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EU AI Act's First Compliance Deadline: High-Risk AI Banned

2025-02-03

EU AI Act's First Compliance Deadline: High-Risk AI Banned

February 2nd marks the first compliance deadline for the EU AI Act, banning AI applications deemed to pose 'unacceptable risk'. These include AI used for social scoring, manipulative decision-making, exploiting vulnerabilities, crime prediction, and unauthorized biometric data collection. Non-compliant companies face fines up to €35 million. While some companies preemptively signed the EU AI Pact, clarity on implementation details, including interactions with other regulations and exemptions, remains pending. Further guidelines are expected in early 2025.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech AI Act AI regulation

OpenAI Uses Reddit's r/ChangeMyView to Benchmark AI Persuasion

2025-02-02

OpenAI Uses Reddit's r/ChangeMyView to Benchmark AI Persuasion

OpenAI leveraged Reddit's r/ChangeMyView subreddit to evaluate the persuasive abilities of its new reasoning model, o3-mini. The subreddit, where users post opinions and engage in debates, provided a unique dataset to assess how well the AI's generated responses could change minds. While o3-mini didn't significantly outperform previous models like o1 or GPT-4o, all demonstrated strong persuasive abilities, ranking in the top 80-90th percentile of human performance. OpenAI emphasizes that the goal isn't to create hyper-persuasive AI, but rather to mitigate the risks associated with excessively persuasive models. The benchmark highlights the ongoing challenge of securing high-quality datasets for AI model development.

(techcrunch.com)

AI persuasion

Threads Surges Past 320 Million MAUs, Outpacing Rivals

2025-02-01

Threads Surges Past 320 Million MAUs, Outpacing Rivals

Meta's microblogging app, Threads, continues its rapid growth, surpassing rivals like X. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced 320 million monthly active users (MAUs), a jump from 300 million last month. This growth contrasts with the slowing expansion of Bluesky. Threads boasts over 1 million daily sign-ups. Meta is enhancing user engagement with features like post scheduling and view counts, and is exploring new ad experiments in the US and Japan. Improvements to recommendation algorithms prioritize recent posts and top creators, alongside enhanced personalized feeds.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

OpenAI AMA: Admitting Lag, Embracing Open Source?

2025-02-01

OpenAI AMA: Admitting Lag, Embracing Open Source?

In a wide-ranging Reddit AMA, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted that OpenAI's lead in AI is shrinking, partly due to competitors like DeepSeek. He hinted at a shift towards a more open-source strategy, potentially releasing older models. OpenAI is also navigating pressure from Washington, a massive funding round, and the need to build out substantial data center infrastructure. To compete, the company plans to increase model transparency by revealing the reasoning process behind its outputs. Altman expressed optimism about the potential for rapid AI advancement but acknowledged the risk of misuse, particularly in the development of weapons.

(techcrunch.com)

AI AI Race

Swiss Canton Buys Typo-Filled Domain to Fix 100k Flyer Error

2025-01-31

Swiss Canton Buys Typo-Filled Domain to Fix 100k Flyer Error

The Basel-Stadt canton in Switzerland accidentally omitted '.ch' from the URL printed on over 100,000 tax filing flyers, resulting in a '.bs' (Bahamas) domain. Instead of reprinting at a cost of roughly $100,000, they opted to purchase the erroneous domain for $1,000 and set up a redirect to the correct URL. The redirect is not yet live, pending domain registration completion.

(techcrunch.com)

Misc domain typo printing error government efficiency

OpenAI Launches Cheaper, Faster Reasoning Model: o3-mini

2025-01-31

OpenAI Launches Cheaper, Faster Reasoning Model: o3-mini

OpenAI unveiled o3-mini, a new AI reasoning model in its 'o' family. While comparable in capability to the o1 family, o3-mini boasts faster speeds and lower costs. Fine-tuned for STEM problems, particularly programming, math, and science, it's available in ChatGPT with adjustable 'reasoning effort' settings balancing speed and accuracy. Paid users get unlimited access, while free users have a query limit. Also accessible via OpenAI's API to select developers, o3-mini offers competitive pricing and improved safety, though it doesn't surpass DeepSeek's R1 model in all benchmarks.

