Cellebrite said it cut off Russia, but Russia used its tools anyway

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

View this email online in your browser  June 25, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Cellebrite said it cut off Russia, but Russia used its tools anyway: Security researchers found evidence that Russian authorities hacked the iPhone of a political opponent using a phone-unlocking device made by Cellebrite, even after the company said it would stop selling to Putin’s government. Read More Former Infosys chief has a new startup that wants to challenge the IT services world: Backed by Mayfield and Aramco Ventures, Vishal Sikka’s new venture brings together veterans from SAP, Infosys, and VianAI. Read More Adobe acquires image and video enhancement tool maker Topaz Labs: Adobe said that it will integrate Topaz Labs' tools across its apps. Read More A message from Schneider Electric Powering the AI revolution with software-defined automation Energy intelligence, open, software defined automation, and digital twins unlock speed to power, growth and resilience for data centers. Discover the energy technology powering the rise of AI factories. Read insights Morning Must-Reads Trump admin proposes axing brake-pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for Tesla: The Department of Transportation wants to remove the brake-pedal requirement for vehicles "designed to be driven exclusively by automated driving systems." Read More Amazon ups India bet with fresh $13B AI infrastructure investment: Amazon’s latest India investment comes as global tech companies race to expand AI infrastructure in the country. Read More AI was supposed to kill engineering jobs, but new data suggests they're the most resilient: While AI dominates the layoff narrative, engineers are actually making up a larger share of new hires, according to SignalFire data. Read More AI researchers continue to leave Google for its rivals: Top AI researchers Jonas Adler and Alexander Pritzel are leaving Google for Anthropic, following departures from top scientists Noam Shazeer and John Jumper. Read More 2 days left to save up to $190: Join 1,000+ founders and investors at TechCrunch Founder Summit: 2 days left to lock in your spot at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 and save up to $190 before Early Bird rates expire on June 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Register here. Read More A message from PwC The next generation of tech companies is being built now.  From AI-native startups to next gen companies in industrials, healthcare and energy, today’s founders are navigating accelerated change and scaling faster than ever. PwC helps emerging companies prepare for growth through tailored audit, tax, and deals solutions. From fundraising and expansion to the public markets, be ready for what comes next.  Scale with confidence Last but Not Least Europe is pushing back on Washington's chip war: As ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet told TechCrunch in May, what China can currently buy are older-generation deep ultraviolet tools — gear first shipped about a decade ago — the same machines the MATCH Act would now put off-limits. 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

Facebook rolls out an AI companion app for creators

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  June 24, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Facebook rolls out an AI companion app for creators: The new app, which is currently being tested with select creators, will have Facebook's recently launched AI creator assistant built into it. Read More Here’s why Slate changed the battery in its cheap EV truck: While there was probably a moment when Slate’s leadership had to green-light the switch from one battery type to another, the momentum toward that decision had been building for years. Read More Deezer says its new feature lets fans remix songs with artist consent: Global music streaming service Deezer is taking a contrarian approach to AI, even as it adds a feature that lets fans remix songs. Read More A message from EY Chaos gets expensive Starting a tech company can be thrilling. It can also be messy. Just ask anyone who’s done it (or tried). Better yet, ask EY. They’ve seen startups at their best (and messiest) moments. EY knows you don’t start a company to burn cycles on the fine print. So, work with EY. They’ll help you get it right early so you can stay in builder mode. Learn more Afternoon Must-Reads OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom: Named Jalapeño, the new processor was designed specifically for the unique needs of OpenAI's inference systems. Read More Slate Auto's radically simple electric truck starts at $24,950: The Jeff Bezos-backed startup finally revealed more pricing details for its debut EV, including a $29,950 starting price for the SUV variant, and boosted the base range to 205 miles. Read More NTSB launches probe into fatal Texas Tesla crash: The safety board, known for its thorough investigations, is probing the crash alongside the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Read More If you want to cut your screen time, just get a Brick: After years of struggling to curb my screen time, apparently all I needed was a $59 hunk of plastic. Read More New website names and shames companies that still don't offer passkeys to users: According to a new site, 24% of the most popular websites in the world don't offer support for passkeys, which are considered the most secure way to log in to apps and services. Read More A message from Fidelity Your Pitch Isn’t the Only Thing Investors Are Evaluating.   Investors don’t just listen to what you say - they look at how your company operates. Is ownership clear? Do your numbers match your story? Can you answer follow-up questions without digging through spreadsheets? The Fundraise-Ready Startup Kit equips founders with the materials investors expect to see, before pressure is on. Because confidence in the room doesn’t come from slides. It comes from preparation.  Learn More Last but Not Least 3 days left to save up to $190 on your TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 pass: You have just 3 days left to save up to $190 on your pass to TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 before Early Bird rates end on June 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Register today. 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