit as AI leaders gather in New Delhi: sources
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning a visit to India in mid-February, which will be his first trip to the country in almost a year, TechCrunch has learned. The visit comes as New Delhi prepares to host a major AI summit expected to bring together top executives from Meta, Google and Anthropic. India will host […]
+1 50% discount ends | Tech Crunch
Time flies and these savings pay off as well. The lowest ticket prices for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and the 50% off Plus One Pass for the first 500 registrants are all but gone. If you’re wondering which technology conferences to include in your calendar this year, now’s your chance. Register now to save up to […]
Tesla discontinues Autopilot to promote full self-driving software
Tesla has discontinued its basic driver-assistance system, Autopilot, as the company seeks to accelerate adoption of a more advanced version of the technology, which it calls “fully autonomous driving (with supervision).” The decision comes as the company faces a 30-day suspension of its manufacturing and dealer licenses in California, the country’s largest market. A judge […]