OpenAI is testing SearchGPT. A new AI search experience that will compete directly with Google. The feature will provide “just-in-time answers” from across the internet, boosting search queries and allowing users to ask follow-up questions. This temporary prototype is currently only available to a small number of users and publisher partners for testing and feedback, but curious people can join the waiting list. Read more
CrowdStrike offered partners a $10 Uber Eats gift card. We apologize for the messy update that caused IT to shut down worldwide. Sources told TechCrunch that they received emails from CrowdStrike offering gift cards, as the company acknowledged “additional work due to the July 19 incident.” However, some people claimed that when they tried to redeem the offer, they found that the vouchers had been canceled. Read more
Wiz has rejected Alphabet's $23 billion acquisition offer. Google's parent company. The offer represented a significant premium over its last private valuation of $12 billion, but according to a source familiar with the discussions, Wiz's management has decided to remain independent instead. In a letter to employees, Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport said their goal is now “$1 billion in ARR and an IPO.” Read more
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News
Optimus gets a sale date: Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will begin selling its Optimus humanoid robot in 2026, which, if successful, would be the first of its kind to hit the market. We’ve put together a handy directory to give you an idea of where the rest of the industry stands. Read more
Good news, Apple Maps users.: Apple Maps is now accessible directly from the browser in a new public beta, aimed at reaching more users and challenging its biggest competitor, Google Maps. Read more
Don't let X train Grok through your posts: X has automatically enabled a setting that allows the company to train its Grok AI on your posts. Here’s how to turn it off and delete your conversation history with the chatbot. Read more
Hello, Waymo-Zeekr: Waymo has started testing new robotaxis made by Chinese electric car maker Zeekr on public roads in San Francisco. While they aren’t autonomous yet, they signal the next step in the company’s journey. Read more
Colin Kaepernick Starts AI Startup: The former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist is launching Lumi, an AI storytelling platform that aims to help creators tell and own their stories. Currently, Lumi is starting small as a creator tool for comics and comic book writers. Read more
Alphabet Invests $5 Billion in Waymo: Alphabet will spend an additional $5 billion on its self-driving subsidiary Waymo in a new “multi-year investment” that will allow Waymo to continue building its self-driving technology. Read more
Prop 22 will remain in place: The California Supreme Court has ruled that a ballot measure classifying app-based gig workers as independent contractors rather than employees can stand, affecting workers for companies like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart. Read more
Meta's new AI selfie feature: Are you looking for a relaxing beach vacation? Or maybe you’re wondering what it would be like to have bangs? Meta AI’s new “Imagine Yourself” feature lets you create an AI-generated avatar in an instant. Read more
Cruise scraps Origin: GM's self-driving car subsidiary will scrap plans to produce the Origin, a dedicated robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals, and instead take on a $583 million cost. Read more
Google Improves Gemini Chatbot: Google is rolling out performance updates to its AI-powered chatbots and making them more widely available. Gemini 1.5 Flash will soon be available in 40 languages and about 230 countries. Read more
Steam Deck, step aside: ASUS is releasing a revamped version of its handheld PC gaming device, the ROG Ally X. The device features a bright 7-inch display with 1080p resolution and side-positioned buttons and joysticks for easy gaming on the go. Read more
analyze
There are more Kamala Harris memes: If you’ve seen coconut emojis and “Brat” Green videos of Vice President Kamala Harris flooding your timeline (or cable news), you’re not alone. Following Harris’s bid to become the Democratic nominee, Amanda Silberling analyzes the influx of memes as a target of Gen Z irony and a potentially prescient political strategy. Read more
Strava's next chapter: There comes a time in the life of every startup when leaders and stakeholders have to think about the end goal. That’s the predicament that social fitness app Strava finds itself in. Paul Sauers caught up with Michael Martin, who has been CEO for six months, to talk about his plans for the future and why it took so long for dark mode to be implemented in the app. Read more
