NYT’s Wordle becomes TV game show
The New York Times is betting that the Wordle craze isn’t over yet. On Monday, the Times announced that the hit mobile word game will be turned into a game show that will be televised on NBC. “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie will host the affair, with The Times and “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon […]
There is a shortage of rockets for space data centers. Cowboy Space raised $275 million to build them.
With an apparently insatiable demand for AI computing, data center entrepreneurs are excited about the future. I have an important issue. There aren’t enough rockets to put data centers in Earth orbit, and rockets are too expensive. Most officials are hopeful that SpaceX’s Starship, scheduled for its 12th test flight as early as this weekend, […]
Discord launches Nitro Rewards, giving subscribers access to the base level of Xbox Game Pass at no additional cost
Discord announced Nitro Rewards on Monday. This will give Nitro subscribers access to other gaming and lifestyle brand offers at no additional charge. Now, Nitro is offering upgrades to Discord, including more profile customization options, HD streaming, and the ability to upload files up to 500MB. Subscription is optional as you can easily use the […]
Venmo’s biggest transformation in years comes at a very interesting time
Venmo is rolling out a major redesign over the next few months that aims to make the app more useful, social, and easier to navigate. This is the peer-to-peer payment app’s biggest shake-up since 2021. The timing is notable. PayPal, which owns Venmo, is undergoing a reorganization to spin off Venmo as a separate business […]
Antropic claims AI’s ‘evil’ portrayal was the cause of Claude’s blackmail attempt
According to Anthropic, fictional depictions of artificial intelligence can have real-world effects on AI models. The company announced last year that during pre-release testing involving fictitious companies, Claude Opus 4 often attempted to blackmail engineers to avoid being replaced with another system. Anthropic later published research suggesting that other companies’ models had similar issues with […]
Uber has always wanted to be more than just rides. I have a reason to hurry now
For years, Uber has been talking about becoming a super app. Then Waymo started picking up passengers in San Francisco, and the conversation became more urgent. The company is trying to embed itself in the AV industry as a data provider, investor and distribution platform, but its consumer bets may be just as important. Two […]
TechCrunch Mobility: Lime’s IPO Gambling
Welcome to TechCrunch Mobility. A hub for learning about the future of transportation and how AI is playing a role now more than ever. To receive this in your inbox, sign up for free here. Just click on TechCrunch Mobility. After years of tips and preparations, Uber-backed electric bike and scooter rental startup Lime has […]
We’re feeling cynical about xAI’s big deal with Anthropic
Anthropic and xAI this week announced a major partnership in which Anthropic will purchase all of the computing power at xAI’s Colossus 1 data center in Tennessee. On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and I discussed what this deal means for xAI’s parent company, SpaceX, as it prepares to […]
What is the hottest place for startups to sign deals? The F1 paddock
Sipping a cold drink in the Florida heat, this TechCrunch reporter watched from the paddock as founders, investors and wealthy individuals interacted in search of deals. Conversation was almost uninterrupted, except for occasional glances at the track as drivers chased the checkered flag while trapped in multimillion-dollar cars. F1 weekends are held over three days, […]
Voice AI in India is difficult. Wispr Flow is betting on it anyway.
Indian internet users already rely heavily on voice notes, voice search, and multilingual messaging. However, converting these habits into scalable AI businesses remains difficult due to the country’s language complexity, mixed language use, and uneven monetization patterns. Wispr Flow is betting that this opportunity is worth taking on. The Bay Area-based startup, which develops AI-powered […]