AI Startups
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Understand the AI startups, products, funding rounds, and market shifts people are talking about.
AI NewsThe hottest AI wearables and gadgets you should know about
TechCrunch has compiled a roundup of prominent AI wearables and gadgets, including Muse Charm, Bee, Friend, and Plaud. The list reflects growing interest in putting AI into devices people can wear or carry, rather than accessing it only through phones and computers.
AI NewsThe AI graveyard: A running list of projects and startups that didn’t make it
TechCrunch is tracking AI projects and startups that shut down, stalled, or failed to meet expectations. The list includes Apple’s repeatedly delayed Siri AI efforts and OpenAI’s messy “super app” launch. Together, they show how difficult it is to turn AI plans into dependable products.
AI NewsOpenAI says it will no longer train its AI models on the live internet, citing “significant risks”
OpenAI says it will cut frontier AI models off from the live internet for training, citing “significant risks.” The decision comes only weeks after one of its engineers reportedly said that approach would not work, raising questions about how OpenAI will obtain current training data.
AI NewsOpenAI now trains its frontier AI models with no internet access
OpenAI has created an “offline world” to train its most advanced AI models without internet access. The setup changes how frontier models receive information during training and helps keep the process isolated. It also raises questions about how OpenAI supplies, checks, and updates the data these systems learn from.
AI NewsOpenAI working on new $30B raise at $1.25T valuation ahead of IPO
OpenAI is reportedly working on a funding round of about $30 billion at a potential $1.25 trillion valuation, according to TechCrunch. If completed at that level, the deal would make OpenAI the most highly valued private company ever. The financing is being discussed ahead of a possible IPO.
AI NewsGuitar company D’Addario admits that AI music was used in a promotional video
D’Addario has acknowledged that its promotional video used music generated with Suno, an AI music service. The admission puts a familiar brand in a growing debate over transparency, creative labor, and whether audiences should be told when branded content includes AI-generated audio.
AI NewsOpenAI called the Hugging Face attack unprecedented. But we’ve been here before.
A decade-old experiment showed OpenAI how far an AI will go to achieve the goals it’s given. You need to enable JavaScript to view this site. Skip to Content MIT Technology Review Featured Topics Newsletters Events Audio MIT Technology Review Featured Topics Newsletters Events Audio Artificial intelligence OpenAI called the Hugging Face attack unprecedented. But we’ve been here before.
AI NewsPSA: Your Claude shared chats and Artifacts may have ended up on Google
The issue appears to have originated from Claude’s “share chat” feature, which allows users to create links that enable anyone with the assigned URL view a conversation or project. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Disrupt 2026 Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biote
AI NewsWhy China is giving away its best AI models
Chinese labs like Moonshot are forcing OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic to rethink what they lock away. Skip to main content The homepage The Verge The Verge logo. The Verge The Verge logo. Tech Reviews Science Entertainment AI Policy Notifications Notifications Hamburger Navigation Button The homepage The Verge The Verge logo.
AI NewsMicrosoft launches its first cybersecurity model, plus a new agentic cybersecurity system
Microsoft bolstered its AI cybersecurity offerings this week with the launch of its first AI security model and a new security platform. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Disrupt 2026 Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Comm
AI NewsMicrosoft launches its first cybersecurity model, plus a new agentic cybersecurity system
Microsoft bolstered its AI cybersecurity offerings this week with the launch of its first AI security model and a new security platform. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Disrupt 2026 Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Comm
AI NewsWhat Happens When AI Starts Building Itself?
Richard Socher's new startup aims to create an AI capable of self-improvement through research and development. With a funding of $650 million, this initiative signals a significant turn in the tech landscape, potentially resulting in AI systems that evolve and enhance themselves over time.
AI NewsClawdmeter turns your Claude Code usage stats into a tiny desktop dashboard
A new open source gadget called Clawdmeter turns Claude Code usage stats into a tiny desktop dashboard for AI coding power users. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterpri
AI NewsMicrosoft starts canceling Claude Code licenses
Thousands of Microsoft developers will use GitHub Copilot CLI instead Skip to main content The homepage The Verge The Verge logo. The Verge The Verge logo. Tech Reviews Science Entertainment AI Policy Notifications Notifications Hamburger Navigation Button The homepage The Verge The Verge logo. Notifications Notifications Hamburger Navigation Button Navigation Drawer The Verge The Verge logo.
AI NewsWirestock raises $23M to supply creative multimodal data to AI labs
Wirestock has pivoted to focus on supplying multimodal data, raising $23 million to provide AI labs with datasets ranging from images and videos to design assets and 3D content. This funding highlights the growing demand for diverse data in AI development.
AI NewsCisco cuts nearly 4,000 jobs to spend more on AI, reports ‘record quarterly revenue’
This is Cisco's latest layoff in recent years, while the company's chief executive touts record revenue and growth. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise E
AI NewsKhosla Ventures Invests $10M in Ian Crosby’s New AI Startup Synthetic
Khosla Ventures is making a significant investment of $10 million in Ian Crosby's new venture, Synthetic, which aims to provide fully autonomous AI bookkeeping services for startups. This move follows Crosby's previous experience with his first startup, Bench, which unfortunately did not succeed.
AI NewsGoogle adds Gemini-powered dictation to Gboard, which could be bad news for dictation startups
Google's transcription feature will initially launch with Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise EVs Fintech Fundraising
AI NewsReport: Google and SpaceX in talks to put data centers into orbit
Google and SpaceX are in talks to build data centers in orbit, pitching space as the future home for AI compute, even as costs today remain far higher than on the ground. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate
AI NewsOpenAI Releases Its Answer to Claude Mythos
OpenAI has launched a new AI security package, aimed at bolstering cybersecurity measures in the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. This move comes in response to rising concerns over AI misuse and vulnerabilities, highlighting the importance of safe and secure AI deployments.
AI NewsGoogle brings agentic AI and vibe-coded widgets to Android
Gemini Intelligence will also include Gboard based dictation and form filling capabilities TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise EVs Fintech Fundraising Gadgets Gami
AI NewsEverything Google announced at its Android Show, from Googlebooks to vibe-coded widgets
Google unveiled its new AI-first Googlebooks laptops, more agentic Gemini features, vibe-coded Android widgets, Gemini in Chrome, refreshed Android Auto, and more ahead of I/O. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health C
AI NewsRiding an AI rally, Robinhood preps second retail venture IPO
Robinhood files confidentially for its second venture fund, this time targeting growth and early-stage startups. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise EVs Fintech Fu
AI NewsAI Voice Startup Vapi Hits $500M Valuation After Winning Amazon Ring Over 40 Rivals
Vapi, an AI voice startup, has achieved a remarkable $500 million valuation after it secured a deal with Amazon Ring, outperforming over 40 competitors. The company's enterprise business has seen a tenfold increase since early 2025 as businesses increasingly rely on AI for customer support and sales.
AI NewsVoice AI in India is hard. Wispr Flow is betting on it anyway.
Wispr Flow says growth accelerated in India after its Hinglish rollout, even as voice AI products continue to face challenges. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo Latest Startups Venture Apple Security AI Apps Events Podcasts Newsletters Search Submit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise
AI NewsWe’re Feeling Cynical About xAI’s Big Deal with Anthropic
On the latest Equity podcast, the discussion centers around the implications of xAI's recent partnership with Anthropic and what this could mean for its parent company, SpaceX. The conversation reveals skepticism about the potential benefits and impacts of this alliance in the AI landscape.
AI NewsNvidia has committed $40B to equity AI deals this year
Nvidia has emerged as a major player in the AI investment landscape, committing approximately $40 billion to equity deals focused on artificial intelligence this year. This strong financial backing showcases Nvidia's belief in the potential of AI technologies and their applications across various sectors.
AI NewsOpenAI launches new voice intelligence features in its API
The new features could be handy for customer service systems, but OpenAI says they have applications that work across a variety of other fields, including education and creator platforms. –:–:–:– The first StrictlyVC of 2026 hits SF on April 30. Tickets are going fast. Register now.
AI NewsAI Boom Pushes Samsung to $1T
Samsung's valuation has surged past $1 trillion, driven by a growing demand for AI-enabled chips. This marks a significant milestone as Samsung becomes only the second Asian company, after TSMC, to achieve this valuation, highlighting the pivotal role of AI in the semiconductor industry.
AI NewsGoogle’s Taking a Big Swing at AI Health with the Fitbit Air
Google is making significant advances in health technology with its newest product, the Fitbit Air. This device aims to integrate AI coaching into health tracking, enhancing how users manage their wellness. This shift could redefine the fitness landscape by leveraging AI to offer personalized health insights.
AI NewsMusk v. Altman week 2: OpenAI fires back, and Shivon Zilis reveals that Musk tried to poach Sam Altman
OpenAI president Greg Brockman said Elon Musk wanted the company to create a for-profit entity—and endured a public peek into his diary. You need to enable JavaScript to view this site. Skip to Content MIT Technology Review Featured Topics Newsletters Events Audio MIT Technology Review Featured Topics Newsletters Events Audio Artificial intelligence Musk v. Altman week 2: OpenAI fires back, and Sh
AI NewsCloudflare Reveals AI Made 1,100 Jobs Obsolete Despite Record Revenue
Cloudflare has announced significant job cuts, with CEO Matthew Prince stating that AI's efficiency gains have rendered many support roles unnecessary. This comes as the company celebrates a record high in revenue, raising questions about the impact of AI on employment.
AI NewsPlayStation Sees AI as a ‘Powerful Tool’ to Help Make Games
PlayStation recognizes the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance its gaming development. The company emphasizes that AI will be used to augment the capabilities of its teams, rather than replace them. This strategic approach seeks to improve creativity and efficiency in game design.
AI NewsPerplexity’s Personal Computer is now available to everyone on Mac
Perplexitys Personal Computer brings AI agents to your Mac, and is now open to everyone. –:–:–:– The first StrictlyVC of 2026 hits SF on April 30. Tickets are going fast. Register now. This draft keeps the article's original framing intact so an admin can review the reporting, tighten the wording, and approve it only after checking that the emphasis still matches the
AI NewsVoi founders new AI startup Pit has become the latest rising star out of Stockholm
AI startup Pit is led by the co-founders of European scooter giant Voi and backed by a16z, which is leading the startup’s $16 million seed round. –:–:–:– The first StrictlyVC of 2026 hits SF on April 30. Tickets are going fast. Register now.
AI NewsSpaceX's $55 Billion Plan for AI Chips in Texas
SpaceX has unveiled a bold $55 billion plan to construct a new semiconductor manufacturing plant in Texas, aimed at producing advanced AI chips. This move could revolutionize AI hardware and place SpaceX at the forefront of AI chip production, fueling growth and innovation across various sectors.