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Anthropic Implements Weekly Rate Limits for Claude AI Coding Tool

2025-07-29

Anthropic Implements Weekly Rate Limits for Claude AI Coding Tool

Anthropic, an AI company, announced new weekly usage limits for its Claude Pro and Max subscribers, effective August 28th. This move addresses issues with users running its Claude Code AI coding tool continuously and violating usage policies through account sharing and resale. While affecting less than 5% of users, the limits highlight the constraints AI model providers face regarding computational resources and the search for sustainable service models. Other AI coding tool providers have also made similar pricing adjustments.

(techcrunch.com)

Development rate limits

Dorsey's $10M Bet on Decentralized Social Media

2025-07-20

Dorsey's $10M Bet on Decentralized Social Media

Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder and Block CEO, has invested $10 million in "andOtherStuff," a collective aiming to revolutionize social media through open-source projects. The team, including Dorsey and former Twitter employees, focuses on decentralized protocols like Nostr, developing apps such as Shakespeare (a Nostr app building platform) and heynow (a voice note app). Dorsey criticizes traditional social media's reliance on advertisers, advocating for a more open, decentralized model. He and former Twitter employee Evan Henshaw-Plath launched the podcast "revolution.social" to discuss the future of social media, highlighting the potential of Nostr and the pitfalls of centralized platforms.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Decentralized Social Media

DuckDuckGo Adds AI Image Filter to Search

2025-07-19

DuckDuckGo Adds AI Image Filter to Search

Privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo has rolled out a new setting allowing users to filter out AI-generated images from search results. This follows user feedback indicating AI images often obstruct finding relevant real-world images. Users can find a new 'AI images' dropdown in the image search tab, choosing to 'show' or 'hide' AI content. DuckDuckGo states the filter relies on manually curated open-source blocklists, offering significant reduction in AI image results, though not perfect. Future additions to the filter are planned.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech AI images search filter

Anthropic's Claude Code Hit by Unexpected Usage Limits

2025-07-18

Anthropic's Claude Code Hit by Unexpected Usage Limits

Users of Anthropic's Claude Code have been encountering unexpectedly strict usage limits since Monday, particularly impacting heavy users on the $200/month Max plan. Users receive only a vague "usage limit reached" message without explanation or prior notice, leading to suspicions of downgraded subscriptions or inaccurate usage tracking. Anthropic acknowledged the issue but offered no details. The incident highlights flaws in Anthropic's tiered pricing, which lacks clear usage guarantees, making planning difficult for users. The high value proposition of the Max plan, allowing some users to generate over $1000 in API calls daily, is also a central point of concern, raising questions about its long-term sustainability. The lack of transparency is eroding user confidence.

(techcrunch.com)

Development

China's New Phone-Hacking Malware: Massistant

2025-07-17

China's New Phone-Hacking Malware: Massistant

Security researchers have uncovered a new malware, Massistant, used by Chinese authorities to extract data from seized phones. Developed by Xiamen Meiya Pico, this Android software allows access to text messages (including from apps like Signal), images, location data, audio recordings, contacts, and more. While physical access is required, its widespread use poses significant risks to Chinese residents and visitors. Although Massistant leaves traces, allowing potential removal via tools like the Android Debug Bridge, the data is already compromised by the time of installation. Xiamen Meiya Pico, holding a reported 40% share of China's digital forensics market, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021. The company did not respond to requests for comment.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech china

Bedrock Robotics Secures $80M for Self-Driving Construction Tech

2025-07-17

Bedrock Robotics Secures $80M for Self-Driving Construction Tech

Bedrock Robotics, a stealth startup founded by Waymo and Segment veterans, emerged from stealth mode with an $80 million Series A funding round led by Eclipse and 8VC. The company is developing a retrofittable autonomous driving kit for construction and other worksite vehicles. The team boasts significant experience from leading companies in the autonomous vehicle space. Bedrock is currently testing its technology in Arizona, Texas, California, and Arkansas with four major construction firms. This funding round underscores the growing interest and investment in autonomous solutions for off-road environments.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech construction tech

Jack Dorsey's Decentralized Chat App, Bitchat, Raises Security Concerns

2025-07-10

Jack Dorsey's Decentralized Chat App, Bitchat, Raises Security Concerns

Jack Dorsey's open-source chat app, Bitchat, promises secure, peer-to-peer encrypted messaging without a centralized infrastructure. However, security researchers have uncovered flaws in its identity verification system, allowing attackers to impersonate users. Dorsey has added a warning to GitHub, admitting the app lacks external security review and contains vulnerabilities, advising against production use. Researchers have identified vulnerabilities including identity spoofing and potential buffer overflow bugs, raising serious concerns about the app's security.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech decentralized app

YouTube Cracks Down on AI-Generated Content Monetization

2025-07-10

YouTube Cracks Down on AI-Generated Content Monetization

YouTube is updating its YouTube Partner Program (YPP) monetization policies to crack down on creators profiting from "inauthentic" content generated by AI, such as mass-produced videos and repetitive content. While YouTube calls it a minor update clarifying existing rules against low-quality, spammy content, the rise of AI-generated videos, including fake news and even deepfakes, necessitates a stronger stance. This update signals YouTube's intention to combat the proliferation of AI-generated "slop" and protect its platform's integrity.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Activision Pulls Call of Duty: WWII From Microsoft Store Due to Hacking Exploit

2025-07-09

Activision Pulls Call of Duty: WWII From Microsoft Store Due to Hacking Exploit

Activision has removed the Microsoft Store version of Call of Duty: WWII (also available on Game Pass) due to a hacking exploit. A vulnerability allowed remote code execution (RCE), enabling hackers to take control of players' PCs. While other versions of the game have patched the vulnerability, the Microsoft Store and Game Pass versions, differing slightly, remained susceptible. This isn't Activision's first major hacking incident; the company has faced several in recent years, potentially exacerbated by past layoffs affecting cybersecurity teams.

(techcrunch.com)

Game game vulnerability

Gmail's New Subscription Management Tool: Declutter Your Inbox

2025-07-09

Google announced a new Gmail feature to help users manage subscriptions and clean up their inboxes. The "Manage subscriptions" tool, rolling out on web, Android, and iOS, lets users view and unsubscribe from unwanted subscriptions in one place. Gmail sends unsubscribe requests on the user's behalf. This builds on last year's one-click unsubscribe feature. The rollout begins July 10th, with full availability expected within 15 days.

(techcrunch.com)

Development Inbox Management Subscription Management

ChatGPT's New "Study Together" Mode: AI Tutor or Cheating Enabler?

2025-07-08

ChatGPT's New

Some ChatGPT Plus subscribers are reporting a new feature called "Study Together." Instead of directly answering prompts, this mode reportedly asks questions, prompting users to engage actively, much like an AI tutor. Speculation abounds about whether it will evolve into a multi-user study group feature and how effective it will be in deterring academic dishonesty. OpenAI hasn't commented, and ChatGPT itself remains vague about the feature's wider rollout. This new mode highlights ChatGPT's dual role in education: it can aid learning but also facilitate cheating; "Study Together" may be OpenAI's attempt to steer usage towards positive applications.

(techcrunch.com)

AI Study Mode

Waymo's Northeastern Expansion: Road Trips to NYC and Philly

2025-07-08

Waymo's Northeastern Expansion: Road Trips to NYC and Philly

Waymo initiated road trips to Philadelphia and New York City, marking its expansion efforts into Northeastern markets. These trips involve mapping the cities using human-driven vehicles equipped with Waymo's autonomous driving system, followed by autonomous testing with a safety driver present. Similar trips have previously led to commercial launches in other cities. While Waymo applied for a permit to test driverless vehicles in NYC, approval is pending, and commercial deployment remains a long-term goal. Waymo's broader strategy centers on expanding its commercial robotaxi services, with planned launches in Miami this year and Washington, D.C., in 2026.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Market Expansion

