Why is an Amazon-backed AI startup making Orson Welles fan fiction?

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Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this weekend

View this email online in your browser  September 07, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 Why is an Amazon-backed AI startup making Orson Welles fan fiction?: This is a bad idea. Read More EU fines Google $3.5B over adtech 'abuse': This is the EU's largest antitrust penalty ever — and Trump has already threatened to "nullify" it. Read More The growing debate over expanding age verification laws: As age and identity verification laws become more mainstream, this legislation could have a dire impact on privacy. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Disrupt 2025: AI, Scaling, IPO, and more on 5 stages Get access to 250+ top tech voices, 200 sessions, 100+ tomorrow's breakthroughs, 10,000+ attendees, three days straight — TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 happens October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Don't miss valuable takeaways across five industry stages, breakouts, roundtables, and unmatched networking. All at the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch. Register now to save up to $668 on your ticket. Register Now Sunday Must-Reads Natron's liquidation shows why the US isn't ready to make its own batteries: The sodium-ion battery startup went from announcing a $1.4 billion factory to filing for liquidation in just over a year. Natron's troubled journey illustrates the challenges in making batteries in the U.S. Read More Personalized AI companion app Dot is shutting down: Dot, a personalized AI companion, is shutting down. Read More Cutting through the equity noise: Don't miss this powerhouse panel at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Leaders from Pulley, 645 Ventures, and Epigram Legal join the Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening October 27-29 in San Francisco. Register to join. Read More Attorneys general warn OpenAI 'harm to children will not be tolerated': California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings met with and sent an open letter to OpenAI to express their concerns over the safety of ChatGPT, particularly for children and teens.  Read More Musk's $1T pay package is full of watered-down versions of his own broken promises: Musk used to say Tesla would make 20 million cars and one million humanoid robots per year. The company's board wants far less than that in exchange for $1 trillion. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Hear from Brynn Putnam, Aaron Levie, and more at Disrupt 2025 Disrupt 2025 gathers 250+ industry trailblazers and 10,000+ attendees in San Francisco on October 27–29. Explore 200+ sessions on scaling, exits, and the evolving tech landscape. Hear from Elad Gil (Gil & Co), Brynn Putnam (Board and formerly Mirror), Tekedra Mawakana (Waymo), Aaron Levie (Box), and more. Register now to save up to $668 before prices hike. Register Now Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least OpenAI reorganizes research team behind ChatGPT's personality: OpenAI is shuffling the team that shapes its AI models' behavior, and its leader is moving on to another project within the company. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107