Podcasts about TechCrunch

Savings and investing startup Acorns has acquired EarlyBird, an investment gifting platform for families, the company told TechCrunch exclusively. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. As part of the acquisition, EarlyBird will shut down, and all customer accounts will officially close on June 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The bots are here to stay, and they're everywhere. The trouble is, learning how to spot them. On this week's episode of Endless Thread, Ben and Amory discuss two stories from Reddit about undercover bots. First — is there such a thing as an easy tell for identifying bots? Second, what happens when internet users accept bots as fellow humans, only to discover the truth later? Show Notes: ‘The Worst Internet-Research Ethics Violation I Have Ever Seen' (The Atlantic) OpenAI used this subreddit to test AI persuasion (Tech Crunch)

Databricks just snatched up another AI company. This week, data analytics giant announced a $1 billion acquisition of Neon, a startup building an open-source alternative to AWS Aurora Postgres. It's the latest in a spree of high-profile buys, joining MosaicML and Tabular, as Databricks positions itself as the place to build, deploy, and scale AI-native applications.  Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff, and Anthony Ha unpack the Databricks–Neon deal, where Neon's serverless Postgres tech fits into the larger vision, and whether $1 billion still counts as “a lot of money” these days (spoiler: Kirsten and Anthony are on the fence). Listen to the full episode to hear about: Chime's long-awaited IPO plans and what the neobank's S-1 did (and didn't) reveal. AWS entering a ‘strategic partnership' that could shake up cloud infrastructure, especially as the Middle East ramps up its AI ambitions The return of the web series. Yes, really. Short-form scripted content is back, and investors are placing big bets on nostalgic trend Equity will be back next week, so don't miss it! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite courtroom chaos, Rippling is still going full steam ahead. The HR tech startup at the center of an increasingly dramatic legal battle with rival Deel just raised a fresh $450 million in funding at a $16.8 billion valuation, and launched a new “Startup Stack” to woo early-stage companies—winning over Y Combinator as both an investor and a client. The funding lands amid the company's high-profile legal fight with Deel, which Rippling accuses of movie-worthy corporate espionage, complete with secret crypto payments and decoy Slack channels. Deel has denied the claims and fired back with its own lawsuit, calling Rippling's accusations a “distraction.” Today on Equity, Mary Ann Azevedo and Charles Rollet are digging into the HR tech showdown from legal drama to IPO implications and global intrigue. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: The alleged spy, Rippling's evidence, and Deel's denials YC's involvement in Rippling's latest project, and why the move is raising eyebrows The potential impact on IPOs for both companies  Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the Invest In Her podcast, host Catherine Gray talks with Shira Yevin, the visionary founder and CEO of Gritty In Pink. Shira is a music industry trailblazer who's shaking up the status quo with her revolutionary platform, INPINK—a dynamic marketplace designed to connect women and gender-expansive creators with paid opportunities in the music and entertainment industries. Backed by Live Nation and championed by advisors like Melissa Etheridge, Shira's mission to create economic equity in the arts has been spotlighted by major media outlets including Forbes, TechCrunch, Billboard, NPR, and The New York Times. She's also a sought-after speaker featured at events such as SXSW and New York Tech Week, bringing her bold voice and unapologetic activism to the forefront of cultural change. In this inspiring conversation, Shira shares how her punk rock roots and DIY ethos evolved into a full-fledged movement empowering marginalized voices in music. She discusses the journey behind launching INPINK, her advocacy for gender equity, and the challenges women face navigating a male-dominated industry. Shira and Catherine explore how Gritty In Pink is helping brands, festivals, and creators diversify their hiring practices, all while celebrating talent over tokenism. The episode also dives into the business model behind the platform, recent partnerships, and her vision for building a more inclusive and representative creative economy. If you're passionate about changing the face of entertainment, this is one conversation you don't want to miss. https://www.grittyinpink.co/ https://www.showherthemoneymovie.com https://svwomenfoundersfund.vc www.sheangelinvestors.com  Follow Us On Social: Facebook: @sheangelinvestors Twitter (X): @sheangelsinvest Instagram: @sheangelinvestors | @catherinegray_investinher LinkedIn: @catherinelgray | @sheangels  

There's a paradox in robotics that says: what's easy for humans is hard for robots, and vice versa. Complex calculations, for instance, are the domain of machines. Simple motor tasks like picking up an object, on the other hand, can stump a robot. That's where our guest comes in. Jeff Mahler has spent his career working on improving the capabilities of robotic object manipulation. After completing his postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley, Mahler went on to co-found Ambi Robotics with Stephen McKinley, David Gealy, Matt Matl, and Professor Ken Goldberg, building AI-powered robots for warehouse operations. He talks to us about the state of robot assistants and how soon—if ever—we might expect a full robot revolution.Further reading:TechCrunch article on the launch of Ambi StackUC Berkeley News article on Berkeley's latest breakthroughs in robot learningWIRED article covering Amazon's new tactile-sensing warehouse robot, Vulcan. Mahler et al.'s 2019  Science Robotics paper, which introduces Dex-Net 4.0 Watch Dex-Net 2.0 picking up objectsEpisode transcriptThis episode was written and hosted by Nathalia Alcantara and produced by Coby McDonald.Art by Michiko Toki and original music by Mogli Maureal. Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions.Support the show

At Stripe's Sessions conference this week, Mark Zuckerberg pitched what he calls the “ultimate business machine”: a fully automated, end-to-end AI ad engine promising to replace agencies, creatives, and media buyers. You just need to connect your bank account first.  Zuckerberg claims this could be one of the most valuable AI systems ever built, generating thousands of image ads and testing them in real time, but it raises a bigger question: is this the future of advertising, or just another wave of AI slop flooding your feed? Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking why Zuckerberg's vision could be a marketer's dream or creative agency's worst nightmare, and what else caught our eye in tech this week. Listen to the full episode to hear about: How Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro managed to beat Pokémon Blue. Max was unimpressed, but the Equity crew thinks gamifying AI benchmarks might be the way to go. The countertop robot that handles some parts of cooking for you, with emphasis on some Uber's continued push into autonomous vehicles and what Waymo's doing in the mix A new venture from Brian Armstrong that just raised $130 million to develop cutting-edge age-reversing treatments, and who else is using AI to help us live forever Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Corporate spies stealing Slack messages. Adam Neumann raising another $100M (for WeWork 2.0?). AI startups hitting $34B valuations with zero revenue and ordering Ben & Jerry's ice cream over 15 payments with Klarna on DoorDash. April was wild, and Jack Kuveke joins the show to unpack the chaos, controversy, and insanity behind the biggest startup headlines. This is different than our normal episodes— definitely a much lighter twist, to be taken with a grain of salt. Let us know what you think!Why You Should ListenWhy Adam Neumann can raise billions—but you can't raise your seed roundHow a $40B valuation for AI startups might not be as insane as it soundsWhy espionage is moving from Wall St to Silicon ValleyWhat Klarna and DoorDash teaming up says about consumer debt cultureWhy A16Z thinks VCs will be the last job standing when AI takes overKeywordsAdam Neumann, AI startups, Silicon Valley espionage, A16Z, Klarna DoorDash, startup news, corporate spies, consumer debt, tech valuations, VC funding00:00 Intro01:45 Neumann's new $500 M raise and the WeWork déjà‑vu08:20 Deel‑vs‑Rippling spy saga uncovered13:00 11x growth scandal and TechCrunch backlash18:25 Marc Andreessen says only VCs are irreplaceable20:38 ChatGPT's $10 M “please & thank‑you” GPU bill26:10 Safe Super‑Intelligence and the $34 B pre‑revenue club30:00 Klarna × DoorDash lets you finance ice cream37:40 How consumer debt became America's default setting41:55 Quick survival guide for founders (and a few rants)Send me a message to let me know what you think!

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed. Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle." Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills. Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Brian Westover Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Today, we're bringing you an episode of our sister podcast, StrictlyVC Download. StrictlyVC's Alex Gove caught up with Eric Slesinger from 201 Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on seed-stage defense tech startups in Europe. They discuss Eric's journey from CIA to investor and how he recognized the untapped potential in European defense tech while others were dismissive, and how he's working to overcome the cultural taboo that once made defense investments "bad manners" in European VC circles. Equity will be back on Friday with our weekly news roundup, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patreon: Join our Patreon for extra-long episodes and ad-free content: www.patreon.com/techishEpisode description:Techish host Michael Berhane and TechCrunch reporter Dominic-Madori Davis dive into Meta's attempt to tackle loneliness the AI app that lets you cheat at, well... everything, and what Duolingo's AI-first strategy means for the future of work. They also chat about Ryan Coogler's big moves with Sinners and why the Kardashians' latest venture into the food industry is raising eyebrows.Chapters:01:01 Zuck Wants to Cure Loneliness With AI08:40 The AI App for Cheating at Life14:56 Duolingo and the AI Jobs Crisis20:01 Sinners Is Changing the Game27:04 Serena Ventures Backs Khloe's K Popcorn BrandCozy Earth is offering 40% off with code TECHISH: https://cozyearth.com/Extra Reading & ResourcesZuckerberg Says in Response to Loneliness Epidemic, He Will Create Most of Your Friends Using Artificial Intelligence [Futurism]Startups launch products to catch people using AI cheating app Cluely [TechCrunch]Is Duolingo the face of an AI jobs crisis? [TechCrunch]Serena Ventures Backs Khloe Kardashian's New Consumer Brand[POCIT]Subscribe to Dom's Substack: https://theblackcat.substack.com/Tickets for Founder Mixer during NY Tech Week: https://partiful.com/e/ET4FU37wBAJpRVk9jSxdEveryday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyJoin our Patreon for extra-long episodes and ad-free content: https://www.patreon.com/techish Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@techishpod/Advertise on Techish: https://goo.gl/forms/MY0F79gkRG6Jp8dJ2————————————————————Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast episode represents the personal opinions and experiences of the presenters and is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered professional advice. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information. Always do your own research or seek independent advice before making any decisions. Stay in touch with the hashtag #Techishhttps://www.instagram.com/techishpod/https://www.instagram.com/abadesi/https://www.instagram.com/michaelberhane_/ https://www.instagram.com/hustlecrewlive/https://www.instagram.com/pocintech/Email us at techishpod@gmail.com ...

