We asked nearly a dozen venture capitalists to share which startups from Y Combinator's W26 batch are generating the most buzz among investors.

Estimates regarding the total number of Claude users vary widely, with figures ranging from 18 million to 30 million. While Anthropic has not publicly released exact user data, a company spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the number of paid subscriptions for Claude has more than doubled in the current year.

A recent study conducted by Stanford computer scientists investigates the potential harm caused by AI chatbots' tendency to provide flattering responses. This research sheds light on the risks users face when seeking personal advice from these AI systems, emphasizing the need for caution in trusting them.

Verne, a robotaxi company launched by Rimac Group, is kicking off its service in Zagreb, Croatia, aiming to revolutionize urban transport with autonomous vehicles, bolstered by collaboration with Uber.

As concerns over AI-driven job displacement intensify, backlash against data centers is mounting. Senator Mark Warner has proposed taxing these facilities to fund support for workers affected by the transition to AI technologies.

Cohere has unveiled a new open source voice model designed specifically for transcription tasks. With a relatively lightweight architecture of 2 billion parameters, it is optimized for consumer-grade GPUs, making self-hosting accessible to a wider range of users. The model supports transcription in 14 different languages, broadening its usability across diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Conntour leverages advanced AI technology to enable security teams to search through camera footage using plain language queries, making it easy to locate specific objects, individuals, or events.

In the fast-paced world of early-stage startups, assembling a reliable and innovative team is vital. Isaiah Granet, CEO and co-founder of Bland, shares practical insights on how the company discovered exceptional talent in unconventional places, proving that hiring beyond the mainstream can drive success.

ByteDance has introduced its latest AI video generation model, Dreamina Seedance 2.0, now integrated into CapCut. The new version includes robust safeguards designed to prevent the creation of videos using real faces without consent or unauthorized intellectual property, enhancing user trust and ethical use.

Over the past year, Shield AI's valuation has soared by 140%, driven by securing a key contract as the software provider for Anduril's Fury fighter jet used by the U.S. Air Force.