Welcome again to TechCrunch’s Week in Evaluate — TechCrunch’s e-newsletter recapping the week’s greatest information. Need it in your inbox each Saturday? Enroll right here.
This week, Apple lastly added help for Wealthy Communication Providers (RCS) to Messages as a part of the second developer beta of iOS 18. Till now, iPhone customers might solely ship SMS or MMS messages from the Messages app to individuals who didn’t have an Apple machine. Now you possibly can share high-quality pictures and get learn receipts and typing indicators whereas messaging with Android customers — however textual content bubbles are nonetheless inexperienced.
OpenAI is delaying the discharge of its new Voice Mode. The corporate had deliberate to begin rolling out superior Voice Mode in alpha to a small group of ChatGPT Plus customers in late June however mentioned that lingering points pressured it to postpone the launch to someday in July. Relying on inner security and reliability checks, Superior Voice Mode won’t launch for all ChatGPT Plus clients till the autumn, the corporate says.
The FCC proposed a neater means for customers to unlock their telephones from their carriers, suggesting that each one units have to be unlockable simply 60 days after buy. The rule would probably enable telephones to work with totally different cell networks after that point interval, however it might run afoul of as we speak’s cellphone and wi-fi markets.
Information
OpenAI releases ChatGPT for Mac: ChatGPT is now accessible to all macOS customers by way of a brand new app. Mac customers can shortly name up ChatGPT through the use of the keyboard mixture of Possibility + House after putting in the brand new app. Learn extra
Apple reportedly gained’t combine Meta’s AI fashions in spite of everything: Days after The Wall Avenue Journal reported that Apple and Meta had been in talks to combine the latter’s AI fashions, a Bloomberg report says Apple shelved the concept over privateness considerations. Learn extra
Waymo ditches its waitlist in San Francisco: Waymo introduced that now anybody can obtain its app and instantly hail a robotaxi in San Francisco, eradicating the ultimate impediment for patrons eager to make use of the self-driving expertise. Learn extra
Zuckerberg disses “closed” AI: In a brand new interview, the Meta CEO mentioned he doesn’t imagine there will probably be “only one AI” and emphasised the significance of open supply AI. Zuckerberg additionally mentioned closed supply AI rivals are attempting to “create God.” Learn extra
Andrew Ng’s AI Fund desires to boost numerous money: In accordance with a brand new SEC submitting, Andrew Ng’s AI Fund plans to boost upward of $120 million for its second effort. The startup incubator backs small groups of specialists trying to remedy key issues utilizing AI. Learn extra
Gemini AI involves Gmail: Google is rolling out a Gemini AI aspect panel in Gmail that can assist you draft emails and discover data out of your inbox. The Gemini aspect panel may even be accessible in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. Learn extra
OpenAI continues its M&A tear: OpenAI has acquired Multi, a startup creating an enterprise-focused, video-first collaboration platform. A supply aware of the matter tells TechCrunch that the majority of Multi’s staff will be part of OpenAI following the deal’s shut. Learn extra
An eerie smiling robotic with dwelling pores and skin: Will robots ever have dwelling, human pores and skin? Researchers on the College of Tokyo and Harvard have been exploring the query — they usually’ve provide you with some fairly unsettling outcomes. Learn extra
Meta’s chatbots head to India: After just a few months of testing throughout the common elections, Meta is making its Llama 3-powered AI chatbot accessible to all customers in India. However Meta AI at present solely helps English. Learn extra
Prosus zeroes out its stake in Byju’s: One in every of Byju’s largest traders mentioned its once-$2.1 billion stake within the Indian edtech startup is now price nothing. Nonetheless, Prosus continues to be hopeful that Byju’s will be salvaged. Learn extra
Evaluation
Silicon Valley is being bizarre about DEI once more: DEI has turn out to be extremely divisive. A primary instance of the stress is the dialog sparked by startup Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, wherein he mentioned transferring away from DEI to as a substitute embrace “MEI” — benefit, excellence, and intelligence. However Dominic-Madori Davis and Kyle Wiggers write that, in response to the info, a “meritocracy” isn’t higher than DEI. Learn extra
What Ayana Parsons’ resignation means: Fearless Fund’s co-founder Ayana Parsons is stepping down. The announcement follows continued authorized bother and the pendulum swing in tech that has resulted in elevated anti-DEI sentiment. Julie Bort and Dominic-Madori Davis discover how the newest developments for Fearless Fund, and the change to publicly panning DEI, are a tragic reflection on the VC world for Black girls. Learn extra