A pair of conversations from last week's Smarter Faster Payments conference- Glen's annual check-in with Nacha CEO Jane Larimer, and PASA CEO Ghita Erling shares insights on modernizing South Africa's payment system through collaboration rather than mandate. Also- AI shopping agents, Uber discovers paper, and the vultures circle around checks.    Links related to this episode:   Nacha: www.nacha.org   Payments Association of South Africa: https://pasa.org.za/    Glen's blog on 2024 Faster Payments volumes: https://www.big-fintech.com/zelle-hits-a-trillion-same-day-ach-says-hold-my-beer/    TechCrunch on Visa and Mastercard's new AI shopping agents: https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/30/visa-and-mastercard-unveil-ai-powered-shopping/    Payments Dive on Uber's expanding acceptance of cash: https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/uber-expands-test-with-an-exotic-payment-cash/746464/        Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday May 7 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will feature a round robin on the countless recent regulatory twists and turns. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required:  https://www.cutownhall.com/   Join us on Bluesky!  @bigfintech.bsky.social;  @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

What if cheating was just…the future of work? That's the pitch behind Cluely, the viral AI startup that claims its stealthy browser overlay is “undetectable” and can help users bluff their way through everything from job interviews to exams. The company has raised $5.3 million and sparked a wave of backlash from startups building tools to catch cheaters. Cluely's response? They'll just build smart glasses or brain chips.  Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are getting into the week's headlines, including whether Cluely's viral strategy is genius, gross, or both, and what it says about the future of work in the AI age. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Sam Altman's latest World event in San Francisco where eyeball scans met privacy concerns Why Shein's IPO is under threat from new tariffs, and how companies like Amazon are bracing for 100%+ duty increases on Chinese goods Waymo and Toyota's agreement to explore autonomous tech integration The messy world of AI benchmarks and which major companies are allegedly gaming the system with LM Arena Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Gazdecki is a seasoned entrepreneur, 4x founder, and the CEO of Acquire.com, a platform transforming the startup acquisition process. With a passion for building businesses, he has successfully founded and exited multiple companies, including Bizness Apps, which he scaled to $10M ARR before its acquisition, and Altcoin.io. Through Acquire.com, Andrew has helped hundreds of startups get acquired, facilitating over $500 million in closed deals. His mission is to make M&A more accessible for bootstrapped founders and small startups, giving them the tools and resources to achieve successful exits. A recognized thought leader in entrepreneurship, SaaS, and startup acquisitions, Andrew's insights have been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Inc.com, and Entrepreneur Magazine. With a social media reach of over 350,000, he actively shares expertise and lessons learned from his journey to help the next generation of founders. When he's not simplifying acquisitions, Andrew enjoys cars, skateboarding, and surfing.   During the show we discussed: Steps to prepare a business for acquisition How Acquire.com streamlines M&A for startups Common founder mistakes when selling Maximizing startup valuation Preparing for due diligence Financing strategies for bootstrapped founders Using debt or equity to boost valuation Credit and financing impact on acquisition readiness Role of cash flow in exit planning Bootstrapping vs. raising capital Buying a business with limited resources Financing options for business buyers Risks vs. rewards of buying vs. starting a business Tips for first-time business buyers M&A trends affecting small businesses   Resources: https://acquire.com/  

Retail investors are increasingly shaping the secondary market. In Q4 2024, platforms like EquityZen reported that 86% of total transaction volume came from retail participants—an eye-catching shift as tools like Forge and EquityZen promise broader access to private shares. But does more access mean more opportunity, or more risk? Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan is joined by Jared Carmel of Manhattan Venture Partners to dig into what he calls a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” in secondaries, and why he sees this market as a “pressure relief valve” that could keep startups private well past their startup years. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Why a sluggish IPO market is pushing more action into secondaries How this creates a flywheel for venture capital And why Jared thinks robust secondary markets will delay (or eliminate) the need for IPOs altogether Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isabelle is the Head of the Startup Battlefield Program at TechCrunch, where she leads the sourcing and selection of 200 game-changing, early-stage companies each year to showcase at TechCrunch Disrupt. Before this, she managed a global startup accelerator, helping hundreds of startups from countries like Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain expand to the U.S. Isabelle is passionate about supporting women founders and was recognized by the World Trade Organization for launching an accelerator program that brought women entrepreneurs from Spain to the U.S., winning the International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade. In this episode, you'll hear about: Behind the scenes with Isabelle Johannessen, head of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, exploring the selection of 200 innovative startups for TechCrunch Disrupt. Insights into the rigorous selection process and the global reach of the program, emphasizing diversity with nearly 50% international founders. The evolution of Startup Battlefield from Battlefield 20 to featuring 200 startups, showcasing groundbreaking innovations. The importance of perfecting pitch presentations, leveraging AI, and engaging with top-tier VC judges. Tips for startup applications, focusing on progress towards KPIs, realistic business models, and market readiness. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-johannessen/ Website - https://techcrunch.com/apply Alcorn Immigration Law: Subscribe to the monthly Alcorn newsletter Sophie Alcorn Podcast: Episode 16: E-2 Visa for Founders and Employees Episode 19: Australian Visas Including E-3 Episode 20: TN Visas and Status for Canadian and Mexican Citizens Immigration Options for Talent, Investors, and Founders Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook

In this episode, Tina Tower takes listeners behind the scenes at South by Southwest (SXSW), her favorite tech conference. Having attended eight times, Tina shares her biggest takeaways, standout sessions, and key emerging tech trends—all with her signature candor and enthusiasm. This episode dives deep into AI trends, the loneliness epidemic, balancing technology and human connection, the environmental impact of AI, cybersecurity, and so much more. If you're keen to stay on the cutting edge of tech but also crave a more connected, fulfilling life, this one's for you. Key Takeaways: SXSW Overview: SXSW combines tech, music, and film; Tina focused on the tech track. It's a hub for learning, inspiration, and connecting with like-minded change makers. AI Everywhere: AI dominated the conference, but Tina questions whether mainstream desire matches tech-world hype. Small language models are emerging as more eco-friendly than large ones like GPT-4. AI agents, avatars, and robo-taxis are evolving fast—commercial fast-learning robots may be here by 2030. Human Connection & Loneliness: Keynote by Kasli Kalam emphasized the "loneliness epidemic." Her "5-3-1 Game": Connect with 5 people weekly, maintain 3 close relationships, and have 1 hour of quality interaction daily. Even introverts need meaningful connection, though the ideal amount varies. AI, Tech & Health: The paradox of embracing convenience tools while ensuring they support—not replace—human connection and mental health. Future health may involve mindset coaches as common as personal trainers. Ethics & Future Threats: A growing divide: people embracing vs. avoiding advanced tech (think brain chips and body-embedded sensors). Issues around trust in information and the growing need for credible journalism. Cybersecurity: Meredith Whitaker from Signal warned about privacy risks as AI agents start connecting all your personal information. Tips: Enable end-to-end encryption, especially for sensitive accounts like iCloud. Wonder & Curiosity: Beyond tech, nurture your community, stay curious, and deliberately step out of your echo chamber. The Need for Balance: Leverage AI for productivity, but use the gained time for real connection and human experiences. Draw boundaries with tech—seek more “off time” for happiness and well-being.   Whether you're a tech enthusiast or just trying to make sense of the digital world we're living in, this episode offers a grounded perspective with heart. Tune in to feel inspired, informed, and reminded that the future is human—tech is just the tool. Where to find Tina: Her Empire Builder: https://www.herempirebuilder.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tina_tower/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@herempirebuilder Resources mentioned: Sintra: https://playosinc.pxf.io/NkAdJV Delphi AI: https://www.delphi.ai/pricing?via=tina-tower Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/ SXSW Sydney: https://www.sxswsydney.com/ Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/ Join HEB: https://www.herempirebuilder.com/join Tech Crunch: https://techcrunch.com/ People mentioned: Kasley Killam. https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP1148033 Niall Firth https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP1146923 Rohit Bhargava https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP1146887  

We are all Waymo Democrats now. That Was the Week's Keith Teare and I appropriate Thomas Friedman's controversial new term to dream of an American high tech future. Keith and I also talk about last week's interview with Peter Leyden, a founding member of the Waymo Democracy club. Keith might not be altogether convinced by Leyden's thesis about the inevitability of America's 80 year historical cycles, but he nonetheless acknowledges that the Democrats need to “work backwards” to establish a clear vision of a radically reinvented 21st United States. Five Key Takeaways* Peter Layden's optimism about America's reinvention through an 80-year cycle is met with a degree of skepticism from Keith Teare, who believes the challenges of economic reinvention are too great without massive systemic change.* Thomas Friedman's concept of "Waymo Democrats" represents politicians focused on economic progress and innovation rather than cultural wars, which both hosts see as a potential path forward.* Despite previous skepticism, Google posted excellent financial results with a 43% profit increase driven by search, showing successful AI integration despite competition from companies like Perplexity.* YouTube, celebrating its 20th anniversary, is highlighted as Google's most successful acquisition, transforming from a small startup demo at a TechCrunch barbecue to dominating global entertainment.* Keith Teare emphasizes that entrepreneurs must "work backwards from the outcome they want" rather than focusing on day-to-day management, establishing a clear vision that guides development toward a desired end state.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Today on Equity, we're digging into the week's headlines, from browsers and search to AI and social, and why Google and Meta's antitrust cases have us wondering if they're really breaking up monopolies or just passing the baton to the next dominant player.  Listen to the full episode to hear about: Tesla's massive 71% profit drop and how Elon Musk is doubling down on Tesla and AI How Mati Carbon took home the grand prize from this year's Xprize Carbon Removal competition Vibe coding, Cursor, and which AI-powered coding tool OpenAI has its sights on acquiring next The $91.5 billion raised by U.S. startups in Q1—and why more than half of it went to just 10 companies Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump's tariffs have upended global trade and created an environment of uncertainty. But this situation wasn't created in a vacuum. The rules of business have been shifting for years as technology moves quicker than regulation, geopolitics descend into turmoil, and the law erodes and becomes weaponized.  Businesses might be asking themselves, how are they meant to keep their heads above water? And what can they do to fight back?   Hence AI co-founder Sean West has some answers. With a team spread across the U.K., Rwanda, the U.S., and the Netherlands, the London-based startup has raised $5.2 million to date with a mission to democratize access to high-level business intelligence—something traditionally reserved for the biggest companies with the biggest budgets. Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan sat down with West, who recently published the book Unruly: Fighting Back When Politics, AI, and Law Upend the Rules of Business, to dig into how companies should respond to rising geopolitical risk, the macro cost of keeping your head down, and why AI-powered tools like Hence Global, built on Palantir's Foundry platform, are quietly redefining what it means to be “advised.”  Listen to the full episode to hear more about: What businesses are getting wrong about tariffs and political risk. How companies can go on the offensive to thrive in the chaos.  Why patriotism can shield companies, but comes with a cost. Why law firms and consultants are some of Hence's earliest adopters. The broader implications of “democratizing access” to geopolitical risk intel. Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025年COMPUTEX以「AI Next」為主題，5月20日至23日於南港展覽館隆重登場！ 吸引1,400家國內外科技大廠、新創企業及加速器等夥伴共襄盛舉，同時舉辦多場精采活動，歡迎踴躍預登參觀！ 報名連結

