Technology

Why does hiring eccentrics work?

Why does hiring eccentrics work?

✨ Check out this must-read post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Startups,Build Mode,Build Mode Video,Bland AI,Isaiah Granet πŸ’‘ **What You’ll Learn**: When you're building at breakneck speed, hiring a reliable team is crucial to an early-stage startup. In this episode of Build Mode, Isabel Johansen sits down with Isaiah Granit, CEO and co-founder of Bland, a voice AI company that has grown from pre-seed to Series B in just 10 months. Their team has swelled to 75 people, and Granit has tactical advice on how the company can find hidden talent in unexpected places. With a founding team fresh out…
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Google launches Search Live globally

Google launches Search Live globally

πŸ’₯ Explore this must-read post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Apps,Search,Google,AI,Search Live βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: Google announced Thursday that it is expanding its AI-powered conversational search feature, Search Live, globally to include all languages ​​and locations where AI mode is available. With this expansion, people in more than 200 countries and regions will be able to access this feature, Google says. First launched in July 2025, Search Live allows users to point their phone's camera at objects for real-time help, enabling back-and-forth conversations based on visual context from the camera feed. Before this global expansion, Search Live was only…
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Defense startup Shield AI gets a valuation of $12.7 billion, up 140%, after US Air Force deal

Defense startup Shield AI gets a valuation of $12.7 billion, up 140%, after US Air Force deal

✨ Discover this must-read post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Startups,TC,Transportation,drones,defense tech,anduril,autonomous aircraft,shield ai,In Brief πŸ“Œ **What You’ll Learn**: Autonomous military aircraft maker Shield AI has raised $1.5 billion in Series G funding at a post-money valuation of $12.7 billion, the company announced Tuesday. The deal was led by private equity firm Advent (which has a $1 billion budget to invest in defense technology, it says) and investment group JPMorganChase. In addition, Shield AI sold $500 million worth of preferred stock to funds managed by Blackstone (and also created a $250 million loan it could draw on later). This capital…
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OpenAI is giving up another side quest: ChatGPT’s Exciting Mode

OpenAI is giving up another side quest: ChatGPT’s Exciting Mode

πŸ”₯ Discover this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,sam altman,OpenAI,ChatGPT βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: OpenAI has put the kibosh on another project, at least for now. On Thursday, the Financial Times reported that the AI ​​company would pause its plans β€œindefinitely” to develop an β€œexciting” mode for ChatGPT. The proposed β€œadult mode,” which was first floated by CEO Sam Altman in October, has sparked significant controversy from technology watchdog groups as well as from OpenAI employees. In January, a meeting between the company's executives and its board of advisors became heated, with one advisor warning that OpenAI may…
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Anthropic wins injunction against Trump administration over Department of Defense saga

Anthropic wins injunction against Trump administration over Department of Defense saga

πŸ’₯ Discover this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,TC,Anthropic,defense,pete hegseth,Trump πŸ“Œ **What You’ll Learn**: A federal judge has sided with Anthropic in its twisty legal battle with the Trump administration, granting the tech company an injunction against a recent government order that labeled it a "supply chain risk," the Wall Street Journal reported. On Thursday, Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District of California ordered the Trump administration to rescind its recent designation of Anthropic as a security risk, as well as rescinding its order that federal agencies cut ties with the company. β€œIt appears to be…
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David Sachs is done with his role as AI czar, here’s what he’s doing instead

David Sachs is done with his role as AI czar, here’s what he’s doing instead

πŸ”₯ Check out this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Government & Policy,TC,david sacks πŸ“Œ **What You’ll Learn**: David Sachs spent his days as an AI and cryptocurrency official under Donald Trump. Speaking with Bloomberg on Thursday, the entrepreneur, investor and longtime podcast host confirmed that his 130-day non-consecutive stint as a special government employee has ended and that he will move on to chair the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) alongside White House senior technology adviser Michael Kratsios. β€œI believe that by moving forward as co-chair of PCAST, I can now make recommendations not…
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You can now transfer your conversations and personal information from other chatbots directly to Gemini

You can now transfer your conversations and personal information from other chatbots directly to Gemini

πŸ’₯ Read this insightful post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,artificial intelligence,gemini,Google βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: When it comes to AI-powered chatbots, there is currently a war for consumer attention. All the big chatbot providers are looking to grow their number of users, and in a bit of a coup for itself, Google has made it easier for other chatbot users to defect to Gemini. The company on Thursday announced what it calls "switchers," new tools designed to let users transfer "memories" (basically pieces of personal information) and even entire chat histories from other chatbots directly to Gemini. The company…
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Netflix confirms it is raising prices again

Netflix confirms it is raising prices again

✨ Read this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Apps,Media & Entertainment,Netflix,streaming βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: Netflix has quietly raised its prices again. The streaming giant's affordable ad-supported tier now costs $8.99 per month, up from the previous monthly subscription fee of $7.99, Netflix confirmed to TechCrunch in an email. The Standard plan without ads now costs $19.99 per month, an increase of $2 from the previous subscription fee of $17.99, while the Premium plan also goes up by $2 and will now cost $26.99 per month. Adding additional viewers outside your household also becomes more expensive. To add…
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Wikipedia is cracking down on the use of artificial intelligence in writing articles

Wikipedia is cracking down on the use of artificial intelligence in writing articles

✨ Explore this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,In Brief,Wikipedia βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: With the success of artificial intelligence in the world of editorial and media, websites are scrambling to establish ground rules for its use. Wikipedia this week banned its editors from using AI-generated text, though it stopped short of completely banning AI from the site's editorial operations. In a recent policy change, the site now states that β€œusing LLMs to create or rewrite article content is prohibited.” This new language updates and clarifies previous, more ambiguous language that stated that LLMs should not be used…
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Mastodon is making its decentralized social network easier to use with its latest revamp

Mastodon is making its decentralized social network easier to use with its latest revamp

πŸ’₯ Explore this awesome post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Apps,Social,decentralized,decentralized social network,Mastodon,social media,X βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: Mastodon is making changes in hopes of making its social networking service more attractive and easier to use, especially for casual users looking for an alternative to X or Threads. The decentralized social networking software maker said Thursday it is redesigning a key part of its platform by giving people's user profiles a new look, which it hopes will appeal to organizations, as well as individuals. Mastodon is built on the ActivityPub protocol, and became better known after Elon Musk acquired Twitter,…
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