Demand for AI “companion” applications outside of bigger names, like ChatGPT and Grok, is growing. Of the 337 active and revenue-generating AI companion apps available worldwide, 128 were released in 2025 so far, according to new data provided to TechCrunch by app intelligence firm Appfigures. This...
A new personal productivity app called Ocean is launching to help you triage your overloaded inbox, take action on your emails by turning them into tasks, and share your availability for meetings with others, all in one app. Gmail so heavily dominates the email market that few challengers emerge....
The role of a creative director today involves far more than excellent marketing skills such as crafting compelling visuals or composing witty copy. Finding success as a CD now demands a diverse skill set that spans technology, emotional intelligence, business savvy and cultural literacy. As...
Generative AI apps have seen tremendous growth in both downloads and in-app revenue in the first half of 2025. Users downloaded GenAI apps 1.7 billion times, compared to 1 billion in H2 2024. These apps doubled in-app revenue, bringing in $1.87 billion in H1 2025,...
Figma announced it is kicking off its IPO roadshow. The company plans to offer more than 36 million shares of class A stock that are expected to be priced between $25 and $28 a share. This offering includes a mix of primary and secondary shares and...
YouTube announced that it’s giving Shorts creators access to new generative AI features, including an image-to-video AI tool and new AI effects. The image to video feature lets users turn a picture from their camera roll into a six-second video. Users will see a selection of suggestions...
As publishers fret about decreased traffic from Google, the search giant has begun rolling out AI summaries in Discover, the main news feed inside Google’s search app on iOS and Android. Now, instead of seeing a headline from a major publication, users will see multiple news...
The typical online checkout experience has become bloated with friction. And while more companies are building solutions around online checkout, few are rethinking it from scratch. One such company is OneText, which is building what it calls a “text-to-buy network” that lets shoppers complete purchases via...
With Walmart integrating its own AI shopping agents into its services and preparing its digital platforms to work with third-party bots, more brands are rethinking how they communicate with machines. A retailer’s product data and brand voice aren’t just for people anymore—they’re instructions that guide how AI...
Startups developing voice AI technology and applications are having their moment. Model builders like ElevenLabs and Cartesia have raised millions of dollars in the last few months. Applications such as AI-powered notetaker Granola and meeting tools Read AI and Fireflies AI have also received investor attention and backing. Continuing the trend, dictation...
