AvatarOS snags $7M seed round from M13 to build an AI-powered virtual influencer platform

March 10, 2025

A few years ago, several startups with a specific focus on digital avatars appeared because of all the metaverse buzz. While that buzz died down, generative AI has given a new life to avatars as it is easier to spin up different virtual identities. Companies are trying out different use cases for avatars, including D-ID […]

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Trump administration in talks with four groups about potential TikTok sale

March 10, 2025

President Donald Trump says his administration is in talks with four different groups about the sale of TikTok, Reuters reports. When asked if there was going to soon be a deal on TikTok, Trump told reporters on Sunday, “it could.” He added, “We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it […]

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X is experiencing outages on Monday morning

March 10, 2025

Elon Musk’s X was inaccessible on Monday morning for thousands of users, including many in the U.S. According to Downdetector, a website that tracks users’ reports of online outages, X went down for some users around 5:30 AM ET, with over 20,000 users reporting outages. Though these outages seemed to have resolved after about an […]

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Consumer Reports finds popular voice cloning tools lack safeguards

March 10, 2025

Several popular voice cloning tools on the market don’t have “meaningful” safeguards to prevent fraud or abuse, according to a new study from Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports probed voice cloning products from six companies — Descript, ElevenLabs, Lovo, PlayHT, Resemble AI, and Speechify — for mechanisms that might make it more difficult for malicious users […]

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Showcase your innovation — exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI

March 10, 2025

On June 5, 1,200 of the brightest minds in AI and VC leaders will converge in Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley for TechCrunch Sessions: AI — the must-attend AI event of the year. What does this mean for your startup? A prime opportunity to showcase your breakthrough to a crowd hungry for AI innovation. We’ve […]

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Maximize your brand: Secure an exhibit table at TechCrunch All Stage 2025

March 10, 2025

On July 15, 1,200 founders and VCs across all stages will gather at SoWa Power Station in Boston for TechCrunch All Stage 2025 — the ultimate summit for startup founders. What does this mean for you? A golden opportunity to showcase your brand to a powerhouse crowd eager to scale. It’s easy — just head […]

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Supercharge your brand visibility with an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

March 10, 2025

From October 27-29, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will bring together over 10,000 startup pioneers, VC leaders, and tech enthusiasts at Moscone West in San Francisco—the epicenter of innovation set to reshape the future of technology. What’s in it for your startup? A golden opportunity to put your innovation in front of an eager audience for all […]

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Microsoft appears to be working on 3D gaming experiences for Copilot

March 10, 2025

Microsoft appears to be working on 3D gaming experiences for Copilot, its AI-powered chatbot platform, according to a new job listing. The listing, published this week, seeks a senior software engineer based in Beijing specializing in 3D rendering engines, particularly engines typically used to build web browser-based video games (Babylon.js, three.js, and Unity). “Are you […]

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The Download: supercharging the power grid, and a new Chinese AI agent

March 10, 2025
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. The cheapest way to supercharge America’s power grid —Brian Deese is an innovation fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as director of the White House National Economic Council from 2021…