August 20, 2026

Waymo's cheaper, next-gen robotaxi is now open to all riders in these three cities: The next-generation robotaxi, called the Waymo Ojai, is central to the company's push towards mass scale, and eventually, profitability. Read More

Stripe didn't really buy OpenRouter because of the 'singularity': What does a payments giant want with a startup that routes prompts between different AI models? Stripe says it's because of "the singularity" but it's really for a far more real and powerful reason. Read More

Rillet raises $100M Series C at $1B valuation — 2 years after emerging from stealth: AI-native account startup Rillet became a unicorn, led by Iconiq, after it doubled its ARR in the past three months, it said. Read More

AI has made it faster than ever to bring an idea from concept to launch.  

But it hasn't made it easier to build something durable.  
 
Disrupt 2026's programming is built around that challenge, delivering practical sessions on what actually holds up and how to build it. Ticket prices increase at midnight PT Friday, so grab yours before then! 

AI data giant Alation confirms cyberattack: The data search and AI giant confirmed unauthorized access to its systems during an incident on Tuesday, and said it was investigating the breach. Read More

US says hackers are targeting vulnerable water systems with the help of AI: Hackers are targeting internet-connected Siemens controllers used in water facilities around the United States. Read More

Gwyneth Paltrow allegedly set to throw dinner in honor of Sam Altman: The actress' firm Kinship Ventures is an investor in the company. Read More

Apollo Atomics wants to make nuclear power cheaper by shrinking an overlooked part: Y Combinator alumnus Apollo Atomics is shrinking a key nuclear reactor part, which promises to slash the cost of electricity below natural gas. Read More

Gambling on the Little League World Series? Sports bettors have gone too far: Have we tried turning off society and turning it back on again? Read More

Not everyone needs a keynote slot to make noise at Disrupt 2026. Sometimes the best way to meet investors, customers, and partners is by exhibiting directly in the Expo Hall.

And by exhibiting, you get 10 passes to Disrupt to share with your team!

Travis Kalanick kicks off another round of VC bashing: '1% are helpful': After raising $1.7 billion for his new robotics company Atoms, Travis Kalanick is introspective about the role VCs have played in his career. Read More

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August 19, 2026

T-Mobile 'chopped a cable' to expel Chinese hackers from its network: The U.S. phone provider escaped a large-scale breach of its network after identifying Chinese-backed hackers early on. Read More

AI was supposed to win people over by now -- it hasn't: As AI becomes harder to avoid, consumers are growing more wary of the technology — and Silicon Valley is discovering that widespread adoption doesn’t necessarily lead to acceptance. Read More

Google packs Search and Gemini with new AI study tools: The launch of the new study features marks Google's latest effort to make Gemini the AI assistant that students turn to when learning and studying, as it continues to compete with companies like OpenAI. Read More

Amazon makes its AI-powered Alexa+ free on Fire TV, no Prime required: Amazon is making its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant free on all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S., automatically upgrading users whether or not they subscribe to Prime. Read More

Home batteries are suddenly cheap and everywhere. Here’s why.: Companies including Tesla and Base Power are vying for a piece of the rapidly growing market for home batteries. One technology has made it all possible. Read More

Rillet raises $100M Series C at $1B valuation — 2 years after emerging from stealth: AI-native account startup Rillet became a unicorn, led by Iconiq, after it doubled its ARR in the past three months, it said. Read More

Gwyneth Paltrow allegedly set to throw dinner in honor of Sam Altman: The actress' firm Kinship Ventures is an investor in the company. Read More

Rivian spinout Also raises another $150M: The round, led by Prysm Capital, will fund the company's expansion beyond pedal-assist electric bikes and commercial cargo quads to autonomous delivery vehicles. Read More

Let’s take a look at the retro tech making a comeback: Boom boxes, instant cameras, and even landlines are making a comeback. Here are the coolest retro-inspired devices available. Read More

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