TechCrunch Top 3

Micro1, a competitor to Scale AI, raises funds at $500M valuation: A three-year-old startup providing data for AI labs is trying to fill the gap in the market left by Scale AI. Read More

New FAA program will let eVTOL startups test some operations before full certification: It's a major change that paves the way for electric air taxi startups to perform more robust demonstrations of their technology before they begin any commercial flights. Read More

Google is a 'bad actor' says People CEO, accusing the company of stealing content: People CEO Neil Vogel says Google's AI crawler can't be blocked because it would block the web crawler too. This lets the search giant steal its content for AI. Read More

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Afternoon Must-Reads

All of the iPhone 17 models compared: All four of the devices will be available to preorder on Friday and will be available on September 19. Read More

Why the Oracle-OpenAI deal caught Wall Street by surprise: The $300B deal is a reminder that despite Oracle's legacy status, it shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to AI infrastructure. But key questions around power and how OpenAI will pay for this remain. Read More

We are entering a golden age of robotics startups — and not just because of AI: The robotics startup market has matured over the last decade and the cost to produce robots has gone down significantly. Read More

Preparing for your later-stage raise: Insider strategies from top investors at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Planning your Series C and beyond? Hear from IVP's Zeya Yang, Generation's Lila Preston, and Diligent Robotics' Andrea Thomaz on the Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, October 27–29 in San Francisco. Read More

How an over-the-air update made Quilt's heat pumps more powerful: Quilt's software update unlocked an additional 20% heating and cooling capacity for all of its heat pumps, including those installed in customers' homes. Read More

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Last but Not Least

A California bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots is close to becoming law: If SB 243 is enacted, California would become the first state to require operators to implement safety protocols for AI companions and hold companies legally accountable if their chatbots fail to meet those standards. Read More