TechCrunch Top 3

OpenAI launches Astra, its powerful (and controversial) new model: OpenAI claims that Astra represents "a new frontier on computer and browser use," and that it handles tasks with unmatched "speed, accuracy, and safety." Read More

The Cybercab is Tesla's ‘fork in the road’ moment : The company is about to formally launch the gold two-seater, with no steering wheel or pedals -- a move that could change Tesla forever. Read More

Accel reportedly in talks to lead $1B round for Thinking Machines at $40B valuation: The high-profile startup's annual revenue run rate stands at over $100 million. Read More

Afternoon Must-Reads

Nvidia confirms it will buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion: Nvidia said Hugging Face hosts over 3 million models and is used by over 18 million developers. Read More

Utilities are racing to link up with fusion startups, with Realta Fusion the latest to benefit: The grid has been straining under the weight of new AI data centers, and that has utilities courting fusion startups. Read More

Abliteration.ai is making a business out of removing AI guardrails: Abliteration.AI is making powerful AI models without guardrails easier to access, arguing that giving defenders the same tools as bad actors could ultimately improve cybersecurity. Read More

Qualcomm backs Ultrahuman in $70M round on bet to turn smart rings into computers: Ultrahuman is targeting a $200 million annual revenue run rate by January 2027 as it builds a new Qualcomm-powered smart ring. Read More

Google's latest AI weather model gives you no excuse to forget your umbrella: WeatherNext 3 is the latest wave of a sea change in meteorology brought out by deep learning techniques. Google says it will start feeding into weather information users see in search, Google Maps, and Gemini. Read More

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Last but Not Least

Startup ARR is less secure than ever, new research shows: The AI era has completely broken enterprise buying patterns, and startups haven't yet figured out how to navigate. Read More