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Trillion with a ‘T'? That's a lot of dollars, Nvidia.
TechCrunch· 2025-08-29 15:43
Group 1 - Nvidia reported $46.7 billion in revenue, a 56% year-over-year increase driven primarily by AI demand [1] - CEO Jensen Huang predicts $3 to 4 trillion in global AI infrastructure spending over the next five years [1] - Despite strong earnings, Nvidia's stock declined as investors expressed concerns about the sustainability of growth [1]
TransUnion says hackers stole 4.4 million customers' personal information
TechCrunch· 2025-08-28 12:04
Core Points - TransUnion has reported a data breach affecting over 4.4 million customers' personal information [1][2] - The breach occurred on July 28 and was attributed to unauthorized access of a third-party application [1] - TransUnion claims that no credit information was accessed, but has not provided evidence to support this assertion [2] - The specific types of personal data stolen have not been disclosed [2] - TransUnion is one of the largest credit reporting agencies in the U.S., storing financial data for over 260 million Americans [3] - The breach follows a series of hacks targeting major U.S. corporations across various industries [3] - Other companies, including Google and Allianz Life, have also reported data breaches related to their Salesforce-hosted cloud databases [4] - The identity of the hackers behind the TransUnion breach remains unclear, and it is unknown if any demands were made [4]
Meta to spend tens of millions on pro-AI super PAC
TechCrunch· 2025-08-26 17:59
Group 1 - Meta plans to launch a super PAC named "Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across California" to support candidates favoring a light-touch approach to AI regulation [1][2] - The company intends to invest tens of millions into this new PAC, with the aim of influencing California's regulatory environment to avoid stifling innovation in AI [2] - Meta's lobbying efforts have previously targeted legislation that could impose stricter regulations on AI firms, such as requiring safety protocol disclosures [2] Group 2 - The new PAC indicates Meta's strategy to influence statewide elections, including the upcoming governor's race in 2026 [3] - Meta has already contributed to various down-ballot candidates from both political parties, showcasing its bipartisan approach to political contributions [3]
Not so fast: German court says Apple can't call Watch carbon neutral
TechCrunch· 2025-08-26 16:35
Core Viewpoint - A German court has ruled that Apple must retract its claim of carbon neutrality for its Watch Series 9 and Series 10, as the carbon offset strategy is deemed insufficient and misleading under German competition law [3]. Group 1: Legal and Regulatory Context - The lawsuit against Apple was initiated by the German environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) [2]. - The court highlighted concerns regarding the carbon credits used by Apple, which are linked to eucalyptus tree planting in Paraguay, with a significant portion of the project area on leased land that expires in 2029 [2][4]. Group 2: Carbon Neutrality Claims - Each aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 10 generates just over 8 kilograms of carbon emissions, which Apple offsets through the purchase of carbon credits [1]. - The court determined that the short duration of the land leases undermines the credibility of Apple's carbon-neutral claims, as consumers expect long-term sustainability of carbon offset projects [3]. Group 3: Consumer Expectations - The court chairwoman stated that consumers would reasonably assume that the carbon offset measures would remain effective until at least 2050, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement [3].
Apple is holding its iPhone 17 event on September 9
TechCrunch· 2025-08-26 16:05
Group 1 - Apple is holding its iPhone 17 event on September 9, starting at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET at the Steve Jobs theatre in Cupertino [1] - The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to include one regular model and two Pro models, with a potential new iPhone 17 Air model that is 5.5 mm thick and features a 6.6-inch screen, making it 0.08 inches thinner than current models [2] - The base iPhone 17 is anticipated to have a larger 6.3-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, an upgrade from the previous 60Hz [2] Group 2 - Alongside the iPhones, Apple is likely to update the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3, with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 featuring a bigger screen and faster charging [3] - The company may also announce AirPods Pro 3, which would include a more compact design, a new chip for improved noise cancellation and audio processing, and touch-sensitive controls [3]
After falling behind in generative AI, IBM and AMD look to quantum for an edge
TechCrunch· 2025-08-26 16:04
In Brief IBM and AMD are partnering to develop next-generation computing architectures that integrate IBM’s quantum systems with AMD’s AI-specialized chips. The move could position both the tech giant and chipmaker as key infrastructure players, as they look to regain ground after falling behind on the generative AI boom.Together, IBM and AMD will attempt to launch a commercially viable quantum computing architecture – one that’s scalable and open-sourced. In other words, it will be more widely accessible t ...