ICEBlock App Explodes in Popularity After Attorney General Criticism

2025-07-03

ICEBlock App Explodes in Popularity After Attorney General Criticism

ICEBlock, an iPhone app allowing anonymous reporting of ICE agent sightings, has skyrocketed in Apple's US App Store rankings. Ironically, criticism from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi fueled its viral ascent. The app, primarily used in Los Angeles where ICE raids are frequent, saw a massive surge in downloads following Bondi's comments. Users can report ICE sightings within a 5-mile radius; the app sends notifications and, importantly, doesn't collect user data, a fact confirmed by TechCrunch's network traffic analysis.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech anonymous reporting app store ranking

Amazon to Shutter Standalone Freevee App in August 2025

2025-07-03

Amazon to Shutter Standalone Freevee App in August 2025

Amazon will shut down its standalone Freevee app in August 2025, consolidating its free, ad-supported streaming content onto Prime Video. This follows an announcement made in November 2024. Users can continue accessing Freevee's movies, shows, and live TV on Prime Video at no cost, even without a Prime subscription. The move is seen as a strategic simplification, centralizing Amazon's streaming offerings around Prime Video.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Catwatchful Spyware Leak Exposes 60K+ Users, Admin

2025-07-03

Catwatchful Spyware Leak Exposes 60K+ Users, Admin

A security vulnerability in Catwatchful, a stealthy Android spyware app, exposed the email addresses and plaintext passwords of over 62,000 customers and the phone data of 26,000 victims. Masquerading as a child monitoring app, Catwatchful secretly uploads photos, messages, location data, and audio/video recordings. Security researcher Eric Daigle uncovered the flaw, revealing the app's administrator, Omar Soca Charcov. This incident highlights the prevalence and risks of consumer-grade spyware, underscoring the need for enhanced user privacy protections.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Amazon Hits 1 Million Robots in Warehouses, Leverages AI for Efficiency Boost

2025-07-02

Amazon Hits 1 Million Robots in Warehouses, Leverages AI for Efficiency Boost

Amazon announced a major milestone: it now has one million robots in its warehouses, with the latest addition deployed in Japan. This signifies a massive leap in Amazon's warehouse automation efforts, bringing its robot workforce close to equaling its human workforce. To further enhance efficiency, Amazon unveiled DeepFleet, a new AI model designed to optimize robot routing, promising a 10% increase in robotic fleet speed. Furthermore, Amazon developed the Vulcan robot, equipped with tactile sensors for more precise item handling. These advancements highlight Amazon's continuous investment in automation and its technological leadership in logistics.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Google's Data Center Energy Consumption Doubles, Leading to Massive Renewable Energy Investments

2025-07-02

Google's Data Center Energy Consumption Doubles, Leading to Massive Renewable Energy Investments

Google's latest sustainability report reveals a staggering increase in its data center electricity consumption, more than doubling in just four years to 30.8 million megawatt-hours. Data centers account for a whopping 95.8% of Google's total energy use. To meet its carbon-free pledge, Google is aggressively investing in geothermal, nuclear fusion, nuclear fission, and renewables, including large solar and wind power purchases and partnerships with startups developing advanced energy technologies. While Google has achieved its annual carbon-free energy matching goal, achieving 24/7 carbon-free energy remains a significant challenge, particularly in regions with less reliable power grids.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Facebook's Sneaky AI Photo Grab

2025-06-28

Facebook's Sneaky AI Photo Grab

Facebook is testing a new feature that requests access to users' camera rolls to suggest AI-edited photo versions, even those not yet uploaded. This "cloud processing" option allows Facebook to upload photos for analysis, creating collages, recaps, AI stylings, and themes. While Facebook claims these suggestions are only visible to the user and not used for ads, its AI terms allow facial feature and other data analysis. This raises privacy concerns, as Facebook doesn't fully clarify data usage or whether it trains its AI models with this data. Currently testing in the US and Canada, users can disable the feature in settings.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Google's Offerwall: An AI-Powered Lifeline for Publishers?