(techcrunch.com)

AI

Intel Cancels Falcon Shores GPU, Pivots to System-Level AI Solutions

2025-01-31

Intel Cancels Falcon Shores GPU, Pivots to System-Level AI Solutions

Intel has announced the cancellation of its next-generation high-performance computing and AI GPU, Falcon Shores, shifting focus to Jaguar Shores. This strategic adjustment comes after a series of disappointing product launches and substantial losses, as Intel attempts to regain its footing. Intel acknowledges that a standalone chip isn't enough; customers demand a complete system-level solution. This move also reflects Intel's challenges in the AI data center market, facing stiff competition from AMD and Nvidia, and acknowledges the underperformance of its Gaudi 3 chip.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

India Welcomes Chinese AI: DeepSeek Deploys Amidst Massive Compute Center Launch

2025-01-30

India Welcomes Chinese AI: DeepSeek Deploys Amidst Massive Compute Center Launch

India's IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, will host its large language models on Indian servers, marking a rare opening for Chinese technology in India. This comes as India invests heavily in its own AI sector, unveiling a new AI compute facility boasting 18,693 GPUs and offering significant discounts to Indian firms. DeepSeek's R1 model, recently released to much fanfare for its performance relative to its development cost, has shaken the tech industry, impacting Nvidia's market cap. India aims to attract $30 billion in hyperscaler and data center investments over the next few years, fostering the development of homegrown AI models and establishing a regulatory body to ensure AI safety.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech China Tech

US Teens' Trust in Big Tech Plummets

2025-01-30

US Teens' Trust in Big Tech Plummets

A new report from Common Sense Media reveals a significant decline in trust among US teens toward major tech companies like Google, Apple, Meta, TikTok, and Microsoft. The survey found low levels of trust regarding these companies' concern for teen well-being, ethical decision-making, and data privacy. This distrust is linked to several tech scandals over the years, including government mass data collection, the Cambridge Analytica scandal, and Meta whistleblower leaks. Teens also express skepticism about these companies' responsible use of AI, with many believing AI exacerbates online misinformation and impacts the accuracy of online information. The report calls for increased AI privacy safeguards and transparency, suggesting AI-generated content should be labeled and watermarked.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech teens tech trust

DeepSeek's Rise: Are US AI Chip Export Controls Working?

2025-01-30

DeepSeek's Rise: Are US AI Chip Export Controls Working?

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei commented on the implications of Chinese AI company DeepSeek's success on US AI chip export controls. He argues that while DeepSeek has made strides in cost-effectiveness, it still lags behind US models, suggesting the controls are working. He predicts the future hinges on the Trump administration's export policies: strengthening controls could maintain US leadership, while easing them could let China gain an advantage in military AI applications.

(techcrunch.com)

AI AI chip export controls US-China AI competition

Boom Supersonic's XB-1 Breaks the Sound Barrier: A New Era for Civilian Supersonic Flight

2025-01-28

Boom Supersonic's XB-1 Breaks the Sound Barrier: A New Era for Civilian Supersonic Flight

Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator plane successfully broke the sound barrier over California's Mojave Desert, becoming the first civilian aircraft to achieve supersonic flight. This historic milestone occurred during the XB-1's twelfth test flight, maintaining supersonic speed (Mach 1.1) for approximately four minutes. Boom plans to build the 64-passenger Overture supersonic airliner, already securing orders from American Airlines and Japan Airlines. This achievement marks a resurgence of civilian supersonic flight and offers hope for the future of supersonic passenger travel.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

2025: Another Brutal Year for Startups? Data Suggests So

2025-01-27

2025: Another Brutal Year for Startups? Data Suggests So

Data suggests 2025 could be another tough year for startups. 2024 saw a significant increase in startup closures compared to 2023, with Carta reporting a 25.6% rise to 966 closures (US-based Carta customers). AngelList saw a 56.2% increase to 364 closures. This surge is attributed to the overfunded and overvalued companies from the 2020-2021 boom. Many struggled to secure further funding after inflated valuations. Experts point to a combination of factors: running out of cash, lack of product-market fit, and inability to raise more capital due to previous overvaluation. The trend is expected to continue in the first half of 2025, gradually declining thereafter.

(techcrunch.com)

Startup startup failures funding crunch overvaluation

Token Security Raises $20M to Secure the Booming World of Machine Identities

2025-01-27

Token Security Raises $20M to Secure the Booming World of Machine Identities

The rise of cloud computing and AI has led to a surge in machine identities, creating more entry points for hackers. Token Security, a startup tackling this growing security risk, just secured $20 million in Series A funding. Their platform automatically identifies and manages machine identities, helping companies prevent breaches before they occur. Founded by veterans of Israel's Unit 8200, the company counts HPE among its clients and plans to use the funding to expand its AI capabilities and US presence. The funding highlights the increasing importance of securing machine identities, often overlooked in traditional cybersecurity strategies.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech machine identity

Meta AI Now Uses Your Data for Personalized Responses: Privacy Concerns?

2025-01-27

Meta AI Now Uses Your Data for Personalized Responses: Privacy Concerns?

Meta AI has received an upgrade, leveraging Facebook and Instagram data to personalize responses. The AI can now remember past conversation details and tailor recommendations based on user preferences, such as dietary restrictions. For example, it could create personalized bedtime stories based on Facebook profile information and Instagram browsing history. While Meta claims users can delete memories, the update raises privacy concerns, especially given the generally low level of trust in Meta's data handling.

(techcrunch.com)

AI

Open-Source Social Media Rivals Meta in Kickstarter Campaign

2025-01-25

Open-Source Social Media Rivals Meta in Kickstarter Campaign

Daniel Supernault, the Canadian developer behind Pixelfed, Loops, and Sup – open-source alternatives to Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp – is launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise $1 million for further development. These apps are part of the growing decentralized 'fediverse', using the ActivityPub protocol. Driven by a desire for alternatives to centralized platforms controlled by billionaires, these open-source apps are gaining traction. The campaign also aims to support the Pixelfed Foundation and address Supernault as a single point of failure for the project.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech open-source social media

Massive Data Breach: 190 Million Americans Affected by Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack

2025-01-25

Massive Data Breach: 190 Million Americans Affected by Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack

UnitedHealth Group confirmed that a ransomware attack on its subsidiary, Change Healthcare, in February 2024 affected approximately 190 million Americans – nearly double previous estimates. The attack resulted in the theft of massive amounts of sensitive health and insurance data, including names, addresses, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and medical records. Some data was even published online by the hackers. Change Healthcare paid ransoms to prevent further data release. This is the largest healthcare data breach in US history, highlighting critical vulnerabilities in the healthcare system's cybersecurity.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech healthcare security

IMDb Founder Steps Down After 35 Years

2025-01-22

IMDb Founder Steps Down After 35 Years

Col Needham, founder of the Amazon-owned IMDb database, stepped down as CEO after 35 years at the helm. He's succeeded by Nikki Santoro, the former COO, who becomes the first woman to lead the company. Needham will transition to executive chairman. Santoro, with the company since 2016, has overseen expansion of the database and improvements to IMDbPro. This marks a significant transition for IMDb into a new era.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech CEO transition Tech Company

Meta Launches 'Edits' Video Editing App to Capitalize on CapCut's Absence

2025-01-20

Meta Launches 'Edits' Video Editing App to Capitalize on CapCut's Absence

Following the removal of ByteDance's CapCut video editing app from app stores, Meta announced its new video editing app, Edits, on Sunday. Instagram head Adam Mosseri revealed the app will launch on iOS next month, with Android to follow. Edits boasts a suite of creative tools, including inspiration and idea tracking tabs, and a high-quality camera, along with draft sharing capabilities. Meta's move is seen as capitalizing on the market gap left by CapCut's absence, mirroring previous strategic launches like Instagram Reels and Threads.

