US, China reach 'framework' deal for TikTok

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

View this email online in your browser  September 15, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 US, China reach 'framework' deal for TikTok: The "framework" deal with China is "between two private parties, but the commercial terms have been agreed upon," CNBC quoted Bessent as saying on the sidelines of a meeting between the two countries in Madrid on Monday. Read More Spotify will now let free users pick and play tracks: Spotify is adding new features for free customers that let them pick and play tracks. Read More Harvard Law to AI: MarqVision lands $48M to combat brand abuse: This LA-based startup raised $48M to tackle brand abuse Read More A message from Snapdragon Future-ready PCs for modern workforces Stay ahead of the curve with Snapdragon X Series PCs. These devices are built to handle the most demanding tasks with ease, thanks to their powerful processors and advanced AI capabilities. With multiday battery life and always-on connectivity, your team can work from anywhere, anytime. Plus, enhanced security features provide peace of mind. Upgrade to Snapdragon X Series and empower your workforce for the future! Get Future Ready Morning Must-Reads Vibe coding has turned senior devs into 'AI babysitters,' but they say it's worth it: TechCrunch spoke to experienced coders about their time using AI-generated code about what they see as the future of vibe coding. Read More Pilot union urges FAA to reject Rainmaker's drone cloud-seeding plan: Rainmaker wants to use flares to seed clouds — the airline pilots' union says it won't be safe. Read More 'Selling coffee beans to Starbucks' – how the AI boom could leave AI's biggest companies behind: The competitive landscape of AI is changing in ways that undermine the advantages of the biggest AI labs. Read More Karen Hao on the Empire of AI, AGI evangelists, and the cost of belief: OpenAI's rise isn't just a business story — it's an ideological one. On Equity, Karen Hao, author of Empire AI, explores how the cult of AGI has fueled a billion-dollar race, justified massive spending on compute and data, and blurred the line between mission and profit. Read More Tesla board chair calls debate over Elon Musk's $1T pay package 'a little bit weird': Tesla's board chair is defending a proposed 10-year, $1 trillion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk. Read More A message from Pacaso Last call to join the pre-IPO investors behind Uber and eBay When the pre-IPO investors behind Uber and eBay back a new company, people take note. That's the case with Pacaso. Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso brings co-ownership to the $1.3T vacation home market, already making $110M+ in gross profit in under 5 years. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO. Invest in Pacaso by the 9/18 deadline. This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso's Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving the ticker symbol is not a​​ guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the Nasdaq is subject to approvals. Invest Today Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor says we're in an AI bubble (but that's okay): Like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Bret Taylor thinks we're in an AI bubble — but he doesn't sound too worried about it. 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 © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

Tesla board chair calls debate over Elon Musk’s $1T pay package ‘a little bit weird’

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this weekend

View this email online in your browser  September 14, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 Tesla board chair calls debate over Elon Musk's $1T pay package 'a little bit weird': Tesla's board chair is defending a proposed 10-year, $1 trillion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk. Read More Pilot union urges FAA to reject Rainmaker's drone cloud-seeding plan: Rainmaker wants to use flares to seed clouds — the airline pilots' union says it won't be safe. Read More xAI reportedly lays off 500 workers from data annotation team: Elon Musk's AI startup says it's shifting focus from generalist AI tutors to specialists. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Disrupt 2025: AI, scaling, IPO, and more on 5 stages Get access to 250+ top tech voices, 200 sessions, 100+ tomorrow's breakthroughs, 10,000+ attendees for 3 days straight — October 27–29 at San Francisco's Moscone West. Don't miss valuable takeaways across 5 industry stages, breakouts, roundtables, and unmatched networking. All at the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch. Register before September 26 to save up to $668 on your ticket. Register Now Sunday Must-Reads Why the Oracle-OpenAI deal caught Wall Street by surprise: The $300B deal is a reminder that despite Oracle's legacy status, it shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to AI infrastructure. But key questions around power and how OpenAI will pay for this remain. Read More Micro1, a competitor to Scale AI, raises funds at $500M valuation: A three-year-old startup providing data for AI labs is trying to fill the gap in the market left by Scale AI. Read More Hike, once a unicorn, shuts down as India cracks down on real-money gaming: Hike, which started as a WhatsApp rival before pivoting to real-money gaming, is now sunsetting after India's sweeping ban. Read More Last day to amplify your brand: Host your Side Event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: The application to host a Side Event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 closes tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT. Boost your brand during Disrupt Week in October. Apply now. Read More Here's the tech powering ICE's deportation crackdown : From phone spyware and facial recognition to forensic phone hacking technology to databases and more, this tech powers Trump's deportation machine. Read More A message from TechCrunch Partnerships Turn ideas into leads with TechCrunch webinars Reach a high-value audience with webinars built to deliver results. Whether you provide the content or have TechCrunch create it for you, our webinars include full marketing support and deliver 200+ leads. For maximum reach, our Partner Event is a fully produced multi-hour show with guaranteed 1,000+ leads and extended promotion. We manage every detail so you can focus on your message. Learn More Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least California lawmakers pass AI safety bill SB 53 — but Newsom could still veto: The state's landmark safety bill sets new transparency requirements for large AI companies. 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 © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107