TC
Anthropic releases Opus 4.8 with new ‘dynamic workflow’ tool
On Thursday, Anthropic released Opus 4.8, the newest version of its most advanced publicly available model.
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Trump loses more control over AI regulation as Illinois passes landmark law
A few days after President Donald Trump abruptly canceled a plan that would have given the federal government power to vet frontier AI models over fears that it might hobble innovation, Illinois lawmakers passed the nation’s strongest AI safety law. On Wednesday, the Illinois legislature passed SB 3
TC
In just 3 weeks, StrictlyVC is coming to Los Angeles
Join us for StrictlyVC Los Angeles 2026, an intimate evening bringing together leading investors and entrepreneurs for high-signal conversations from the front lines of venture capital and frontier technology.
TC
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Databricks’ co-founder on what kills enterprise AI deals
Enterprise organizations are not rejecting AI. They are rejecting operational instability. That is the shift many founders still misunderstand — and it is becoming one of the defining realities separating enterprise AI companies that scale from the ones that stall after early momentum. For the last
TC
RSI is the new AGI — and it’s just as hard to pin down
The word “recursion” is the latest buzzword in AI circles. Two separate startups have taken on the name, and many more have started referencing recursive self-improvement (RSI) in their roadmaps.
TC
Sneak peek at new Siri app reveals Apple’s plans to take on ChatGPT and more
Just ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Bloomberg has published leaked renders of what Apple’s planned AI upgrade could look like on iPhone — including a brand-new Siri app meant to rival ChatGPT and other AI chatbots — as well as how Siri’s new capabilities will be wov
AIN
Google Pay preps for AI agents with Universal Commerce Protocol
Google Pay is overhauling its payment infrastructure for an impending wave of transactions from AI agents.The latest updates introduce the Universal Commerce Protocol and a new server architecture, positioning Google Pay as a central clearinghouse for purchases executed by autonomous agents rather t
WD
Here Comes Ojai, Waymo’s New Chinese-Made Robotaxi
autonomous vehicle in town, or at least in the towns of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Starting in the next few weeks, Alphabet self-driving vehicle developer Waymo will start picking up members of the public in its new Ojai vehicles (pronounced “oh hai”)—pale blue boxy minivans studded wi
TC
Sesame, the conversational AI startup from Oculus founders, launches its iOS app
On Thursday, the AI startup Sesame, co-founded by Oculus’ founders and others from the VR company that sold to Meta, released a public preview of the conversational AI agents it’s been developing for over a year.
TC
How long is Anthropic’s lease with SpaceX? Opinions vary.
Earlier this month, xAI signed a major compute deal with Anthropic, pledging billions of dollars a month for exclusive use of the company’s Colossus cluster.
MIT
The Download: climate tech goes public and the AI Hype Index returns
This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Climate tech companies are going public. What’s next? Solar and battery company Solv Energy went public in February, hitting a $6 billion valuation.
TC
Has the hunt for AI compute uncovered the next Cerebras?
The raging demand for computers to run AI models has only accelerated, but there are two major obstacles that anyone in the business needs to overcome: getting the right chips, and getting them into data centers where they can start generating revenue. General Compute, a new inference neocloud — a c
TC
Vertu wants CEOs to run companies from an AI foldable starting at $6,880
Luxury smartphone brand Vertu on Thursday unveiled a foldable phone powered by an AI agent that connects with enterprise software and coordinates workflows.
MIT
The AI Hype Index: AI gets booed in graduation season
It is one thing to say AI will change the world. It is another to expect the class of 2026 to applaud it. In fact, when former Google CEO Eric Schmidt told University of Arizona graduates that their task is to help shape AI, he was met with a resounding chorus of boos.
AIN
NBA plans AI system for automatic out-of-bounds calls
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league plans to introduce an automated system for certain officiating decisions, including out-of-bounds calls.The system would use AI and cameras placed around the court to determine possession.
MIT
Climate tech companies are going public. What’s next?
This year, there’s been a wave of notable energy companies going public via IPO in the US. The solar and battery company Solv Energy went public in February, to the tune of $6 billion.
WD
Amazon Thinks the Future of Data Centers Depends on a Technical Problem It Just Solved
recently achieved a major breakthrough in networking design—and has been quietly deploying the new technology in its data centers since late last year.
WD
New Moms Are Returning to Coding Jobs Radically Reshaped by AI
into the rhythms of new motherhood, her profession underwent a drastic reinvention.Danielle, who asked to use her first name to avoid damaging her job prospects, worked as a software developer at a car company in Portland, Oregon.
WD
Illinois Lawmakers Just Passed America’s Strongest AI Safety Bill
of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday requiring frontier AI labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind to have their safety practices audited by a third party.
TC
Why Google’s AI can’t spell Google (or anything else)
How many Ps are in Google? According to Google, there are two. There’s also “exactly 1 ‘r’ in the word ‘poop’,” Google’s AI Overview says, as well as two ‘d’s in the word journalism, yet spelled it: j-o-u-r-n-a-d-i-s-m. Google did at least identify that there is one P in the last name of the U.S.