OpenAI launches visual ads that appear alongside image generation results
OpenAI said the new visual ads will show up after your image generation results appear in the U.S. only for now.
The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
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. Kids are outsmarting social media bans. That’s not a problem we need to solve. —Michal Luria, Aliya Bhatia, and Danah Boyd Social media bans are stacking up. In July, France joined…
Lola Vision Systems is trying to make it easier to run AI models on chips
Lola Vision Systems is one of TechCrunch’s Battlefield 200 Companies
Open or closed AI? How founders are choosing what to build on at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Learn how founders are choosing between building on open or closed AI at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Register now to save up to $100 and get a second pass at 50% off.
Hackers steal 8 million citizens’ records from Danish government database
The Danish government said the breach of names, addresses, and state-issued ID numbers affects 8 million people, including people living abroad and the deceased.
Researchers are tracking a Chinese AI ‘agent fleet’
Independent researchers discovered an agent swarm that seems to be running on Tencent’s infrastructure and targeting Alibaba’s map service, Amap.
Meet the Startup Battlefield 200 judges who’ll decide the winner at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Meet the final five Startup Battlefield judges who’ll decide who wins the pitch competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Get your pass now to save up to $100, and get a second at 50% off.
The ‘Double Fill Up’ Is the Latest Hack Americans Are Using to Save Cash at the Gas Pump
With paychecks trailing inflation, consumers are getting creative about saving at the pump and the grocery store.
Who’s the Genius Behind Meta’s Hit AI App Muse? A Mulleted, Croc-Wearing MIT Dropout.
Alexandr Wang’s Muse hit 5 million downloads faster than ChatGPT. Some Meta employees don’t like the special treatment of his hires.
The final Disrupt Stage lineup: Three days of conversations you won’t hear anywhere outside of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
The full TechCrunch Disrupt Stage lineup revealed, featuring Max Hodak, Mark Wahlberg, Benchmark partners, and more. Register now to save up to $100 on your pass and get a second at 50% off.
Bringing predictive analytics to the agentic AI era
In 2026, the question for enterprise AI is no longer whether predictive models can outperform statistical forecasts—that argument is settled. The big question now is how to enable predictive systems to act on their own conclusions without drifting from business intent. The frontier has moved from prediction to autonomous decision making, and the gap between…