Tesla could have avoided that $242.5M Autopilot verdict, filings show
TechCrunch· 2025-08-25 23:32
Core Points - A jury awarded a $242.5 million verdict against Tesla for its role in a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system, which occurred in 2019 [2][3] - Tesla had the opportunity to settle the case for $60 million but chose to reject the offer [1] - The jury found the driver responsible for two-thirds of the blame, while Tesla was assigned one-third [3] Legal Proceedings - The lawsuit was filed in 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida [5] - The crash involved a Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged, which failed to brake in time, resulting in a collision that killed one person and severely injured another [2][3] - Tesla plans to appeal the verdict, citing "substantial errors of law and irregularities at trial" [4]
Elon Musk's xAI sues Apple and OpenAI, alleging anticompetitive collusion
TechCrunch· 2025-08-25 17:30
Core Argument - Elon Musk's X and xAI have filed a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, alleging collusion to suppress competition in the AI market [1] Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit claims that Apple is attempting to protect its smartphone monopoly by collaborating with OpenAI, which is accused of being a monopolist in the generative AI chatbot market [1] - Musk's legal actions are part of ongoing disputes with OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, including a previous attempt to block OpenAI's transition to a for-profit model and an unsolicited bid to acquire OpenAI for $97.4 billion [2] Group 2: Public Statements and Reactions - Musk has publicly accused OpenAI and Apple of creating an environment where no other AI company can compete effectively, stating that it is "impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach 1 in the App Store" [3] - Sam Altman has responded to Musk's allegations, suggesting that Musk manipulates X to benefit his own interests while harming competitors [3] - OpenAI and Apple have not provided immediate comments regarding the lawsuit [4]
Amazon AGI Labs chief defends his reverse acquihire
TechCrunch· 2025-08-23 20:01
Group 1 - Amazon's hiring of Adept's founders represents a trend known as reverse acquihires, where large companies hire key startup team members and license their technology instead of outright acquisitions [1] - David Luan, co-founder of Adept, is now leading Amazon's new AGI Lab, indicating a strategic move towards enhancing Amazon's capabilities in AI [2] - Luan expressed a desire to be remembered as an AI research innovator rather than a deal structure innovator, highlighting the importance of talent and computational resources in advancing AI research [3] Group 2 - Luan's motivation for joining Amazon was to tackle significant research challenges in AGI, which he believes require substantial financial and computational investment [3] - He emphasized that solving the remaining crucial research problems in AGI necessitates "two-digit billion-dollar clusters," underscoring the scale of resources needed for such advancements [3]
Apple is in talks to use Google's Gemini for Siri revamp, report says
TechCrunch· 2025-08-22 18:15
Core Insights - Apple is lagging in the development of Siri as a competitive AI assistant, prompting considerations to utilize technology from other companies [1][2] - The company is exploring a partnership with Google, a direct competitor in the smartphone market, to enhance Siri's capabilities [1] - Apple has previously engaged with OpenAI and Anthropic for similar discussions regarding technology integration for Siri [2] Company Strategy - Apple is contemplating a shift in strategy by potentially adopting external technology to improve Siri, rather than relying solely on in-house development [1] - The decision on whether to partner for Siri's revamp is expected to take several weeks, indicating a careful evaluation process [2] Competitive Landscape - The move to consider partnerships with competitors like Google highlights the increasing pressure on Apple to keep pace with advancements in AI technology [1][2] - Google's initiative to train a model that could operate on Apple's servers signifies a collaborative approach in a highly competitive environment [2]