OpenAI releases GPT-5.5 Instant, a new default model for ChatGPT

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  May 05, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 OpenAI releases GPT-5.5 Instant, a new default model for ChatGPT: The company said the model reduces hallucination in sensitive areas such as law, medicine, and finance, while maintaining the low latency of its predecessor. Read More Pennsylvania sues Character.AI after a chatbot allegedly posed as a doctor: According to Pennsylvania's filing, a Character.AI chatbot presented itself as a licensed psychiatrist during a state investigation, and also fabricated a serial number for its state medical license. Read More Threads finally brings messaging to the web: By bringing messaging to the web, Threads is aligning its desktop experience more closely with competitors like X and Bluesky. Read More Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Register Now! 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 Afternoon Must-Reads Volkswagen becomes Rivian’s top shareholder, displacing Amazon: VW Group's stake will continue to grow under the $5.8 billion joint venture with Rivian. Read More Kaspersky suspects Chinese hackers planted a backdoor into Daemon Tools in 'widespread' attack: The cybersecurity company says it's seen thousands of infection attempts, and at least a dozen successful hacks after users installed malicious versions of the popular Windows software. Read More Hackers steal students' data during breach at education tech giant Instructure: The data breach at education tech giant Instructure includes students' private data, according to a sample of the allegedly stolen data seen by TechCrunch. Read More 4 days left: Get 50% off a second TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass to make more deals faster: For the next four days only, you can buy one pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and get 50% off a second of the same ticket type. That window closes May 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT. After that, prices go up, and you’ll pay more to bring a partner or colleague. Register today to get your plus-one pass at 50% off. Read More Apple plans to make iOS 27 a Choose Your Own Adventure of AI models: With Apple's latest operating system updates, users will reportedly have their pick of which third-party AI models they want to use for a host of tasks. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events 4 days to get a second Disrupt 2026 pass at 50% off From now until May 8, 11:59 p.m. PT, buy one pass and get a second of the same type for 50% off. Bring a partner or colleague with you and get more out of Disrupt together. Tap into 200+ sessions, make high-value connections, and gain insights that can move your startup forward or shape your next big investment. Register before time runs out. Register Now Last but Not Least Amazon bets Nobel Prize-based dehumidification can cut its energy use: Amazon will buy a new type of HVAC system for its commercial buildings to slash energy use. 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

4 days left: Get 50% off a second TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass to make more deals faster

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

View this email online in your browser  May 05, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 4 days left: Get 50% off a second TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass to make more deals faster: For the next four days only, you can buy one pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and get 50% off a second of the same ticket type. That window closes May 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT. After that, prices go up, and you’ll pay more to bring a partner or colleague. Register today to get your plus-one pass at 50% off. Read More As workers worry about AI, Nvidia's Jensen Huang says AI is 'creating an enormous number of jobs': The Nvidia CEO seems to feel that claims of AI's job-killing potential have been greatly exaggerated. Read More US government warns of severe CopyFail bug affecting major versions of Linux: U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA says the CopyFail bug is being actively used in hacking campaigns, and poses a major risk to servers and data centers that rely on Linux. Read More Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Register Now! 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 Morning Must-Reads Meta will use AI to analyze height and bone structure to identify if users are underage: The visual analysis system is now operating in select countries, but Meta says it's working toward a broader rollout. Read More Amazon bets Nobel Prize-based dehumidification can cut its energy use: Amazon will buy a new type of HVAC system for its commercial buildings to slash energy use. Read More 5 days only: Bring a partner or colleague and get 50% off a second TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass: The BOGO offer is live. For a limited time, buy one pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and get 50% off a second of the same ticket type. Offer ends this Friday, May 8. Save here. Read More Hackers steal students' data during breach at education tech giant Instructure: The data breach at education tech giant Instructure includes students' private data, according to a sample of the allegedly stolen data seen by TechCrunch. Read More ElevenLabs lists BlackRock, Jamie Foxx and Longoria as new investors: 4. ElevenLabs reveals new investors, hits $500M ARR, and expands enterprise footprint as voice AI becomes a critical interface. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events 4 days to get a second Disrupt 2026 pass at 50% off From now until May 8, 11:59 p.m. PT, buy one pass and get a second of the same type for 50% off. Bring a partner or colleague with you and get more out of Disrupt together. Tap into 200+ sessions, make high-value connections, and gain insights that can move your startup forward or shape your next big investment. Register before time runs out. Register Now Last but Not Least Moment Energy raises $40M to meet 'infinite demand for power' with EV batteries: The startup has put a spin on repurposing EV batteries, CEO Edward Chiang told TechCrunch. 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