Microsoft is significantly ramping up its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives to challenge OpenAI, despite their long-standing partnership. The tech giant is actively working on developing its own AI reasoning models, similar to OpenAI’s powerful systems, to enhance its products and services. Development of Proprietary AI Models Reports suggest that Microsoft has successfully developed a new family of AI models called MAI. These models are designed to be competitive with OpenAI’s cutting-edge technology, enabling Microsoft to maintain a strong position in the AI sector. Additionally, Microsoft is considering offering these models through an API later this year, allowing developers to integrate…
Author: Intern
Apple has announced a delay in the release of its highly anticipated “more personalized Siri” experience, initially promised as part of its Apple Intelligence initiative. In a statement published by Apple blog Daring Fireball on Friday, the company admitted that delivering these advanced Siri features is taking longer than expected. Apple now anticipates rolling them out within the “coming year.” The upgraded Siri was unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference last year, where CEO Tim Cook emphasized that it would revolutionize the digital assistant by integrating personal context, such as relationships, communications, and routines. Cook described this enhancement as not…
Google co-founder Larry Page is reportedly working on a new artificial intelligence startup called Dynatomics, focused on transforming product manufacturing, according to The Information. Page is assembling a small team of engineers to develop AI technology capable of generating “highly optimized” designs for various objects, which can then be manufactured in specialized factories. The stealth venture is reportedly being led by Chris Anderson, former CTO of Kittyhawk, an electric aircraft company previously backed by Page. AI’s Growing Role in Manufacturing Page is not alone in exploring AI-driven manufacturing solutions. Several startups are also leveraging AI to improve design and production…
Getting ghosted is never a pleasant experience, especially when you’re a founder seeking funding from investors. It’s much like dating—you’re left wondering why an investor hasn’t responded after an initial pitch or even after what seemed like a promising meeting. Ghosting is often a clear indication of a lack of interest. If a VC wants to invest, they will respond. But why do VCs vanish without an explanation? Several investors shared their insights with TechCrunch to help founders understand why this happens. The Role of Time in VC Decision-Making Time is one of the most valuable resources for VCs. Mercedes…
With AI evolving at an unprecedented pace, keeping up with the latest models can be overwhelming. From industry giants like Google to startups like OpenAI and Anthropic, new AI innovations are reshaping how businesses and individuals interact with technology. To simplify the landscape, TechCrunch has compiled a guide to the most advanced AI models launched since 2024, highlighting their capabilities, applications, and accessibility. This list will continue to be updated as new breakthroughs emerge. AI Models Released in 2025 Cohere’s Aya Vision Aya Vision is a multimodal AI model designed for image captioning and answering questions about photos. It stands…
Gong, a leading AI-driven revenue intelligence platform, has announced that it has exceeded $300 million in annualized recurring revenue (ARR). This milestone highlights the company’s sustained growth and reinforces its position as a key player in the enterprise AI space. Since its inception in 2016, Gong has leveraged AI to analyze customer interactions and provide actionable revenue insights. The integration of generative AI in recent years has further accelerated its adoption among enterprises. CEO Amit Bendov shared, “We’re seeing great momentum. That’s why we’re excited to share the numbers.” Gong’s last funding round in 2021, a $250 million Series E…
China’s AI startup DeepSeek has made waves in the AI industry with its latest reasoning model, DeepSeek R1. Just days after its launch, the company’s iOS app has climbed to the top of Apple’s App Store, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which now sits in second place. What Makes DeepSeek R1 Stand Out? DeepSeek R1 has gained significant attention due to its open-source nature and affordability. Unlike OpenAI’s premium models, DeepSeek offers free access to its AI on both the web and mobile apps while keeping API costs considerably lower. Many users have reported successfully running DeepSeek on modest hardware while leveraging…
Apple has officially launched the new iPad Air, powered by the M3 chip, in India. This marks the first time Apple’s advanced graphics architecture is available on an iPad Air, significantly enhancing its performance. The company has also introduced a redesigned Magic Keyboard specifically for the new iPad Air, available in two screen sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch. Apple iPad Air India Price and Availability The new iPad Air with M3 will be available in four colors: blue, purple, starlight, and space grey, with storage options ranging from 128GB to 1TB. Pricing details for the Indian market are as follows: The…
