Author: GT

Elon Musk on Sunday announced that a new version of X’s direct messaging (DM) feature, XChat, was rolling out with support for features like vanishing messages, encryption, and the ability to share files, alongside its audio and video calling support. The new features aren’t yet broadly available, as XChat only recently started beta testing among a select group of users. However, Musk said that the X team expects to bring XChat to all users sometime this week, unless they encounter scaling issues during the rollout. In a series of X posts, Musk also noted that the updated version of XChat…

In May, a jury ruled that spyware maker NSO Group must pay $167 million in damages to WhatsApp for a 2019 hacking campaign that targeted more than 1,400 people. Calling the damages ruling “outrageous,” “blatantly unlawful,” and “unconstitutionally excessive,” NSO Group now wants the judge overseeing the case to reduce the amount, or order a new trial.  On Thursday, the company filed a motion for a new trial or a “remittitur,” which is a procedure that allows a court to reduce an excessive verdict.  Contact Us Do you have more information about NSO Group, or other spyware companies? From a…

The Trump administration is confident that a massive liquified natural gas project in Alaska will find investors despite its enormous cost.President Donald Trump has pushed Alaska LNG as a national priority since taking office. Alaska has already spent years trying to build an 800-mile pipeline from the North Slope above the Arctic Circle south to the Cook Inlet, where the gas would be cooled and shipped to U.S. allies in Asia.But Alaska LNG has never gotten off the ground due to a stratospheric price tag of more than $40 billion. Trump has pushed Japan and South Korea in particular to…

Millions of people are now using ChatGPT as a therapist, career advisor, fitness coach, or sometimes just a friend to vent to. In 2025, it’s not uncommon to hear about people spilling intimate details of their lives into an AI chatbot’s prompt bar, but also relying on the advice it gives back. Humans are starting to have, for lack of a better term, relationships with AI chatbots, and for Big Tech companies, it’s never been more competitive to attract users to their chatbot platforms — and keep them there. As the “AI engagement race” heats up, there’s a growing incentive…

Compliance company Vanta has confirmed that a bug exposed the private data of some of its customers to other Vanta customers. The company told TechCrunch that the data exposure was a result of a product code change and not caused by an intrusion. Vanta, which helps corporate customers automate their security and compliance processes, said it identified an issue on May 26 and that remediation will complete June 4.  The incident resulted in “a subset of data from fewer than 20% of our third-party integrations being exposed to other Vanta customers,” according to the statement attributed to Vanta’s chief product…

Robinhood has officially closed its $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp, bringing one of the world’s longest-running cryptocurrency exchanges into its fold and signaling a strategic shift beyond retail trading and into the world of institutions.The all-cash deal, first announced last year, gives Robinhood an immediate international footprint — including more than 50 active crypto licenses across Europe, the UK and Asia — as well as an established institutional client base, something the retail trading app has long lacked.For Robinhood, the deal marks a move into deeper waters: institutional crypto flows, lending and staking infrastructure, and white-label “crypto-as-a-service” products built for…

The Trump administration is confident that a massive liquified natural gas project in Alaska will secure investors despite its steep cost.President Donald Trump has pushed Alaska LNG as a national priority since taking office. Alaska has sought for years to build an 800 mile pipeline from the North Slope in the Article Circle south to the Cook Inlet where the gas would be cooled to liquid and shipped to U.S. allies in Asia.But Alaska LNG has never gotten off the ground due to an eyewatering price tag of more than $40 billion. Trump has been pushing Japan and South Korea…

Uber said Monday that Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, one of the company’s longest-tenured top executives and the head of is delivery business is leaving after almost 13 years.Gore-Coty joined Uber as a general manager in France in 2012, and worked his way up to become vice president of mobility for the Europe and Middle East region four years later, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was named senior vice president of delivery in 2021.”It’s hard to imagine Uber without Pierre, because there hasn’t been much Uber without Pierre,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement that was part of a regulatory filing.…

Three days from now, the future of AI walks through the doors of TechCrunch Sessions: AI at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. This Thursday, June 5, TC Sessions: AI brings together the minds shaping what’s next. Builders, dreamers, and disciplined thinkers tackling what AI can — and should — become. Whether you’re fine-tuning LLMs or figuring out what AI shouldn’t do, this event is designed to feed your brain and expand your network. Don’t miss your chance to save: Score big with our AI Trivia Countdown challenge for a 2-for-1 ticket deal, or take advantage of $300+ in savings on your ticket…

LONDON (AP) — People in parts of the U.S. may be able to see Northern lights Monday night — or at least use a smartphone’s camera to reveal hints of the aurora not visible to the naked eye. Space weather forecasters issued a rare, severe solar storm alert on Sunday after the sun let out a huge burst of energy called a coronal mass ejection last week. Another one headed toward Earth on Monday could produce more aurora sightings and with it, more social media posts of the majestic spectacle. If you plan to head outside after sunset to look…