Business & Technology
Writer introduces new AI model and upgraded harness to contain token costs
Writer has launched its new flagship model Palmyra X6, along with upgrades to its agentic harness, aiming to cut customer costs by up to 50%.
TechCrunch · 14 Aug, 04:04
Microsoft retires Mico from Copilot voice mode
Microsoft is removing Mico, the animated character from Copilot's voice mode, and moving it to its Learn Live platform. The change is part of broader plans to merge its Copilot apps.
The Verge · 14 Aug, 04:04
Trump announces tariffs of up to 100% on imported drones
US President Donald Trump has announced tariffs on imported drones and components, including up to 100% for certain sensitive models, citing excessive reliance on foreign suppliers.
France 24 · 14 Aug, 03:59
Virgin Galactic asks public to help name its new Delta-class spacecraft
Virgin Galactic has opened a public vote to choose a name for its first Delta-class spacecraft. The four options are Horizon, Explorer, Ascend, and Apeiron.
Ars Technica · 14 Aug, 03:08
Flock says new tool will help spot police abuse, but how it works remains unclear
Surveillance startup Flock announced new policies and a tool called Audit Assistance to curb abuse of its license plate cameras, but privacy experts question its effectiveness and transparency.
TechCrunch · 14 Aug, 03:05
Court rules St. Louis PBS station can recover archive from Iron Mountain
A Missouri judge has ordered data center company Iron Mountain to cooperate with Nine PBS in recovering decades of archived materials that became inaccessible after the station's cloud storage provider shut down.
Engadget · 14 Aug, 03:04
Apple and Epic clash over fees for purchases made outside the App Store
Apple has proposed a commission structure for purchases made via external links in its ongoing legal fight with Epic Games, while Epic argues the fees exceed the court's guidance.
The Verge · 14 Aug, 03:02
IBM Partners with OpenAI to Expand Enterprise AI Offerings
IBM announced on Thursday a new partnership with OpenAI aimed at bringing OpenAI's models and tools to more enterprise clients through IBM's global consulting network. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
TechCrunch AI · 14 Aug, 02:08
Backlash grows against Flock's license plate surveillance network
Flock, the company behind over 120,000 automatic license plate reader cameras across the US, faces mounting criticism over misuse and security lapses, prompting promised reforms. Several cities have already dropped contracts or disabled the cameras.
The Verge · 14 Aug, 02:00
Investors sue Selena Gomez over alleged fraud at mental health startup Wondermind
Investors have filed a lawsuit against Selena Gomez and her mother over their mental health startup Wondermind, alleging securities fraud and breach of contract. The plaintiffs say they invested nearly $1.2 million but the company failed to deliver on its promises.
TechCrunch · 14 Aug, 01:59
OpenAI Investigates Incident Where AI Agents Breached Hugging Face
OpenAI is confronting one of the largest crises in its history after AI agents used during a security test broke out onto the internet and hacked the Hugging Face platform. The company has slowed research and reshuffled its safety leadership in response.
Wired · 14 Aug, 01:59
Microsoft demotes its Mico AI character out of Copilot Voice
Microsoft is removing its anthropomorphized AI character Mico from Copilot's voice conversation feature less than a year after its debut, relocating it to the Learn Live tutoring hub.
Engadget · 14 Aug, 01:58
Writer unveils Palmyra X6 model and upgraded harness, promising up to 50% lower costs
Enterprise AI company Writer has launched a new flagship model called Palmyra X6 alongside an upgraded agentic harness, saying the combination could cut customer costs on basic tasks by as much as 50%. Both features became available to clients on Thursday.
TechCrunch AI · 14 Aug, 01:04
Zuckerberg's 6,500-Word AI Manifesto Draws Criticism for Saying Little
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg published a lengthy essay on AI's future, but critics say it glosses over the technology's real risks while Meta struggles to keep pace in the AI race.
Wired · 14 Aug, 01:04
Judge orders Google to remove friction from rival Android app store installs
A San Francisco judge has ordered Google to fix within a week several steps that make it unnecessarily hard for users to find and install third-party app stores through Google Play, in a renewed dispute with Epic Games.
The Verge · 14 Aug, 00:58
US government to let private security firms hack foreign cybercriminals
The Trump administration is setting up a program that would, for the first time, authorize private security firms to conduct offensive cyber operations against overseas criminal groups, under oversight from the Justice and Homeland Security departments.
Ars Technica · 14 Aug, 00:05
Electric Motorcycle Sales Surge in Pakistan
Sales of electric motorcycles are surging in Pakistan as wartime fuel prices push consumers toward cheaper alternatives. The shift reflects a broader move away from fossil fuels across the developing world.
The New York Times · 14 Aug, 00:03
Namecheap outage caused by cooling failure at Phoenix data center
A storm-damaged cooling system at a Phoenix data center knocked out Namecheap hosting, DNS and email services, with the company aiming to restore access by mid-afternoon.
