Tag Archives: TechCrunch

Defense tech Theseus landed Y Combinator, the US Special Forces and $4.3M from a tweet

On February 18, 2024, Ian Laffey posted on X that he and two others he’d just met built a cheap drone at a hackathon that calculated its coordinates simply by using its camera and Google Maps. He and his colleagues, … Continue reading

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Ramp is trying to get the US government as a customer after seeing a tweet from DOGE

Expense management startup Ramp is being considered for a charge card pilot program by the U.S. government’s General Services Administration, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. The government’s internal expense card program, dubbed SmartPay, is a $700 billion program. … Continue reading

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OpenAI launches Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks

In a bid to more aggressively compete with rival AI companies like Google, OpenAI is launching Flex processing, an API option that provides lower AI model usage prices in exchange for slower response times and “occasional resource unavailability.” Flex processing, … Continue reading

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Carbon removal startup Holocene bought by oil and gas giant Occidental

The deal was executed through Oxy Low Carbon Ventures for an undisclosed amount.

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As the trade war escalates, Hence launches an AI ‘advisor’ to help companies manage risk

President Donald Trump’s tariffs have underscored the increasing geopolitical risk that almost all businesses now face. As the situation continues to shift with Trump’s unpredictable deal-making, it’s also becoming clear how challenging it is for companies, nonprofits, consultants, and lawyers … Continue reading

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Chinese shopping app Taobao joins DHgate in Top 5 on US App Store

The Chinese e-commerce marketplace app DHgate, which is now the No. 2 free iPhone app in the U.S., isn’t the only one that’s oddly benefiting from President Trump’s tariffs on U.S. imports from China. Another Chinese shopping app, Taobao, has … Continue reading

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Google’s latest AI model report lacks key safety details, experts say

On Thursday, weeks after launching its most powerful AI model yet, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google published a technical report showing the results of its internal safety evaluations. However, the report is light on the details, experts say, making it difficult … Continue reading

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Automakers selling cars in China banned from using ‘autonomous driving’ in ads

China is cracking down on how automakers advertise driver assistance features, banning terms like “autonomous driving,” “self-driving,” and “smart driving,” Reuters reported, citing a transcript of a meeting between the government and industry representatives. The updated rule will also prohibit … Continue reading

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Florida draft law mandating encryption backdoors for social media accounts billed ‘dangerous and dumb’

A digital rights group blasted the Florida bill, but lawmakers voted to advanced the draft law.

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Instagram’s new Blend feature creates a custom reels feed for you and your friends

Instagram on Thursday announced that it’s rolling out Blend, a new feature that lets you create a custom, personalized reels feed for you and your friends. Blends are invite-only and can be created with a singular friend or with a … Continue reading

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