March 17, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

BuzzFeed debuts AI slop apps in bid for new revenue: BuzzFeed unveiled new AI-powered social apps at SXSW, but its demos drew muted reactions. Read More

Apple rolls out first 'background security' update for iPhones, iPads, and Macs to fix Safari bug: Apple's first-ever "background security improvement" fixes a vulnerability in its Safari browser running its latest software. Read More

The Pentagon is developing alternatives to Anthropic, report says: After their dramatic falling-out, it doesn't seem as though Anthropic and the Pentagon are getting back together. Read More

Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite

Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum.

A message from UK Office for Investment

UK Quantum – Enhancing trading data

Quantum computing has the potential to reshape financial services, from risk management to data analysis. HSBC and IBM have demonstrated this through a hybrid-quantum approach to European corporate bond trading. This revealed complex patterns in noisy financial data, and a 34% improvement in predicting winning customer trade inquiries.

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Afternoon Must-Reads

Stryker says it's restoring systems after pro-Iran hackers wiped thousands of employee devices: The hack, which brought ongoing widespread disruption to the company's operations, is thought to be the first major cyberattack in the United States in response to the Trump administration's war in Iran. Read More

MacBook Neo, AirPods Max 2, iPhone 17e, and everything else Apple announced this month: From a new iPhone to a budget-friendly MacBook, Apple announced a series of new products this week. Read More

AI's 'boys' club' could widen the wealth gap for women, says Rana el Kaliouby: AI investor Rana el Kaliouby warns that if women are shut out of AI funding and leadership, the consequences will be grim. Read More

Google's data center power playbook comes into focus: Google has long procured clean power for its operations and data centers, but recent deals show the company is changing tactics. Read More

Gamma adds AI image-generation tools in bid to take on Canva and Adobe: The company's new product, called Gamma Imagine, will let users employ text prompts to create brand-specific assets like interactive charts and visualizations, marketing collateral, social graphics, and infographics. Read More

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You missed these chats from Disrupt:

Kindred talks home-swapping platform for travelers, Chef Robotics introduces AI into commercial kitchens, and Character.AI addresses chatbot safety with teens.

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Last but Not Least

Amazon adds 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options in the US: The e-commerce giant is making more than 90,000 items available via this new delivery system. If an item can be delivered to a user within one or three hours, they'll see a label saying so next to that item on the Amazon app. Read More