Americas

How an OpenAI influencer trip backfired 

• OpenAI's influencer "Summer Club" trip sparked heavy online backlash and mockery.
• Critics cited AI's environmental impact, data centres and job-loss fears.
• Reaction videos outperformed the original influencer posts by far.

An OpenAI-sponsored "brand trip" for social media influencers, marketed as a "Summer Club" weekend at a nature retreat near New York City, prompted a significant online backlash after participants began posting about the free luxury getaway. Critics accused the influencers of trading their integrity for freebies while working…

Waymo opens up robotaxi service in Dallas to everyone

• Waymo scraps Dallas waitlist, robotaxis now open to all
• About 150,000 riders used the app during the waitlist phase
• Airport trips and severe-weather pauses remain limitations for now

Waymo has removed the waitlist for its robotaxi service in Dallas, allowing anyone to download the app and immediately book a self-driving ride in the city. The move is the latest step in the Alphabet-owned company's push to expand its autonomous vehicle operations across the US, UK and…

Will Congress finally stand up to California?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces criticism from various sectors as his administration's aggressive regulatory policies regarding plastic packaging and agricultural standards prompt calls for congressional intervention to protect national interests and consumer prices.

Take an extra $100 off your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass: This week only!

• TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 passes get an extra $100 off until 7 August.
• Regular discounted pricing ends 21 August; event runs 13-15 October.
• Event features multiple stages, Startup Battlefield and an expo hall.

TechCrunch is running a flash sale offering an extra $100 off passes for its Disrupt 2026 conference, on top of existing discounted pricing, available for founders, investors and general attendees. The discount is available until 11:59pm PT on Friday 7 August, after which prices rise again on 21…

BMW’s in-car Spider-Man ad is villain behavior

• BMW is showing Spider-Man movie ads on car dashboards
• Runs 27 July–10 August in over 70 countries
• Contradicts BMW's earlier pledge not to advertise in-car

BMW has confirmed it is running in-car advertisements for the film *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* on the Control Display of many of its vehicles, a move that has surprised and irritated owners who did not expect to see movie promotions on the dashboards of cars they have purchased.…

Buzz Osborne & JD Pinkus Launch New Supergroup Gatta Morta With Surprise EP Burn Witch Burn

• Buzz Osborne and Jeff Pinkus form new band Gatta Morta
• Debut EP Burn Witch Burn released via Amphetamine Reptile
• Line-up completed by drummer Coady Willis and Clinton Jacob

Noise-rock veterans Buzz Osborne (Melvins) and Jeff "JD" Pinkus (Butthole Surfers) have launched a new supergroup called Gatta Morta, surprising fans with a debut EP that arrived alongside the announcement. The pairing brings together two of underground rock's longest-serving figures, with Osborne saying the idea took shape while…

Talarico: Republican attacks on trans people ‘culture war fights designed to tear us apart’

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico said Monday that Republican attacks on transgender people are “culture war fights designed to tear us apart.” “I mean, I don't think we win by selling people out. And we're refusing to do that in this campaign.  This is a campaign of,…

Appeals court blocks Trump from rescinding green bank funds

In a reversal, a federal appeals court has once again blocked the Trump administration from rescinding billions in climate funds issued under the Biden administration’s signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated part of a previous preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the Environmental…