Grand Theft Auto Vi Becomes Viral, Google Fabricates an AI Demo, and Spotify Reduces Staff

Here’s a summary of the notable events in the tech world covered in the latest edition of TechCrunch’s Week in Review (WiR):

  1. Google’s AI Model Gemini: Google unveiled its new AI model, Gemini, claiming it can understand text, images, audio, and videos. However, Google faced criticism for faking a demo of Gemini and distributing offensive notebooks to Black Summit attendees.
  2. Anduril’s Roadrunner: Defense startup Anduril, co-founded by Palmer Luckey, revealed Roadrunner, a modular autonomous vertical take-off and landing air vehicle designed to counter aerial threats.
  3. 23andMe Hack Fallout: The fallout continues from the 23andMe hack, with the company initially disclosing that 14,000 customers were affected. However, it was later revealed that 6.9 million people had their data exposed.
  4. Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer: The Grand Theft Auto VI trailer garnered 85 million views in 22 hours, setting a record for YouTube views in 24 hours. The excitement for the game is significant, given the success of its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V.
  5. Patient Records Leak: Security weaknesses in the DICOM standard used for storing medical images led to the exposure of patient records and health information on thousands of servers.
  6. Meta’s AI Image Generator: Meta launched Imagine with Meta AI, an AI-powered image generator allowing users to create images by describing them in natural language.
  7. Spotify Job Cuts: Spotify announced the elimination of 1,500 jobs, around 17% of its workforce, as part of its efforts to become more productive and efficient.
  8. TuSimple’s U.S. Exit: Self-driving truck startup TuSimple is exiting the U.S., laying off the majority of its U.S. workforce and selling assets after internal controversies and the loss of a critical partnership.
  9. ZestMoney Shutdown: Indian buy now, pay later startup ZestMoney is shutting down after unsuccessful attempts to find a buyer.
  10. TechCrunch Podcasts: The TechCrunch podcast lineup covers topics such as the creator economy, MasterClass, and the journey of David Pakman, managing partner at CoinFund.
  11. TechCrunch+ Highlights: TechCrunch+ subscribers gain access to in-depth commentary, analysis, and surveys. Featured pieces include insights into Bitcoin’s surge and the potential impact of consumer EV battery swapping.

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