The race to develop advanced artificial intelligence (AI) is taking an interesting turn as developers explore a different approach to creating super-smart systems, known as “test-time compute.” If you’re not sure what that means, don’t worry! The Equity podcast team from TechCrunch is here to explain it all.
In the latest episode of the Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Devin Coldewey, and Margaux MacColl discuss the biggest news in technology and startups from the past week. They dive into what this new method of scaling AI could mean for companies that are working on AI solutions, as well as the potential impact on companies that make computer chips if this approach doesn’t pan out.
Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect from the episode:
- Department of Justice and Google: The U.S. Department of Justice has suggested that Google should sell its Chrome browser. While we wait to see how the legal battle over Google’s monopoly unfolds, the Equity team discusses a company called Wiz that turned down a deal with Google’s parent company, Alphabet, hinting that they might have made a smart move.
- Funding for Drone Startup Tekever: The podcast covers how a drone startup named Tekever has successfully raised $74 million. This funding is part of a larger trend in Europe where technology for defense is booming.
- Converge Bio’s Ambitious Plans: There’s a discussion about a company called Converge Bio, which aims to create a sort of “everything store” for biotechnology-related AI models (known as LLMs). The hosts also take a closer look at a document from ServiceTitan, which includes a standard warning about the use of AI in their business.
- Network States 2.0: Margaux shares the latest news on a company called Praxis, which recently raised an impressive $525 million and is looking to establish a new city in specific regions.
The Equity podcast will return next week with more insights, so be sure to tune in!
