Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Welcome back to TechCrunch PM! This afternoon, we found out what happens when a hacking-themed website gets hacked. We also look at Chromebook’s new features and we have cover the latest tech layoffs. Let’s dig in!

TechCrunch Top 3

Image Credits: Javier Bragado/WireImage / Getty Images

It’s a little too ironic, don’t you think?: Pal Kovacs was listening to the long-awaited new album from rock and metal giants Bring Me the Horizon when he noticed a strange sound at the end of the record’s last track. That led to a hidden hacking-themed website that at some point actually got hacked. Read more

Anthropic snags former OpenAI bigwig: Jan Leike, a leading AI researcher who earlier this month resigned from OpenAI before publicly criticizing the company’s approach to AI safety, joined OpenAI rival Anthropic to lead a new “superalignment” team. Read more

AI comes for Chromebook: Google infuses some AI goodness into the Chromebook Plus line of devices, including a writing assistant, a wallpaper creator and easy access to Google’s Gemini chatbot. Read more

Afternoon must-reads

High angle shot of people working the phones in an office, used in a post about Nektar.ai

Image Credits: Dean Mitchell / Getty Images

Bridgepoint acquires a big stake in LumApps: LumApps, the French startup that describes itself as an “intranet super app,” said private equity firm Bridgepoint is taking a majority stake in the company in what it is describing as a $650 million deal and strategic investment. Read more

More games on YouTube: YouTube’s “app store” for games is rolling out more broadly with some free games dubbed “Playables” that will soon start to appear in the YouTube app for all users. Read more

Laid off: The tech layoff wave is still going strong in 2024. See the latest. Read more

OpenAI’s “Members Only” jacket: OpenAI formed a new committee to oversee “critical” safety and security decisions related to the company’s projects and operations. Only it’s basically company insiders rather than outside observers. Read more

An EA for your email: New startup Skej offers an AI assistant you can loop into your emails to find the best time for everyone to meet and then puts a meeting on your calendars. Read more

Tumblr launches its Communities: Blogging site Tumblr puts its “Communities” feature in open beta. The feature offers a dedicated space for users to connect with others on different topics, outside of Tumblr’s main dashboard. Read more

Musk’s xAI raises fresh capital while Synapse’s bankruptcy could impact millions: TechCrunch’s Equity podcast catches you up on the weekend’s news — xAI raises $6 billion to compete in the AI race, fintech startups feel the heat from Synapse's bankruptcy, and Google joins the list of organizations adopting a new way to fight misinformation. Listen here

Money, money, money

Félix Pago - Bernardo García and Manuel Godoy

Image Credits: Félix Pago

Félix Pago raises $15.5 million to help Latino workers send money home via WhatsApp. Read more

Faircado raises $3 million to nudge people to buy pre-owned goods. Read more

Around the web

Adam Neumann waves the white flag: The WeWork founder told The New York Times he is dropping his bid to buy back the co-working business he started in 2010. And he had some choice words for how he thinks the company is doing. Read more

Elon Musk’s new duel: Business Insider reports that the Tesla billionaire has a beef with Meta’s chief AI scientist over the way Musk is recruiting for his xAI startup. Read more

It’s that time again: We’re talking about Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. The consumer tech giant gives us the skinny on what to expect beginning June 10. Read more