At this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Deutsche Telekom (DT) announced a groundbreaking new venture—a low-cost AI-powered smartphone developed in collaboration with Perplexity, Picsart, and other partners. Dubbed the “AI Phone,” this innovative device is set to launch in the latter half of 2025, with sales beginning in 2026 at a price point below $1,000. Initially, the device will be available in the European market. Claudia Nemat, DT’s board member for technology and innovation, emphasized the company’s strategic shift towards AI integration. “We are becoming an AI company,” she declared. While DT is not developing foundational large language…
AI startup Anthropic has raised a massive $3.5 billion in its Series E funding round, pushing its post-money valuation to $61.5 billion. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, Cisco Investments, D1 Capital Partners, Fidelity Management & Research Company, General Catalyst, Jane Street, Menlo Ventures, and Salesforce Ventures. This latest funding brings Anthropic’s total capital raised to $18.2 billion, according to Crunchbase. Expansion and AI Development Anthropic stated in a blog post that this investment will be used to advance next-generation AI systems, expand compute capacity, deepen research into AI interpretability and alignment,…
Revolutionizing AI for Creatives Traditional AI tools often cater to non-creatives, offering quick but uninspired outputs. Flora, founded by Weber Wong, challenges this norm by providing an infinite canvas—a powerful AI-driven workspace designed specifically for creative professionals. What Makes Flora Different? Flora is not focused on building AI models. Instead, it integrates existing models into a visual and interactive workspace, allowing users to:✔ Generate text, images, and videos.✔ Expand and refine creations with structured workflows.✔ Collaborate seamlessly with teams and clients. Unlike conventional AI tools that prioritize automation over artistry, Flora empowers creatives with full control over their work. Designed…
Aviron, a Toronto-based fitness technology company, is transforming home workouts by integrating gaming into exercise routines. Known for its innovative approach to connected fitness, the company gained recognition in 2022 with the launch of its gamified rowing machine. Now, Aviron has expanded its product line with the Victory Treadmill, a $2,499 smart treadmill designed to make running more engaging through interactive gaming and entertainment. A New Approach to Fitness Many individuals struggle with workout consistency due to boredom or lack of motivation. Aviron aims to address this challenge by combining fitness with gaming, drawing inspiration from platforms like Nintendo’s Wii…
In a striking internal memo, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has called on employees to return to the office “at least every weekday” to fuel the company’s aggressive push toward artificial general intelligence (AGI). Brin’s message—advocating a 60-hour workweek as a “sweet spot” for productivity—marks a clear departure from Google’s current policy of three in-office days per week and underscores the mounting pressure to outpace rivals in the AI space. Key Takeaways from Brin’s Memo Enhanced Collaboration:Brin emphasizes that daily face-to-face interactions are essential for fostering creative collaboration and rapid problem-solving. He believes that increasing the frequency of in-person work will…
Google Sheets has received a powerful upgrade with the integration of Gemini AI, enabling users to analyze data more rapidly and transform spreadsheets into dynamic visuals. This enhancement leverages advanced AI capabilities to generate insights—ranging from identifying correlations and trends to detecting outliers—while providing sophisticated visualization options such as heatmaps, now easily embedded as static images directly within spreadsheets. Accelerated Data Insights The new Gemini-powered feature allows users to interact with their data using natural language queries. By clicking the Gemini icon in the top-right corner of the spreadsheet, users can request specific analyses—for example, asking the system to: Gemini…
OpenAI has officially launched GPT-4.5, codenamed ‘Orion,’ marking its largest and most powerful AI model to date. This release comes with heightened computational capabilities and a deeper understanding of various domains, built upon the same scaling techniques that powered its predecessors. GPT-4.5’s Capabilities and Accessibility Despite its scale, OpenAI has stated in its white paper that it does not classify GPT-4.5 as a frontier AI model. Starting Thursday, subscribers to ChatGPT Pro—OpenAI’s $200-per-month plan—will have access to GPT-4.5 as part of a research preview. Developers on OpenAI’s paid API tiers can also start using the model immediately. For other ChatGPT…