Techmeme
August 13, 2025, 8:45 AM

Top News

Maxwell Zeff / TechCrunch:
OpenAI adds GPT-5 Auto, Fast, and Thinking settings to ChatGPT's model picker; Auto seems to work like GPT-5's model router that OpenAI initially announced  —  When OpenAI launched GPT-5 last week, the company said the model would simplify the ChatGPT experience.
SemiAnalysis:
GPT-5's router directs queries based on complexity and intent, helping OpenAI allocate compute across low-value informational and high-value commercial requests  —  How ChatGPT will monetize free users, Router is the Release, AIs will serve Ads, Google's moat eroded?, The shift of purchasing intent queries
M.G. Siegler / Spyglass:
Perplexity's unsolicited $34.5B bid for Chrome with claimed VC backing is clearly a marketing stunt and strategic signaling amid Google's antitrust uncertainty  —  Perplexity Makes Longshot $34.5 Billion Offer for Chrome  —  With its unsolicited bid for Google's browser …
Katherine Blunt / Wall Street Journal:
Perplexity offers to acquire Chrome for $34.5B, significantly more than Perplexity's estimated $18B valuation, and says large VC funds agreed to back the deal  —  With its unsolicited bid for Google's browser, AI startup seeks to take advantage of uncertainty over pending antitrust ruling
Reuters:
Sources: the US secretly embedded location trackers in select AI chip and server shipments, including Dell and Super Micro, to detect illegal China diversions  —  U.S. authorities have secretly placed location tracking devices in targeted shipments of advanced chips they see as being at high risk …
New York Times:
Sources: US investigators have uncovered evidence that Russia is at least in part responsible for a recent hack of the US federal court filing system  —  Federal officials are scrambling to assess the damage and address flaws in a sprawling, heavily used computer system long known to have vulnerabilities.
Mark Gurman / @markgurman:
In response to Elon Musk's claims that the App Store favors the ChatGPT app, Apple says the App Store “is designed to be fair and free of bias”  —  Apple on @elonmusk's claims: “The App Store is designed to be fair and free of bias. We feature thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria.” https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Surbhi Misra / Reuters:
Financial Times:
Sources: OpenAI is preparing to back Neuralink rival Merge Labs, co-founded by Sam Altman, that aims to raise $250M at an $850M valuation, including from OpenAI  —  OpenAI in talks to invest in brain implant start-up that would compete with Musk's company  —  OpenAI and its co-founder Sam Altman …
Derek Thompson:
Studies suggest AI chatbots' sycophantic design may increase narcissism among young and vulnerable users, potentially altering personality traits at scale  —  “I can imagine a future where a lot of people really trust ChatGPT's advice for their most important decisions,” Sam Altman said.
Bloomberg:
CoreWeave reports Q2 revenue up 207% YoY to $1.21B, vs. $1.08B est., adjusted net loss of $130.8M, vs. $96.3M est., up from $5M in Q2 2024; CRWV drops 10%+  —  CoreWeave Inc.'s shares fell 10% after it delivered a disappointing earnings outlook, reflecting margin pressures from a rapid AI datacenter expansion.
Joedy McCreary / MedPage Today:
Study: endoscopists accustomed to using AI for colonoscopies detected fewer precancerous growths after the tools were removed, raising “deskilling” concerns  —  - The adenoma detection rate (ADR) in more than 1,400 non-AI assisted colonoscopies dropped 6 percentage points …
Dylan Loh / Nikkei Asia:
Singapore's three neobanks, GXS Bank, MariBank, and Trust Bank, together posted $278.1M in losses in 2024 as legacy rivals digitalized, intensifying competition  —  SINGAPORE — Eugina Sim will continue saving with a traditional lender, even though digital banks owned by technology players including Grab …

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More News

Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch:
Sharon Goldman / Fortune:

Earlier Picks

Emma Roth / The Verge:
Ashley Stewart / Business Insider:
Adrian Zmudzinski / Cointelegraph:
Emily Price / Fast Company:
Maxwell Zeff / TechCrunch:
Bob Van Voris / Bloomberg: