Google takes on ChatGPT’s Study Mode with new ‘Guided Learning’ tool in Gemini

Google takes on ChatGPT’s Study Mode with new ‘Guided Learning’ tool in Gemini

As the new school year approaches, Google announced on Wednesday that it’s launching a new tool called Guided Learning within Gemini. The tool sort of functions like an AI tutor, as it’s designed to help users build a deep understanding instead of just getting answers. The launch follows just over a week after OpenAI rolled…

First impressions of Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded, AI-powered digital assistant

First impressions of Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded, AI-powered digital assistant

I owned a lot of Alexa-powered devices in my former home: There were Amazon Echos in most rooms, including an older Echo Plus in the living room, a smattering of Dots, a Spot in a bedroom, and an Echo Show in the kitchen. A Fire TV ran in the bedroom. And, in a drawer, a…

Two teens charged in attack on former DOGE official Edward “Big Balls” Coristine

Two teens charged in attack on former DOGE official Edward “Big Balls” Coristine

Two 15-year-olds have been charged with unarmed carjacking after allegedly attacking Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, the teenage software engineer and former Neuralink intern who became a prominent figure in the Trump administration’s cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to reports citing local authorities, Coristine — who left DOGE in June but returned to federal…

Federal regulators give Zoox an exemption for its custom-built robotaxis

Federal regulators give Zoox an exemption for its custom-built robotaxis

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given Zoox an exemption to demonstrate its custom-built robotaxis on public roads and closed a related investigation into whether the Amazon-owned company had sidestepped federal regulations. The decision, which was announced Wednesday, clears up a long-standing debate over whether Zoox’s custom-built autonomous vehicles complied with federal motor vehicle…

A rival Tea app for men is leaking its users’ personal data and driver’s licenses

A rival Tea app for men is leaking its users’ personal data and driver’s licenses

TeaOnHer, an app designed for men to share photos and information about women they have supposedly dated, has exposed users’ personal information, including government IDs and selfies, TechCrunch can confirm. The app, which launched on the Apple App Store earlier this week, is a response to another viral app Tea that allows women to post…

Upwork is buying its way into corporate staffing beyond freelancers

Upwork is buying its way into corporate staffing beyond freelancers

Upwork, a platform that connects companies with freelancers, announced two acquisitions to help build out a new stand-alone enterprise-focused business that could expand its market reach. The San Francisco-based company announced it has acquired Bubty, a workforce management platform, and has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ascen, a global compliance and EOR (employer of…

Google denies AI search features are killing website traffic

Google denies AI search features are killing website traffic

Numerous studies indicate that the shift to AI search features and the use of AI chatbots are killing traffic to publishers’ sites. But Google on Wednesday denied that’s the case, at least in aggregate. Instead, the search giant says that total organic click volume from its search engine to websites has been “relatively stable” year-over-year…

Learn how to raise a seed round from top VCs at Disrupt 2025

Learn how to raise a seed round from top VCs at Disrupt 2025

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 returns to Moscone West in San Francisco from October 27-29, bringing together more than 10,000 startup and VC leaders for an inside look at where innovation is headed. Among the must-attend sessions is a candid panel on the Builders Stage about one of the most high-stakes moments in any founder’s journey: raising…

OpenAI is practically giving ChatGPT to the government for free

OpenAI is practically giving ChatGPT to the government for free

OpenAI is poised to undercut rivals like Anthropic and Google in the race to see its AI tools integrated into federal agency workflows.  The AI giant has reached an agreement with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the government’s central purchasing arm, to offer ChatGPT Enterprise to participating federal agencies for just $1 per agency…