Archive: July 2026

Ben Affleck is an AI nerd, and the internet is impressed

July 1, 2026 | TechCrunch AI
Ben Affleck is an AI nerd, and the internet is impressed
He can even write a little Python, he says. The movie star delved into his interest in technology most recently on an episode of GQ’s “One More Question” series this week, where he humbly started with “I’ve always been kind of into computers since I was young,” before nerding out on the development of AI as it relates to filmmaking, while using AI terminology like machine learning, neural networks, transformers, tensors, GPUs, inference, and more. In a cli

Blackstone’s Jas Khaira says fears over AI-buildout debt are overblown

July 17, 2026 | TechCrunch AI
Blackstone’s Jas Khaira says fears over AI-buildout debt are overblown
It is writing checks via various strategies, ranging from offering massive loans to data centers to investing in frontier AI models and applications. Earlier this year, the firm launched Blackstone N1 (BXN1), a San Francisco-based central hub for its AI initiatives. The group is led by Khaira, who relocated from New York to be at the epicenter of AI. Unlike earlier tech cycles such as mobile or SaaS, which allowed companies to reach significant scale with

Netflix’s new AI Discover tab helps you find something to watch based on your mood

July 22, 2026 | TechCrunch AI
Netflix’s new AI Discover tab helps you find something to watch based on your mood
Users can choose from curated themes featuring clips from shows and movies, based on their mood, viewing preferences, how much time they have, or what’s new and trending. Themes include “something light,” “scare me,” “family movie night,” “quick watches,” and more. The addition of the new tab suggests that Netflix wants to make its growing library easier to navigate while shifting discovery away from an experience where users are endlessly scrolling throug

Attacking machine learning with adversarial examples

July 9, 2026 | OpenAI News
Attacking machine learning with adversarial examples
Adversarial examples are inputs to machine learning models that an attacker has intentionally designed to cause the model to make a mistake; they’re like optical illusions for machines. In this post we’ll show how adversarial examples work across different mediums, and will discuss why securing systems against them can be difficult.