TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: First Day
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Day 1 brings 10,000+ startup leaders to San Francisco for Startup Battlefield pitches and sessions on AI, climate tech, fintech and more.
Antonio Banderas to Play Hernán Cortés in AI-Driven Film
Antonio Banderas will play Hernán Cortés in a big-budget historical film expected to rely heavily on AI, though filmmakers haven’t revealed how it will be used.
Apple updates HomePod mini with a new chip and $149 price tag
Apple’s refreshed HomePod mini costs $149 and adds an S10 chip, but its headline Siri AI upgrade won’t arrive until a future software update.
Apple unveils new Apple TV 4K with Siri AI and hands-free controls
Apple’s $299 Apple TV 4K adds hands-free Siri via built-in microphones, an A19 chip and AI-powered content discovery.
Amex sets rules to stop AI agents from making unauthorized purchases
American Express’s Intent Intelligence Framework aims to keep purchase instructions attached to transactions and prevent AI agents from making unauthorized purchases.
Five years in, chatbot platform Character.AI files for bankruptcy
Character.AI has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing lawsuits and scaling challenges. Court documents put its assets and liabilities at $50M–$100M.
A Washing Machine Photo May Be Enough for AI to Find the Home It’s In
An AI tool used by police may match laundry-room photos to rental listings, raising privacy concerns—but it can’t reliably identify just any home.
Dragon Quest Creator’s New Game Is AI-Generated
Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii says Anthropic’s Claude helped him make and release a playable text-based browser game in about 30 minutes using one prompt.
Report warns of 17 threats to humanity, two could cause extinction
A Lancet Commission identifies 17 interconnected threats to human health through 2100, including two that could cause human extinction.
Epic Delays Marvel and Star Wars Crossover Amid AI Push
Epic Games delays its unannounced Marvel and Star Wars crossover shooter, with no new release date, as it pushes developers toward AI-first production.