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AI NewsAmazon brings Alexa+ to the UK

Amazon brings Alexa+ to the UK

2:43 AM IST · March 20, 2026

Amazon brings Alexa+ to the UK

Amazon is bringing its new AI-powered conversational assistant, Alexa+, to the U.K., the first country to get the AI assistant outside of North America. The company is currently letting users in the U.K. try out Alexa+ for free via an early access program. Users whobuy the new Amazon Echowill receive an invite for the early access program, and the company says it plans to enable Alexa+ for “hundreds of thousands” of customers in the coming weeks. Once the early access program ends, Prime subscribers will get to use Alexa+ for free, and non-Prime users will need to pay £19.99 per month. The company hasn’t specified when the early access program ends. Alexa+ works with Amazon’s new Echo devices, Fire TV, and the Alexa app, and can carry conversational context from one device to another. The company plans to extend support for Alexa+ to browsers as well. Amazon said it has customized Alexa+ for U.K. customers, and the assistant can understand local context as well as commonly used phrases. “Local teams, including engineers, linguists, and speech scientists at Amazon’s Tech Hub in Cambridge, UK, have used different techniques—such as reinforcement learning, accent-neutral speech representations, and regional embeddings—to make sure Alexa+ genuinely understands British customers,” the companysaid in a blog post. Amazon noted that users can ask for suggestions from services such as OpenTable, JustEat, and Treatwell. They can also get their news from sources like The Independent, The Guardian, Press Association, and Future Publishing. Amazon first unveiledAlexa+ in February 2025, but its rollout has been slow. By June, the company had just givenone million people access to the new assistant in the U.S.Last month, it finally madeAlexa+ available to all U.S.-based users. The company had also launched early access programs in Canada and Mexico. Last month, the company introduced new“personality” options for Alexa+to let users customize the tone of responses. Earlier this month,Amazon rolled out an adult-only “Sassy” mode, but said that the assistant won’t support NSFW content.

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Judge allows NAACP lawsuit over xAI data center pollution to move forward

Judge allows NAACP lawsuit over xAI data center pollution to move forward

A federal judge denied a motion by xAI seeking to dismissan NAACP lawsuitaccusing the SpaceX-owned company of failing to obtain permits needed to operate the gas turbines powering its Colossus data center outside Memphis. Suing on behalf of the NAACP, the Southern Environmental Law Center said the AI company had “installed and operated at least 35 combustion turbines and other sources of air pollution at the Colossus site without ever obtaining the necessary preconstruction or operating air permits.” It also accused xAI of violating the Clean Air Act. xAI sought to have the lawsuit dismissed,claiming that the turbines are exemptfrom permitting requirements because they’re mobile. The company also argued that the plaintiffs did not have the standing to sue. “Because the plaintiffs have statutory standing under the Clean Air Act, because the combustion turbines are not ‘mobile sources’ under Mississippi’s [State Implementation Plan], and because the citizen suit provision does not violate Article II of the Constitution or the private nondelegation doctrine, the plaintiffs’ claims will proceed,” Judge Debra M. Brown wrote inher decision. Focusing on xAI’s claim that these kinds of citizen lawsuits are unconstitutional, Judge Brown wrote, “Because citizen suit plaintiffs sue on their own behalf, in their own name, and seek penalties that redress harm to themselves, they are not exercising the federal government’s executive power.” TechCrunch has reached out to SpaceX for comment. Ina statement, the NAACP’s director of environmental and climate justice Abre’ Connor described this as “another important victory in our effort to hold xAI accountable.” (A similar motion to dismiss from the Department of Justice wasdenied earlier this month) “The courts have repeatedly rejected attempts by xAI and the DOJ to dismiss the NAACP’s Clean Air Act case, affirming our right to pursue justice for communities impacted by pollution,” Connor said. “Our position has been clear: xAI cannot operate gas turbines without the required permits.” The NAACP lawsuit is moving forward as public opinion seems to have turned sharply against data centers, with New York recentlypassing a moratorium on new data centersand other state and local governments considering similar measures. The backlash also prompted Amazon and Microsoft topromise to stop using NDAsin their dealings with government agencies, and it could bea significant factor in the imminent U.S. midterm elections.

