Author: Becky Anderson
Medical imaging is a broad term that encompasses several distinct technologies. After working on AI-powered tools to enhance X-rays and mammographies, French startup Gleamer now aims to tackle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Instead of starting from scratch, Gleamer acquired a startup that has already been working on AI-powered MRI analysis, Caerus Medical, and is merging with Pixyl. Gleamer is part of the second wave of startups trying to improve medical imaging using artificial intelligence. Several tech founders created startups around this topic in 2014 or 2015. While most of them went nowhere, there has been some consolidation in the space.…
Poolside co-founder and CEO Jason Warner didn’t mince words: He thinks that most companies looking to build foundation AI models should instead focus on building applications. Poolside is an AI-powered software development platform. Warner told the audience at the HumanX AI conference in Las Vegas on Monday that he doesn’t think anyone who doesn’t think intelligence is the most important commodity in the world — on par with electricity — should be building a foundation model. “If you’re one of those people, if you want to take one side of the fence, you’re a printing press for cash unlike anything…
DeepSeek’s founder Liang Wenfeng is in no hurry to get investment from outsiders, the WSJ reported Monday. DeepSeek is one of the hottest AI startups in the world right now after the Chinese AI company took Silicon Valley by storm with its latest model earlier this year. Unlike DeepSeek’s AI model provider counterparts, who regularly announce mega-rounds filled with prominent investors, Liang hasn’t announced any fundraises, despite lots of VC interest. Rumors about its supposed investors have even fueled (baseless) rallies in some Chinese stocks. DeepSeek’s founder doesn’t want to lose control An analysis of Chinese corporate records by TechCrunch…
A nifty new Gmail capability powered by Google’s Gemini AI has arrived for Google Workspace customers. Starting Monday, users can add events to a Google Calendar directly from an email. Gemini will automatically detect calendar-related content in an email and present an “Add to calendar” button. After clicking the button, the side panel in Gmail will open to confirm the event has been added to the calendar. Google notes in a blog post that the feature is only available in English and on the web for now. A calendar event created via the “Add to calendar” button won’t include other…
A few years ago, several startups with a specific focus on digital avatars appeared because of all the metaverse buzz. While that buzz died down, generative AI has given a new life to avatars as it is easier to spin up different virtual identities. Companies are trying out different use cases for avatars, including D-ID and Synthesia in the enterprise space, Zoom for meetings, Glance for fashion, Praktika for learning, and TikTok and Captions in the creator space. However, Isaac Bratzel, who created popular virtual influencers such as Lil Miquela and Amelia 2.0, thinks there is a lack of high-quality…
If you want to amplify your brand to over 1,000 AI experts and innovators, there’s no better way than by hosting a Side Event during TechCrunch Sessions: AI Week. From June 1 to June 7, TechCrunch is looking for fun and thought-provoking events to coincide with TC Sessions: AI, which takes place on June 5 in Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley. Whether it be a cocktail party, an industry meetup, or a thought-provoking panel, we’re open to a wide range of Side Events. TC Sessions: AI is the event that will give you insights into the cutting-edge and ever-evolving industry…
On June 5, 1,200 of the brightest minds in AI and VC leaders will converge in Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley for TechCrunch Sessions: AI — the must-attend AI event of the year. What does this mean for your startup? A prime opportunity to showcase your breakthrough to a crowd hungry for AI innovation. We’ve made it seamless — just visit this exhibit page and claim your booth today! Why exhibiting your AI innovation is a must Broaden your impact: Present your cutting-edge solutions on the lively TC Sessions: AI Expo floor, where more than 1,200 AI experts, investors, and…
Microsoft appears to be working on 3D gaming experiences for Copilot, its AI-powered chatbot platform, according to a new job listing. The listing, published this week, seeks a senior software engineer based in Beijing specializing in 3D rendering engines, particularly engines typically used to build web browser-based video games (Babylon.js, three.js, and Unity). “Are you passionate about gaming and interested in building innovative solutions for billions of users?” the job description reads. “If you have a background in gaming or a strong passion for it, this is the perfect opportunity for you!” Microsoft has previously indicated that it plans to…
ServiceNow said on Monday that it has agreed to acquire Moveworks, which develops enterprise-focused automation and AI tools. ServiceNow will pay $2.85 billion for Moveworks in a mix of cash and stock. The former expects the deal to close in the second half of 2025. Bloomberg reported the deal late on Sunday night. As of June 2021, Moveworks was valued at $2.1 billion. “With the acquisition of Moveworks, ServiceNow will take another giant leap forward in agentic AI-powered business transformation,” ServiceNow president and COO Amit Zavery said in a press release. “Moveworks’ talented team and elegant AI-first experience, combined with…
Creatopy, a startup that uses AI to automate the creation of digital ads, has brought on a new CEO: Tammy Nam. Nam was previously COO and CMO at photo-editing startup Picsart, and before that the CEO of video streamer Viki. She told TechCrunch via email that Creatopy was looking for a U.S.-based executive who knows how to scale early-stage startups, has worked with European founders (the product was first developed in Romania), and understands marketing tech. “Fortunately, I fit that bill,” she said. Nam is also joining the Creatopy board, while the startup’s previous CEO Dan Oros has stepped into…