Deck, a startup that claims to be building “the Plaid for the rest of the internet,” has raised $12 million in a Series A funding round — about nine months after closing its seed financing, it tells TechCrunch exclusively. The new raise, led by Infinity Ventures, brings Montreal-based Deck's total raised Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking the week's news, including the possible return of the SPAC in an uncertain IPO market. It's a curious moment for a public debut, as Kirsten points out, especially after so much chatter that 2025 would be the big comeback year for blockbuster IPOs, but some major players like Klarna and StubHub have already hit pause. And as investor Mark Goldberg put it on this week's show, folks holding their breath for a fintech IPO wave this year “are going to be blue in the face.” Listen to the full episode to hear about: How Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos's AI voices could be taking over a crosswalk near you Figma's IPO plans, and questions on the Equity crew's mind ahead of the S-1. How Hugging Face's latest acquisition confirms its push into humanoid robotics The latest wave of OpenAI models, updates to its o3 and o4-mini reasoning models, and why all eyes are on the bigger launch still to come: GPT-5. Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.    This week I am thrilled to share a conversation I had with Doug Stephens a while back. Doug is the Founder of Retail Prophet. He is one of the world's foremost retail industry futurists whose intellectual work has influenced well-known international retailers, agencies and brands like Walmart, Google, L'Oreal, Disney, BMW, Citibank, and LVMH. Doug is the author of two groundbreaking books, The Retail Revival: Re-Imagining Business for the New Age of Consumerism (2013) and Reengineering Retail: The Future of Selling in a Post-Digital World (2017). Doug is also the nationally syndicated retail columnist for CBC Radio and sits on multiple corporate and academic advisory boards, including the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retail & Services at St. Mary's University. His unique perspectives on retailing, business and consumer behavior have been featured in many of the world's leading publications and media outlets, including The New York Times, The BBC, Bloomberg Business News, TechCrunch, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company.   THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… anyone looking to understand the future of retail and what value brands can derive from maintaining storefronts, investing in multi-channel engagement and what disruptions might be right around the corner.   TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE… Doug Stephens breaks down the past, present, and future of retail and talks about bringing metrics and experience into the future to keep stores open. Have we come full circle? Doug thinks so, and he is sharing just how. He also shares his insight on giants like Amazon, why he thinks they are ripe for disruption, the retail experience, how our current metrics are living in the past, and how brick-and-mortar stores can be your most powerful and measurable media channel.   WHAT I LOVE MOST…So often ,I get asked about the death of retail, so it was really great to get a chance to talk to an expert like Doug, who can shed more light on the realities.   Running time: 39:50   Subscribe on iTunes   Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X   Find Doug Online: LinkedIn Instagram X   Doug's Website: www.retailprophet.com   Doug's Books: The Retail Revival: Re-Imagining Business for the New Age of Consumerism Reengineering Retail: The Future of Selling in a Post-Digital World

After nearly a decade at Index Ventures, where he backed standout fintech companies like Plaid, Persona, Lithic, and Pilot, Mark Goldberg left to launch Chemistry, an early-stage venture firm. Founded alongside Kristina Shen and Ethan Kurzweil, the $350 million fund is part of a growing trend in venture capital: seasoned investors breaking out from large platforms to build more focused, boutique outfits. Today on Equity, Mary Ann Azevedo caught up with Goldberg about what led him to make the move, what Chemistry is all about, and how the venture landscape has evolved over the past few years. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: The state of fintech, a sector Goldberg has long had his eye on—and why he sees “a lot more tech-fin than fintech” these days Why those waiting for a wave of fintech IPOs might be in for a long hold What he's watching for in 2025 and beyond, from the impact of AI on fraud to shifting deal activity, including a pickup in M&A and secondaries Equity will be back with our weekly news roundup on Friday, so don't miss it! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LOTUS CUTS MORE JOBSFollowing the announcement in November last year, Lotus are cutting a further 270 jobs in the UK. The proposal is claimed to be to “enhance competitiveness”. The jobs will be lost from the Hethel production facility and not the other two sites in the UK. If you want to learn more, click this Autocar article link here. ASTON MARTIN RESTRUCTURING FINANCES Lance Stroll is looking to increase his stake in Aston Martin, taking it to 35%. At the same time, the company is selling shares in the F1 team, to help raise further cash. You can read more, by clicking this Yahoo! Finance article here. STELLANTIS ENDS LEAPMOTOR PRODUCTION IN POLANDStellantis has suddenly and without explanation, ended production of the Leapmotor T03 in Poland. The company had already backtracked on opening a second Polish production facility, back in November 2024. If you wish to find out more, click this electrive article link here. AMPERE GETS NEW CEOLuca de Meo has handed over the running of Ampere to Josep Maria Recasens, who was the Chief Operations Officer. Ampere is the electric vehicle and software development spin off from Renault. de Meo was CEO of Ampere whilst being CEO of the Groupe Renault. Click this electrive article link to read more. LUCID WINS NIKOLA FACTORY AUCTION The bankruptcy auction of Nikola's assets has enabled Lucid Motors to buy the production facility in Arizona. You can find out more, by clicking this TechCrunch article here. 6000 NEW PUBLIC CHARGERS FOR BRIGHTONChar.gy and Brighton and Hove city have penned a deal that means 6,000 new public on-street chargers will be installed. Char.gy takes advantage of utilising the greenest/cheapest grid production, with different costs depending on when you charge. You can read more, by clicking this EV Powered article here. GM AND CRUISE SUED BY INVESTORSInvestors have sued GM and Cruise, claiming that the companies overstated the capability and state of their autonomous project. The lawsuit contends that GM also asserted that the AV division was key to the financial performance of the company, with the company claiming $50 billion profits were expected by 2030. If you wish to find out more, click this GM Authority link here. HCVA LAUNCHES CAREERS HUBThe Historic and Classics Vehicle Alliance (HCVA), has launched a careers hub that will allow for a central point that will highlight job opportunities in the industry. To learn more,

Flexport was a breakout success—reimagining global trade with tech at its core. But when the freight market cooled and efficiency overtook service, things started to unravel. Founder Ryan Petersen stepped aside, handing the CEO role to former Amazon exec Dave Clark. Months later, he was back at the helm.In this episode, Ryan explains what went wrong, how he's rebuilding Flexport—cutting $300M in costs, restoring customer focus—and why promoting from within beats chasing outside stars. He also weighs in on Trump's proposed tariffs and what they could mean for the future of global trade.Chapters: 00:00 Trailer00:31 Introduction02:07 Meeting smart people, seeing the world03:40 Eroded margins09:52 Charismatic and overconfident15:32 Not an overnight decision20:08 The founder has returned23:10 Redoing the hiring26:38 No substitute for passion31:00 Working for and with my brother37:28 Working with forwarders42:14 Being a founder can be lonely47:49 Life's work54:06 The right person for the job1:00:55 19 countries1:04:57 Blowing people up1:07:24 Work and being a good dad1:08:34 Not doing it for money and loving money1:17:52 Import and export tariffs1:22:57 De minimis1:25:54 Panama and the Suez Canal1:36:50 Going public1:42:24 Who Flexport is Hiring 1:42:42 What "grit" means to Ryan1:43:06 OutroMentioned in this episode: Founders Fund, Amazon, Toyota Motor Corporation, Slack, Brex, Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras, United States Customs and Border Protection, ImportGenius, Michael Kanko, Y Combinator, Paul Graham, Intel Corporation, Shopify, Geely Holding (Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd.), The Volvo Group, Intuit TurboTax, David Petersen, BuildZoom, TechCrunch, Google, Figma, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, Panama Canal Authority, United States Navy, Coinbase, Uber, AirbnbLinks:Connect with RyanXLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

Meta dropped three new models over the weekend: Scout, Maverick, and the still-training Behemoth, billed as the next evolution of “open-ish” AI. But instead of excitement, the response was mostly shrugs. Critics called the release underwhelming, saying it lacked the edge expected in today's breakneck AI race. Meta's clear attempt to claw back some attention quickly turned messy. Accusations began circulating on X and Reddit around benchmark tampering, a mystery ex-employee, and large gaps between the models' public and private performance. Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking Meta's rocky rollout, the AI industry's obsession with looking smart on paper, and why, as Kirsten put it, “creating something to do well on a test doesn't always translate to good business.” Listen to the full episode to for: A breakdown of Trump's latest tariff push, what you missed and how companies are bracing for impact The secretive EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, and whether it was Bezos's Plan B Colossal Biosciences' Dire Wolf discovery, and whether or not the breakthrough justifies the startup's $10B+ valuation Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of Nonprofit Newsfeed by Whole Whale, George and Nick dive into an engaging discussion packed with insights for nonprofit enthusiasts.  AI in Fundraising: The conversation shifts to an intriguing experiment reported by TechCrunch, where Sage Future, backed by Open Philanthropy, tasked AI models with fundraising for charity. These AI agents, with human oversight, raised $270 for Helen Keller International by engaging in tasks like setting up social media accounts and creating promotional content. While AI's role in automating communication is acknowledged, the hosts caution against over-reliance due to potential brand risks, especially for sensitive issues. Environmental Advocacy: The episode touches on the historical narrative of leaded gasoline and its eventual phase-out in 2021, highlighting the critical role of governmental oversight in protecting public health. The hosts use this story to emphasize the importance of maintaining robust environmental regulations. USDA Grant Freeze Impact: A pressing issue discussed is the USDA's grant freeze, which has left nonprofits like Pasa Sustainable Agriculture in financial turmoil. With $3 million in unpaid reimbursements, the organization had to furlough most of its staff, underscoring the dire consequences of such funding disruptions on local communities and farms. Community-Driven Violence Prevention: The Circle of Brotherhood's innovative efforts in Miami's Liberty City are celebrated for their community-based approach to violence prevention. By providing unarmed, de-escalative security services, the organization works alongside local youth centers to foster a safer environment, demonstrating the power of community engagement over traditional security methods.

In this week's episode of Nonprofit Newsfeed by Whole Whale, George and Nick dive into an engaging discussion packed with insights for nonprofit enthusiasts.  AI in Fundraising: The conversation shifts to an intriguing experiment reported by TechCrunch, where Sage Future, backed by Open Philanthropy, tasked AI models with fundraising for charity. These AI agents, with human oversight, raised $270 for Helen Keller International by engaging in tasks like setting up social media accounts and creating promotional content. While AI's role in automating communication is acknowledged, the hosts caution against over-reliance due to potential brand risks, especially for sensitive issues. Environmental Advocacy: The episode touches on the historical narrative of leaded gasoline and its eventual phase-out in 2021, highlighting the critical role of governmental oversight in protecting public health. The hosts use this story to emphasize the importance of maintaining robust environmental regulations. USDA Grant Freeze Impact: A pressing issue discussed is the USDA's grant freeze, which has left nonprofits like Pasa Sustainable Agriculture in financial turmoil. With $3 million in unpaid reimbursements, the organization had to furlough most of its staff, underscoring the dire consequences of such funding disruptions on local communities and farms. Community-Driven Violence Prevention: The Circle of Brotherhood's innovative efforts in Miami's Liberty City are celebrated for their community-based approach to violence prevention. By providing unarmed, de-escalative security services, the organization works alongside local youth centers to foster a safer environment, demonstrating the power of community engagement over traditional security methods.

