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Tag: TechCrunch

  • Google Unveils AI-Powered Music Generation in Gemini App

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Google has introduced a new music-generation feature within the Gemini app, leveraging DeepMind’s Lyria 3 model to enable users to create music based on text, images, and videos. The feature, currently in beta, allows users to describe the type of song they want, prompting the app to generate a track complete with lyrics. For example, users can request a “comical R&B slow jam about a sock finding its match,” resulting in a unique 30-second track accompanied by custom cover art created by Nano Banana.

    Enhancements in Lyria 3 promise more authentic and intricate music compositions compared to previous models. Users also have the flexibility to adjust elements such as style, vocals, and tempo. Beyond Gemini, Google is extending the Lyria 3 model to YouTube creators through the Dream Track feature, enabling AI-generated music production. This feature was previously limited to U.S.-based creators but is now globally accessible.

    Google emphasizes that the purpose of music generation with Lyria 3 is original expression rather than replication of existing artists. When prompted with an artist’s name, Gemini will produce a track with a similar style or mood, ensuring creative inspiration. To maintain authenticity, all content generated by the Lyria 3 model will be marked with a SynthID watermark.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Snapchat+ Surpasses 25 Million Subscribers, Driving Snap’s Direct Revenue to $1 Billion

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Snap Inc. announced that its direct revenue business has reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate. This achievement was primarily driven by the success of Snapchat+, a subscription service that has attracted over 25 million subscribers since its launch in 2022. Snapchat+ offers exclusive and pre-release features for $3.99 per month, expanding Snap’s revenue streams beyond advertising.

    Building on the initial success of Snapchat+, Snap introduced new paid tiers, such as Lens+ for $8.99 per month, providing access to exclusive Lenses and AR experiences. In early 2025, Snap launched a premium ad-free tier, Snapchat+ Platinum, priced at $15.99 per month. This tier offers increased storage capacity and an enhanced user experience.

    In a recent move, Snap initiated creator subscriptions in alpha, allowing users to subscribe to select creators like Jeremiah Brown, Harry Jowsey, and Skai Jackson. These subscriptions enable users to access exclusive content and receive priority replies to creators’ public Stories.

    By diversifying its revenue streams and focusing on subscription services like Snapchat+, Snap aims to strengthen its financial position and reduce reliance on advertising revenue. The company’s strategic expansion into subscription-based models reflects a broader industry trend towards diversified monetization strategies.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Def Con Bans Individuals Linked to Epstein from Hacking Conference

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Def Con, a prominent hacking conference, has announced the ban of three individuals associated with the late Jeffrey Epstein from attending the event. The banned individuals include hackers Pablos Holman and Vincenzo Iozzo, along with former MIT Media Lab director Joichi Ito. This decision follows revelations of their connections with the convicted sex offender.

    The conference’s move to prohibit the attendance of Holman, Iozzo, and Ito stemmed from information disclosed in the Department of Justice’s recent files related to the Epstein investigation. Additionally, Politico published an article detailing emails exchanged between the trio and Epstein, prompting Def Con’s action to exclude them from the conference.

    In response to the ban, a spokesperson for Iozzo stated that Def Con’s decision was perceived as performative, emphasizing that Iozzo had minimal conference participation over the past two decades and had not engaged in any wrongdoing warranting the ban.

    Notably, this development comes shortly after cybersecurity conferences Black Hat and Code Blue removed Iozzo from their review board pages due to emerging revelations tying him and others to Epstein.

    While Def Con, Holman, and Ito have yet to comment on the ban, the cybersecurity community continues to grapple with the implications of such individuals being associated with Epstein.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Etsy Sells Depop to eBay: A Shift in the Secondhand Clothing Tech Market

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Etsy has announced the sale of Depop, a popular secondhand clothing app, to eBay for $1.2 billion in cash, marking a significant move in the secondhand clothing tech market. This deal comes nearly five years after Etsy acquired Depop for $1.62 billion, reflecting a shift in focus for both companies.

    Depop, founded in 2011, has been a key player in the secondhand clothing space, particularly appealing to Gen Z and millennials. With approximately $1 billion in gross merchandise sales in 2025 and significant year-over-year growth in the U.S., Depop boasts a strong user base of seven million active buyers, predominantly under 34, and over three million active sellers.

    eBay CEO Jamie Iannone expressed confidence in Depop’s future within eBay, highlighting the brand’s momentum and community-driven approach. The move allows Etsy to concentrate on its core marketplace amid increasing competition in the e-commerce landscape.

    As Etsy navigates post-pandemic challenges and aims for sustained growth, the sale of Depop underscores a strategic decision to optimize resources and capitalize on market opportunities. Etsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal emphasized the unique value Depop brings to the fashion resale market, positioning it for continued success under eBay’s ownership.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • World Labs Secures $200M Investment from Autodesk for Advancing 3D Workflows

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs has secured a $200 million investment from software design company Autodesk as part of a larger $1 billion funding round. Alongside backers like AMD, Emerson Collective, Fidelity, and Nvidia, this partnership aims to integrate World Labs’ AI models into Autodesk’s tools, focusing initially on entertainment applications.

    World Labs, known for its world models that can generate and reason about immersive 3D environments, recently launched Marble, allowing users to create customizable 3D spaces. The collaboration with Autodesk, a key player in 3D CAD software, signifies the potential commercial viability of World Labs’ innovative technology.

    Autodesk’s deep involvement in architectural, engineering, and entertainment workflows makes this partnership a strategic fit, expanding its capabilities in advanced spatial AI. The shared goal of enhancing human creativity through physical AI tools aligns with Autodesk’s mission to empower designers and creators.

    Under the agreement, Autodesk will provide advisory support to World Labs, fostering research collaboration and driving innovation in 3D workflows.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Blockchain Lender Figure Suffers Data Breach Impacting Nearly 1 Million Customers

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Blockchain-based lending platform Figure has experienced a data breach affecting close to 1 million customers. The breach, confirmed by the company last week, allowed hackers to access a limited number of files from its systems, compromising sensitive customer information.

    Security researcher Troy Hunt, known for Have I Been Pwned, analyzed the breached data and identified 967,200 unique email addresses linked to Figure customers, along with customer names, dates of birth, physical addresses, and phone numbers being exposed.

    The cybercrime group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the attack, disclosing 2.5 gigabytes of allegedly stolen data on their leak site. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges companies face in protecting customer data against sophisticated cyber threats.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Bluesky Integrates Germ’s Encrypted Messenger, Enhancing Social Network Privacy

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Social network Bluesky has integrated technology from startup Germ Network, introducing end-to-end encrypted (E2E) messaging directly within the Bluesky app. This makes Germ DM the first private messenger to be seamlessly launched from the platform.

    The collaboration with Germ showcases how open social networking ecosystems can innovate through community-driven development. By leveraging the AT Protocol that underpins Bluesky, Germ has paved the way for other apps within the ecosystem to offer similar secure messaging capabilities.

    Germ’s standalone app, currently in public beta on iOS in North America and Europe, has seen a surge in daily active users following the integration announcement, underscoring the demand for privacy-focused communication tools.

    Founded by communication scholar Tessa Brown and former Apple privacy engineer Mark Xue, Germ aims to provide an E2E encrypted messaging platform built on cutting-edge technologies like Messaging Layer Security (MLS) and the AT Protocol, setting it apart from established encrypted messaging services.

    The partnership between Bluesky and Germ enhances user privacy on the social network and exemplifies a collaborative effort to advance secure communication standards in the digital landscape.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Mastodon Enhances User Experience and Creator Support

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Mastodon, a decentralized social media platform and alternative to mainstream apps, has announced plans to improve the user experience for newcomers and cater to creators through new features. The platform, which operates within the fediverse using the ActivityPub protocol, aims to simplify the onboarding process and encourage users to join smaller servers to enhance decentralization.

    The recent developments come as Mastodon has been expanding its core development team and hiring a dedicated designer to drive the platform’s evolution. With approximately 750,000 to 1 million monthly active users, Mastodon is seeking to address the complexity that has deterred some users from fully embracing its decentralized model.

    By refining the onboarding process and providing improved admin tools for server operators, Mastodon hopes to foster a network of diverse and independent communities across various servers. The platform emphasizes the distinct character and focus of individual servers as a key strength of its decentralized approach.

    As Mastodon continues to enhance its features, the platform is poised to offer a more user-friendly experience for newcomers while empowering creators to engage with their audience effectively.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Amazon Halts Blue Jay Robotics Project: Insights into the Tech Behind the Decision

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Amazon’s foray into robotics has encountered a setback as the tech giant decided to halt its Blue Jay warehouse robotics project after a brief run of less than six months. The project, aimed at enhancing package sorting and movement efficiency, was initially met with interest but is now being redirected towards other robotics initiatives within the company.