(techcrunch.com)

Development Video Editing

Failed Startups Leave Employees Vulnerable to Data Breaches via Google Logins

2025-01-20

Failed Startups Leave Employees Vulnerable to Data Breaches via Google Logins

A security researcher discovered a critical vulnerability exposing employees of defunct startups to significant data breaches. By acquiring expired domains, attackers can exploit "Sign in with Google" to access company cloud software, potentially stealing Slack messages, Social Security numbers, and bank account details. While Google's OAuth configuration includes safeguards, improper implementation by some SaaS providers leaves the vulnerability exploitable. Tens of thousands of former employees and millions of SaaS accounts are at risk. Google has updated its documentation, advising companies to properly shut down cloud services, but the issue remains unresolved.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech startups

TikTok Goes Dark in the US: Overnight Ban

2025-01-19

TikTok Goes Dark in the US: Overnight Ban

Following a new federal law, TikTok has been banned in the US, rendering the popular social media app inaccessible to millions of American users overnight. Users began receiving notifications about the ban Friday evening, and by Saturday evening, the app was also removed from the Apple App Store. This event highlights US government concerns about data security and national security, and has sparked discussion about alternative social media apps.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Perplexity AI Bids to Merge with TikTok to Avoid US Ban

2025-01-18

Perplexity AI Bids to Merge with TikTok to Avoid US Ban

With a US ban on TikTok looming, AI search engine Perplexity AI has surprisingly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US. The proposal would create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US, and new equity partners, bringing more video content to Perplexity's search engine while allowing most ByteDance investors to retain their equity. While ByteDance has repeatedly stated its unwillingness to sell TikTok, Perplexity hopes a merger, rather than an acquisition, will overcome this obstacle. This unexpected move has sent ripples through the tech world, with its success or failure having significant implications for US tech regulation and the convergence of AI and social media.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Google Search Now Requires JavaScript: Security or Something Else?

2025-01-17

Google Search Now Requires JavaScript: Security or Something Else?

Google has announced that its search engine now mandates JavaScript for use. The stated reason is to better protect against malicious activity like bots and spam, improving the overall user experience. However, this move may inconvenience users relying on accessibility tools and has sparked speculation about Google's intent to limit third-party search trend analysis tools. While Google claims the affected user percentage is minuscule, the sheer volume of daily Google searches means millions are still impacted, leading to widespread discussion.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Malicious Activity

GM Banned from Selling Driver Data to Insurers

2025-01-17

GM Banned from Selling Driver Data to Insurers

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleges that General Motors (GM) and OnStar collected, used, and sold drivers' precise geolocation data and driving behavior without adequate notification or consent. The FTC issued a proposed order banning GM from selling this data to consumer reporting agencies for five years. This follows a New York Times investigation revealing GM's sale of driving data—including instances of hard braking and speeding—to insurers, leading to increased premiums for drivers. GM claims it has already taken steps to address these issues, including ending its Smart Driver program and ceasing data sales to analytics firms. The FTC's order is subject to a 30-day public comment period.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

UN Security Council Debates Commercial Spyware Regulation for the First Time

2025-01-16

UN Security Council Debates Commercial Spyware Regulation for the First Time

The UN Security Council held its first-ever meeting on the dangers of commercial spyware, with the US and 15 other countries calling for regulation. While no concrete proposals emerged, most nations agreed on the need for action to control its proliferation and misuse. Citizen Lab highlighted a secretive global ecosystem of spyware developers, citing Europe as a hotspot for abuse. Russia and China criticized the meeting; Russia blamed the US, while China argued that government-developed cyberweapons pose a greater threat.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech UN Security Council

