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The cybersecurity sector saw 117 deals announced in the latest quarter, marking a gangbuster year for strategic M&A activity.
Source: Dark Reading
https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-analytics/ai-scramble-cybersecurity-ma-boom

Anthropic did not discover this behavior until over two months after its AI submitted the false tip. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/an-anthropic-ai-model-sent-a-false-homicide-tip-to-philadelphia-police/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

A Calgary philanthropist has donated $30 million to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology to create the Bissett Autonomous Aviation Park.
Source: BetaKit
https://betakit.com/calgary-philanthropist-donates-30-million-to-fund-drone-facility-at-sait/
#Automation

Axiom Solutions International secured $2 billion in new financing as the largest investment this week. TypeSafe AI raised $870 million, and Oratomic received $475 million.
Source: Crunchbase News
https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/biggest-funding-rounds-ai-energy-cloud-axiom-typesafe/
#Startups

Batteries are now cheaper than natural gas turbines as the data center boom pushes prices up. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/batteries-are-now-cheaper-than-natural-gas-turbines-used-at-many-data-centers/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Google has released Android Bench 2.0, a major update to its benchmark framework for evaluating AI models and agents on Android development tasks.
Source: InfoQ
https://www.infoq.com/news/2026/10/android-bench-2/?utm_campaign=infoq_content&utm_source=infoq&utm_medium=feed&utm_term=global
#Tech #Google

UAE prosecutors said the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 planned to seize the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport's passenger terminal.
Source: Gulf News
https://gulfnews.com/uae/flydubai-incident-probe-uae-reveals-10-shocking-findings-1.500705015
#TechPolicy

"The day your loved one passes away, you also get this honorary badge of a project manager for a project you had no idea about," said founder Sara Tashakorinia. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/lumenus-helps-automate-tedious-paperwork-in-times-of-grief/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Amazon says it will stop using NDAs when negotiating data center deals with local governments, following a similar move from Microsoft earlier this year. Secrecy has fueled community backlash against AI infrastructure, with opposition leading to hundreds of proposed and enacted moratoriums from New York to San Francisco. Meanwhile, a wave of startups is betting that consumers…

For six years, Danu founder Amy Ma has been working on a better way to sort recyclable waste. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/danu-robotics-fight-to-build-a-better-recycling-robot/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

"When we are drawn into even the most primitive exchanges with a relational artifact, we believe it cares for us," Dr. Sherry Turkle writes. "And we are wired to care for it in return." https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/we-cant-help-treating-ai-like-its-human-but-should-we/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

The name change is enough for Germany's transport minister to start advocating for Europe-wide adoption of the driver assistance software. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/tesla-renames-full-self-driving-to-tesla-assisted-driving-in-europe/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Orkut's founder is now taking aim at algorithms and AI-generated content. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/remember-orkut-its-founder-wants-to-bring-it-back/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Moore sees a huge opportunity in consumer AI, particularly if the industry can tap into revenue streams beyond just subscriptions and API charges. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/a16zs-olivia-moore-on-the-state-of-consumer-ai/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Automattic's interim chief financial officer Jeremy Klaperman has left the company less than a month after taking the role, TechCrunch has learned. Sources say his departure followed a demotion back to his previous position, marking another executive exit amid the organization's leadership turmoil. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/automattic-loses-its-interim-cfo-just-weeks-after-boardroom-shakeup/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is just the beginning. From exclusive networking events and startup showcases to happy hours, dinners, and after-hours meetups, discover what’s happening across San Francisco during Disrupt Week, October 10–16. Find your next connection, your next opportunity, or your next favorite event. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/beyond-techcrunch-disrupt-2026-the-side-events-parties-networking-you-cant-miss/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Leaders from Gamma, Engine, and Google Ventures join TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to talk how to get your first customers. Register now to save up to $100. Grab a second pass at 50% off. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/techcrunch-disrupt-2026-gammas-grant-lee-engines-elia-wallen-and-gvs-crystal-huang-on-landing-your-first-1000-customers/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Four days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 starts, when 10,000 founders, investors, and tech leaders gather in San Francisco's Moscone West on October 13-15. Save up to $100 on your price. Plus, save 50% on a second pass of the same type. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/techcrunch-disrupt-2026-starts-in-4-days-lock-in-your-pass-savings-of-up-to-100-before-prices-rise/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

The EU's cyber agency ENISA and the Commission's Joint Research Centre have begun testing open-weight AI models from China, three EU officials said.
Source: The Next Web
https://thenextweb.com/news/eu-enisa-jrc-testing-chinese-ai-models
#TechPolicy #EU

Flock would not say if CEO Garrett Langley would take a pay cut following the staff cuts. https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/09/surveillance-company-flock-cuts-staff-as-privacy-backlash-grows/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon