Discord's age-verification era is upon us, despite community backlash

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

View this email online in your browser  September 23, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Discord's age-verification era is upon us, despite community backlash: According to Discord, 90% of users will not have to verify their age. Read More Ema raises $77M as AI starts eating into enterprise software and services: Ema has raised $140 million to date and has more than 50 enterprise customers, including Google and Microsoft. Read More Here's the trailer for Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes documentary, in theaters October 16: In this cursed timeline, we have been gifted something so unfathomable that we could never have imagined it. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events 3 days left to save up to $200 at Disrupt The clock is ticking to save up to $200 on your pass. Get three days of access to 250+ speakers, 200+ sessions across six industry stages, roundtables, and breakouts, plus make connections with AI-powered matchmaking and ad hoc meetings to help move your startup forward. Register by September 25 before savings are gone. Register now Morning Must-Reads Spotify is giving you the keys to its recommendation algorithm with US launch of 'Taste Profile': Spotify is rolling out Taste Profile to Premium users in the U.S., letting listeners see how the streamer understands their tastes and use natural language to reshape their recommendations. Read More PitPro's first tire-changing robot goes live in Canada: The startup says its automated system can change four tires in under 15 minutes. Read More Eight Sleep's new Pod 6 comes in smaller and solo sizes, starting at $1,999: Eight Sleep said the new pod is now 20% faster than the previous generation Read More Comma's hands-off driving tech under investigation after 2 fatal crashes: The investigation involves at least some crashes where it appears drivers were using "forked" versions of Comma's software. Read More YouTube will let you build your own algorithm with AI: ouTube’s new custom feeds let users describe the videos they want to see in their own words, then use Gemini to build a personalized feed around the request. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Get up to $100 off Founder Summit Head to Boston on November 4 for a full day of practical strategies and connections with 1,000+ founders and investors. Get actionable insights on fundraising, hiring, sales, marketing, leadership and scaling, then put them to work for your startup. Save up to $100 on your pass now. Register now Last but Not Least YouTube releases new AI features for creators within its Studio app: YouTube is adding new features to generate ideas and monitor the performance of thumbnails. 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

Anthropic releases Opus 5.5 with lower prices and Fable-level performance

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  September 22, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Anthropic releases Opus 5.5 with lower prices and Fable-level performance: Anthropic called it "the strongest-performing model we've tested to date." Read More Hacking group ShinyHunters claims it breached the FBI, stole agents' and applicants' data: The theft of agents' personal information could present a major counterintelligence threat, where agents and their families are extorted into cooperating with a foreign government. Read More Waymo's latest expansion strategy: teenagers: Waymo is opening its robotaxi service to teenagers aged 13 to 17 in Nashville, its second city to offer rides to minors. Read More A message from Carepredict Peace of Mind for You. Independence for Them. Everyday patterns reveal meaningful changes. SilverKin learns daily routines like activity, rest, and movement to catch shifts before they become a crisis. Get the peace of mind that comes from understanding your loved one’s well-being, keeping them safe and cared for. CarePredict is part of Santander X 100, global community of Santander X. Try Now Afternoon Must-Reads OpenAI launches GPT-6 Sol and Luna, boasting lower cost and fewer mistakes: OpenAI is launching two new models, which it says are cut from the same cloth as Astra. Read More Meta deal will help plastics recycling startup MacroCycle build its first factory: Meta is giving plastic recycling a boost in a new deal with startup MacroCycle, which is building its first commercial plant. Read More Meta admits Muse's likeness to OpenClaw isn't a coincidence: Meta says Muse was built from scratch, but acknowledges the AI assistant was "heavily inspired" by OpenClaw — down to some of its workspace filenames and content. Read More Apple could take on Whoop with a new fitness tracker, report says: Apple may be developing a new fitness tracker as part of its new generation of hardware devices. Read More Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy bets these 21 startups will shape energy’s future: To the investors at Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy, the coming wave of electrification will make data center energy demands look quaint by comparison. Here's how they're preparing. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events 4 days left to save up to $200 at Disrupt Four days until Disrupt savings end. Get access to 250+ speakers, 200+ sessions across six industry stages, roundtables, and breakouts, plus make connections with AI-powered matchmaking and ad hoc meetings to help move your startup forward. Register by September 25. Register now Last but Not Least Nscale’s IPO will test Wall Street's appetite for concentrated AI bets once again: The British AI data center developer depends on tech giants Microsoft and Anthropic for most of its revenue. 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