US government says Iran-linked hackers are disrupting American water and energy providers

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  July 23, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 US government says Iran-linked hackers are disrupting American water and energy providers: An updated government advisory warns that Iranian hackers are exploiting systems used by water and energy providers. Read More Anthropic updates Claude voice mode with more capable models: Claude's new voice model will let you reschedule your meeting or draft an email. Read More Runway launches AI model router as generative media gets crowded: The Media Router is a tool that automatically selects the best image, video, or audio generation model for a request based on whether a developer prioritizes quality, speed or cost. Read More A message from CAST New: Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for tech debt AI agents are not only accelerating software delivery, but the creation of architectural technical debt. Learn how leading organizations are tackling it. Download your full complimentary copy.  Download here Afternoon Must-Reads Patreon lays off 20% of its workforce: In a memo to staff that was posted online, Conte said the company's core business is strong, but the platform has to respond to market changes and adjust its cost structure to remain stable. Read More Tesla's robotaxis are moving in reverse: The number of paid robotaxi miles traveled fell 36% in the second quarter, despite expanding to new cities, according to Tesla's own figures. Read More Experts say exploiting Anthropic's Fable isn't how Kimi K3 got so good: "I don't think you get a model this strong and this quickly on the heels of Fable doing strictly distillation," one expert told TechCrunch. Read More Tesla's door handles may spur new US safety rules: The new rule-making process follows a series of incidents, including fatal ones, in which people have become stuck inside cars. Read More Meta launched a new AI optimism ad set to a song about human extinction: David Bowie's song "Five Years," which Meta used in a supposedly inspiring advertisement, is about humans learning that they have five years left to live before the apocalypse. Read More A message from ThoughtSpot Who’s leading analytics and BI in 2026? Gartner evaluated every analytics platform so you don't have to. See why ThoughtSpot was named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Analytics and BI. Read full report Last but Not Least Amazon is bringing games to Prime Video: Amazon is hoping the addition of games can turn Prime Video into a one-stop entertainment destination. 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

Experts say exploiting Anthropic's Fable isn't how Kimi K3 got so good

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

View this email online in your browser  July 23, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Experts say exploiting Anthropic's Fable isn't how Kimi K3 got so good: "I don't think you get a model this strong and this quickly on the heels of Fable doing strictly distillation," one expert told TechCrunch. Read More Travis Kalanick's robotics company raises $1.7B, led by a16z: Uber is also investing in Travis Kalanick's company Atoms, which has made gauzy claims about using industrial AI to modernize the world. Read More Amazon is bringing games to Prime Video: Amazon is hoping the addition of games can turn Prime Video into a one-stop entertainment destination, borrowing a strategy from Netflix, which has increasingly embraced party games over the past several years. Read More A message from Schneider Electric When energy meets intelligence AI is rewriting the rules of energy. As demand outpaces infrastructure, the answer isn’t just more power: it’s smarter systems. Schneider Electric's CEO shares how energy and industrial intelligence unlock efficiency, resilience, and scalable growth. Read insights Morning Must-Reads How OpenAI’s human mistake led to the AI-powered hack on Hugging Face: OpenAI made a mistake setting up what it called a “highly isolated” testing environment and sandbox. According to cybersecurity experts, that human mistake is what made the AI-powered attack on Hugging Face possible. Read More Ford bets on Apple for its next-generation of EVs: Ford is the first automaker to use a new set of developer tools that will let it embed Apple Maps navigation and mapping directly into its vehicles' infotainment systems. Read More Google closes in on another billion user product with Gemini: Gemini had over 750 million monthly users in February Read More MeBeMe's new ‘interrupter’ app helps you become your best self instead of doomscrolling : MeBeMe delivers small tasks to help users become their best selves instead of endlessly scrolling. Read More Google justifies its massive AI spending with a booming cloud business: Google's cloud business is thriving, as companies adopting its AI and AI infrastructure services help the tech giant to report record profits. Read More A message from Onward FX Pre-matched investor meetings for deep tech founders Onward FX is your warm intro to sector-focused VCs and corporate ventures like Chevron, Exxon, ARPA E, Eclipse, Halliburton, and 20 more. Meetings are pre-matched and vetted against investor mandates. 1 in 4 founders leave with a term sheet. October 27 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Accepting applications now. Apply Now Last but Not Least Tesla spending skyrockets as Cybercab, Semi, Megapack production timeline slips: Tesla's 26% boost in revenue wasn't enough to offset rising operating expenses and capital expenditures as it pushes to launch a new generation of products. 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