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4 days left: How TechCrunch Founder Summit helps you make more useful connections to scale

4 days left: How TechCrunch Founder Summit helps you make more useful connections to scale

Networking shouldn’t mean walking into a crowded room and hoping you happen to meet the right person. AtTechCrunch Founder Summit, presented by Fidelity Private Shares, founders and VCs have several ways to make the connections they build beyond the sessions more intentional. On November 4 at Boston’s SoWa Power Station, get ready for a full day packed with meaningful networking opportunities, actionable insights, and connections that could change the trajectory of your idea and startup. Make game-changing connections, gain valuable insights, and get the advice you need to propel your idea and startup forward.Grab your pass now to save up to $100 and get a second pass free before doors open. The Founder Summit Networking Lounge, powered by Braindate, gives attendees the ability to schedule one-on-one and small-group conversations around specific topics. Bring a question, offer your own experience, and find people who want to have the same conversation. Braindatealso gives attendees an opportunity to continue ideas that start elsewhere in the program. HearKent Bennettdiscuss product-market fit, then connect with another founder wrestling with the same question. Watch founders put their pitches in front of investors, then compare notes with someone preparing for a raise. HearChase Garbarinotalk about building in Boston, then meet other founders doing exactly that. The sessionscan start the conversation. Networking gives you somewhere to take it next. The connections aren’t limited to one lounge.Roundtablescreate smaller, topic-driven conversations.Breakout sessionsare where on-stage panels address questions from those in the room. The Expo Hall brings attendees and partners together throughout the day. The closing reception gives founders, investors, and operators time to continue conversations without rushing to another session. And the TechCrunch Founder Summit experience extends beyond the venue and event day withofficial Side Eventshappening throughout Boston all week long. Sometimes the most useful thing you leave an event with isn’t another page of notes. It’s a person you didn’t know that morning. Just four days remain untilTechCrunch Founder Summitarrives at Boston’s SoWa Power Station! Don’t miss out on ticket savings, a full day of impactful networking, and practical takeaways designed to propel your idea and startup forward.Register now to save up to $100on your pass and get a second pass free.

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Apple CEO says the company doesn’t ‘want to ship AI for AI’s sake’

Apple CEO says the company doesn’t ‘want to ship AI for AI’s sake’

Duringa recent interview with Wired’s Steven Levy, Apple CEO John Ternus defended the company’s current position in the AI landscape. Over the past couple years, Apple has often been described as behind on AI, especially as it delayed the release of a more powerful version of Siri, whichfinally launched this summer. But while Ternus — a longtime Apple executive whoofficially became CEOat the beginning of September — acknowledged that “everyone has an opinion,” he insisted, “I really like where we’re at.” Ternus added that Apple is “absolutely going to leverage AI” in its new products, but he said, “We don’t want to ship AI for AI’s sake. When we’re doing it right, people won’t have to think about whether it was AI that made this happen or more traditional software. What matters is, did we build something that they really love?” And when Levy pressed him on whether AI might affect Apple and its ecosystem more dramatically, with agents potentially making things like apps unnecessary, Ternus replied,”That could make life really easy, I suppose, but the creation of products is a deeply human and personal thing, something that we love to do.”

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OpenAI reportedly lowers funding target for new round

OpenAI reportedly lowers funding target for new round

OpenAI’s latest funding round isn’t quite living up to expectations, according to multiple news reports. OpenAI was previously reported to beraising $30 billion at a $1.4 trillion valuation, and thenat a $1.25 trillion valuation, ahead of a planned IPO. ButThe Financial Times reported Fridaythat the company has subsequently lowered its funding target to $20 billion, with a first close that’s expected to be even lower than that. The round will be led by a group of investors from the United Arab Emirates, the FT said. A subsequent retail offering for wealthy individuals could bring the total funding amount to the $20 billion target. Afollow-up story in The Wall Street Journaloffered more details, namely that the company has secured $11 billion so far, and that its fundraising efforts had met with a “tepid” response from some large investors. TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI for comment. The company’s reported funding challenges could be blamed, in part, on bad timing, asWall Street investors have become wary of heavy AI infrastructure spending, leading to a major sell off of tech stocks. And Anthropic’s planned IPO could befacing challenges, too.

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