Author: GT

A group known as the Independent Publishers Alliance has filed an antitrust complaint with the European Commission over Google’s AI Overviews, according to Reuters. The complaint accuses Google of “misusing web content for Google’s AI Overviews in Google Search, which have caused, and continue to cause, significant harm to publishers, including news publishers in the form of traffic, readership and revenue loss.” It also says that unless they’re willing to disappear from Google search results entirely, publishers “do not have the option to opt out” of their material being used in AI summaries. It’s been a little over a year…

The OPEC logo is displayed on a mobile phone screen in front of a computer screen displaying OPEC icons in Ankara, Turkey, on June 25, 2024.Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesEight oil-producing nations of the OPEC+ alliance agreed on Saturday to increase their collective crude production by 548,000 barrels per day, as they continue to unwind a set of voluntary supply cuts.This subset of the alliance — comprising heavyweight producers Russia and Saudi Arabia, alongside Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — met digitally earlier in the day. They had been expected to increase their output by…

Earlier this week, San Diego startup Gallant announced $18 million in funding to bring the first FDA-approved ready-to-use stem cell therapy to veterinary medicine. If it passes regulatory muster, it could create a whole new way to treat our fur babies. It’s still an experimental field, even though people have been researching stem cells for humans for decades. Seven-year-old Gallant’s first target is a painful mouth condition in cats called Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis (FCGS), which Gallant says could receive FDA approval by early 2026. The field has shown some encouraging early results. Studies on dogs with arthritis showed improvements in…

The European Union on Friday said it will stick to its timeline for implementing its landmark AI legislation, in response to a concerted effort by more than a hundred tech companies to delay the bloc’s AI rules, Reuters reported. Tech companies from across the world, including giants like Alphabet, Meta, Mistral AI and ASML have been urging the European Commission to delay rolling out the AI Act, saying it will hurt Europe’s chances to compete in the fast-evolving AI arena. “I’ve seen, indeed, a lot of reporting, a lot of letters and a lot of things being said on the…

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! This week I’m publishing an abbreviated version of the newsletter because of the 4th of July holiday. If you’re driving, flying, or taking the train for the U.S. holiday — which AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more — stay safe out there. The complete newsletter returns next week. I have one important announcement before I sprinkle in a bit of news. TechCrunch Mobility is moving…

Microsoft is closing its operations in Pakistan, marking the end of a 25-year presence in the South Asian nation. The Redmond-based company on Friday told TechCrunch that it is changing its operational model in Pakistan and will now serve its customers through resellers and “other closely located Microsoft offices.” “Our customer agreements and service will not be affected by this change,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We follow this model successfully in a number of other countries around the world. Our customers remain our top priority and can expect the same high level of service going forward,”…

Fundraising is already hard — don’t let a messy cap table make it harder. At TechCrunch All Stage on July 15, founders will get a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to keep a raise on track during the roundtable session “Preparing to Raise: Cap Table Best Practices to Help You Close Fast.” Hosted on the Foundation Stage, this conversation brings together seasoned legal, financial, and founder voices to share what works, what slows things down, and what it actually takes to close quickly. From legal readiness to equity clarity and investor expectations, this is a session built for…

The ransomware gang known as Hunters International announced on its dark web page Thursday that it is shutting down.  “After careful consideration and in light of recent developments, we have decided to close the Hunters International project,” the hackers wrote in a post, without clarifying what specific developments it was referring to. “This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact it has on the organizations we have interacted with.” The hackers also said they are offering free decryption keys “to all companies that have been impacted by our ransomware.” “Our goal is to ensure that you can…

County regulators yesterday granted xAI permits to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its data center outside Memphis, despite the threat of a lawsuit. Elon Musk’s AI company has been operating as many as 35 generators without permits, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) said. Altogether, they’re capable of producing up to 421 megawatts of electricity. The legal organization has said that it will sue xAI for violations of the Clean Air Act on behalf of the NAACP. The company recently raised $10 billion, split evenly between debt and equity. The permit issued by the Shelby County Health Department says…

Hypersonic weapons startup Castelion is raising a $350 million Series B led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Altimeter Capital, according to sources and documents viewed by TechCrunch. The round, which values the company in the billions, is anticipated to close in a matter of weeks. A term sheet has been signed. The new round comes on the heels of $100 million in Series A funding that closed in January. That round was composed of about $70 million in equity and $30 million of debt. Lightspeed also led that round.  Castelion declined to comment. It is notoriously difficult for nontraditional players…