2025-06-26

Google's Offerwall: An AI-Powered Lifeline for Publishers?

Google's AI-driven search features are hurting publisher traffic, prompting the launch of Offerwall, a new tool designed to diversify revenue streams. Offerwall provides publishers with various monetization options including micropayments, surveys, and ads, allowing them to move beyond traditional traffic-dependent models. Following a year-long beta with 1000 publishers, Offerwall is now freely available within Google Ad Manager. While micropayment models have historically struggled, Google's integrated solution, including partnerships like Supertab, offers customizable options and shows promising results: an average revenue increase of 9% during testing, with some publishers reporting increases as high as 20%.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Sanders: AI Productivity Gains Should Mean Shorter Workweeks

2025-06-26

Sanders: AI Productivity Gains Should Mean Shorter Workweeks

Senator Bernie Sanders argues that the productivity gains from AI should benefit workers, not just corporate executives. He suggests a reduced workweek, citing examples like a successful UK trial of a four-day workweek and Microsoft Japan's experiment with similar results. Sanders envisions using AI to give workers more time for family, friends, and personal pursuits, arguing this isn't a radical idea but a beneficial application of technology.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech workweek

Ethiopian Solo Founder Builds Viral Auth Tool, Secures $5M Seed Round

2025-06-26

Ethiopian Solo Founder Builds Viral Auth Tool, Secures $5M Seed Round

Bereket Engida, a self-taught programmer from Ethiopia, has quietly built Better Auth, an open-source authentication framework lauded by developers as the best they've ever used. This solo founder's startup recently raised $5 million in seed funding. Better Auth addresses limitations in existing tools, offering flexibility and on-premise data storage, appealing to AI startups and others concerned about data security. Boasting 150,000+ weekly downloads and 15,000+ GitHub stars, Better Auth is a testament to Engida's skill and a source of inspiration for aspiring African founders.

(techcrunch.com)

Development African founder

Apple Wallet Ads for F1 Movie Spark User Backlash

2025-06-24

Apple Wallet Ads for F1 Movie Spark User Backlash

Apple is facing user backlash after its Wallet app pushed notifications advertising a $10 discount on Fandango for the F1 movie. iPhone users are upset about receiving marketing promotions within a built-in utility. While the film uses Apple technology, including iPhone parts in its cameras, users don't want ads in their apps. An upcoming iOS 26 beta update will include a toggle to disable these promotions, suggesting Apple plans to increase such marketing. This reminds many of the infamous U2 album automatically added to iTunes years ago. The negative reaction highlights Apple users' aversion to unwanted ads on their devices.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Judge Rules Anthropic's Use of Books to Train AI is Fair Use

2025-06-24

Judge Rules Anthropic's Use of Books to Train AI is Fair Use

A federal judge ruled that Anthropic's use of published books to train its AI models without authors' permission is legal, marking the first time courts have acknowledged AI companies' fair use defense in LLM training. This decision is a setback for authors suing companies like OpenAI and Meta. While not setting universal precedent, it favors tech companies. The ruling hinges on the interpretation of fair use doctrine, outdated in the age of generative AI. However, a trial will address Anthropic's use of pirated books to build its 'central library' of copyrighted works, potentially impacting damages.

(techcrunch.com)

AI

Tesla's Robotaxi Service Launches in Austin, Raising Eyebrows

2025-06-23

Tesla's Robotaxi Service Launches in Austin, Raising Eyebrows

A decade after Elon Musk's ambitious promises, Tesla has quietly launched a robotaxi service in Austin using driverless Model Y SUVs. The service, using a camera-only, end-to-end AI approach, differs significantly from competitors like Waymo. Currently operating a small fleet of around 10 2025 Model Ys in a limited area of South Austin, the service charges a flat $4.20 per ride and features a human safety monitor in the passenger seat, a departure from typical autonomous vehicle testing practices. Tesla's limited transparency and attempts to block information requests raise concerns about safety and accountability. While initial reports include minor incidents like sudden braking, Musk and Tesla celebrated the launch as a major milestone.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

