Welcome to TechCrunch AM! This morning, we're reading about China's latest tool to bypass smartphone protections; a cool startup that converts carbon into cement while seabound; and exactly what to expect from xAI's new AI companions. We've got a bunch of other stories, too, so let's dive in! |
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China's using a new tool to extract data from seized phones: Researchers warned that Chinese residents, and visitors to China, should be aware of the tool's existence and the risks it poses. Read More |
Meet the cement transport ship that makes cement ingredients while sailing: London-based Seabound has developed a carbon capture system that transforms CO2 from a ship's engine into limestone, which Heidelberg Materials will use to make cement. Read More |
Of course, Grok’s AI companions want to have sex and burn down schools: xAI's first AI companions on the Grok app are a lustful anime girl and a homicidal panda. Read More |
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Early-stage growth is fragile. Don’t let fake accounts, fraud, or compliance missteps derail your momentum. Persona helps fast-growing startups embed smart, scalable identity verification solutions that build trust. |
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Rex Salisbury’s Cambrian Ventures raises new fund, bucking fintech slowdown: Spurred by the performance of its first fund, Cambrian Ventures' $20 million second fund will continue the firm's thesis of focusing on fintech startups. Read More |
Cognition, maker of the AI coding agent Devin, acquires Windsurf: Cognition, the startup behind the viral AI coding agent Devin, announced in a blog post on Monday that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AI coding startup Windsurf. The announcement comes just days after Google hired away Windsurf’s CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and research leaders in a $2.4 billion deal, a […] Read More |
AI coding tools are shifting to a surprising place: the terminal: For years, code-editing tools like Cursor, Windsurf, and GitHub’s Copilot have been the standard for AI-powered software development. But as agentic AI grows more powerful and vibe-coding takes off, a subtle shift has changed how AI systems are interacting with software. Instead of working on code, they’re increasingly interacting directly with the shell of whatever system they’re installed in. It’s a significant change in how AI-powered software development happens – and despite the low profile, it could have significant implications for where the field goes from here. Read More |
Meta reportedly scores two more high-profile OpenAI researchers: OpenAI researcher Jason Wei will reportedly join Meta’s new Superintelligence Lab. Another team member, Hyung Won Chung, might also join Meta, as the company works to catch up to rivals in the AGI race. Read More |
Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab is worth $12B in seed round: Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati says that her new startup, Thinking Machines Lab, was valued at $12 billion in its seed round. Read More |
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A former OpenAI engineer describes what it’s really like to work there: A senior engineer describes the thrill, chaos, and exhaustion of working at OpenAI this past year while launching its coding agent Codex. Read More |
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