March 17, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

BuzzFeed debuts AI slop apps in bid for new revenue: BuzzFeed unveiled new AI-powered social apps at SXSW, but its demos drew muted reactions. Read More

Apple rolls out first 'background security' update for iPhones, iPads, and Macs to fix Safari bug: Apple's first-ever "background security improvement" fixes a vulnerability in its Safari browser running its latest software. Read More

The Pentagon is developing alternatives to Anthropic, report says: After their dramatic falling-out, it doesn't seem as though Anthropic and the Pentagon are getting back together. Read More

Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite

Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum.

A message from UK Office for Investment

UK Quantum – Enhancing trading data

Quantum computing has the potential to reshape financial services, from risk management to data analysis. HSBC and IBM have demonstrated this through a hybrid-quantum approach to European corporate bond trading. This revealed complex patterns in noisy financial data, and a 34% improvement in predicting winning customer trade inquiries.

Learn More

Afternoon Must-Reads

World launches tool to verify humans behind AI shopping agents: As AI agents take the reins for online shoppers, Sam Altman's unconventional startup is looking to expand its verification offerings to support agentic commerce. Read More

Amazon adds 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options in the US: The e-commerce giant is making more than 90,000 items available via this new delivery system. If an item can be delivered to a user within one or three hours, they'll see a label saying so next to that item on the Amazon app. Read More

Google's Personal Intelligence feature is expanding to all US users: Personal Intelligence allows Google's AI assistant to tap into your Google ecosystem, such as Gmail and Google Photos, to provide more tailored responses. Read More

Gecko Robotics lands the largest US Navy robotics deal yet: Gecko Robotics inked a five-year deal to help the U.S. Navy monitor and predict needed maintenance on its fleet of ships. Read More

Kagi brings its 'small web' of a human-only internet to mobile devices: Kagi's "Small Web" offers a handpicked collection of more than 30,000 non-commercial, human-authored websites, including personal blogs, webcomics, and independent videos. Read More

A message from Fidelity

Your Pitch Isn’t the Only Thing Investors Are Evaluating.

Investors don’t just listen to what you say - they look at how your company operates. Is ownership clear? Do your numbers match your story? Can you answer follow-up questions without digging through spreadsheets? The Fundraise-Ready Startup Kit equips founders with the materials investors expect to see, before pressure is on. Because confidence in the room doesn’t come from slides. It comes from preparation.

Download the Kit

You missed these chats from Disrupt:

Kindred talks home-swapping platform for travelers, Chef Robotics introduces AI into commercial kitchens, and Character.AI addresses chatbot safety with teens.

Watch on Cheddar.com

Watch on Streaming

Last but Not Least

Google’s data center power playbook comes into focus: Google has long procured clean power for its operations and data centers, but recent deals show the company is changing tactics. Read More

Check out some of our other newsletters:

StrictlyVC

TechCrunch Events

TechCrunch Mobility

Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here

Got a tip?
Get in touch securely.

Want to advertise on TechCrunch?

Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter.

Unsubscribe

Member Center

501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107