TechCrunch Industry News

Elon Musk announces the shutdown of Tesla's Dojo, calling it an 'evolutionary dead end' as the company pivots towards AI-5 and AI-6 chips. In a surprising turn, Nvidia and AMD plan to sell high-end AI chips to China while cutting the U.S. government in on the profits. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg's real estate dominance in Palo Alto raises eyebrows, as he invests over $110 million to build his own expansive compound, attracting mixed reactions from the neighborhood.

The recent unblocking of $5 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure marks a major shift following months of funding restrictions. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice is taking a stand against cybercrime by seizing servers and $1 million in bitcoin from a notorious Russian ransomware gang. These developments highlight both advancements in green technology and the ongoing battle against cyber threats.

Rocket Lab is making waves with its strategic move into defense, aiming for lucrative government contracts and expanding its space systems. They discuss their recent acquisition of a company specializing in optical payloads and the launch of the Neutron rocket. Meanwhile, Openvibe has upgraded its app to support RSS, allowing users to consolidate social media and news in one seamless platform. The conversation highlights innovations that are shaping the future of space and social media.

In today's talk, researchers unveil the true identity of a notorious SMS scammer known as Darcula, responsible for widespread scams targeting unsuspecting phone users. The conversation shifts to the rollout of OpenAI’s GPT-5, where CEO Sam Altman, during a Reddit Q&A, faces queries about its performance and a humorous mishap during its introduction. The challenges of navigating tech advancements while dealing with real-world scams create a fascinating discussion.

Hubble Network is set to upgrade its satellite-enabled Bluetooth network, partnering with Muon to enhance signal detection and bolster defense capabilities. Truth Social is launching Truth Search AI, backed by Perplexity, allowing AI-powered searches with source limitations. In corporate news, Upwork is expanding its reach by acquiring Bubty and Ascen to better serve enterprise staffing needs. The blend of satellite tech and AI innovations highlights exciting advancements shaping the future of connectivity and employment.

Google responds to claims that its AI search features are harming website traffic, asserting that only a few sites are affected. The discussion delves into how user behavior is shifting, yet overall organic click volume remains stable. It highlights the changing landscape for traditional web publishers as they navigate competition from newer content platforms.

In a debate likely to get louder as AI agent usage grows, some people say Perplexity crawling blocked websites isn't a simple matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time in more than five years, OpenAI is launching a new open language model that appears to be state-of-the-art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joby is buying the Blade brand and the company's passenger business, which includes operations in the United States and Europe, for as much as $125 million. In other news, Mastercard seemingly denied playing a role in a recent marketplace crackdown on games with adult content, while Valve says the pressure was indirect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

North Korean IT workers are increasingly using generative AI to draft resumes and "deepfake" their appearances to make money for North Korea's sanctioned nuclear weapons program. Also, Apple is reportedly working to create a lightweight competitor to ChatGPT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices