The Age of Async Agents — Cognition's Walden Yan & OpenInspect's Cole Murray
Latent Space61 days agoCommentaryLatent Space interviews Cognition's Walden Yan and OpenInspect's Cole Murray on the rise of async coding agents. The discussion centers on Devin-related workflows, including 80% Devin commits, spec-to-PR development, full VMs, agent memory, and PMs shipping code. The key theme is not a model release, but a shift toward agents that can work asynchronously inside more complete software delivery loops.
Just like gold and oil, we’ll soon be able to trade AI token futures
TechCrunch AI61 days agoBusinessTechCrunch reports that large exchanges are developing derivative products around AI tokens. The shift reflects a changing view of tokens: less as outputs from computation and more as input commodities, comparable to electricity or bandwidth. If these products emerge, AI token futures could let companies and investors manage exposure to future AI compute demand and pricing risk.
Sesame, the conversational AI startup from Oculus founders, launches iOS app
TechCrunch AI61 days agoNew ToolSesame, a conversational AI startup from Oculus founders, has launched a new iOS app for the public. The app brings its AI agents to users with a focus on more natural back-and-forth interactions. Based on the available summary, the product is positioned less like a traditional chatbot and more like talking to a person.
RSI is the new AGI — and it’s just as hard to pin down
TechCrunch AI61 days agoCommentaryTechCrunch reports that recursive self-improvement, or RSI, is becoming a new AI industry fixation, much like AGI. Researchers and startups including Recursive Superintelligence, Auto-Research, AutoScientist, and Disarray are exploring ways for AI systems to automate parts of AI research. But experts caution that AI-assisted research is not the same as fully autonomous self-improvement, especially while models still struggle with long-term self-direction and verification.
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Databricks co-founder on what kills enterprise AI deals
TechCrunch AI61 days agoBusinessTechCrunch frames enterprise AI as entering a new phase, where companies are no longer mainly asking whether AI is exciting. The harder question is whether it can be deployed safely at scale. Centered on a TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 discussion with a Databricks co-founder, the article points to safety and broad rollout readiness as key enterprise AI deal concerns.
Rivian’s software chief thinks you don’t need CarPlay or buttons
The Verge AI61 days agoBusinessThe Verge interviews Rivian software chief Wassym Bensaid, who also co-leads RV Tech, Rivian’s platform joint venture with Volkswagen. The episode focuses on Rivian’s software-first approach to the in-car experience, including its resistance to CarPlay and reduced reliance on physical buttons. It also covers Rivian’s newly launched AI-powered voice assistant and how vehicle software may become a broader platform strategy.
Dcard Launches EntryDesk and VibeHost for Agent-Native Enterprise AI Workflows
INSIDE 硬塞 AI61 days agoBusinessDcard introduced EntryDesk and VibeHost, products aimed at helping companies move toward Agent-Native operations. The first wave supports both cloud and on-premises deployment, with integration into internal enterprise systems. The article says Dcard’s method shortened process time by over 80%, but the provided text does not include detailed case data, pricing, or technical architecture.
Budget Cuts and Acceptance Disputes May Stall Taiwan’s Counter-Drone Shift
INSIDE 硬塞 AI61 days agoCommentaryThe article examines Taiwan’s counter-drone modernization amid budget cuts and unresolved acceptance disputes. It argues that while foreign and domestic defense firms study combat data in Ukraine, Taiwan must build its own counter-drone and electronic warfare datasets. The larger issue is not only whether individual systems pass review, but whether local testing, technical iteration, and operational doctrine can keep developing.
Has the hunt for AI compute uncovered the next Cerebras?
TechCrunch AI61 days agoHardwareTechCrunch reports that General Compute has raised a $15 million seed round at a $60 million post-money valuation to build an AI inference neocloud. The company is ordering $300 million of SambaNova SN50 chips, betting they can outperform GPUs and rival specialized chips for inference. The story frames inference speed, deployment flexibility, and lower power needs as key battlegrounds in AI infrastructure.
NetApp Taiwan on AI Storage Bottlenecks, Hybrid Cloud, and Data Management
INSIDE 硬塞 AI61 days agoBusinessINSIDE interviews NetApp Taiwan technical director Hsu Hung-chun about enterprise AI infrastructure challenges. The article emphasizes nonstop scaling, automated data tiering, preprocessing, vectorization, hybrid cloud, and dual-site backup. NetApp frames storage as an active data management layer for AI projects, also integrating ransomware protection to simplify operations and improve resilience.
