Welcome to TechCrunch AM! This morning, we've got insights into the unintended harms of an otherwise thoughtful piece of internet legislation; a hot new startup from one of Europe's top AI researchers; and how VCs are taking a leaf from private equity. We've also got news on AI grid connectivity, The Browser Company's next move, the tech job market for fresh grads, and more. Let's dive in! | | | Image Credits: Getty Images | 1. Always a downside: The Take It Down Act has been hailed as a win for victims of nonconsensual explicit deepfakes and revenge porn, but privacy experts say the bill paves the way for overreach, abuse, and censorship of legitimate content. Read More 2. Photorealism: Text-to-3D generation is heating up, and TUM professor and Synthesia co-founder Matthias Niessner is rolling in with his new startup, SpAItial, to compete with the likes of Odyssey and World Labs. The startup just raised a $13 million seed round to build AI that turns text prompts into full 3D environments. Read More 3. VCs go PE: A growing number of VC firms are taking a page from private equity and acquiring traditional businesses like call centers and accounting firms, and supercharging them with AI. General Catalyst and Thrive Capital are leading the charge, with Khosla Ventures among the firms eyeing the new strategy. Read More | | | | Be part of AI's future at TechCrunch Sessions: AI in Berkeley, CA. Connect with AI leaders, VCs, and experts, and gain insights from top minds from Google Cloud, Anthropic, Twelve Labs, OpenAI, Khosla Ventures, & more. Join main stage talks, roundtables, and unmatched networking. Save an additional 50% off a second ticket for your +1. | | | Image Credits: Daniel Balakov / Getty Images | 🔋 Anything for power: Hyperscalers and AI data centers are so thirsty for hard-to-get grid connections that many are spending millions to build their own power sources. Emerging from stealth with $13.5 million, Gridcare says it can find the slack in the system to unlock hidden grid capacity for data centers. Read More 🔍 In pursuit of AI: The Browser Company is considering selling or open-sourcing its Arc Browser as it shifts focus to developing a new AI-first browser called Dia. Arc is a popular Chrome alternative, but CEO Josh Miller said it proved too complex for mainstream adoption. Read More 🎓 Per aspera ad astra: AI is reshaping roles and erasing traditional stepping stones, and landing your first tech gig is now harder than ever: entry-level hiring at the top tech firms is now down over 50% since 2019, per SignalFire. There is some upside, though. Read More ⚡ Going nuclear: Big Tech is scrambling to secure electricity with the rise of AI, and many have now turned to nuclear fission, which promises stable, predictable, 24/7 power. And new small reactor designs are turning up the appeal. We've got a roundup of the fission startups that Big Tech is backing today. Read More 🌀 Deep tech down under: Outset Ventures, an Auckland-based venture firm and incubator that spun out Rocket Lab, has closed a $25 million fund to invest in New Zealand's deep tech startups. The firm is focused on backing companies developing alternative energy for AI infrastructure. Read More | | | 💸 Going steady: Stablecoin giant Circle Internet Group has filed for an IPO on the NYSE, per CoinDesk. Circle, which is behind the USDC stablecoin, is offering 24 million of its Class A shares at a price target of between $24 to $26. That could help Circle raise almost $250 million. Read More 🏆 A winning pitch deck: Business Insider has the scoop on Alba Health, which wants to improve child gut health with personalized nutrition plans and raised $2.5 million with backing from the founder of Oura Ring. Check out Alba's pitch deck. Read More | | | 📚 Your AI dictionary: AI is changing our world, but the jargon around all the exciting tech is as endless as the hype. That's why we've put together a handy glossary of terms to keep you in the know. Read More | | | Featured jobs from CrunchBoard | | | Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. | | | Update your preferences here at any time | | Copyright © 2025 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. Yahoo Inc.. 680 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA | | | | |
