Author: Editor

Google admits that its Google Home app for managing smart home devices has not offered the best experience, and it now aims to change that. On Wednesday, alongside new Nest devices and an upcoming Google Home smart speaker, the tech giant also unveiled a redesigned version of the Google Home app that it promises will work better, centralize device management, and bring its AI assistant Gemini AI into the experience. While AI may be the headline feature about what’s new with the Google Home app, the app itself has had an overhaul, in design, performance, and reliability, Google claims. “I…

Wisconsin could be the 41st state to legalize medical cannabis under bicameral legislation that the state’s top senators are putting their clout behind.Senate President Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, and Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, introduced the bill on Sept. 29, with state Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Weston, sponsoring a companion proposal in the lower...

AI isn’t just crunching data — it’s helping humans dream bigger. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, three leaders from TwelveLabs, Wonder Dynamics (an Autodesk company), and Pocket Entertainment, at the intersection of creativity and AI, will explore how machines are becoming co-creators in storytelling, film, and media. Together, they’ll dive into how AI is blurring the lines between artist and algorithm, reshaping storytelling, and opening new creative frontiers. Join this AI-infused discussion, only on the AI Stage at Disrupt, with 10,000+ startup leaders, VCs, and tech innovators. Get your discounted 20% off group passes before October 3, or save up to…

SWIFT, the global network that handles most of the world’s cross-border payments, is preparing to launch its own blockchain as rumors about an ongoing payments battle with Ripple circulate. While many often compare SWIFT’s role to Ripple due to its XRP-linked payment solutions, this new plan is not a direct challenge to the fintech company, but rather part of a much larger trillion-dollar race to define the future of digital money. SWIFT Partners With Consensys To Build Blockchain Network According to the announcement, SWIFT is collaborating with Consensys, the Ethereum development company founded by Joe Lubin, to create a shared…

Federal officials are calling marijuana a “deadly” drug—touting their efforts to seize it and other illegal substances—while also warning that possessing cannabis, even for medical use, carries “serious consequences.” As President Donald Trump considers a cannabis rescheduling proposal—and after he posted a video on the health benefits of CBD—the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and...

When Donnell Beverly Jr. decided to launch end-of-life planning startup Eazewell after the loss of both of his parents, he knew exactly who to call to help launch the business: longtime friend, and nine-time NBA All-Star, Russell Westbrook.   “The main thesis with Russ across every business that he touches is how do we impact people?” Beverly Jr. [pictured above] told TechCrunch. “He’s been very vocal about that throughout his career. I always say we really took personal pain and then created a platform to really help people.”  Westbrook was in. Four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker also joined, and the trio launched Eazewell.   Eazewell is an AI-driven platform that helps families navigate and automate the administrative aspects…

In brief Solana, Dogecoin, and Cardano outperformed the broader crypto market on Wednesday. Despite Congress failing to pass a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown, crypto markets shrugged off concerns. Bitcoin surpassed $117,000 for the first time in about two weeks while anticipation builds for an expected 25-basis point Fed rate cut at October’s...

New York City regulators have extended Waymo’s autonomous vehicle testing permit through the end of the year, the company said Wednesday.   The permit was initially granted in August to allow Waymo to test its robotaxis in the city until the end of September. The terms of the extended permit are the same: Waymo can deploy up to eight of its Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn with a human safety operator behind the wheel. A spokesperson for Waymo said the permit makes the company’s drivers exempt from New York’s rules mandating they keep one hand on the wheel at all times.  Waymo’s permit extension signals that it is inching towards being the first AV company to launch a robotaxi…

California just made history as the first state to require AI safety transparency from the biggest labs in the industry. Governor Newsom signed SB 53 into law this week, mandating that AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic disclose, and stick to, their safety protocols. The decision is already sparking debate about whether other states will follow suit.  Adam Billen, vice president of public policy at Encode AI, joined Equity to break down what this new law actually means and why it managed to pass its predecessor SB 1047 incurred so much ire from tech companies that Newsom ended up vetoing…

In brief Gabriel Haines often posts shirtless rants about crypto on X. He has raised money to film a pilot for a dark comedy based on industry happenings. The protagonist of “The Max Extractor” is loosely inspired by Libra co-creator, Hayden Davis. When a meme coin crisis befell Argentine President Javier Milei in February, Gabriel...