    Blue Jay, a multi-armed robot developed for same-day delivery facilities, showcased Amazon’s efforts to leverage advanced AI in its operations. The decision to repurpose the core technology for other projects highlights the adaptability and innovation within Amazon’s robotics division.

    Despite the discontinuation of Blue Jay, Amazon remains committed to enhancing customer experiences and optimizing employee workflows through technological advancements. The transition of Blue Jay’s workforce to new initiatives underscores Amazon’s strategic approach to talent utilization and project prioritization.

    As Amazon continues to explore the realm of robotics, recent developments like the Vulcan robot demonstrate the company’s ongoing efforts to revolutionize warehouse operations. Vulcan’s sensory capabilities and real-world training exemplify Amazon’s pursuit of cutting-edge solutions to streamline its logistical processes.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • SeatGeek and Spotify Integrate to Streamline Concert Ticket Purchases

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    SeatGeek and Spotify have partnered to enhance the concert ticket purchasing process for music enthusiasts. The collaboration allows Spotify users to seamlessly access ticket links provided by SeatGeek when exploring artist pages or tour dates within the music platform. This integration streamlines the ticket-buying journey by offering direct purchase options for concerts at participating venues.

    The current integration is limited to select venues where SeatGeek serves as the primary ticket seller, including notable locations such as State Farm Stadium, Nissan Stadium, and AT&T Stadium. By embedding ticket purchase links into Spotify’s interface, SeatGeek aims to engage millions of active music fans and convert them into potential ticket buyers.

    Despite SeatGeek’s progress in the ticketing industry, it faces competition from major players like Ticketmaster and AXS, which hold significant market share through exclusive agreements with top venues and event organizers. Spotify’s partnership with various ticketing platforms, including SeatGeek, has facilitated artists in generating substantial revenue through ticket sales, surpassing $1 billion in total earnings.

    This collaboration represents an advancement in the ticketing landscape, leveraging technology to offer music enthusiasts a more convenient and integrated ticket purchasing experience directly within the Spotify platform.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • X Unveils Immersive Mobile Video Player, Embracing Vertical Video Trends

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    X has introduced an immersive video player, emphasizing its focus on mobile-centric video consumption. The latest update, announced by Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, aims to offer a more engaging and user-friendly video experience tailored for mobile devices.

    The new player allows users to enjoy videos in full-screen mode with a single tap, enabling seamless scrolling to the next video by swiping up, similar to popular formats like TikTok. While designed to enhance mobile video viewing, some users have expressed concerns over the forced full-screen view, which may impact the original aspect ratio of the content.

    This move aligns with the industry trend favoring vertical videos, seen on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Acknowledging user feedback, Bier confirmed X’s shift away from cropping vertical content, prioritizing the ideal portrait orientation for video consumption.

    As X continues to optimize its video player for mobile users, the tech industry observes how this update will influence video consumption habits and content creation strategies in the evolving digital landscape.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Audible’s ‘Read & Listen’ Feature Integrates Kindle Ebooks and Audiobooks

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Amazon-owned Audible has introduced a new ‘Read & Listen’ feature that seamlessly integrates Kindle ebooks with their corresponding audiobooks. This ‘immersion reading’ functionality, available on the Audible app, allows users to follow along with the ebook text while listening to the narration, with the text highlighted in real-time. Customers will need to purchase both the ebook and audiobook versions of a title, but at a discounted price.

    The feature, initially launched in the U.S. and soon to expand to other regions, supports hundreds of thousands of titles in multiple languages. To enable this integration, Audible automatically identifies Kindle ebooks that have corresponding audiobooks. Previously, users could switch between ebook and audiobook versions on the Kindle app, but now, the same convenience extends to the Audible platform.

    By offering this feature, Audible aims to provide a more engaging reading experience for customers who prefer both visual and auditory formats, competing with alternatives like having Alexa narrate ebooks. The option to purchase discounted audiobooks alongside ebooks is designed to encourage cross-format sales and enhance accessibility to a broader audience.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Google Unveils $499 Pixel 10a with Enhanced AI Camera Features and Upgraded Hardware

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Google has unveiled its latest entry-level Pixel smartphone, the $499 Pixel 10a, featuring new AI-powered camera capabilities and hardware improvements. Available for preorder now, the smartphone comes in Lavender, Berry, Fog, and Obsidian color options. Set to start shipping on March 5, the Pixel 10a boasts a streamlined, flat-backed design that seamlessly integrates the camera bar.

    The device’s 6.3-inch display is 11% brighter than its predecessor, the Pixel 9a, and offers faster charging, providing over 30 hours of battery life or up to 120 hours with the ‘Extreme Battery Saver’ mode. Powered by the Tensor G4 chip, the Pixel 10a sports a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, delivering impressive performance in its price range.

    The Pixel 10a brings AI-driven camera features from the Pixel 10 series, including ‘Auto Best Take’ to select the optimal frame from multiple shots, and ‘Camera Coach’ to provide users with lighting and composition guidance. Additionally, the inclusion of Satellite SOS enables emergency connectivity without Wi-Fi or cellular service.

    Continuing its commitment to software support, Google pledges seven years of software and security updates for the Pixel 10a, emphasizing longevity and user satisfaction.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Microsoft 365 Bug Exposed Customer Emails to Copilot AI, Raising Privacy Concerns

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Microsoft has acknowledged a critical bug that allowed its Copilot AI to access and summarize confidential emails from customers without authorization. The bug, originally identified by Bleeping Computer, enabled Copilot Chat to read and outline email contents since January, even bypassing data loss prevention policies designed to protect sensitive information in Microsoft’s large language model.

    Copilot Chat, an AI-powered chat feature available to Microsoft 365 subscribers using Office products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, was affected by this vulnerability, identified internally as CW1226324. This issue led to draft and sent emails labeled as ‘confidential’ being incorrectly processed by Microsoft 365 Copilot chat.

    Microsoft has initiated the deployment of a fix for this bug earlier this month. However, the company has not disclosed the extent of the impact, with no comments provided on the number of affected customers. This incident raises concerns about data privacy and security within Microsoft’s ecosystem, highlighting the importance of stringent safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Startup Aims to Revolutionize Identity Management with Innovative Approach

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    A new player is making waves in the identity management market. Venice, a 35-person Israeli-American startup, has secured $20 million in Series A funding and is challenging established industry leaders like CyberArk and Okta at Fortune 500 companies. Founded just over two years ago, Venice stands out by addressing both cloud-based and on-premises environments, offering a unique solution that caters to enterprises with diverse infrastructure needs.

    Leading the company is 31-year-old Rotem Lurie, a former Microsoft product manager with a background in Israel’s elite intelligence corps. Lurie’s experience in the cybersecurity space, including a successful stint at access management startup Axis Security, positions her well to drive Venice’s growth and innovation in the industry.

    The identity management market is evolving rapidly, driven by the increasing presence of non-human entities online. Venice’s focus on providing credentials and permissions to chatbots, AI agents, and automated systems addresses a critical need in today’s digital landscape.

    With Venice’s strategic approach and early successes, the startup is poised to reshape how enterprises manage identities in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Kana Unveils $15M Funding to Develop Customizable AI Marketing Tools

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Kana, a new AI marketing startup, has emerged from stealth mode with a $15 million investment to create customizable, agent-based marketing tools. Founded by industry veterans Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya, Kana offers a suite of AI agents capable of handling various marketing tasks, including data analysis, audience targeting, campaign management, customer engagement, media planning, and optimizing for AI chatbots.

    Kana’s approach revolves around ‘loosely coupled’ AI agents that can be quickly customized, seamlessly integrated with existing marketing software, and perform multiple tasks simultaneously. This allows marketers to streamline their operations and enhance efficiency by leveraging AI technology in a flexible and tailored manner.

    With the backing of a $15 million seed funding round led by Mayfield, Kana aims to address the evolving needs of the marketing industry by delivering innovative AI-powered solutions that empower marketers to navigate the complexities of modern marketing landscapes effectively.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • DG Matrix Secures $60M to Enhance Data Center Power Management

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    DG Matrix, a startup specializing in solid-state transformers, has successfully raised $60 million in a Series A round to improve the efficiency of data center power management. The company’s innovative technology aims to intelligently aggregate power from various sources, offering a solution to the challenges faced by traditional transformers in powering modern, dense server racks.

    Unlike conventional transformers, solid-state transformers are compact, efficient, and offer improved flexibility in power distribution. DG Matrix’s Interport device, a key product in their portfolio, acts as a router for power, capable of integrating electricity from different sources such as solar panels and grid-scale batteries. This technology allows for optimized power delivery to data center racks, eliminating the need for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and associated equipment.