Bluesky's New Photo-Sharing App, Flashes, Launches Soon

2025-01-15

Bluesky's New Photo-Sharing App, Flashes, Launches Soon

Independent developer Sebastian Vogelsang is building Flashes, a new photo-sharing app for the decentralized social network Bluesky. Leveraging the AT Protocol and code from his previous Bluesky client, Skeets, Flashes aims to offer an alternative to Instagram. It supports multi-photo posts and short videos, syncing content to the main Bluesky platform. This provides an alternative for users seeking to escape Meta's ecosystem and those interested in visual content sharing, offering a fresh entry point for new Bluesky users.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Decentralized Social

UnitedHealth Buried Change Healthcare's Data Breach Notice for Months

2025-01-15

UnitedHealth Buried Change Healthcare's Data Breach Notice for Months

Change Healthcare, a UnitedHealth-owned health tech company, suffered a ransomware attack last year exposing the sensitive health data of over 100 million individuals. The company delayed notifying affected individuals for months and, shockingly, used “noindex” code to hide the data breach notice from search engines. This secrecy has drawn criticism and prompted investigations and lawsuits from several states. The incident highlights Change Healthcare's significant security flaws and the lack of transparency and slow response from large healthcare organizations in dealing with data breaches.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech healthcare data

Meta's Internal Emails Reveal Obsession with Beating GPT-4

2025-01-15

Meta's Internal Emails Reveal Obsession with Beating GPT-4

Leaked internal emails reveal Meta executives and researchers were fiercely focused on surpassing OpenAI's GPT-4 while developing Llama 3. Messages show a strong desire to outcompete rivals, even dismissing open-source competitors as insignificant. Their ambition led them to use the LibGen dataset, containing copyrighted works, for training, now resulting in multiple copyright lawsuits. While the released Llama 3 proved competitive with leading closed-source models, even outperforming some, Meta's aggressive tactics highlight the intense competition and risks in the AI race.

(techcrunch.com)

AI AI race

Mastodon Goes Nonprofit: Decentralization Takes Center Stage

2025-01-13

Mastodon Goes Nonprofit: Decentralization Takes Center Stage

Decentralized social network Mastodon announced its transition to a European nonprofit organization. Founder Eugen Rochko will hand over management of key platform components to this new entity, preventing single-person control. This move distinguishes Mastodon from centralized networks controlled by CEOs like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Mastodon will continue operating mastodon.social and mastodon.online, remaining open-source and free. The shift reflects Mastodon's commitment to decentralization and community governance, addressing recent concerns about ownership in open-source projects.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Nonprofit

WordPress Founder Deactivates Accounts of Contributors Planning a Fork

2025-01-11

WordPress Founder Deactivates Accounts of Contributors Planning a Fork

WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg deactivated the accounts of several WordPress.org community members involved in efforts to create a fork of the open-source project. The conflict stemmed from a dispute with WP Engine, a commercial hosting company criticized for insufficient community contribution. Following this, key community figures like Joost de Valk (Yoast) and Karim Marucchi (Crowd Favorite) expressed concerns about WordPress governance, hinting at a potential fork. Mullenweg, ostensibly to support their independent efforts, deactivated their accounts and others, sparking controversy.

(techcrunch.com)

Development Community Governance

Kirin's Electric Salt Spoon: A CES 2025 Taste of the Future?

2025-01-11

Kirin's Electric Salt Spoon: A CES 2025 Taste of the Future?

At CES 2025, Kirin Holdings unveiled an electronic spoon that uses a weak electric current to enhance the salty and umami flavors of food, particularly low-sodium options. Based on research that won a 2013 Ig Nobel Prize, the spoon has already launched in Japan and Kirin aims for global distribution. The device aims to help reduce salt intake, especially relevant in Japan's high-sodium diet culture. While TechCrunch didn't sample it, the enthusiastic crowd at CES Unveiled suggests it's a hit.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Electric Salt Spoon Low-Sodium Diet

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