Welcome again to TechCrunch’s Week in Overview — TechCrunch’s publication recapping the week’s largest information. Need it in your inbox each Saturday? Enroll right here.
This week, Apple lastly added assist for Wealthy Communication Providers (RCS) to Messages as a part of the second developer beta of iOS 18. Till now, iPhone customers may solely ship SMS or MMS messages from the Messages app to individuals who didn’t have an Apple gadget. Now you may share high-quality pictures and get learn receipts and typing indicators whereas messaging with Android customers — however textual content bubbles are nonetheless inexperienced.
OpenAI is delaying the discharge of its new Voice Mode. The corporate had deliberate to begin rolling out superior Voice Mode in alpha to a small group of ChatGPT Plus customers in late June however stated that lingering points pressured it to postpone the launch to someday in July. Relying on inner security and reliability checks, Superior Voice Mode may not launch for all ChatGPT Plus clients till the autumn, the corporate says.
The FCC proposed a neater approach for shoppers to unlock their telephones from their carriers, suggesting that every one units should be unlockable simply 60 days after buy. The rule would probably enable telephones to work with totally different cell networks after that point interval, however it could run afoul of immediately’s telephone and wi-fi markets.
Information
OpenAI releases ChatGPT for Mac: ChatGPT is now accessible to all macOS customers by way of a brand new app. Mac customers can rapidly name up ChatGPT through the use of the keyboard mixture of Choice + House after putting in the brand new app. Learn extra
Apple reportedly gained’t combine Meta’s AI fashions in any case: Days after The Wall Road Journal reported that Apple and Meta had been in talks to combine the latter’s AI fashions, a Bloomberg report says Apple shelved the concept over privateness issues. Learn extra
Waymo ditches its waitlist in San Francisco: Waymo introduced that now anybody can obtain its app and instantly hail a robotaxi in San Francisco, eradicating the ultimate impediment for patrons eager to make use of the self-driving expertise. Learn extra
Zuckerberg disses “closed” AI: In a brand new interview, the Meta CEO stated he doesn’t imagine there can be “only one AI” and emphasised the significance of open supply AI. Zuckerberg additionally stated closed supply AI rivals try to “create God.” Learn extra
Andrew Ng’s AI Fund desires to boost a variety of money: In keeping with a brand new SEC submitting, Andrew Ng’s AI Fund plans to boost upward of $120 million for its second effort. The startup incubator backs small groups of consultants seeking to remedy key issues utilizing AI. Learn extra
Gemini AI involves Gmail: Google is rolling out a Gemini AI aspect panel in Gmail that will help you draft emails and discover info out of your inbox. The Gemini aspect panel can even be accessible in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. Learn extra
OpenAI continues its M&A tear: OpenAI has acquired Multi, a startup growing an enterprise-focused, video-first collaboration platform. A supply conversant in the matter tells TechCrunch that almost all of Multi’s crew will be part of OpenAI following the deal’s shut. Learn extra
An eerie smiling robotic with residing pores and skin: Will robots ever have residing, human pores and skin? Researchers on the College of Tokyo and Harvard have been exploring the query — and so they’ve provide you with some fairly unsettling outcomes. Learn extra
Meta’s chatbots head to India: After a number of months of testing throughout the common elections, Meta is making its Llama 3-powered AI chatbot accessible to all customers in India. However Meta AI at the moment solely helps English. Learn extra
Prosus zeroes out its stake in Byju’s: Considered one of Byju’s largest buyers stated its once-$2.1 billion stake within the Indian edtech startup is now value nothing. Nevertheless, Prosus remains to be hopeful that Byju’s could be salvaged. Learn extra
Evaluation
Silicon Valley is being bizarre about DEI once more: DEI has grow to be extremely divisive. A major instance of the strain is the dialog sparked by startup Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, during which he mentioned shifting away from DEI to as an alternative embrace “MEI” — advantage, excellence, and intelligence. However Dominic-Madori Davis and Kyle Wiggers write that, in keeping with the information, a “meritocracy” just isn’t higher than DEI. Learn extra
What Ayana Parsons’ resignation means: Fearless Fund’s co-founder Ayana Parsons is stepping down. The announcement follows continued authorized bother and the pendulum swing in tech that has resulted in elevated anti-DEI sentiment. Julie Bort and Dominic-Madori Davis discover how the most recent developments for Fearless Fund, and the change to publicly panning DEI, are a tragic reflection on the VC world for Black girls. Learn extra
