A merger that’s good for workers and consumers
Thanks to the regulatory process, this deal will significantly enhance competition in the video game industry while securing workers’ rights and consumer interests.
Where OpenAI’s technology could show up in Iran
This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. It’s been just over two weeks since OpenAI reached a controversial agreement to allow the Pentagon to use its AI in classified environments. There are still pressing questions about what exactly OpenAI’s…
Technology
Atomic, GV, & SOSV join the Startup Battlefield judges lineup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
The Startup Battlefield pitch competition is a Silicon Valley legend that’s reached far beyond its Bay Area beginnings. It’s a global launching pad for some of the most successful tech companies, including Cloudflare, Dropbox, Fitbit, Mint and Yammer. More than 900 Startup Battlefield alumni companies have generated over 121 exits and more than $9.7 billion […]
Brex expands into group events while Mesh Payments moves into travel
As the spend management space continues to get more competitive, the various players seem to be constantly iterating to add new features to their products. Today, fintech startup Brex announced it is moving in an unexpected direction with its travel offering while Mesh Payments said it’s expanding into travel in addition to general expense management. […]
Ford taps Apple exec to lead new software services unit
Ford has hired Peter Stern, a former executive at Apple, to lead its newly formed Ford Integrated Services unit. The unit will create and market software-enabled customer experiences across Ford’s three business units: Ford Blue, for gas and hybrid vehicles, Model e for connected EVs, and Ford Pro for commercial products. As the era of […]
Amazon taps generative AI to enhance product reviews
Amazon announced this morning it will begin to leverage generative AI to help customers better understand what customers are saying about a product, without necessarily having to read through dozens of individual reviews. The retailer says it will use the new technology to provide a short paragraph of text right on the product detail page […]
Mixlab adds to veterinary pharmacy footprint following $10M Series A extension
The new investment, an extension of a previous Series A round, enabled the company to open a third location in the Miami area.
Altos challenges lidar’s dominance in autonomous driving with 4D image radar
As lidar technology becomes the industry standard in powering autonomous vehicles, a young startup called Altos Radar is stepping up to challenge the light-based remote sensing technology with 4D millimeter wave radar. Based in California and founded in January, Altos Radar recently raised its first round of funding of $3.5 million from ZhenFund, Monad Ventures, […]
PayPal announces senior Intuit exec Alex Chriss as new CEO
PayPal is gaining a new CEO, the payments giant announced this morning. Effective September 27, 2023, senior Intuit executive Alex Chriss will become PayPal’s President and CEO, replacing current CEO Dan Schulman, members of PayPal’s board shared this morning in a press release. The appointment was made after a months-long CEO search process focused on […]
Browse the breakout sessions at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
It’s no secret that TechCrunch events feature the leading experts across the startup ecosystem, and TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, which runs September 19–21 in San Francisco, is no exception to that rule. We’re showcasing some of the interactive breakout sessions — expert-led presentations followed by a Q&A — you won’t want to miss. You can read […]
The Download: corporate presentations, and carbon removal funding
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. Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation PowerPoint is everywhere. It’s used in religious sermons; by schoolchildren preparing book reports; at funerals and weddings. In 2010, Microsoft announced that PowerPoint…