A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020. Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant. Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks. Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover. And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit zscaler.com/security zocdoc.com/tnw cachefly.com/twit

A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020. Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant. Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks. Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover. And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit zscaler.com/security zocdoc.com/tnw cachefly.com/twit

A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020. Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant. Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks. Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover. And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit zscaler.com/security zocdoc.com/tnw cachefly.com/twit

Google's AI efforts & Gemini Pro 2.5 take a major step forward with updates to Deep Research, new Agent2Agent protocol (A2A) & more. Sadly, OpenAI teases o3 and o4 but delays GPT-5.  Plus, Meta's new Llama 4 models are out but have issues, Midjourney v7's debut, John Carmack's smackdown of an AI video game engine hater, Gavin's deep dive into OpenAI 4o Image Generation formats & the weirdest robot horse concept you've ever seen.  WE'RE DEEP RESEARCHING OUR ENTIRE LIVES RIGHT NOW  Join the discord: https://discord.gg/muD2TYgC8f Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AIForHumansShow AI For Humans Newsletter: https://aiforhumans.beehiiv.com/ Follow us for more on X @AIForHumansShow Join our TikTok @aiforhumansshow To book us for speaking, please visit our website: https://www.aiforhumans.show/   // Show Links // Google Cloud 25 Live Stream “A New Way To Cloud!” https://youtu.be/Md4Fs-Zc3tg Google Cloud Blog Post https://blog.google/products/google-cloud/next-2025/ Upgraded Deep Research Out Preforms OpenAI Deep Research https://x.com/GeminiApp/status/1909721519724339226 Google's Deep Research Vs OpenAI Deep Research https://x.com/testingcatalog/status/1909727195402027183 New Ironwood TPUs https://blog.google/products/google-cloud/ironwood-tpu-age-of-inference/ Gavin's Experiences Google Gemini Deep Research: Baltro Test: https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1909813850817675424 KP Biography: https://g.co/gemini/share/7b7bdb2c400e Agent2Agent Protocol https://developers.googleblog.com/en/a2a-a-new-era-of-agent-interoperability/ Google Paying Some AI Stuff To Do Nothing Rather Than Work For Rivals https://x.com/TechCrunch/status/1909368948862181584 Solar Glow Meditations on AI http://tiktok.com/@solarglowmeditations/video/7491038509214518559?_t=ZT-8vNNgF7QpyM&_r=1 o4-mini & o3 coming before GPT-5 in shift from Sam Altman https://x.com/sama/status/1908167621624856998 OpenAI Strategic Deployment Team (new role to prep for AGI) https://x.com/aleks_madry/status/1909686225658695897 AI 2027 Paper https://ai-2027.com/ Llama 4 is here… but how good is it? https://ai.meta.com/blog/llama-4-multimodal-intelligence/ Controversy Around Benchmarks: https://gizmodo.com/meta-cheated-on-ai-benchmarks-and-its-a-glimpse-into-a-new-golden-age-2000586433 Deep dive on issues from The Information  https://www.theinformation.com/articles/llama-4s-rocky-debut?rc=c3oojq&shared=3bbd9f72303888e2 Midjourney v7 Is Here and it's… just ok? https://www.midjourney.com/updates/v7-alpha John Carmack Defends AI Video Games https://x.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1909311174845329874 Tim Sweeney Weighs In https://x.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1909314230391902611 New Test-time-training = 1 Min AI Video From a Single Prompt https://x.com/karansdalal/status/1909312851795411093 Kawasaki's Robot Horse Concept https://futurism.com/the-byte/kawasaki-rideable-horse-robot VIDEO: https://youtu.be/vQDhzbTz-9k?si=2aWMtZVLnMONEjBe Engine AI + iShowSpeed https://x.com/engineairobot/status/1908570512906740037 Gemini 2.5 Pro Plays Pokemon https://x.com/kiranvodrahalli/status/1909699142265557208 Prompt-To-Anything Minecraft Looking Game  https://x.com/NicolasZu/status/1908882267453239323 An Image That Will Never Go Viral https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1jth5yf/asked_for_an_image_that_will_never_go_viral/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button How Toothpaste Is Made https://www.reddit.com/r/aivideo/comments/1jujzh2/how_toothpaste_is_made/ 90s Video Game 4o Image Gen Prompt https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1908985288116101553 1980s Japanese Posters https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1909824824677192140 Buff Superbad  https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1909402225488937065  

A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020. Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant. Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks. Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover. And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit zscaler.com/security zocdoc.com/tnw cachefly.com/twit

A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020. Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant. Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks. Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover. And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit zscaler.com/security zocdoc.com/tnw cachefly.com/twit

A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020. Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant. Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks. Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover. And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit zscaler.com/security zocdoc.com/tnw cachefly.com/twit

