Exclusive: Google deepens Thinking Machines Lab ties with new multi-billion-dollar deal

Exclusive: Google deepens Thinking Machines Lab ties with new multi-billion-dollar deal

Former OpenAI executive Mira Murati’s startup, Thinking Machines Lab, has signed a new multi-billion-dollar agreement to expand its use of Google Cloud’s AI infrastructure, including systems powered by Nvidia’s latest GPUs, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The deal is valued in the single-digit billions, according to a source familiar with the matter, and includes access to…

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Google rolls out Gemini in Chrome in 7 new countries

Google rolls out Gemini in Chrome in 7 new countries

Google announced Monday that it’s making its Gemini in Chrome feature available in seven new markets, including Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. The company is rolling this feature out to both desktop and iOS in all of these countries except Japan. The company has been integrating AI and Gemini into…

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The App Store is booming again, and AI may be why

The App Store is booming again, and AI may be why

Everyone said AI would kill apps. Instead, new app launches are soaring. According to a new analysis from market intelligence provider Appfigures, worldwide app releases in the first quarter of 2026 were up 60% year-over-year across both Apple’s App Store and Google Play. That percentage was an even higher 80% when looking at the iOS…

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Google’s AI Mode can now help you find products in stock nearby

Google is now targeting bad ads over bad actors

Google said Thursday it blocked a record 8.3 billion ads globally in 2025 — up from 5.1 billion the year before. But the company suspended far fewer advertiser accounts than that surge might suggest, raising questions about how it polices its platform. The search giant attributed the disparity to its growing use of AI, particularly…

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