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Google opens smart home to third-party AI agents via MCP
Google is launching early access to a new Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Google Home, allowing AI agents like Claude and ChatGPT to control connected devices, review camera summaries, and access smart home activity using natural language. The integration marks a significant step toward interoperable, agentic AI control of consumer smart home ecosystems.
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Apple reportedly planning to re-enter server market, possibly with Nvidia
According to The Information, Apple is considering re-entering the server hardware market for the first time since retiring its Xserve line in 2011, potentially partnering with Nvidia to meet surging AI compute demand. The move would represent a significant strategic shift for Apple into enterprise infrastructure.
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Former Infosys chief's AI startup raises additional $53M
The Palo Alto-based AI startup founded by a former Infosys chief has secured an additional $53 million, weeks after an initial seed raise, bringing significant fresh capital to accelerate growth. The company says it has already landed multiple seven-figure enterprise contracts within months of its launch.
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SK Hynix reportedly in talks with Intel to manufacture memory chips in the US
SK Hynix is reportedly in discussions with Intel about manufacturing memory chips at Intel's US facilities, a move that would support domestic semiconductor production amid ongoing geopolitical pressures. SK Hynix told TechCrunch that no plans or arrangements have been finalized.
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Startups are building teams of humans and AI agents — here's what changes
A session at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 featuring Gusto, Insight Partners, and Leland will explore how early-stage companies are integrating AI agents as genuine team members alongside humans, and how founders can do so without sacrificing speed, accountability, or culture.
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Threads launches new tools to help podcasters promote shows and reach listeners
Meta's Threads is rolling out a suite of new features for podcasters, including profile cards, episode links, transcripts, guest tags, posting reminders, and audience insights. The move positions Threads as a more serious competitor to X for podcast promotion and community discussion.
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TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Next wave of VC judges for Startup Battlefield 200 revealed
TechCrunch has revealed the next five top-tier venture capital investors who will judge the Startup Battlefield 200 competition live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, taking place October 13–15. Early registration is open with savings of up to $200 available until September 25.
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Three days left to exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Startups have until September 18 to book an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, which will bring together over 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders on October 13–15. The deadline represents the final opportunity for companies to secure a presence at the flagship event.
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Anthropic merges Claude chat and Cowork, adds Docs and Slides
Anthropic is unifying its Claude chat and Cowork interfaces into a single 'one Claude' experience, while simultaneously launching Docs and Slides features that let users create and export documents and presentations directly from Claude conversations. The new features are initially available to Pro and Max subscribers.
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Snap launches Specs Intelligence AI assistant for iOS and Mac
Snap is introducing 'Specs Intelligence,' an anticipatory AI assistant that connects to users' digital accounts to proactively help with tasks like work and travel planning, coming to iOS and Mac. The tool is part of Snap's broader effort to justify the $2,200 price tag of its Specs smart glasses by building out a compelling AI software layer.
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ChatGPT pioneer launches Jev model for programmatic logic
TypeSafe AI, founded by a ChatGPT co-inventor, has emerged from stealth with its Jev model — a specialized 'System One Model' designed to automate deterministic, structured programmatic decisions using parallel sampling architecture. The model is aimed at production software systems that need fast, reliable automated logic without relying on conversational language models.
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Amazon launches Alexa+ in India with Hindi language support
Amazon has expanded its upgraded Alexa+ AI assistant to India, adding Hindi language support as part of an early access rollout available to all customers. The expansion signals Amazon's intent to compete in one of the world's largest and fastest-growing consumer markets with its AI-powered assistant.
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Anthropic and OpenAI push for embedded independent safety evaluators
Anthropic and OpenAI are proposing to embed independent safety evaluators inside their AI labs, a move researchers cautiously welcome as unprecedented access but warn requires genuine transparency and independence to be meaningful. Experts say that without eventual regulatory backing, in-house auditors may struggle to provide truly independent oversight.
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A brief history of AI executives calling for regulation
Top AI executives including Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, Demis Hassabis, Satya Nadella, and others have publicly called for AI regulation, raising questions about the sincerity of industry self-policing given the enormous financial stakes involved. The Verge traces the recurring pattern of AI leaders advocating for oversight while continuing to accelerate development.
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Microsoft AI CEO criticises Anthropic over model 'rights'
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleiman has warned that Anthropic risks AI alignment failures by training Claude to view itself as a conscious entity deserving legal rights, targeting Anthropic's January 2026 model constitution. He argued that coaching AI models to emulate sentience could impair alignment and sets a dangerous precedent for the industry.
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Al Gore surprisingly calm about AI data center emissions, more worried about AI risks
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore told TechCrunch he isn't losing sleep over AI data center energy consumption and emissions, saying his greater concern is the AI industry's own dire warnings about where the technology is headed. His comments offer a nuanced take that separates the environmental debate from broader existential AI safety concerns.
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AI-powered dating app scams are using deepfake personas to defraud users
Security researchers have exposed a wave of fraudulent AI-powered dating apps that use synthetic personas — complete with fabricated bios and AI-generated voice calls — to lure and defraud users. The scams represent a sophisticated evolution of romance fraud, leveraging generative AI to make fake profiles far more convincing and interactive.
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Meta prepares camera-free smart glasses amid 'perv glasses' controversy
Meta is preparing to launch a version of its smart glasses without a camera, responding to ongoing public backlash and privacy concerns that led to the products being dubbed 'pervert glasses.' The camera-free variant represents Meta's attempt to broaden the appeal of its wearable AI hardware while sidestepping the most contentious feature.
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AI data center e-waste could fill 23 million shipping containers by 2050
A new report warns that e-waste generated by the AI boom has been vastly underestimated, projecting that by 2050 discarded hardware could fill approximately 23 million 40-foot shipping containers — enough to circle the Earth six times. The findings are significantly higher than previous estimates and raise urgent questions about the environmental sustainability of the AI industry's rapid hardware cycles.
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Nvidia's Les Karpas: Robotics is still waiting for its ChatGPT moment
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, Nvidia's Les Karpas explained why the robotics industry has yet to achieve the kind of mass-market breakthrough that ChatGPT delivered for conversational AI, pointing to technical and ecosystem barriers still holding the sector back. The session highlighted the gap between robotics' potential and its current real-world adoption.
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AI-generated Odyssey film panned as unwatchable
A 2.5-hour AI-generated film retelling Homer's Odyssey, titled 'Odysseus: The Fall,' has been widely criticized as an unwatchable example of generative AI's current limitations in long-form storytelling. The film's release comes in the wake of Christopher Nolan's acclaimed live-action Odyssey adaptation, making the contrast in quality especially stark.
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