Kalshi is the largest prediction market in America, building a unique trading economy around political, sports, and cultural events. While some states view it as an illegal operation requiring gambling licenses, others—including certain courts and members of the Trump administration—see it as a groundbreaking financial opportunity. On this episode of Equity, Max Zeff sits down with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour at the latest StrictlyVC event in San Francisco. Mansour shares why he sees Kalshi as a global source of truth. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: How Kalshi is creating a new trading economy around political and cultural events. The regulatory challenges and opportunities that prediction markets face. Mansour's vision for Kalshi as a global tool for decision-making and transparency. The controversy surrounding Kalshi's status and its ongoing legal battles. Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Techish, Michael and Abadesi unpack how the changing political landscape is shaping career goals for top university grads. They also dive into Big Tech's ties to the military-industrial complex, reflect on the 'good old days' of internet journalism, and the debate about tackling wealth inequality.Chapters00:25 Stanford Grads Are Ditching Big Tech for Defense07:57 Nostalgia for BuzzFeed-Era Journalism10:20 The Pressure to Perform Success13:31 Gary Stevenson and Taxing the Super RichExtra Reading & ResourcesStanford students used to chase jobs at Meta and Google. Now they want to work on defense [The San Francisco Standard]Google Lifts a Ban on Using Its AI for Weapons and Surveillance [Wired]Yahoo sells TechCrunch to investment firm Regent [Axios]The Diary of a CEO Daniel Priestley Gary Stevenson [YouTube]Revealed: the property empires that make Charles and William millions [The Times]————————————————————Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast episode represents the personal opinions and experiences of the presenters and is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered professional advice. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information. Always do your own research or seek independent advice before making any decisions. ———————————————————— Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@techishpod/Support Techish at https://www.patreon.com/techishAdvertise on Techish: https://goo.gl/forms/MY0F79gkRG6Jp8dJ2————————————————————Stay in touch with the hashtag #Techishhttps://www.instagram.com/techishpod/https://www.instagram.com/abadesi/https://www.instagram.com/michaelberhane_/ https://www.instagram.com/hustlecrewlive/https://www.instagram.com/pocintech/Email us at techishpod@gmail.com...

Rippling's latest lawsuit reads less like a legal filing and more like the plot of a corporate espionage thriller, complete with secret crypto payments, an alleged mole, and a fake Slack channel trap. This week, the HR tech startup publicly named the employee at the center of its case against its rival Deel, claiming the company paid him thousands to spy from the inside. Deel, however, is not staying quiet. The company is denying the claims, calling it a dramatic distraction from Rippling's own legal troubles. Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are catching us up on the week's headlines, including a breakdown of how this saga between two HR tech giants escalated from business rivalry to accusations of racketeering, and why, according to Max, smashing the phone you use for corporate espionage with an ax at your mother-in-law's house is “the oldest trick in the book.” Listen to the full episode to hear about: The startup that's gamifying the tax filing process, and the copyright questions that continue to rise Circle's IPO and what the move could signal for others in the crypto space. The latest in the AI race — from OpenAI's record-breaking raise and GPU meltdowns to Anthropic's  AI chatbot plan for colleges and Google's Gemini leadership shakeup. Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Six years ago, while researching for a college entrepreneurship competition, Valentina Agudelo identified a troubling gap in breast cancer survival rates between Latin America and the developed world, with women in her native Colombia and the rest of the continent dying at higher rates due to late detection.  Today, Agudelo is the co-founder and CEO of Salva Health, and recently took home the top prize at TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield. On the latest episode of Equity, she joins Rebecca Bellan to discuss how her company is using the Julieta device to revolutionize early breast cancer detection. But before we dive into that, a quick reminder: applications are now open for this year's competition, so make sure to get yours in! Listen to the full episode to hear more about: How their flagship product, Julieta, is making early breast cancer detection more accessible and efficient. The unique hardware-as-a-service model and its impact on rural healthcare. Salva Health's expansion plans and exploration of other medical conditions like osteoporosis and liver cancer. Valentina's experience competing in TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield and the challenges of securing funding for female-led startups. Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.  Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We'd also like to thank TechCrunch's audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Techish, Michael and Abadesi dive into those viral Studio Ghibli-style AI images from ChatGPT and what they mean for creative jobs, copyright, and the climate. They also break down what 23andMe's bankruptcy, what shows like Netflix's Adolescence reveal toxic masculinity and gender-based violence, and the hype around Apple TV's Severance.Chapters00:00 The Dark Side of ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli AI Art11:03 23andMe Goes Bankrupt16:40 Adolescence and the Rise in Incel Culture*26:18 Severance and the Future of AI in Streaming*Please note that this section contains discussions of male violence against women and girls and suicide.Extra Reading & ResourcesThe Uneven Distribution of AI's Environmental Impacts [Harvard Business Review]23andMe files for bankruptcy: How to delete your data [TechCrunch] 'Pretty Vile:' Spotify Removes Andrew Tate 'Pimping Hoes' Class After Employees Complain [404 Media]'There are many angry boys like my cousin's killer' [BBC News]Why do (some) men hate women? With Laura Bates (Everyday Sexism Project) and Ben Hurst (Beyond Equality) - Sex Talks With Emma-Louise Boynton. [Spotify] and [Apple Podcasts] Apple Is Losing Over $1 Billion per Year on Streaming Service, Has 45 Million Apple TV+ Subscribers (Report) [Variety] ————————————————————Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast episode represents the personal opinions and experiences of the presenters and is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered professional advice. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information. Always do your own research or seek independent advice before making any decisions. ———————————————————— Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@techishpod/Support Techish at https://www.patreon.com/techishAdvertise on Techish: https://goo.gl/forms/MY0F79gkRG6Jp8dJ2————————————————————Stay in touch with the hashtag #Techishhttps://www.instagram.com/techishpod/https://www.instagram.com/abadesi/https://www.instagram.com/michaelberhane_/ https://www.instagram.com/hustlecrewlive/https://www.instagram.com/pocintech/Email us at techishpod@gmail.com...