AI-powered stuffed animals are coming for your kids | TechCrunch

In Brief Posted: 12:39 PM PDT · August 16, 2025 Do AI chatbots packaged inside cute-looking plushies offer a viable alternative to screen time for…

Duolingo CEO says controversial AI memo was misunderstood | TechCrunch

In Brief Posted: 9:34 AM PDT · August 17, 2025 While Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn was loudly criticized this year after declaring that Duolingo…

GPT-5 is supposed to be nicer now | TechCrunch

In Brief Posted: 2:08 PM PDT · August 17, 2025 OpenAI announced late Friday that it’s updating its latest model to be “warmer and friendlier.”…

Grammarly gets a design overhaul, multiple AI features | TechCrunch

Grammarly now has a new document-based interface, built on the back of Coda, the productivity startup it acquired last year. The interface also sports an…

Perplexity now supports live earnings call transcripts for Indian stocks | TechCrunch

In Brief Posted: 6:02 AM PDT · August 18, 2025 AI startup Perplexity is augmenting its Finance dashboard with live transcriptions of Indian public companies’…

Why Paradigm built a spreadsheet with an AI agent in every cell | TechCrunch

Anna Monaco has been building AI agents since before the term “AI agents” was even a thing. After building numerous chatbots, she started looking for…

'Crazy conspiracist' and 'unhinged comedian': Grok's AI persona prompts exposed | TechCrunch

9:01 AM PDT · August 18, 2025 The website for xAI’s Grok chatbot is exposing the system prompts for several of its AI personas, including…

Texas attorney general accuses Meta, Character.AI of misleading kids with mental health claims | TechCrunch

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into both Meta AI Studio and Character.AI for “potentially engaging in deceptive trade practices and misleadingly…

OpenAI launches a sub $5 ChatGPT plan in India | TechCrunch

OpenAI today launched a new, cheaper ChatGPT paid subscription plan in India called ChatGPT GO, priced at ₹399 per month ($4.60), which is more affordable…

WIRED Roundup: ChatGPT Goes Full Demon Mode

Louise Matsakis: I got to say, I think calling this a migration is maybe underselling it. This is an evacuation, no? I find this sad…