Uber will now pick up returns at your doorstep
Uber on Friday launched a new feature that lets customers return purchased items without leaving their homes. The new returns feature, accessible through the Uber Eats app, is Uber’s latest effort to add flair to its app by offering services beyond its core ride-hailing and delivery business. The new service has limitations and, of course, […]
Anthropic launches Claude Design, a new product for creating rapid visuals
Anthropic on Friday announced the launch of Claude Design, a new experimental product that allows users to use Claude to create visuals such as prototypes, slides, and one-sheet materials. The company says Claude Design aims to make it easier for founders, product managers, and other people without design experience to share ideas. With Claude Design, […]
The US Espionage Act is about to expire, and lawmakers are divided over protecting Americans from warrantless surveillance.
A long-standing law that allows U.S. intelligence agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of foreign communications without the need for search warrants is set to expire next week, but lawmakers are at an impasse over whether to allow the Trump administration to extend it without changes. The law, known as Section 702 of the […]
Bluesky confirms DDoS attack is causing persistent app outages
BlueSky’s website and app remained out of service on Friday, with Chief Operating Officer Rose Wang blaming it on an ongoing cyberattack. On Thursday night, the social media company acknowledged that the issue was caused by an “advanced distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.” The attack originally began on April 15 at approximately 8:40 p.m. […]
Netflix plans to add vertical video feed and use AI for recommendations
Netflix will launch a TikTok-like vertical video feed within its app this month, and plans to use AI extensively to create and recommend content, the company announced Thursday. Netflix has been testing vertical video feeds since last year. The short video feature could help users find video podcasts along with current shows and movies. The […]
SaySo is a new short video app that aims to restore user trust in news
Many users are drawn to social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to get the latest news. But more and more people are complaining that misinformation and AI are cluttering their feeds. Concerns about trust are also growing, especially in light of lawsuits against Meta Inc. related to harm to young people and concerns […]
New leader, new fund: Sequoia raises $7 billion to expand AI investments
Few venture firms are betting as aggressively on AI as Sequoia Capital, and they’re not slowing down. The Silicon Valley heavyweight has raised about $7 billion for the new fund, according to Bloomberg. Sequoia declined TechCrunch’s request for comment. The funding will go toward what the company calls its “expansion strategy,” a late-stage investment arm […]
Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings resigns from board of directors
Reed Hastings, co-founder and chairman of Netflix, will retire from the company’s board when his term expires this summer. In a letter to shareholders, the company said Hastings was stepping down to focus on “philanthropy and other activities.” The resignation was revealed in the company’s first quarter earnings report released Thursday. Hastings will officially retire […]
Hot robotics startup Physical Intelligence says its new robot brain can understand tasks it hasn’t been taught
Physical Intelligence, a two-year-old San Francisco-based robotics startup that has quietly become one of the Bay Area’s hottest AI companies, announced new research Thursday showing that its latest model can force robots to perform tasks for which they have not been explicitly trained. The company’s researchers say this feature caught the robots off guard. The […]
Ramp competitor Slash, founded by teenagers, raises $100 million at $1.4 billion valuation
Slash Financial, which provides business bank accounts, business credit cards, money transfers, and cryptocurrencies, has raised a $100 million Series C round from a number of A-list investors at a valuation of $1.4 billion, the company announced. Fintech-focused Ribbit Capital, Khosla and Goodwater Capital led the round. Returning investors NEA and Y Combinator also invested. […]