    By leveraging the Interport device, data centers can significantly reduce the space dedicated to power conversion, streamlining operations and enhancing overall efficiency. DG Matrix’s recent partnership with Exowatt to supply solar-plus-storage containers further demonstrates the potential impact of their technology on powering data centers sustainably and reliably.

    With this latest funding round and ongoing technological advancements, DG Matrix is poised to enhance the landscape of data center power management, offering a more efficient and agile solution for the industry’s evolving needs.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Sarvam Unveils Open-Source AI Models to Enhance Local Language Capabilities

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Indian AI lab Sarvam has announced a new series of large language models, showcasing a strategic move towards smaller, cost-effective open-source AI models. The launch, revealed at the India AI Impact Summit, highlights Sarvam’s commitment to reducing dependency on foreign AI solutions and adapting models to local languages and requirements.

    The latest lineup comprises 30-billion and 105-billion parameter models, a text-to-speech model, a speech-to-text model, and a vision model for document analysis. These models represent a significant advancement from the previous 2-billion-parameter Sarvam 1 model introduced in 2024.

    Employing a mixture-of-experts architecture, the 30B and 105B models selectively activate parameters to lower computing expenses. The 30B model supports a 32,000-token context window for real-time conversations, while the 105B model offers a 128,000-token window for intricate, multi-step reasoning tasks.

    Remarkably, Sarvam’s new AI models were trained from scratch, not fine-tuned on existing open-source systems. The 30B model underwent pre-training on approximately 16 trillion text tokens, whereas the 105B model was trained on trillions of tokens spanning various Indian languages.

    Designed to power voice-based assistants and chat systems in Indian languages, these models aim to facilitate real-time applications. Leveraging resources from India’s IndiaAI Mission and infrastructure from Yotta, Sarvam’s approach underscores a significant leap in enhancing local language processing capabilities.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Heron Power Secures $140M to Boost Solid-State Transformer Production

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Heron Power, a startup founded by former Tesla executive Drew Baglino, has successfully raised $140 million in funding to accelerate the production of solid-state transformers for data centers and the electric grid. This substantial funding round follows a $38 million Series A earlier this year, highlighting the growing demand for innovative energy solutions in the tech industry.

    The decision to raise additional capital was primarily driven by strong customer interest, demonstrating the market’s readiness for advanced energy technologies. Drew Baglino, the CEO of Heron Power, emphasized the importance of aligning with customer needs and scaling up production swiftly to meet the increasing demand.

    Heron Power’s technology offers a compelling solution to the challenges faced by modern data center developers. The company’s solid-state transformers can replace traditional iron-core transformers, providing enhanced energy delivery capabilities and reduced heat generation. By streamlining equipment and improving efficiency, these next-generation transformers present a promising alternative for energy-intensive facilities.

    The successful Series B funding round was led by prominent investors like Andreessen Horowitz’s American Dynamism Fund and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, underscoring the industry’s confidence in Heron Power’s technology. With this substantial financial backing, the company is well-positioned to advance its production capabilities and drive innovation in the energy sector.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Sarvam Brings Edge AI to Feature Phones, Cars, and Smart Glasses

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Indian AI company Sarvam is expanding the reach of its edge AI models to feature phones, cars, and smart glasses. Unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit, Sarvam’s compact edge models require only megabytes of space, are compatible with existing processors, and can function offline.

    Sarvam aims to collaborate with HMD to introduce a conversational AI assistant on Nokia and HMD phones. Users can interact with the AI assistant in local languages to get assistance on topics like government schemes or local markets by pressing a dedicated button on feature phones.

    Tushar Goswamy, Sarvam’s Head of Edge AI, emphasized the company’s goal to embed AI in a wide range of devices, including phones, laptops, cars, and emerging technologies. By partnering with Qualcomm, Sarvam is optimizing its models for Qualcomm chipsets, positioning the company to lead the deployment of edge AI across various devices.

    Sarvam’s collaboration with Qualcomm is part of a larger initiative to develop a ‘Sovereign AI Experience Suite’ for phones, PCs, laptops, cars, and IoT devices. This strategic partnership underscores Sarvam’s commitment to advancing edge AI deployment, ensuring data security, and facilitating widespread adoption.

    Source: TechCrunch