August 18, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

Etched's valuation doubles to $21B in a month: Jane Street has installed Etched's first shipped AI cluster system, and was so impressed, it led another massive round, the startup says. Read More

Comcast adds motion sensing to millions of its newer routers, with a privacy catch: A new feature added to Comcast's newest routers can detect if there is motion inside your home without needing traditional motion sensors. Read More

Why Apple's camera-equipped AirPods may not be the 'pervert pods' consumers fear: Apple’s leaked camera-equipped AirPods might avoid the privacy pitfalls of other AI wearables by preventing users from recording photos and videos. Read More

Afternoon Must-Reads

DOJ's probe into Andreessen Horowitz over board seats baffles VCs: Since portfolio companies often pivot and expand into competing markets, investors view occasional conflicts of interest as unavoidable for large VC firms. Read More

Apple's new macOS update reportedly contains a video of AirPods with a camera: A video in a macOS Tahoe release candidate version shows a user wearing AirPods, looking at a book, and talking to Siri. Read More

Einride strikes deal to add 500 Tesla Semis to its fleet: The deal will triple the size of Einride's fleet while sweetening the company's sales pitch for its Saga AI software. The Tesla Semis will be available to customers across North America. Read More

Warp's new system is an out-of-the-box software factory for AI development: On Tuesday, Warp introduced Warp Factories, a new infrastructure system designed to make building AI software factories as easy as possible. Read More

Perplexity’s free AI offer left it with millions more users in India: Perplexity's India revenue rose about 60% after the Airtel offer ended for new users, even as downloads declined. Read More

Last but Not Least

OpenAI launches a safer ChatGPT for teens — years after teens started using it: ChatGPT for Teens adds age-appropriate safety measures, parental controls, and learning tools designed to steer teens away from harmful content — and from using AI to cheat on their homework. Read More

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