OpenAI Pulls Jony Ive Collaboration Video Amid Trademark Dispute

2025-06-22

OpenAI Pulls Jony Ive Collaboration Video Amid Trademark Dispute

OpenAI quietly removed a promotional video showcasing its collaboration with legendary Apple designer Jony Ive and its $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive's startup, io. The removal isn't due to the acquisition falling through, but rather a trademark lawsuit filed by iyO (an Alphabet X spin-off) over the use of the name 'io'. A judge issued a restraining order. OpenAI confirmed the deal remains unaffected and that they are reviewing their options. iyO's first product is a generative AI-powered earbud, and the judge suggested OpenAI's video might already be causing consumer confusion. The video remains visible on X for now.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Bluesky's Bigger Picture: Beyond the App

2025-06-21

Bluesky's Bigger Picture: Beyond the App

Bluesky is facing criticism for its perceived political leanings and user engagement. However, the article argues that Bluesky's value lies in its underlying open protocol, AT Proto, not just its namesake app. Numerous third-party apps built on AT Proto offer diverse social experiences, encompassing video, live streaming, blogging, and more, even integrating content from other platforms. Bluesky's future success hinges on emphasizing its open ecosystem, rather than solely positioning itself as an X alternative.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Threads Glitch Creates a Monolithic Echo Chamber: Everyone's Saying the Same Thing

2025-06-21

Threads Glitch Creates a Monolithic Echo Chamber: Everyone's Saying the Same Thing

A bizarre bug on Meta's Threads app is causing a disturbing phenomenon: some users are seeing the same post repeated endlessly across their feeds, creating a massive echo chamber. One example shows the phrase "Siri, unsubscribe me from 2025" being echoed ad nauseam. While more silly than malicious, this incident, coupled with a recent Meta AI privacy breach, highlights ongoing issues with app stability and user data security at Meta. Meta has acknowledged the problem and is working on a fix.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Six-Month-Old Vibe-Coding Startup Base44 Acquired by Wix for $80M

2025-06-19

Six-Month-Old Vibe-Coding Startup Base44 Acquired by Wix for $80M

Maor Shlomo's Base44, a six-month-old bootstrapped vibe-coding startup, was acquired by Wix for $80 million in cash. Base44, boasting 250,000 users and rapid growth (10,000 users in three weeks), provides compelling evidence for the 'solo unicorn' concept, although Shlomo had a small team. The acquisition highlights the potential of low-code/no-code platforms and the rapid adoption of AI in startups.

(techcrunch.com)

Startup

Facebook Consolidates All Videos into Reels Format

2025-06-17

Facebook announced that all videos on its platform will soon be shared as reels, regardless of length or orientation, unifying its video formats. Users will no longer need to choose between uploading a video or a reel; all uploads will automatically become reels, removing length restrictions (currently capped at 90 seconds on Facebook Reels). This simplification mirrors Instagram's 2022 move to automatically convert short videos into reels. While some users may dislike the change—for example, horizontal videos being forced into a vertical format—Facebook assures users the update won't affect video recommendations and will be gradually rolled out globally.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Video Format

Finland Unveils World's Largest Sand Battery, a Cheap and Green Energy Solution

2025-06-17

Finland Unveils World's Largest Sand Battery, a Cheap and Green Energy Solution

The small Finnish town of Pornainen has switched on the world's largest sand battery, a thermal energy storage system using waste soapstone to store heat generated from renewable energy sources. This 2,000-metric-ton battery, housed in a 49-foot-wide silo, stores 1,000 megawatt-hours of heat for weeks, significantly reducing the town's reliance on oil for district heating and lowering carbon emissions. The low cost of materials and simple construction make this a compelling alternative to expensive lithium-ion batteries, showcasing a promising path for sustainable energy.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech sand battery

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