AI researchers 'embodied' an LLM into a robot – and it started channeling Robin Williams

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

View this email online in your browser  November 02, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 AI researchers 'embodied' an LLM into a robot – and it started channeling Robin Williams: AI researchers at Andon Labs embedded various LLMs in a vacuum robot to test how ready they were to be embodied. And hilarity ensued. Read More If you're not an AI startup, good luck raising money from VCs: New PitchBook data illustrates how dramatically AI is dominating startup investment, with 2025 on-track to become the first year when AI accounts for more than half of all VC money invested. Read More Elon Musk wants you to know that Sam Altman got a refund for his Tesla Roadster: Elon Musk and Sam Altman are still taking swipes at each other on Musk's social media platform X. Read More Afternoon Must-Reads Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong trolls the prediction markets: While Armstrong may have helped some Kalshi and Polymarket users make a little money, he was also illustrating how easily these markets can be manipulated. Read More Rising energy prices put AI and data centers in the crosshairs: A majority of consumers say they're worried about data centers driving up electricity costs. Is the industry prepared for a possible backlash? Read More What is Bending Spoons? Everything to know about AOL's acquirer: Bending Spoons remains largely unknown, even as its portfolio of products has served more than a billion people. Read More Bluesky hits 40 million users, introduces 'dislikes' beta: As users "dislike" posts, the system will learn what sort of content they want to see less of. This will help to inform more than just how content is ranked in feeds, but also reply rankings. Read More Meta bought 1 GW of solar this week: The social media company inked three deals in the U.S. to power its data centers and offset its carbon footprint. Read More A message from TechCrunch Sponsored Content Smarter, sustainable prompting starts here. Prompting got AI agents off the ground—but it's not how they'll scale. Discover a more efficient, sustainable approach in Parloa's new whitepaper. Read the Whitepaper 👉 The Latest From TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Tattd gave four TechCrunch writers tattoos at Startup Battlefield: Tattd, a marketplace for tattoo-seekers and artists, set up a mini tattoo parlor in the Expo Hall at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Read More Scenes from TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Thanks to everyone who made this year's San Francisco event what it was -- and to the 10,000 of you who filled the halls, made the connections, and left with more than you came with. Couldn't make it? These images tell part of the story. Read More Cluely's Roy Lee on the rage-bait strategy for startup marketing: Cluely's Roy Lee has a message for startup founders: You should be thinking harder about how to go viral. Read More Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least AI mania tanks CoreWeave's Core Scientific acquisition — it buys Python notebook Marimo: CoreWeave's failed buy of Core Scientific is another sign of an AI bubble. But it's still shopping. 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 © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107