Voice cloning of political figures is still easy as pie

November 8, 2024

The Download: AI vs quantum, and the future of reproductive rights in the US

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. Why AI could eat quantum computing’s lunch Tech companies have been funneling billions of dollars into quantum computers for years. The hope is that they’ll be a game changer for fields as diverse…

May 31, 2024

The 2024 election is likely to be the first in which faked audio and video of candidates is a serious factor. As campaigns warm up, voters should be aware: voice clones of major political figures, from the President on down, get very little pushback from AI companies, as a new study demonstrates. The Center for […]

OneScreen.ai brings startup ads to billboards and NYC’s subway

May 31, 2024

When Alex Ewing was a kid growing up in Purcell, Oklahoma, he knew how close he was to home based on which billboards he could see out the car window. Now, as the CEO of OneScreen.ai, he’s helping startups like fintech Ramp and technical recruiter Karat advertise on billboards and beyond. “I think billboards are […]

SpaceX sent Starship to orbit — the next launch will try to bring it back

May 30, 2024

SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket could take to the skies for the fourth time on June 5, with the primary objective of evaluating the second stage’s reusable heat shield as the vehicle tries to safely reenter the atmosphere for the first time. CEO Elon Musk“ said on his social media platform X that “There are many […]

Billionaire Groupon founder Eric Lefkofsky is back with another IPO: AI health tech Tempus

May 30, 2024

Eric Lefkofsky knows the public listing rodeo well and is about to enter it for a fourth time. The serial entrepreneur, whose net worth is estimated at nearly $4 billion, has already taken three businesses he’s founded public. Today he’s the founder of Tempus, a genomic testing and data analysis company preparing to IPO. But […]

Why Your Company Needs to Rethink Its Purpose to Acquire Loyal Customers — And Drive More Sales.

May 30, 2024

The traditional path of finding a niche and competing on quality or price will no longer work. If you want true enduring and evangelical customer loyalty, deliver a product or service that connects with your customers on an emotional level.

Ticketmaster Was Reportedly Hacked — and 560 Million Customers May Be Affected

May 30, 2024

The data is reportedly for sale for $500,000.

‘It Was Pretty High Risk’: Leader of the World’s Largest Architecture Firm Says Going ‘Off Track’ Led to Being a CEO

May 30, 2024

In a commencement speech on Thursday, Gensler Co-Chair Diane Hoskins urged MIT graduates to “build a career of impact” over worrying about being “on track.”

Palm Beach Billionaires Are Reportedly Paying Six Figures For Housekeepers, If They Can Even Find One: ‘It’s a Severe Shortage’

May 30, 2024

That’s a lot of dirty mansions.

You’ve spoken! Meet the Disrupt 2024 breakout session audience choice winners

May 30, 2024

TechCrunch Disrupt showcases cutting-edge technology and innovation, and this year’s edition will not disappoint. Among thousands of insightful breakout session submissions for this year’s Audience Choice program, five breakout sessions have soared to the top and were selected by thousands of people from around the globe to speak at this year’s event. Without further ado, […]

Zero-day flaw in Check Point VPNs is ‘extremely easy’ to exploit

May 30, 2024

Check Point is the latest security vendor to fix a vulnerability in its technology, which it sells to companies to protect their networks.

The Download: AI vs quantum, and the future of reproductive rights in the US