TechCrunch Top 3

Google says hackers are calling financial firm employees to hack and extort victims: Groups of hackers are breaking into large U.S. financial firms to steal sensitive data and extort victims, Google’s security researchers report. Read More

Defense tech Hadrian raises $1.37B at $8B valuation: Hadrian is building automated factories to mass-produce parts for defense vehicles like submarines. It's backed by a long list of well-known investors. Read More

China-linked LightSpy spyware caught targeting victims in 13 countries, including the US: Researchers linked the latest malicious activity to a Chinese company, after one of the spyware's operators placed an order with KFC using their real name and office address. Read More

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Afternoon Must-Reads

Ford's new electric truck, 'Fathom,' starts at $28,350: Due in "fall 2027," Ford said Thursday that it won't reveal what Fathom looks like until early next year. Read More

Amid legal battles, Suno says it will start watermarking songs: Suno's watermarking feature comes as the company is fighting legal battles on several fronts. Read More

Ford needs another Taurus, and the $30K Fathom EV pickup isn’t it: Ford's CEO has described the new Ford Fathom as a "Model T moment" for the company. But the EV pickup is unlikely to live up to lofty expectations, and maybe it doesn't have to. Read More

Tesla and SpaceX will invest $16.8B to start building 'Terafab' chip factory in Texas: After months of speculation, the companies formally announced the massive project will happen just north of Houston. Read More

ChatGPT brings unlimited text chats to free users: OpenAI said that ChatGPT free and Go users are also getting a new think button for complex queries. Read More

Last but Not Least

Bumble teases a swipe-free future as it doubles down on IRL meetups: Bumble says it’s moving beyond swiping and deeper into real-world social experiences as it courts Gen Z users. Read More