Netflix paid $587M for Ben Affleck’s AI filmmaking startup

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

View this email online in your browser  July 20, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Netflix paid $587M for Ben Affleck’s AI filmmaking startup: Netflix revealed that it paid $587 million in cash for InterPositive, a startup co-founded by Ben Affleck. Read More Hugging Face confirms breach affected internal datasets and credentials, urges users to take action: Hugging Face is urging users to rotate any access tokens stored on the platform and review account activity. Read More All the EVs that were discontinued or killed off in the US this year: Th Honda Prologue will no longer be sold in the U.S., joining a growing list of EV models to exit the market this year. 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 Kimi: Threat or menace?: Chinese company Moonshot AI released a new version of its Kimi model this week, prompting concern about "full AI communism." Read More ‘Odyssey’ director Christopher Nolan calls AI an obvious ‘Trojan horse’: "Everybody knows the Greeks are inside." Read More Watch Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley discuss the future of surveillance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Flock Safety sits right at the center of the debate over where the line should be drawn between privacy and public safety. That’s why we’re bringing Flock’s founder and CEO Garrett Langley to the stage to speak about those very issues. Read More Can an Apple lawsuit derail OpenAI’s hardware plans?: On the latest episode of Equity, we debate whether Apple's lawsuit will cast a shadow over OpenAi's much-discussed plans to get into hardware and go public. Read More What to watch for after Jensen Huang's Japan visit: Jensen Huang left Tokyo with deals spanning Japan's entire tech ecosystem. 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 Nonprofit Current AI is racing to build the World Wide Web of AI, free for all: Current AI, a nonprofit building AI that leaves no one culture behind, has made remarkable progress across devices, AI chat, and more. 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

All the EVs that were discontinued or killed off in the U.S. this year

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this weekend

View this email online in your browser  July 19, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 All the EVs that were discontinued or killed off in the U.S. this year: Th Honda Prologue will no longer be sold in the U.S., joining a growing list of EV models to exit the market this year. Read More Kimi: Threat or menace?: Chinese company Moonshot AI released a new version of its Kimi model this week, prompting concern about "full AI communism." Read More A 600-mile road trip (and data) proves EV charging doesn't suck anymore: A recent road trip in an EV revealed just how much faster and more reliable DC Fast charging has become in the U.S. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Your PC refresh strategy is already behind - free webinar, July 29 Thinking about stretching your PC fleet to wait out the price spike? The research says that's backward. Organizations that handle AI PC transitions best refresh consistently — not with a one-time buy. Join us for a free online webinar on July 29th at 10am PT/1pm ET to learn how to spec smarter for what's coming. Register Now Sunday Must-Reads ‘Odyssey’ director Christopher Nolan calls AI an obvious ‘Trojan horse’: "Everybody knows the Greeks are inside." Read More Apple and Google ordered to purge 'nudify' apps from App Stores: In letters sent to Apple and Google, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said that both companies have long been aware that they are hosting apps in violation of state law. Read More Applications close in 48 hours — here's everything Australian founders need to know about Stripe x Startup Battlefield: The window is almost shut. On August 19, eight startups will take the stage at Stripe Tour Sydney in front of investors, global press, and the Australian tech community. One startup walks away with automatic entry into TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco — no application, no further competition, a guaranteed spot on the world's most iconic startup stage. There are only 48 hours left to apply. Don’t wait.  Here's everything you need to know. What is Stripe x Startup Battlefield? Startup Battlefield is TechCrunch's flagship pitch competition — the one that launched Dropbox, Cloudflare, Discord, and Trello. Collectively, Startup Battlefield alumni have raised $32 billion and produced more than 250 exits across 1,700+ companies worldwide. The Stripe x Startup Battlefield is a first-of-its-kind partnership with Stripe, bringing the competition to Sydney for one night only. Eight Australian startups will be selected to pitch live. Three will win prizes. One will go to San Francisco. Grand winner: $15,000 in Stripe fee credits + automatic entry into Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt, San Francisco, October 13–15, 2026. Second place: $5,000 in Stripe fee credits. Third place: $2,000 in Stripe fee credits. Every applicant — whether selected to pitch or not — will be invited and registered to attend Stripe Tour Sydney on August 19. What we look for — and what won't hold you back We are not looking for the most polished companies in Australia. We are looking for the most promising ones. The question we ask about every application Read More Nonprofit Current AI is racing to build the World Wide Web of AI, free for all: Current AI, a non-profit building AI that leaves no one culture behind, has made remarkable progress across devices, AI chat and more. Read More The Zoom hack that says, 'Don't record me': If every meeting, watercooler conversation, and date gets transcribed and summarized, who's actually reading any of it? 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! Last but Not Least FBI arrests man accused of using Steam games to drain victims' crypto wallets: Prosecutors accused 21-year-old student Zyaire Wilkins of publishing on Steam several fake video games that contained malware, infecting thousands of victims, and stealing crypto from some of them. 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