Friday, January 31, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch AM! This morning, we've got thoughts on Tesla's long road to full self-driving, Google's newest AI model, and the dangers of not securing customer data. We've also got details of OpenAI's latest fundraising attempt, the potential of gene sequencing, the top CHIPS Act beneficiaries, a fintech by rapper Rakim and DIVINE, and more. Let's dive in! — Rebecca

TechCrunch Top 3

Image Credits: Jesse Grant/The Hollywood Reporter / Getty Images

1. My own worst enemy: For almost a decade, Elon Musk has promised that Tesla vehicles have the hardware needed to support full self-driving. This week, he finally admitted that many of the company's cars actually don't have the necessary hardware and will need to be upgraded. Read More

2. A word to startups that track location data: Beef up your security! Researchers found that AngelSense, which offers assistive tech and location monitoring devices for people with disabilities, had left an unsecured database exposed to the internet. The database contained personally identifiable information and precise location data. Read More

3. No fanfare: Google has released Gemini 2.0, its next-gen flagship AI model that promises to help users with complex tasks like solving mathematical problems or developing quantum algorithms with "greater ease and accuracy." Read More

A Message from Masters of Scale

Masters of Scale Summit: Where leaders shape the future

Masters of Scale Summit, presented in alliance with Capital One Business, returns to SF this Oct 7–9. Summit brings together fast-scaling leaders with speakers like Bret Taylor & Brian Chesky to drive innovation and shape the future of business. Sign up for priority access to unlock curated Summit highlights, and fast-track your application.

Morning must-reads

Image Credits: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

🤑 More, more, MORE! OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise $40 billion at a $340 billion valuation. SoftBank is said to be leading the round as the AI company seeks to pour even more money into AI training. Read More

🧬 The ultimate health test: Nucleus Genomics imagines a world where medical treatments are linked to genetics and couples can get their DNA sequenced before having kids together. Sounds like science fiction, but top investors were convinced enough to fund a $14 million Series A. Read More

⛔ Too many pins in this cushion: Fintech startup Cushion, which described itself as the "Plaid for buy now, pay later," has shut down. Its founder and CEO Paul Kesserwani said the company didn't "reach the scale needed to sustain the business" despite bringing multiple new products to market. Read More

💸 The CHIPS Act's second act: Federal funding in the U.S. may be in limbo, but semiconductor giant Intel said it has already received $2.2 billion in federal grants from Biden's Commerce Department through the CHIPS Act. The bill was designed to encourage more semiconductor manufacturing on U.S. soil. Read More

A Message from Dataiku

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Customer interviews & financial analysis found that a composite organization experienced benefits of $23.5 million over three years and an ROI of 413% with Dataiku. Plus, 80% time savings on manual processes, reduced costs, and improved decision making on key business activities. We call that a Return on AI! Get the full study & learn more here.

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Around the web

🤓 Bill Gates is on a book tour to promote his upcoming memoir, "Source Code." The New York Times spoke to the billionaire as he tries to square his experiences with the present moment. "I always thought of Silicon Valley as being left of center. The fact that now there is a significant right-of-center group is a surprise to me," Gates said. Read More

🦥 Not as nimble as marketing would have you believe: In a leaked recording of a Meta all-hands meeting, Mark Zuckerberg said his company was slow to respond to the rise of TikTok, because "we didn't think TikTok was social." Zuck was responding to an employee's concern that Meta would be too focused on AI to catch the next major social media trend, per Business Insider. Read More

⛴️ We mustn't pollute the seas: Spanish ferry operator Baleària is launching two 100% electric fast ferries to connect the cities of Tarifa, Spain and Tangier, Morocco, per Engineering and Technology. Two autonomous robotic arms in each port will handle the charging at each port. Read More

Before you go

⏺️ By artists, for artists: Former recording artist Victor D. Lombard, AKA DIVINE, is launching a new company with Rakim, the hip-hop legend. The fintech startup, Notes, offers tools tailored to help independent urban musicians and creators manage their careers. Read More