Clashing approaches to combat AI’s ‘perpetual bulls**t machine’
The AI stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 got off to a fiery but constructive start on a panel about combating disinformation. But in a spirited exchange of views tempered by expressions of respect and agreement, all three panelists had harsh words for social media and generative AI. None was harsher,
Read moreUbisoft dumps its NFT game on the market to little fanfare
Image: Ubisoft Ubisoft has quietly released its own NFT game to join the ranks of other vaunted, widely-played blockchain enabled titles like Axie Infinity and...uh, Ember Sword. Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles launched earlier this month with relatively little fanfare or marketing. The game comes two years after Ubisoft’s failed bid
Read moreMatt Mullenweg talks about Automattic’s staffing issues and financials at TechCrunch Disrupt
WordPress co-creator and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg talked about his fight with WP Engine, Automattic’s staffing issues, and the company’s financials at TechCrunch Disrupt on Wednesday. Mullenweg repeated a lot of stuff from the past month about the trademark fight, WP Engine not contributing to the community, and misleading customers to
Read moreMatt Mullenweg says Automattic is ‘very short-staffed’ amid WordPress vs. WP Engine drama
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg says the company is “very short-staffed” amid WordPress’s ongoing drama with WP Engine, which hosts websites built on WordPress. The WordPress co-founder took the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on Wednesday. The saga began when Mullenweg called WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress.” Mullenweg called out
Read moreScout Motors EVs will use Rivian-VW software and architecture
VW’s new offshoot EV company Scout Motors, which revealed its first two vehicles last week, will use the software and zonal architecture being developed by the joint venture between Rivian and the Volkswagen Group. Rivian Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid confirmed to TechCrunch at Disrupt 2024 that Scout will leverage
Read moreModash is flipping the influencer marketing script by connecting brands with the long tail of creators
Estonia-based startup Modash has raised a $12 million Series A led by henQ, a Dutch VC firm that prides itself in “funding the odd ones.” And what’s odd about Modash, according to CEO Avery Schrader, is that its team “has a really strong opinion in a space that nobody really
Read moreThe AI Clouds Race: What’s Behind the Scenes
The fast-growing AI market is not only giving rise to new AI startups but also fostering the emergence of specialist vendors. Competition among cloud providers in the AI space is fierce. Roman will share how Nebius is navigating this race, what is driving the company’s rapid growth, and what it
Read moreThe increasing support and advantages of “open” AI, with Meta and Hugging Face
There’s increasing support in the AI industry for “open” AI models — models released under permissive licenses that can be repurposed for a range of applications. Standing in contrast to models gated behind paid services, open models are shacking up the AI status quo.At Disrupt 2024, Allen Institute for Artificial
Read moreBetaworks focuses on AI applications in its latest Camp
For its most recent Camp, VC and accelerator Betaworks was on the lookout for startups building native applications made possible by AI. The program was first announced in May. To explain this focus, managing partner John Borthwick wrote at the time that while things like AI chatbots and writing assistants
Read moreApple announces M4 Max chip, debuting on the MacBook Pro
Apple wrapped up a half-week of Mac announcements Wednesday by debuting the latest addition to the M-series of chips. A day after announcing the M4 Pro alongside the tiny new Mac Mini, the company is showcasing the M4 Max, which is coming to the MacBook Pro line. Like the other
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