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Senators Urge Top Regulator to Stay Out of Prediction Market Lawsuits

KATE KNIBBS

As prediction market platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi battle regulators in court, Senate Democrats are urging the CFTC to avoid weighing in, escalating a broader fight over the burgeoning industry.

Social Security Workers Are Being Told to Hand Over Appointment Details to ICE

ZOË SCHIFFER, VITTORIA ELLIOTT, LEAH FEIGER

The recent request goes against decades of precedent, and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions.

Sex toys maker Tenga says hacker stole customer information

LORENZO FRANCESCHI-BICCHIERAI

The Japanese sex toy maker said a hacker broke into an employee's inbox and stole customer names, email addresses, and correspondence, including order details and customer service inquiries.

Why top talent is walking away from OpenAI and xAI

THERESA LOCONSOLO

AI companies have been hemorrhaging talent the past few weeks. Half of xAI’s founding team has left the company — some on their own, others through “restructuring” — while OpenAI is facing its own shakeups, from the disbanding of its mission alignment team to the firing of a policy exec who opposed its “adult mode” feature.  Watch as TechCrunch’s Equity podcast hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony […]

Fintech lending giant Figure confirms data breach

LORENZO FRANCESCHI-BICCHIERAI

The company said hackers downloaded “a limited number of files” after breaking into an employee’s account. The hacking group ShinyHunters took responsibility for the breach.

The first Android 17 beta is now available on Pixel devices

RYAN WHITWAM

Don't expect big changes yet.

After a routine code rejection, an AI agent published a hit piece on someone by name

BENJ EDWARDS AND KYLE ORLAND

One developer is struggling with the social implications of a drive-by AI character attack.

OpenAI Is Nuking Its 4o Model. China’s ChatGPT Fans Aren’t OK

ZEYI YANG

As OpenAI removed access to GPT-4o in its app on Friday, people who have come to rely on the chatbot for companionship are mourning the loss all over the world.

Airbnb says a third of its customer support is now handled by AI in the U.S. and Canada

SARAH PEREZ

Airbnb has shifted a third of its North American customer service to its AI agent, CEO Brian Chesky said.

Ring cancels Flock deal after dystopian Super Bowl ad prompts mass outrage

ASHLEY BELANGER

“This is definitely not about dogs,” senator says, urging a pause on Ring face scans.

Verizon makes customers wait 35 days to unlock fully paid-off phones

JON BRODKIN

Verizon unlocks have 35-day waiting period after paying off device plan online.

Aided by AI, California beach town broadens hunt for bike lane blockers

CYRUS FARIVAR

Hayden AI's cameras will scan for violations from 7 city vehicles.

WHO slams US-funded newborn vaccine trial as "unethical"

BETH MOLE

CDC awarded $1.6 million for study birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine in Guinea-Bissau.

Airbnb plans to bake in AI features for search, discovery and support

IVAN MEHTA

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said the company wants to increase its use of large language models for customer discovery, support and engineering.

Indian pharmacy chain giant exposed customer data and internal systems

JAGMEET SINGH

A backend flaw in web admin dashboards used by one of India's largest pharmacy chains, exposed thousands of online pharmacy orders.