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There’s something painfully American about the arc of iRobot, the company that taught your vacuum to navigate around the furniture. Founded in 1990 in Bedford, Massachusetts by MIT roboticist Rodney Brooks and his former students Colin Angle and Helen Greiner, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sunday, ending a 35-year run that took it from the dreams of AI researchers to your kitchen floor and, finally, to the tender mercies of its Chinese supplier. Brooks, the founding director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab and the robotics field’s resident provocateur, spent the eighties watching insects and…
Grok, the chatbot built by Elon Musk’s xAI and popularized on his social media platform X, appears to have repeatedly spread misinformation about today’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia. Gizmodo pointed to a number of posts where Grok misidentified the bystander — 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed — who disarmed one of the gunmen, and where it questioned the authenticity of videos and photos capturing al Ahmed’s actions. In one post, the chatbot misidentified the man in a photo as an Israeli hostage, and in another post brought up irrelevant information about the Israeli army’s treatment of Palestinians. In…
When Brown University junior Mia Tretta’s phone began buzzing with an emergency alert during finals week, she tried to convince herself it couldn’t be happening again.In 2019, Tretta had been shot in the abdomen during a mass shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Two students were killed, and she and two others were wounded. She was 15 at the time. On Saturday, Tretta was studying in her dorm with a friend when the first message arrived, warning of an emergency at the university’s engineering building. Something must have happened, she thought, but surely it couldn’t be a…
by Lacey Pfalz Last updated: 8:40 AM ET, Sat December 13, 2025 The proposal by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security that would require international visitors wanting to head to the United States to share the past five years of their social media history also might add a more invasive piece of information to entry requirements: travelers’ DNA. According to the proposal, which is listed as OMB Control Number 1651-0111 in the Federal Register, and is currently in a public commenting period, the CBP would add several “high value data fields” to the ESTA…
Fintech startup Mesa has shut down its Homeowners Card, which awarded points to cardholders for paying their mortgages. A message on the Mesa website states that as of December 12, “all Mesa Homeowners Card accounts are closed,” adding, “All credit cards have been deactivated and you are no longer able to make any new purchases or earn Mesa Points.” A Mesa FAQ about the shutdown described this as “a business decision to close the Mesa Homeowners Card Program entirely.” TechCrunch has reached out to Mesa for additional comment on its future plans. The startup launched just over a year ago,…
Last updated: 8:00 PM ET, Fri December 12, 2025 WHY IT RATES: Villas of Distinction has identified trending destinations for 2026 due to factors like accessibility and cultural uniqueness, advising travel advisors to confidently recommend places like Barbados and Spain for villa bookings. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Managing EditorVillas of Distinction has released its list of destinations expected to trend in 2026, giving travel advisors the insights they need to help their clients create unforgettable villa experiences in the coming year. Factors driving a destination’s rise in popularity include increased accessibility, unique cultural experiences, and growing interest from travelers seeking new adventures. Based…
Grappling with peak-season holiday bookings and snafus is definitely not for the faint of heart — a sentiment succinctly summarized by Mark Faldmo, owner of Blue Planet Vacations.“The holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for our agency — not only because of last-minute bookings, change requests and urgent travel needs, but also because it collides with all the personal events and pressures of the season,” he said. “It can be hectic and stressful.” McLean Robbins, founder of Lily Pond Luxury, agrees.“In reality, it’s one of the most load-bearing months of the year,” she said. “We’re trying…
Whether or not Netflix’s $82.6 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. goes through, the deal encapsulates a fraught moment for Hollywood, as the entertainment business is increasingly overshadowed by tech giants. On the latest episode of the Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec and I discussed the deal’s implications, both for Netflix and the larger Hollywood ecosystem. Kirsten noted that it’s just the latest move bringing more consolidation to the media business, and she wondered whether it’s “too big a risk” for Netflix. Meanwhile, I discussed a call with Netflix executives where Wall Street analysts also seemed to be struggling to wrap their…
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Senior reporter Sean O’Kane popped over to Palo Alto to check out Rivian’s Autonomy & AI Day, which some insiders told us would be the company’s most important event. I’m not sure I would categorize it as such, but how about I let the journalist on the ground give his assessment? Via Sean (and a few of my thoughts sprinkled in) after the event … It…
The warm spices in gingerbread, the woodsy aroma of pine and fir trees, and the fruity tang of mulled wine are smells synonymous with the holiday season. Many people enjoy lighting candles, incense and fireplaces in their homes to evoke the moods associated with these festive fragrances.Burning scented products may create a cozy ambiance, and in the case of fireplaces, provide light and heat, but some experts want people to consider how doing so contributes to the quality of the air indoors. All flames release chemicals that may cause allergy-like symptoms or contribute to long-term respiratory problems if they are…