TechCrunch Top 3

OpenAI launches Astra, its powerful (and controversial) new model: OpenAI claims that Astra represents "a new frontier on computer and browser use," and that it handles tasks with unmatched "speed, accuracy, and safety." Read More

The Cybercab is Tesla's ‘fork in the road’ moment : The company is about to formally launch the gold two-seater, with no steering wheel or pedals -- a move that could change Tesla forever. Read More

Accel reportedly in talks to lead $1B round for Thinking Machines at $40B valuation: The high-profile startup's annual revenue run rate stands at over $100 million. Read More

Afternoon Must-Reads

Qualcomm backs Ultrahuman in $70M round on bet to turn smart rings into computers: Ultrahuman is targeting a $200 million annual revenue run rate by January 2027 as it builds a new Qualcomm-powered smart ring. Read More

Nvidia confirms it will buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion: Nvidia said Hugging Face hosts over 3 million models and is used by over 18 million developers. Read More

Volunteer at TechCrunch Founder Summit in Boston: Our rebranded Boston event, TechCrunch Founder Summit (formerly All Stage), is back on November 4th! And we are looking for some incredible volunteers to help us make this event happen. If you are interested in finding out what goes into building tech events, apply to volunteer. If you are selected, not only will you get a behind-the-scenes look at how events are produced, but you’ll also earn a ticket to enjoy the event before or after your shift. On top of that, you'll get a free pass to experience Disrupt in 2027. Talk about added value! Whether you dream of becoming a startup founder, marketer, or event coordinator, this is a great way to see what it takes to produce a world-renowned startup event. Plus, you can attend all of the expert-led workshops covering essential topics like accelerating user growth, finding funding, and building your brand after you volunteer. We expect around 1,100 people at Founder Summit, and volunteers will handle a variety of tasks to help make this event a worthwhile experience for everyone. At any given time, you might help with registration, wrangle speakers, direct attendees, scan tickets, or help with general event setup. Lend us a helping hand and gain valuable event experience and still have plenty of time to take in all the goodness TechCrunch Founder Summit has to offer. Volunteer spots are limited, so apply before October 19th to be considered! Read More

Abliteration.ai is making a business out of removing AI guardrails: Abliteration.AI is making powerful AI models without guardrails easier to access, arguing that giving defenders the same tools as bad actors could ultimately improve cybersecurity. Read More

Startup ARR is less secure than ever, new research shows: The AI era has completely broken enterprise buying patterns, and startups haven't yet figured out how to navigate. Read More

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Last but Not Least

Google's latest AI weather model gives you no excuse to forget your umbrella: WeatherNext 3 is the latest wave of a sea change in meteorology brought out by deep learning techniques. Google says it will start feeding into weather information users see in search, Google Maps, and Gemini. Read More