US says hackers are targeting vulnerable water systems with the help of AI

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories to start your morning

View this email online in your browser  August 20, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 US says hackers are targeting vulnerable water systems with the help of AI: Hackers are targeting internet-connected Siemens controllers used in water facilities around the United States. Read More Rillet raises $100M Series C at $1B valuation — 2 years after emerging from stealth: AI-native account startup Rillet became a unicorn, led by Iconiq, after it doubled its ARR in the past three months, it said. Read More Waymo's cheaper, next-gen robotaxi is now open to all riders in these three cities: The next-generation robotaxi, called the Waymo Ojai, is central to the company's push towards mass scale, and eventually, profitability. Read More The Best Disrupt 2026 Discount Ends Soon AI has made it faster than ever to bring an idea from concept to launch.   But it hasn't made it easier to build something durable.     Disrupt 2026's programming is built around that challenge, delivering practical sessions on what actually holds up and how to build it. Ticket prices increase at midnight PT Friday, so grab yours before then!  Register Now Morning Must-Reads AI data giant Alation confirms cyberattack: The data search and AI giant confirmed unauthorized access to its systems during an incident on Tuesday, and said it was investigating the breach. Read More Apollo Atomics wants to make nuclear power cheaper by shrinking an overlooked part: Y Combinator alumnus Apollo Atomics is shrinking a key nuclear reactor part, which promises to slash the cost of electricity below natural gas. Read More Stripe didn't really buy OpenRouter because of the 'singularity': What does a payments giant want with a startup that routes prompts between different AI models? Stripe says it's because of "the singularity" but it's really for a far more real and powerful reason. Read More Gwyneth Paltrow allegedly set to throw dinner in honor of Sam Altman: The actress' firm Kinship Ventures is an investor in the company. Read More For a16z, AI gives foreign founders an advantage: a16z’s Borderless Founder network initiative supports immigrant and international founders. 'Having one foot in your home country, and one foot in Silicon Valley," is an advantage, the firm believes. Read More Get Your Startup in Front of the Disrupt Crowds Not everyone needs a keynote slot to make noise at Disrupt 2026. Sometimes the best way to meet investors, customers, and partners is by exhibiting directly in the Expo Hall. And by exhibiting, you get 10 passes to Disrupt to share with your team! Learn More Last but Not Least Meta AI's new Mac app wants you to talk to your apps: Meta said its Muse Spark model is powering the dictation feature. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

T-Mobile 'chopped a cable' to expel Chinese hackers from its network

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  August 19, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 T-Mobile 'chopped a cable' to expel Chinese hackers from its network: The U.S. phone provider escaped a large-scale breach of its network after identifying Chinese-backed hackers early on. Read More AI was supposed to win people over by now -- it hasn't: As AI becomes harder to avoid, consumers are growing more wary of the technology — and Silicon Valley is discovering that widespread adoption doesn’t necessarily lead to acceptance. Read More Google packs Search and Gemini with new AI study tools: The launch of the new study features marks Google's latest effort to make Gemini the AI assistant that students turn to when learning and studying, as it continues to compete with companies like OpenAI. Read More Afternoon Must-Reads Amazon makes its AI-powered Alexa+ free on Fire TV, no Prime required: Amazon is making its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant free on all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S., automatically upgrading users whether or not they subscribe to Prime. Read More Rillet raises $100M Series C at $1B valuation — 2 years after emerging from stealth: AI-native account startup Rillet became a unicorn, led by Iconiq, after it doubled its ARR in the past three months, it said. Read More Home batteries are suddenly cheap and everywhere. Here’s why.: Companies including Tesla and Base Power are vying for a piece of the rapidly growing market for home batteries. One technology has made it all possible. Read More AI isn't close to curing cancer. This startup says it knows what it will take.: It's the data, stupid. Read More Gwyneth Paltrow allegedly set to throw dinner in honor of Sam Altman: The actress' firm Kinship Ventures is an investor in the company. Read More Last but Not Least Rivian spinout Also raises another $150M: The round, led by Prysm Capital, will fund the company's expansion beyond pedal-assist electric bikes and commercial cargo quads to autonomous delivery vehicles. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107