TechCrunch

TikTok has agreed to pay at least $100 million to settle a case brought by the state of Alabama, according to TechCrunch. The agreement marks another significant legal and financial setback for the social media company in the United States, where it faces ongoing scrutiny from state and federal authorities over its practices.

Anthropic says its biology lab has already made what it describes as a major discovery, according to a TechCrunch report. The company, best known for its AI models, has been applying its technology to life sciences research, and the announcement has drawn attention on technology forums. Details of the finding have not been laid out, leaving observers speculating about what the lab actually discovered and how significant it is.

Meta says it will run advertisements for a documentary about Elon Musk after initially appearing to reject or block the promotion, according to TechCrunch. The reversal means the film's marketers can now use Meta's ad platforms to reach audiences. The episode has drawn attention to how Meta handles ads touching on Musk, a frequent rival of Mark Zuckerberg's company on tech and political fronts.

Automattic, the company behind WordPress, has assembled a new board of directors following a failed attempt to place its CEO on leave, according to TechCrunch. The internal power struggle over the CEO's status ultimately did not succeed, and the company has moved forward by restructuring its board instead. Details on who sits on the new board and the reasons behind the leave attempt remain limited.

Health insurers are claiming that artificial intelligence is already increasing healthcare costs, according to a report by TechCrunch. The claim runs counter to the widespread expectation that AI would reduce medical expenses by improving efficiency. Details of which insurers made the assertion, how they measure the impact, and which AI tools are responsible have not been provided.

Google is piloting the ability to purchase products from Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce platform owned by Walmart, directly through its Gemini AI assistant and AI Mode in Search. The test, reported in India, would let users complete purchases without leaving Google's AI interfaces, deepening the company's push into AI-powered commerce and tightening its ties with Flipkart.