March 14, 2025

Republican Congressman Jim Jordan asks Big Tech if Biden tried to censor AI

On Thursday, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent letters to 16 American technology firms, including Google and OpenAI, asking for past communications with the Biden Administration that might suggest the former President “coerced or colluded” with companies to “censor lawful speech” in AI products. The Trump Administration’s top technology advisers previously signaled it would pick […]

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Amazon ramped up content spending to $16.6B in 2022, including $7B on originals

February 3, 2023

Amazon detailed the costs of its content business during its fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday, citing that its content expenses jumped to $16.6 billion in 2022, a 28% increase from $13 billion in 2021. According to Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky, around $7 billion of that figure went towards Amazon Originals, live sports programming, and licensed third-party […]

Amazon ramped up content spending to $16.6B in 2022, including $7B on originals by Lauren Forristal originally published on TechCrunch

New York attorney general orders stalkerware maker to notify hacked victims

February 3, 2023

A New York-based spyware maker has agreed to notify the individuals whose phones were compromised by its mobile surveillance software, following a deal with the New York attorney general’s office announced Thursday. Under the agreement, Patrick Hinchy, whose 16 companies promoted apps like PhoneSpector and Highster, will also pay $410,000 in civil penalties for illegally […]

New York attorney general orders stalkerware maker to notify hacked victims by Zack Whittaker originally published on TechCrunch

VC Kerty Levy discusses the Northeast seed market

February 3, 2023

Information is power, especially when you’re just beginning your startup journey. Whether you’re in the idea stage or building on the friends-and-family plan or preparing to pitch investors, it’s imperative to understand the shifting VC funding landscape as you plan for future growth. It’s no secret that funding is harder to come by in this […]

VC Kerty Levy discusses the Northeast seed market by Lauren Simonds originally published on TechCrunch

Replika, a ‘virtual friendship’ AI chatbot, hit with data ban in Italy over child safety

February 3, 2023

San Francisco-based AI chatbot maker, Replika — which operates a freemium ‘virtual friendship’ service based on customizable digital avatars whose “personalized” responses are powered by artificial intelligence (and designed, per its pitch, to make human users feel better) — has been ordered by Italy’s privacy watchdog to stop processing local users’ data. The Garante said […]

Replika, a ‘virtual friendship’ AI chatbot, hit with data ban in Italy over child safety by Natasha Lomas originally published on TechCrunch

The UK rolls back controversial plans to open up text and data mining regulations

February 3, 2023

The U.K. Government is seemingly backtracking on plans that would have allowed text and data mining “for any purpose,” plans designed to position the U.K. as a “global AI superpower.” The news emerges following months of blowback from creative industries concerned about what impact the rules might have on protected works. Background Text and data […]

The UK rolls back controversial plans to open up text and data mining regulations by Paul Sawers originally published on TechCrunch

The impact investor and climate correspondent walk into a bar

February 3, 2023

Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This week Natasha Mascarenhas and Becca Szkutak took to their mics to sing a duet about this week’s startup news. Just kidding! But we did highlight some fun companies raising capital and talked […]

The impact investor and climate correspondent walk into a bar by Rebecca Szkutak originally published on TechCrunch

‘Nothing, Forever,’ an AI ‘Seinfeld’ spoof, is the next ‘Twitch Plays Pokémon’

February 3, 2023

“So, I was at the store the other day, and as I’m checking out, the cashier asks me if I have any coupons, and I say, ‘No coupon problem!’” recalls a pixelated, barely three-dimensional figure that vaguely resembles Jerry Seinfeld. “So I’m walking down the street, and this guy comes up to me and says, […]

‘Nothing, Forever,’ an AI ‘Seinfeld’ spoof, is the next ‘Twitch Plays Pokémon’ by Amanda Silberling originally published on TechCrunch

India orders Vodafone Idea to convert government dues into $2 billion equity

February 3, 2023

The Indian government has ordered the telecom operator Vodafone Idea to convert all the interest the firm owes to the government into equity in the firm. Vodafone said it has been ordered to convert capital worth $1.96 billion into equity. The company “will take all necessary actions forthwith to undertake the aforesaid issuance,” Vodafone Idea […]

India orders Vodafone Idea to convert government dues into $2 billion equity by Manish Singh originally published on TechCrunch

Is your startup heading to MWC? TechCrunch wants to hear from you

February 3, 2023

Nature is healing, the tech show is returning to in-person events. I’m not sure I’m entirely over CES less than a month after returning from Vegas, but we’re already in full planning mode for TechCrunch’s return to Barcelona. We’ll be sending an extremely scaled down team to this year’s event, but while we’re in Catalonia, […]

Is your startup heading to MWC? TechCrunch wants to hear from you by Brian Heater originally published on TechCrunch