TechCrunch Top 3

VC-backed startups commit more fraud, and researchers think they know why: New research from the U.K.’s Imperial College and France’s Emlyon Business School mapped out how Silicon Valley founders commit fraud — and the role investors play. Read More

Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation: A tool that allowed anyone to generate fake AI-generated imagery and superimpose it over real Google Earth maps quickly spurred backlash. Read More

Snapchat no longer rewards fully AI-generated Spotlight content: Snapchat has adjusted its recommendation systems to ensure that only videos created by real people are eligible for Spotlight recommendations, taking a stance against AI slop. Read More

Afternoon Must-Reads

Tesla reportedly might sell its China business ahead of a SpaceX merger: Tesla had already reportedly prepped for the idea in the event that Beijing invades Taiwan. Read More

SpaceX won’t remove all of xAI’s unpermitted turbines for another year: SpaceX is building a new power plant for xAI's Colossus data centers, but it won't remove existing, unpermitted turbines for many more months. Read More

Anthropic says its own AI models breached three companies during security tests: After OpenAI's models broke into Hugging Face, Anthropic checked its own history and found three similar incidents. Read More

GM and Ford are talking less and less about EVs: The leading U.S. automakers are mentioning EVs on their investor calls at pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from TechCrunch and Hudson Labs. Read More

Fresh off its Wiz payout, Index Ventures raises $2B across three funds: The new funding brings Index's total available investing capital to $3.5 billion. Read More

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Last but Not Least

Smallest.ai raises $13M to build ultra-fast voice AI that sounds genuinely human: The startup is building voice models designed to make AI phone calls pass the Turing test. Read More