Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom says AI companies are trying too hard to “juice engagement” by pestering their users with follow-up questions, instead of providing actually useful insights. Systrom said the tactics represent “a force that’s hurting us,” comparing them to those used by social media companies to expand aggressively. “You can see some of these…
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Your usual host Kirsten has passed the reins to me, Rebecca Bellan, for the day, and I want to talk about Aurora Innovation and its last-minute save. …
Plenty of startups hit a wall after their first few rounds of funding, having grown too big for venture funds but still in need of cash. For startups specializing in industrial-scale hardware, which includes many climate tech companies, the problem is especially acute because the capital requirements are so large. Infrastructure funds have long filled…
Spotify said on Friday that Apple has approved its U.S. app update that will allow users to access pricing information and external payment links. The approval comes days after a U.S. judge ordered Apple to stop charging commissions on purchases through iPhone apps. “In a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors, Apple has approved Spotify’s…
FutureHouse, an Eric Schmidt-backed nonprofit that aims to build an “AI scientist” within the next decade, has launched its first major product: a platform and API with AI-powered tools designed to support scientific work. Many, many startups are racing to develop AI research tools for the scientific domain, and some have with massive amounts of…
Dub, the copy-trading platform that says it’s transforming how Gen Z invests, has secured a $30 million Series A funding round, bringing its total raised to $47 million. The deal, which founder Steven Wang had previously hinted to TechCrunch was in the works, comes a year after its official launch. The 23-year-old Harvard dropout’s platform…
Apple has changed its App Store rules in the U.S. to let apps link users to their own websites so they can buy subscriptions or other digital goods. This change comes after a U.S. court ruled in favor of Epic Games in a case against the iPhone maker, ordering the latter not to prohibit apps…
Payments processing software provider Stripe is ready to help iOS app developers bypass Apple’s cut of App Store transactions. Following yesterday’s ruling in the Apple-Epic antitrust trial, where Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers outright shamed Apple for not permitting external payment links in apps as she had previously ruled, Stripe shared documentation that shows iOS developers…
Mach Industries, the defense tech founded by 21-year-old Ethan Thornton, is about to close a fresh $100 million in financing co-led by new investor Khosla and existing investor Bedrock Capital, a source familiar with the deal tells TechCrunch. The new round will value the company at around $470 million, according to the source. However, the…
Three years ago, a group of TikTokers joined NBCUniversal’s new initiative aimed at transforming social media influencers into the next generation of TV show creators. Now, four of these creators are set to launch their original series on Peacock. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the shows set to premiere are “The Warehouse Phase,” developed by…
