July 14, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch AM! This morning, we're reading about the risks of using AI for therapy, Meta's latest AI acquisition, and the strange case of Elmo tweeting antisemitic memes on X (tl;dr: the account was hacked). Of course, we've got much more lined up, so let's dive in!

TechCrunch Top 3

Meta acquires voice startup Play AI: Meta has acquired Play AI, a startup that uses AI to generate human-sounding voices. Read More

Study warns of 'significant risks' in using AI therapy chatbots: Therapy chatbots powered by large language models may stigmatize users with mental health conditions and otherwise respond inappropriately, according to researchers at Stanford University. Read More

Elmo's X account hacked to publish racist and antisemetic posts: A hacker compromised Elmo's X account on Sunday and published abusive posts. Read More

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Morning Must-Reads

Jack Dorsey's latest app tracks sun exposure: Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey's new app, called Sun Day, ostensibly helps users track UV exposure and Vitamin D intake. Read More

Discord's virtual reward, 'Orbs,' launches out of beta: According to Discord, Orbs have been popular among testers, with millions earned and spent during the seven-week beta period. Read More

xAI and Grok apologize for 'horrific behavior': In a series of posts on X, the AI chatbot Grok apologized for what it admitted was "horrific behavior." The posts appear to be an official statement from xAI, the Elon Musk-led company behind Grok, as opposed to an AI-generated explanation for Grok's posts. (xAI recently acquired X, where Grok is prominently featured.) Read More

Sequoia bets on silence: There is a time-honored crisis management strategy, wherein one says nothing and waits for the outrage to pass. For Sequoia Capital, the strategy worked pretty well this week. While partner Shaun Maguire initially weathered criticism over an inflammatory social media post, that initial indignation cooled quickly. Now, some seem to think that Maguire's defiant stance […] Read More

Elon Musk's SpaceX might invest $2 billion in Musk's xAI: One Elon Musk business might be making a big investment in another. Read More

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Last but Not Least

Marc Andreessen reportedly told group chat that universities will 'pay the price' for DEI: Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen sharply criticized universities including Stanford and MIT, along with the National Science Foundation, in a group chat with AI scientists and Trump administration officials, according to screenshots viewed by the Washington Post. Read More