September 27, 2026

The hottest new hangout for middle schoolers is NPR's comment section?: When NPR staffers flagged strange comments under their podcasts on Spotify as bots, it took a Gen Z colleague to (immediately) figure out the mystery. Read More

Google tests buying from Walmart-owned Flipkart through Gemini and AI Mode in India: The limited test covers select products and users, with a broader rollout planned for later in October. Read More

Meta and YouTube say they will run ads for ‘Musk’ documentary after all: Two companies now say they will accept advertising for director Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about Elon Musk, following earlier reporting that a number of social media platforms had rejected the ads. Read More

Register now and get up to $100 off your Disrupt pass. Join 10,000+ startup leaders on October 13-15 in San Francisco for game-changing connections and deal flow via matchmaking and ad hoc meetings, plus insights from 250+ tech leaders in 200+ sessions across six industry stages, roundtables, and breakouts. Prices increase when event doors open.

Astra and Opus just passed Turing's other test: Frontier AI models are finishing Alan Turing's World War II codebreaking work. Read More

Insurers claim AI is already increasing healthcare costs: Blue Cross Blue Shield says hospital use of AI tools led to an additional $942M in healthcare spending over a two-year period. Read More

Crusoe abandons $1.25B plan to use Boom turbines at AI data centers: Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl said the company's new stationary power plants were no longer in Crusoe's near-term plans. Read More

Automattic has a new board after failed attempt to put CEO on leave: After days of upheaval at Automattic, following a failed attempt to remove CEO Matt Mullenweg, the company has a new board. Read More

The Aeropod automates soil aeration without robotics — see it at TechCrunch Disrupt: Muju Earth Technologies has developed a deceptively simply pod that can save farmers money while improving crop yields. Read More

Head to Boston on Nov. 4 for a full day of practical strategies and connections with 1,000+ founders and investors. Get actionable insights on fundraising, hiring, sales, marketing, leadership and scaling, then put them to work for your startup. Save up to $100 on your pass before prices increase.

PNOE's new face mask wants to make lab-grade breath testing a self-serve affair: PNOĒ, the Malden, Mass.-based startup whose breath-analyzing mask used to bear an unfortunate resemblance to Bane's, is launching a sleeker self-serve version on October 1 that lets gym-goers measure their VO₂ max and other metabolic markers in eight minutes without a trained operator. Read More

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