Meta launches 'Vibes,' a short-form video feed of AI slop

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

View this email online in your browser  September 26, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 Meta launches 'Vibes,' a short-form video feed of AI slop: Think TikTok or Instagram Reels, but every single video you come across is essentially just AI slop. Read More Battery startup Moxion went bankrupt. Now its founder is back to 'finish what we started': Anode Technology Company wants to build mobile battery generators for construction sites, live events, and EV fleets. But first it has to avoid the pitfalls that claimed its predecessor, Moxion. Read More Thousands of Indian bank transfer records found online: Security researchers found the exposed Indian bank transfer records and the data was eventually secured, but nobody wants to take responsibility for the security lapse. Read More A message from Snapdragon Get high-performing PCs at every price point Equip your entire team with ultra-responsive PCs powered by Snapdragon X Series processors, offering the same NPU performance, seamless connectivity, and AI-enhanced tools across the entire Snapdragon X Series platform. Whether you're an executive or a creative professional, these devices allow you to choose the right PC at the right price point and ensure your team stays productive and efficient. Learn more Morning Must-Reads Viral call-recording app Neon goes dark after exposing users' phone numbers, call recordings, and transcripts: Call recording app Neon was one of the top-ranked iPhone apps, but was pulled offline after a security bug allowed any logged-in user to access the call recordings and transcripts of any other user. Read More Here's what's happening right now with the US TikTok deal: A number of investors are competing for the opportunity to purchase the app, and if a deal were to go through, the platform's U.S. business could have its valuation soar to upward of $60 billion. Read More Microsoft cuts cloud services to Israeli military unit over Palestinian surveillance: The investigation was sparked by a story in The Guardian that reported that Unit 8200, the elite Israel military intelligence unit, was using Azure cloud storage to house data on phone calls obtained through the surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.   Read More How developers are using Apple's local AI models with iOS 26: As iOS 26 is rolling out to all users, developers have been updating their apps to include features powered by Apple's local AI models. Read More The Trump admin is going after semiconductor imports: The Trump administration wants the industry to reach a 1:1 ratio of domestically produced and imported chips. Read More A message from Chevron Chevron uses AI to bring reliable energy to data centers Data centers need power now. That's why we're working to build multi-gigawatt power stations that generate reliable electricity, with fewer delays and minimal added strain to the grid. Learn more Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least Sierra Space's spaceplane faces a reinvention after NASA contract change: Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane is facing an identity crisis after NASA changed contract terms to remove its guarantee to buy cargo flights to the ISS. 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 © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

Amazon to pay $2.5B in FTC settlement over 'deceptive' Prime tactics

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  September 25, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 Amazon to pay $2.5B in FTC settlement over 'deceptive' Prime tactics: The company will be required to pay a $1 billion civil penalty and provide $1.5 billion in refunds back to an estimated 35 million consumers harmed by the company's "deceptive Prime enrollment practices," the FTC says. Read More Elon Musk's xAI offers Grok to federal government for 42 cents : xAI has reached a deal with the U.S. GSA to sell Grok to federal agencies for 42 cents over 18 months, undercutting OpenAI and Anthropic. Read More OpenAI says GPT-5 stacks up to humans in a wide range of jobs: A new test from OpenAI aims to understand how close AI is to outperforming humans at economically valuable work. Read More A message from Silicon Valley Bank Scale smarter with SVB by your side SVB supports you on the journey to Series A and what comes next, with expert guidance, specialized products, and a team that knows the innovation economy inside and out. Find out why fast-growing startups turn to SVB to build their business beyond Series A. Learn More Afternoon Must-Reads OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs: Pulse is part of a broader shift in OpenAI's consumer products, which are lately being designed to work for users asynchronously instead of responding to questions. Read More Juicebox raises $30M from Sequoia to revolutionize hiring with LLM-powered search: The recruiting startup has over 2,500 customers, including recruiters at Perplexity, Ramp, and OpenAI. Read More What top VCs want from AI founders: Inside the investor lens with Jon McNeill, Aileen Lee, and Steve Jang at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Jon McNeill (DVx Ventures), Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures), and Steve Jang (Kindred Ventures) share what AI founders need to know now: from defensibility to term sheets. TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 takes place October 27–29 in San Francisco. Register before tomorrow ends to save up to $668. Read More Microsoft cuts cloud services to Israeli military unit over Palestinian surveillance: The investigation was sparked by a story in The Guardian that reported that Unit 8200, the elite Israel military intelligence unit, was using Azure cloud storage to house data on phone calls obtained through the surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.   Read More Viral call-recording app Neon goes dark after exposing users' phone numbers, call recordings, and transcripts: Call recording app Neon was one of the top-ranked iPhone apps, but was pulled offline after a security bug allowed any logged-in user to access the call recordings and transcripts of any other user. Read More A message from HSBC Innovation Banking US Discover founder-first banking for the future HSBC Innovation Banking US is committed to helping leaders in the innovation economy get started on the future faster by providing access to an extensive global network, dedicated sector experts, and a robust suite of banking products and services. Learn more Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least Steph Curry's VC firm just backed an AI startup that wants to fix food supply chains: While building AI for food supply chains may sound unglamorous, Burnt argues that decades of failed tech rollouts have left operators skeptical of "tech tourists" with no industry experience.  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 © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107