Only 1 week left (or until the first 500 passes are gone): The first TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ticket discount is ending 

Register now to save up to $680 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass and get a second ticket at 50% off. This offer ends next week on January 30, or once the first 500 tickets are claimed — whichever comes first.

Humans& thinks coordination is the next frontier for AI, and they’re building a model to prove it

Humans&, a new startup founded by alumni of Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI, and Google DeepMind, is building the next generation of foundation models for collaboration, not chat.

Substack launches a TV app

The move comes as Substack has been investing more heavily in video and livestreaming, as it looks to compete with platforms like YouTube and Patreon for both creators and viewers.

Ring is adding a new content verification feature to videos

Ring says the new feature will identify if video edits have been made, even if they’re minor.

Google DeepMind CEO is ‘surprised’ OpenAI is rushing forward with ads in ChatGPT

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says the tech giant isn’t pressuring him to insert ads into the AI chatbot experience.

Are AI agents ready for the workplace? A new benchmark raises doubts

New research looks at how leading AI models hold up doing actual white-collar work tasks, drawn from consulting, investment banking, and law. Most models failed.

Microsoft 365 hit by outage, preventing access to emails and files

An hours-long outage is preventing Microsoft’s enterprise customers from accessing their inboxes, files, and video meetings.

Voice AI engine and OpenAI partner LiveKit hits $1B valuation

The five-year-old-startup powers OpenAI’s ChatGPT voice mode and raised a $100 million round led by Index Ventures.

Inference startup Inferact lands $150M to commercialize vLLM

The seed round values the newly formed startup at $800 million.

GM to end Chevy Bolt EV production next year, move China-made Buick to US factory

The factory musical chairs reflect an economic and political environment, shaped by the Trump administration’s tariff policy and its decision to end the federal EV tax credit.