OpenAI Raises $122 Billion at an $852 Billion Valuation

OpenAI has closed a massive $122 billion funding round, valuing the AI company at $852 billion. The round included major investments from SoftBank, Amazon, Nvidia, and Microsoft, and for the first time, opened the door to individual retail investors through vehicles like ARK Invest ETFs. The company also reported strong growth, with over 900 million weekly active users for ChatGPT.

OpenAI in Talks to Purchase Fusion Power from Helion Energy

OpenAI is reportedly in early-stage discussions to purchase electricity from Helion Energy, a nuclear fusion startup. The potential deal highlights the massive energy needs of AI development. The negotiations are notable as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is a major backer of Helion and has stepped down as its board chair to avoid a conflict of interest.

Tech Giants Building Natural Gas Plants to Power AI Data Centers

Major technology companies, including Microsoft, Google, and Meta, are investing in building their own natural gas power plants to meet the escalating energy demands of their AI data centers. The trend has led to equipment shortages and price hikes for components like turbines, with orders now backed up until 2028.

FCC Bans Import and Sale of New Foreign-Made Routers

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned the import and sale of new consumer-grade routers and other networking equipment manufactured outside the United States, citing national security risks. The directive allows for the continued sale and use of existing devices but requires new foreign-made models to get conditional approval from the Department of Defense or Homeland Security.

Arm Announces First In-House Chip, the AGI CPU, with Meta as Partner

Arm has unveiled the Arm AGI CPU, its first-ever self-produced chip, marking a significant shift from its traditional business model of licensing chip designs. Developed in partnership with Meta, which will be the inaugural customer, the chip is designed for AI inference tasks in data centers and aims to address the growing demand for AI-specific processors.

Anthropic Updates Claude AI to Autonomously Control User Computers

Anthropic has released a research preview of a new feature for its Claude Code and Cowork AI tools that allows them to autonomously control a user's computer. The AI can now open files, use apps, and run developer tools without direct input, though it will request explicit permission before interacting with the machine. An "auto mode" has also been introduced to allow the AI to execute safe actions without constant user approval.

OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video Generator, Cancels Disney Deal

OpenAI has announced it is discontinuing its AI video-generation app, Sora, and its associated API. The move marks a strategic shift for the company, which is reportedly refocusing on enterprise and productivity applications ahead of a potential IPO. The decision has also led to the collapse of a planned $1 billion partnership with Disney, which was intended to integrate AI-generated characters into its content.

All Original Co-Founders Reportedly Depart Elon Musk's xAI

The last two remaining co-founders of Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, have reportedly left the startup. The departures of Manuel Kroiss and Ross Nordeen mean that all eleven of the company's original co-founders have now exited since its inception.

Cyberattack on Intoxalock Leaves Drivers with Ignition Interlock Devices Stranded

A cyberattack on Intoxalock, a company that provides court-mandated ignition interlock devices, caused a system outage that began on March 14th. The disruption prevented drivers across the U.S. from calibrating their devices, leading to vehicle lockouts and forcing the company to issue extensions while it worked to restore service.

Senators Push for Mandatory Energy Use Reporting from Data Centers

A bipartisan group of senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley, has sent a letter to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) urging the agency to mandate annual energy-use disclosures from data centers. The lawmakers are concerned that the rapid growth of the AI industry could strain the power grid and increase electricity costs for consumers, and they are seeking comprehensive data for better planning and policy.

Early Bird Ticket Deadline Nears for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

TechCrunch is promoting its Disrupt 2026 conference, set for October 13-15 in San Francisco, with an early bird discount of up to $500 on tickets ending on April 10th.

Meta Launches New AI Model 'Muse Spark'

Meta has launched Muse Spark, a new natively multimodal AI model developed by its Superintelligence Labs. The model, which is being integrated across Meta's platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, features a reasoning mode with parallel sub-agents and excels in visual understanding.