Star Catcher wants to build a space power grid to supercharge orbital industry
Our growth as a civilization is tightly coupled to our ability to sufficiently generate ever-increasing amounts of electricity. Could the same be true in space? Star Catcher Industries, a startup just emerging from stealth today, is betting that might be the case. The company is developing a space-based energy grid
Read MoreMistral’s Large 2 is its answer to Meta and OpenAI’s latest models
For frontier AI models, when it rains, it pours. Mistral released a fresh new flagship model on Wednesday, Large 2, which it claims to be on par with the latest cutting edge models from OpenAI and Meta in terms of code generation, mathematics, and reasoning. The release of Mistral Large
Read MoreResearchers are training home robots in simulations based on iPhone scans
Researchers at MIT CSAIL this week are showcasing a new method for training home robots in simulation. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Read MoreApple Maps launches on the web to challenge Google Maps
Apple announced on Wednesday that Apple Maps is now available on the web via a public beta, which means you can now access the service directly from your browser. The launch puts Apple Maps in direct competition with Google Maps, which has long been available on the web. Maps on
Read MoreAlternative app store AltStore PAL adds third-party iOS apps in wake of EU Apple ruling
AltStore, an alternative app store, has launched its first batch of third-party iOS apps in the European Union. The rollout comes a few months after the company launched an updated version of its app marketplace in the EU. AltStore PAL arrived as a response to the Digital Markets Act (DMA),
Read MoreBing previews its answer to Google’s AI Overviews
Microsoft this afternoon previewed its answer to Google’s AI-powered search experiences: Bing generative search. Available only for a “small percentage” of users at the moment, Bing generative search, underpinned by a combo of large and small generative AI models (mum’s the word on which models exactly), aggregates info from around
Read MoreSocial Media Erupts Over Miss SA Contestant’s Nationality
The Miss South Africa (Miss SA) contest has always been a celebration of beauty, intelligence, and cultural diversity. However, this year’s competition has been overshadowed by a scandal involving one of its candidates. A 23-year-old model and mother-of-one has faced significant backlash on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter),
Read MoreThis Week in AI: How Kamala Harris might regulate AI
Hiya, folks, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter. Last Sunday, President Joe Biden announced that he no longer plans to seek reelection, instead offering his “full endorsement” of VP Kamala Harris to become the Democratic Party’s nominee; in the days following, Harris secured support from the Democratic delegate majority. Harris
Read More5 Notable Futuristic Innovations by Elon Musk
Elon Musk, born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971, showed an early interest in computers and technology. He taught himself programming at the age of 12 and sold his first software, a game called Blastar. This early success was just the beginning of a career marked by pushing boundaries. Musk’s
Read MoreVCs are still pouring billions into generative AI startups
But the fate of many generative AI businesses — even the best-funded ones — looks murky. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Read More