Slate Auto raises $650M to fund its affordable EV truck plans

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories to start your morning

View this email online in your browser  April 13, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Slate Auto raises $650M to fund its affordable EV truck plans: Slate Auto's latest funding round was led by existing investor TWG Global, a firm run by LA Dodgers owner Mark Walter. Read More TechCrunch Mobility: Who is poaching all the self-driving vehicle talent?: Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, how AI is playing a part.   Read More The largest orbital compute cluster is open for business: Kepler Communications is flying 40 GPUs in Earth orbit. And its latest customer is Sophia Space. Read More Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Register Now! A message from TechCrunch Events Limited tickets left: StrictlyVC San Francisco StrictlyVC kicks off the series in SF on April 30. Be in the room for unfiltered fireside chats on fundraising and AI accuracy with industry leaders like Forum AI founder Campbell Brown, Replit co-founder Amjad Masad, and more. Make high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited. Register Now Morning Must-Reads Slate Auto: Everything you need to know about the Bezos-backed EV startup: Slate auto burst onto the scene in April 2025. Here is a timeline that covers its origins, backers, product, and other new details. Read More Walmart-owned Flipkart, Amazon are squeezing India's quick commerce startups: Flipkart's ongoing expansion beyond major cities and heavy discounting is raising risks for India's quick commerce startups, analysts say. Read More At the HumanX conference, everyone was talking about Claude: Anthropic was the star of the show at San Francisco's AI-centric conference. Read More From LLMs to hallucinations, here's a simple guide to common AI terms: The rise of AI has brought an avalanche of new terms and slang. Here is a glossary with definitions of some of the most important words and phrases you might encounter. Read More Apple reportedly testing four designs for upcoming smart glasses: These glasses are a step back from an ambitious plan that once called for Apple to launch a variety of mixed and augmented reality devices. Read More A message from Eight Sleep Fall asleep faster, starting tonight The Pod by Eight Sleep’s active cooling drops your bed temperature to as low as 55°F, triggering your body's natural sleep response and helping you get to sleep faster. Just the right temperature at the right time. Use code TECHCRUNCH for up to $350 off the Pod. Shop the Pod Last but Not Least Trump officials may be encouraging banks to test Anthropic’s Mythos model: The report is particularly surprising since the Department of Defense recently declared Anthropic a supply-chain risk. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

Sam Altman responds to ‘incendiary’ New Yorker article after attack on his home

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this weekend

View this email online in your browser  April 12, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Sam Altman responds to ‘incendiary’ New Yorker article after attack on his home: The OpenAI CEO's new blog post responds to both an apparent attack on his home and an in-depth New Yorker profile raising questions about his trustworthiness. Read More Walmart-owned Flipkart, Amazon are squeezing India's quick commerce startups: Flipkart's ongoing expansion beyond major cities and heavy discounting is raising risks for India's quick commerce startups, analysts say. Read More Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw's creator from accessing Claude: This ban took place after Claude's pricing changed for OpenClaw users last week. Read More A message from Eight Sleep The bed that learns how you sleep The Pod by Eight Sleep uses AI trained on 1B hours of sleep data to automatically adjust your temperature throughout the night. No wearable needed — built-in sensors track your heart rate with 99% clinical-grade accuracy. It's the most advanced sleep system ever made. Use code TECHCRUNCH for up to $350 off. Individual results may vary. Shop the Pod Sunday Must-Reads Slate Auto: Everything you need to know about the Bezos-backed EV startup: Slate auto burst onto the scene in April 2025. Here is a timeline that covers its origins, backers, product, and other new details. Read More Battery recycler Ascend Elements files for bankruptcy: Ascend Elements said that it will be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the wake of a canceled government grant and a challenging market for lithium-ion batteries. Read More From LLMs to hallucinations, here's a simple guide to common AI terms: The rise of AI has brought an avalanche of new terms and slang. Here is a glossary with definitions of some of the most important words and phrases you might encounter. Read More At the HumanX conference, everyone was talking about Claude: Anthropic was the star of the show at San Francisco's AI-centric conference. Read More Stalking victim sues OpenAI, claims ChatGPT fueled her abuser's delusions and ignored her warnings: OpenAI ignored three warnings that a ChatGPT user was dangerous — including its own mass-casualty flag — while he stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend, a new lawsuit alleges. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Limited tickets available: StrictlyVC San Francisco StrictlyVC kicks off the series in SF on April 30. Be in the room for unfiltered fireside chats on fundraising and AI accuracy with industry leaders like Forum AI founder Campbell Brown, Replit co-founder Amjad Masad, and more. Make high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited. Register Now Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Register Now! Last but Not Least NASA Artemis II splashes down in Pacific Ocean in 'perfect' landing for Moon mission: The Integrity craft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego just after 5:07 p.m. Pacific Time. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107