Korea’s biggest manufacturers back Config, the TSMC of robot data

Korea’s biggest manufacturers back Config, the TSMC of robot data

Asia’s push into physical AI is being fueled by the same manufacturing prowess that made the region a global industrial powerhouse. Across South Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan, manufacturing remains a central pillar of economic growth. Unlike economies more heavily weighted toward services or software, these countries have long relied on large-scale production, export-driven industries,…

Anthropic says ‘evil’ portrayals of AI were responsible for Claude’s blackmail attempts

Anthropic says ‘evil’ portrayals of AI were responsible for Claude’s blackmail attempts

Fictional portrayals of artificial intelligence can have a real effect on AI models, according to Anthropic. Last year, the company said that during pre-release tests involving a fictional company, Claude Opus 4 would often try to blackmail engineers to avoid being replaced by another system. Anthropic later published research suggesting that models from other companies…

Uber has always wanted to be more than a ride; now it has reason to hurry

Uber has always wanted to be more than a ride; now it has reason to hurry

For years, Uber talked about becoming a super app. Then Waymo started picking up passengers in San Francisco, and the conversation grew more urgent. The company has been trying to embed itself inside the AV industry — as a data provider, an investor, and a distribution platform — but the consumer-facing bet may be just…

We’re feeling cynical about xAI’s big deal with Anthropic

We’re feeling cynical about xAI’s big deal with Anthropic

Anthropic and xAI announced a big partnership this week, with Anthropic buying all the compute capacity at xAI’s Colossus 1 data center in Tennessee. On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and I discussed what the deal might mean for xAI’s parent company SpaceX, as SpaceX prepares to go public…

The hottest place for startups to strike a deal? The F1 paddock

The hottest place for startups to strike a deal? The F1 paddock

Over cold drinks in the Florida heat, this TechCrunch reporter watched from the paddock as founders and investors — the rich and the richer — mingled in search of deals. Conversations barely paused, except for the occasional glance at the track where drivers, sealed inside multi-million-dollar machines, chased the chequered flag. F1 weekend is a…

How I customized my Sonos speaker to make my home theater sound truly immersive

How I customized my Sonos speaker to make my home theater sound truly immersive

TV and Music Level: In this settings folder, you can adjust the audio level of your surrounds when playing TV audio or music. You can adjust these levels on a 30-point scale, plus or minus 15. I keep these settings neutral Surround Distance: Ensure your surround distance is as accurate as possible, as this feature…

I measured 5G signals of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in a small town – here’s what the data says

I measured 5G signals of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in a small town – here’s what the data says

Adam Doud/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways I tested 5G on country roads and farmland for three days. Verizon led in overall network levels, followed by AT&T and T-Mobile. T-Mobile was the only network to pull in a 5G signal. My quest to test 5G has taken…

I use these 10 secret Netflix codes to find hidden movies – here’s how to enter them

I use these 10 secret Netflix codes to find hidden movies – here’s how to enter them

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Netflix codes open hidden genre and micro-category pages. Codes work best in a browser, but can work in the app. They don’t unlock extra titles outside your Netflix plan. I’ve used Netflix for decades. I had it…