ARS
Basically no one is using AI agents for their DoorDash orders
But it's still early days for the relatively new e-commerce use case.
Global AI Picks
Curated AI coverage from TechCrunch, MIT Technology Review, WIRED and other top global tech media. Please cite this site when republishing.
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ARS
Thousands of “ghost students” use AI to steal millions in student loans, DOJ says
Applying for FAFSA may get messy as DOJ “ghost student” crackdown ramps up.
TC
Google’s first data center satellite is online and writing poetry
The first TPU in space is a running a Google DeepMind Gemma 4 model and writing cheesy poetry.
ARS
Fujifilm to boost tape production 5x as AI fuels archiving demand
Low costs and offline security mean magnetic tape still has a job.
TC
Zest’s new AI agent finds restaurants and books reservations over text
Can't agree on where to eat? Zest's AI concierge can combine everyone's tastes, put restaurant options to a vote, and make the reservation.
TC
Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz warns that the AI boom is ‘a great opportunity to go deceive people’
The cautionary Theranos tale takes on a new significance in the AI era, when companies that have never turned a profit are raising capital at trillion-dollar valuations.
TC
DoorDash said it’s only received ‘several hundred’ orders from AI agents
DoorDash said that it is open to working with third-party agent makers
TC
Skip the small talk: Make game-changing connections at TechCrunch Founder Summit with Braindate
At TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026, happening November 4 at SoWa Power Station in Boston, networking powered by Braindate is designed to make those conversations easier to find, whether they are in 1:1 or small-group on-site meetings. Register before the event starts to save up to $100 on your pass, plus get a second for free.
MIT
The Download: GLP-1s and eating disorders, self-aware cities, and forever chemicals
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. Eating disorders are on the rise. GLP-1s could make things worse. GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are one of the biggest biotech breakthroughs of the last decade. But to some clinicians, they can…
TC
Can AI data centers be mass-produced like cars? This startup aims to find out
Runware is building a factory to turn out prefabricated AI data centers on an assembly line. The real test will be whether it can deliver at that scale.
TC
5 days left: Your last chance to connect, scale, and save at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026
5 days to save up to $100, plus a second pass for free to TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 in Boston on November 4. Register now.
MIT
Eating disorders are on the rise. GLP-1s could make things worse.
GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are one of the biggest biotech breakthroughs of the last decade. But to some clinical psychologists, they can represent something more sinister—a potential trigger for eating disorders. A new report suggests that the global incidence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa shot up between 1990 and 2023—by a whopping 71%. By 2023,…
TC
You don’t need to believe in a god to get a religious exemption from using AI at work
David Durman, a University of Kentucky administrator, recently earned a religious exemption from using AI in the workplace.
TC
AWS will be a $1T business, Jassy says. But first, it will spend big.
Amazon wants to be the king of AI cloud computing and become the first $1 trillion revenue business. But to do that it will have to continue on its capex spending spree, its CEO said Thursday.
WD
A Defense Contractor Gave Their Personal AI Agent Access to a Secure Pentagon System
Sources tell WIRED that an Accenture employee’s personal Claude agent ran on a DOD network for two months before it was identified and the vulnerability could be patched.
ARS
Trump declares robot imports a national security threat
President orders trade talks on foreign-made factory robots, threatens tariffs.
TC
Meta quietly launches an AI fashion app called Style Sketch
The app connects to Instagram to build a virtual closet from photos you’ve already shared, or lets you add items manually by snapping a photo, recording a quick video, or uploading images from your camera roll.
TC
OpenAI-backed Thrive Holdings acquires ADT
OpenAI-backed Thrive Holdings is buying ADT in a $15.3 billion deal, with plans to bring AI to the home security business.
TC
Rivian expands joint venture with VW to include AI assistant
Rivian doesn't disclose if the value of its $5.8 billion joint venture will expand as a result.
TC
As search traffic dries up, Reddit announces it’s shifting to a logged-in experience
As AI transforms how people find information online, Reddit is rethinking its open-web roots to protect its audience and business.