Official announcement: Department of Defense has classified Anthropic as a supply chain risk
The Department of Defense (DOD) has formally notified Anthropic leadership that the company and its products have been designated as supply chain risks, Bloomberg reported, citing a senior Department of Defense (DOD) official. The designation came after weeks of conflict between the AI Institute and the Department of Defense. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has refused […]
OpenAI launches GPT-5.4 with Pro and Thinking versions
On Thursday, OpenAI released GPT-5.4. This is a new foundation model that is being touted as “the most capable and efficient frontier model for professional work.” In addition to the standard version, GPT-5.4 is also available as an inference model (GPT-5.4 Thinking) or a model optimized for high performance (GPT-5.4 Pro). The API version of […]
Meta Inc. files suit over privacy concerns over AI smart glasses after employees review nude, sex and other footage
Meta is facing a new lawsuit over its AI smart glasses and their lack of privacy after an investigation by a Swedish newspaper found that employees of a Kenyan-based subcontractor were reviewing footage of customers’ glasses. It included sensitive content such as nudity, sex, and using the toilet. Meta claimed it blurred faces in the […]
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei may still be trying to strike a deal with the Pentagon
Anthropic’s $200 million contract with the Department of Defense (DOD) collapsed last week after the parties could not agree on the extent to which the military would have unrestricted access to Anthropic’s AI. The military’s relationship with Anthropic seemed to be coming to an end when the Pentagon struck a deal with OpenAI instead, but […]
Oura acquires Doublepoint, a startup specializing in gesture recognition technology
Oura announced Thursday that it has acquired Doublepoint, a startup specializing in technology that combines artificial intelligence and biometric data to allow users to control wearables with simple, natural movements. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. This move paves the way for the company to incorporate these controls into its Smart Ring. “Doublepoint’s […]
Netflix acquires Ben Affleck’s AI film production company InterPositive
Netflix announced Thursday morning that it will acquire Interpositive, a film production technology company founded by actor Ben Affleck in 2022. This acquisition is consistent with Netflix’s approach to the use of generative AI in filmmaking. The company already uses generative AI for special effects on some of its original content, and has assured investors […]
Science Corp. raises $230 million to bring brain implant to market
While most of the venture world is chasing AI deals, Max Hodak, co-founder and former president of Neuralink, is working on a startup that claims to be the first brain-computer interface company to bring a product to market. Such claims did not go unnoticed. Hodak startup Science Corporation announced Wednesday morning that it has raised […]
Rivian is betting its future on the fastest EV launch in U.S. history
Rivian plans to launch the earliest new all-electric vehicle in the U.S. with the upcoming R2 SUV, according to a company statement and a TechCrunch analysis of historical sales data. If Rivian is successful, it would be a strong start for a product that founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said “might be the most important […]
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI’s message about military agreement a ‘blatant lie,’ report says
Anthropic co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei isn’t happy with OpenAI head Sam Altman (perhaps predictably). In a memo to staff reported by The Information, Amodei called OpenAI’s deal with the Department of Defense “safety theater.” “The main reason is [OpenAI] accepted [the DoD’s deal] But what we did not see was that they cared about […]
Google settles with Epic Games, lowers Play Store fees to 20%
Google is moving forward with a series of changes to the Play Store, settling a years-long legal battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games over anti-competitive concerns. The tech giant announced Wednesday that it will reduce Play Store fees on in-app purchases to 20%, with an additional 5% added if app developers choose to use Google’s […]
