OpenAI launches Astra, its powerful (and controversial) new model

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  September 03, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 OpenAI launches Astra, its powerful (and controversial) new model: OpenAI claims that Astra represents "a new frontier on computer and browser use," and that it handles tasks with unmatched "speed, accuracy, and safety." Read More The Cybercab is Tesla's ‘fork in the road’ moment : The company is about to formally launch the gold two-seater, with no steering wheel or pedals -- a move that could change Tesla forever. Read More Accel reportedly in talks to lead $1B round for Thinking Machines at $40B valuation: The high-profile startup's annual revenue run rate stands at over $100 million. Read More Afternoon Must-Reads Nvidia confirms it will buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion: Nvidia said Hugging Face hosts over 3 million models and is used by over 18 million developers. Read More Google's latest AI weather model gives you no excuse to forget your umbrella: WeatherNext 3 is the latest wave of a sea change in meteorology brought out by deep learning techniques. Google says it will start feeding into weather information users see in search, Google Maps, and Gemini. Read More Abliteration.ai is making a business out of removing AI guardrails: Abliteration.AI is making powerful AI models without guardrails easier to access, arguing that giving defenders the same tools as bad actors could ultimately improve cybersecurity. Read More Amazon's Zoox expands its robotaxi service to Las Vegas airport: Zoox is expanding to this critical ride-hailing destination a few weeks after it started charging for robotaxi rides. Read More Qualcomm backs Ultrahuman in $70M round on bet to turn smart rings into computers: Ultrahuman is targeting a $200 million annual revenue run rate by January 2027 as it builds a new Qualcomm-powered smart ring. Read More A message from ThoughtSpot [On Demand] Why Traditional Analytics Are Failing Modern Teams Find out what product leaders are getting wrong about AI-native analytics. See how top teams ship embedded intelligence: in-product actionable answers, not an outdated chart. Watch Now Last but Not Least Startup ARR is less secure than ever, new research shows: The AI era has completely broken enterprise buying patterns, and startups haven't yet figured out how to navigate. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

It sure looks like hackers breached a major ID card verification service

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories to start your morning

View this email online in your browser  September 03, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 It sure looks like hackers breached a major ID card verification service: An identity theft search site claimed to have more than 150 million driver's license photos stolen from an ID verification service. The crime site has now shut down. Read More Nvidia confirms it will buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion: Nvidia said Hugging Face hosts over 3 million models and is used by over 18 million developers. Read More OpenAI’s new reasoning technique alarms AI safety experts: OpenAI’s new Astra model will use “recurrent depth,” a technique that allows the model to operate outside of the sequential thinking that characterizes most reasoning models. Read More Join OpenAI, Anthropic and More at Disrupt AI has made it faster than ever to bring an idea from concept to launch.   But it hasn't made it easier to build something durable.     Disrupt 2026's programming is built around that challenge, delivering practical sessions on what actually holds up and how to build it with leaders from OpenAI, Anthropic, Replit, Amazon, and more. Register Now Morning Must-Reads Palo Alto Networks paid $500M for Thrive-backed Console, sources say: The acquisition also leaves Sequoia-backed Serval as the de facto startup leader in AI IT service automation, industry watchers believe. Read More MapQuest is now the No. 1 US app after bucking Trump's 'Lake America' renaming: The once-dominant mapping app has surged to the top of Apple’s U.S. App Store after refusing to adopt Trump’s “Lake America” name, drawing more than half of its 2026 U.S. downloads in just six days. Read More Volunteer at TechCrunch Founder Summit in Boston: Our rebranded Boston event, TechCrunch Founder Summit (formerly All Stage), is back on November 4th! And we are looking for some incredible volunteers to help us make this event happen. If you are interested in finding out what goes into building tech events, apply to volunteer. If you are selected, not only will you get a behind-the-scenes look at how events are produced, but you’ll also earn a ticket to enjoy the event before or after your shift. On top of that, you'll get a free pass to experience Disrupt in 2027. Talk about added value! Whether you dream of becoming a startup founder, marketer, or event coordinator, this is a great way to see what it takes to produce a world-renowned startup event. Plus, you can attend all of the expert-led workshops covering essential topics like accelerating user growth, finding funding, and building your brand after you volunteer. We expect around 1,100 people at Founder Summit, and volunteers will handle a variety of tasks to help make this event a worthwhile experience for everyone. At any given time, you might help with registration, wrangle speakers, direct attendees, scan tickets, or help with general event setup. Lend us a helping hand and gain valuable event experience and still have plenty of time to take in all the goodness TechCrunch Founder Summit has to offer. Volunteer spots are limited, so apply before October 19th to be considered! Read More US government sides with OpenAI on issue of training LLMs on copyrighted material: "The United States has a strong interest in continuing to develop a robust and competitive artificial intelligence industry that sets the standard for the practice and procedure of AI use globally," the brief reads. Read More Amazon's Zoox expands its robotaxi service to Las Vegas airport: Zoox is expanding to this critical ride-hailing destination a few weeks after it started charging for robotaxi rides. Read More Get Your Startup in Front of the Disrupt Crowds Not everyone needs a keynote slot to make noise at Disrupt 2026. Sometimes the best way to meet investors, customers, and partners is by exhibiting directly in the Expo Hall. And by exhibiting, you get 10 passes to Disrupt to share with your team! Learn More Last but Not Least TikTok comments are getting more interactive with voice comments, polls, and more: With the additions, the app is borrowing features from messaging apps as it looks to deepen engagement on its platform. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107