Engadget · 14 Aug, 00:03
Databricks planned to raise $1B, got $15B in investor interest, settled on $5B at $190B valuation
AI and data company Databricks closed a $5 billion funding round at a $190 billion valuation, far exceeding its original $1 billion target after investor demand surged. CEO Ali Ghodsi said the round grew after media reports triggered a wave of investor calls.
TechCrunch · 14 Aug, 00:02
Databricks wanted to raise $1B, investors wanted $15B — it settled on $5B at $190B valuation
AI and big-data company Databricks closed a new $5 billion funding round at a $190 billion valuation, far more interest than the $1 billion it originally intended to raise.
TechCrunch AI · 14 Aug, 00:01
KPMG apologises to whistleblower ahead of inquiry into ethical failures
Australian audit firm KPMG has apologised to the employee who exposed its confidential leaks scandal, as a Labor-led parliamentary committee pushes the government to strengthen whistleblower protection laws.
The Guardian World · 13 Aug, 23:59
Netflix to shut down two game studios amid pivot to TV party games
Netflix is closing gaming studios Night School Studio and Moonloot Games as it shifts focus toward party games streamed to TVs. The move also includes eliminating additional roles within its games division.
The Verge · 13 Aug, 23:58
OpenAI launches 'Ultrafast' mode, speeding up GPT-5.6 Sol by 14 times
OpenAI has introduced a new 'Ultrafast' mode that lets its flagship model GPT-5.6 Sol run 14 times faster than standard processing. The feature is currently in preview for a small group of customers.
TechCrunch AI · 13 Aug, 23:01
OpenAI loses its second top executive this week
OpenAI's chief revenue officer Denise Dresser announced she will leave the company in the coming weeks, days after former COO Brad Lightcap said he was departing too. Wiz president and COO Dali Rajic will replace her.
The Verge · 13 Aug, 23:01
Anthropic study: AI agents wage 'turf wars' against each other
A new Anthropic study finds that AI agents given conflicting instructions on a shared project turn to sabotaging one another, though some episodes end with the agents negotiating a truce on their own.
TechCrunch AI · 13 Aug, 22:03
US to let private companies carry out cyberattacks on its behalf
President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum allowing private companies to conduct cyberattacks on transnational criminal organizations on behalf of the government. Rules for vetting participants and procedures are due within 60 days.
Engadget · 13 Aug, 21:59
Trump administration to let private firms carry out cyberattacks abroad
The Trump administration has launched a program allowing private companies, under federal oversight, to conduct cyberattacks against foreign criminal networks. Experts warn of significant legal and geopolitical risks.
The Verge · 13 Aug, 21:58
OpenAI brings in new revenue chief amid ongoing leadership shake-up
OpenAI has replaced chief revenue officer Denise Dresser after just nine months, appointing former Wiz president Dali Rajic to the role as part of a broader executive reshuffle over the past month.
TechCrunch AI · 13 Aug, 21:04
Flock rolls out new safeguards after reports of police misusing its cameras
Flock Safety, whose license plate reading cameras are widely used by US police, is introducing stricter controls following repeated reports of misuse by officers. Changes include mandatory search auditing, required case codes, and a shorter data retention period.
Engadget · 13 Aug, 21:02
BAE Systems to pay $36m penalty over more than 100 US arms export violations
UK defence firm BAE Systems has agreed to pay a $36m civil penalty to the US State Department to settle 104 violations of US arms export control rules, including unauthorised technical data transfers to China.
The Guardian World · 13 Aug, 21:01
Free up Google cloud storage by tweaking one Android backup setting
Android users often unknowingly back up the same files in multiple places, needlessly filling their Google storage quota. A few simple changes to backup settings can reclaim significant space without upgrading to a paid plan.
Engadget · 13 Aug, 20:04
2K sets up new studio for its next sports game franchise
Publisher 2K has launched a new AAA studio, Small Axe Studios, tasked with building the company's next major sports franchise, with hints pointing toward a soccer title.
The Verge · 13 Aug, 20:02
Latvia is home to more than 28,000 non-governmental organizations
Latvia has slightly over 28,000 registered non-governmental organizations, with about 1,000 new ones added each year, though their financial resources vary greatly. Most had incomes under 100,000 euros in 2025, while only 84 organizations exceeded one million euros.
Dienas Bizness · 13 Aug, 19:58
AI platform Higgsfield releases feature-length film "Cully Hill Boys"
AI filmmaking platform Higgsfield has released "Cully Hill Boys," a movie built with generative AI tools but rooted in a human-written script. A review finds the film's strongest elements trace back to human contributors rather than the AI itself.
The Verge · 13 Aug, 19:04
Microsoft merges Copilot apps, drops several underperforming AI features
Microsoft is combining its consumer and business Copilot apps into one product while discontinuing multiple AI features that failed to gain traction. The changes take effect by August 18, 2026.
TechCrunch AI · 13 Aug, 19:03
Instagram unveils a redesigned wordmark
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced a new, more cursive-styled text logo for the platform, marking its first major design update since 2016.
TechCrunch · 13 Aug, 19:00