Vertu wants CEOs to run companies from an AI foldable starting at $6,880
TechCrunch AI61 days agoHardwareVertu has introduced a luxury AI foldable phone starting at $6,880, aimed at executives and CEOs. Built on the open-source Hermes project, it combines AI-agent workflows, enterprise integrations, and ultra-premium finishes. The available summary positions it as a high-end mobile business control hub, but does not specify supported enterprise platforms, model providers, hardware specs, or concrete agent capabilities.
Europe EV Sales Surge in April as Tesla Jumps 40% and BYD Doubles Sales
INSIDE 硬塞 AI61 days agoBusinessEurope’s new-car market grew in April, supported by strong demand for electric vehicles. EV sales have now increased for 16 consecutive months, showing continued momentum in the region. Tesla sales jumped 40%, but BYD doubled sales and surpassed Tesla, highlighting the rapid expansion of Chinese EV brands in Europe.
Debunking the “On-Premises Equals Safe” Myth in Digital Sovereignty
INSIDE 硬塞 AI61 days agoCommentaryThe piece frames Taiwan’s digital sovereignty debate through war and earthquake scenarios. It challenges the assumption that keeping infrastructure on premises automatically means safety. In an era of rising compute demands, the core issue for public agencies is not only where systems are hosted, but whether essential national services can survive physical disruption and continue operating under extreme conditions.
Snowflake signs $6B AWS deal for AI CPU chips
TechCrunch AI62 days agoHardwareSnowflake has signed a massive five-year agreement with Amazon worth $6 billion to secure chips for AI usage. The deal is framed as another win for AWS as major data and cloud platforms lock in long-term compute capacity. TechCrunch also notes that Nvidia is being put on notice as alternative AI chip supply paths gain attention.
Nvidia bets $150B on Taiwan as US AI hub plan backfires★ 72
Ars Technica AI62 days agoBusinessArs Technica reports that Nvidia will invest $150 billion annually to make Taiwan an AI “epicenter.” The headline frames the move against Trump’s effort to make the US an AI hub, suggesting the policy push may be backfiring. The provided source text does not specify investment targets, timeline, partners, or operational details, so the takeaway should remain focused on Nvidia’s strategic emphasis on Taiwan.
Payroll startup Remote says revenue per employee rose 50% with AI
TechCrunch AI62 days agoBusinessPayroll service provider Remote recently surpassed $300 million in annual recurring revenue and became cash-flow positive. The company attributes the milestone partly to AI adoption, saying revenue per employee rose 50% without adding headcount. The report does not specify which AI models, vendors, or internal workflows drove the improvement.
Your SEO strategy is optimized for a search engine that no longer exists.
TechCrunch AI62 days agoCommentaryTechCrunch’s Equity podcast discusses how Google I/O made AI-generated answers central to search. For brands that built strategies around the classic list of blue links, the rules of visibility are changing. The key concern is that many companies have little insight into how AI systems describe them to customers, making brand monitoring and SEO strategy more uncertain.
Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions, with AI plans ahead
TechCrunch AI62 days agoBusinessMeta is rolling out paid subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp worldwide, expanding subscriptions across its major social and messaging products. The company is also testing additional AI, creator, and business-focused offerings under the broader Meta One subscription brand. The report signals a business model shift, but does not yet detail specific AI features, models, pricing, or launch timing for those future plans.
ESMFold2: The Bitter Lesson Is Coming for Proteins★ 74
Latent Space62 days agoCommentaryLatent Space interviews Biohub’s Alex Rives about ESMFold2 and the broader ESM protein modeling stack. The discussion centers on datasets versus inductive bias, and whether protein biology is entering its own Bitter Lesson era. The key implication is that large-scale evolutionary sequence data and open models may become foundations for structure prediction, interaction modeling, and programmable biology.
AI coding startup Cognition raises $1B at $25B pre-money valuation
TechCrunch AI62 days agoBusinessTechCrunch reports that AI coding startup Cognition raised $1 billion at a $25 billion pre-money valuation. The company says its annualized revenue run rate has reached 492, though the provided excerpt does not specify the unit. Cognition also says its valuation has more than doubled in eight months, underscoring investor appetite for AI coding startups.
Robinhood Will Let Your AI Agent Trade Stocks and Make or Lose Money
The Verge AI62 days agoBusinessRobinhood says traders can create a separate account for an AI agent and fund it with a chosen amount of money. The agent will then be able to buy and sell stocks across the market. The move pushes AI agents beyond advice or research into direct financial action, with real gains and losses possible.
ElevenLabs’s new music generation model can switch genres mid-track
TechCrunch AI62 days agoNew ToolElevenLabs has introduced a new music generation model focused on finer-grained song editing. According to TechCrunch, users will be able to regenerate a section of a track without affecting the rest of the song. The headline also highlights genre switching mid-track, suggesting the model is aimed at more flexible AI music creation workflows.
SOND exits stealth with $7M for AI-powered sleep earbuds
TechCrunch AI62 days agoHardwareSOND is a sleep tech startup led by Bose’s former head of sleep products. The company has emerged from stealth with $7 million in funding. Its announced product focus is AI-powered sleep earbuds, though the source does not provide details on features, pricing, launch timing, or validation data.
This smart bird feeder captures more of my backyard drama
The Verge AI62 days agoHardwareCoolfly Aura is a smart bird feeder designed to record backyard bird visits, interactions, and species sightings. Its modular camera placement can capture more angles, while the app adds AI identification, albums, bird info, and sharing features. The review finds the concept engaging but uneven, with AI limitations in some orientations, app annoyances, subscription limits, and feeder design issues.
ClickHouse triples annualized revenue to $250M, charting a path toward an IPO
TechCrunch AI62 days agoBusinessClickHouse has grown annualized revenue to $250 million, according to TechCrunch. The database provider is now charting a path toward a possible IPO within the next few years. The report signals continued demand for data infrastructure, analytics databases, and cloud software, though it does not provide details on profitability, valuation, customer mix, or a firm listing timeline.
Business Owners, Do You Really Know How to Use AI?
INSIDE 硬塞 AI62 days agoOpinionThe article argues that many companies use AI mainly to improve efficiency, without creating meaningful revenue or strategic advantage. It proposes distributed AI, placing intelligence closer to where data is generated to reduce latency and support faster decisions. The key message is that firms should balance centralized and distributed architectures to strengthen competitiveness while preserving greater control over data and digital sovereignty.
Jensen Huang Attends Groundbreaking for NVIDIA’s New Taiwan HQ in Beitou-Shilin
INSIDE 硬塞 AI62 days agoBusinessNVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang appeared at the site of the company’s planned new Taiwan headquarters in Beitou-Shilin. The building centers on a “transparent” design concept, using an all-glass curtain wall to symbolize trustworthiness. According to the report, construction is planned to begin by the end of 2026, with completion and opening expected in 2030.
BenQ and MetaAge Adopt AWS Generative AI for Agentic Coding Productivity Gains
INSIDE 硬塞 AI62 days agoBusinessBenQ is expanding AI across its education and business display ecosystem, including software products such as SummarAI and Meeting Room System. The article says BenQ partnered with MetaAge to adopt Amazon Web Services generative AI. Its main claim is a 20x productivity improvement through Agentic Coding, though the provided excerpt does not include implementation details or measurement methodology.
This startup is betting India’s gig economy can train the world’s robots
TechCrunch AI63 days agoBusinessHuman Archive, founded by Berkeley and Stanford researchers, is using India’s gig economy to gather physical-world AI data. Workers are paid to wear camera-equipped caps and sensor devices while moving through real environments. The company is targeting the growing demand from AI and robotics labs for real-world training data needed to develop physical AI systems.
Some ideas for what comes next, May 2026
Interconnects (Nathan L.)63 days agoCommentaryNathan Lambert argues that 2026 AI progress is becoming higher-stakes, with model capabilities, work patterns, economics, and real-world risks all escalating. He says open models still lack a true Claude Code and Opus 4.5-style agent moment, and Gemini has no clear competitor to Claude Code or Codex yet. The essay also tracks Mythos, American open-model momentum, frontier-lab competition, and mounting intervention from governments and other power structures.