Issue #86
AI safety talks, Meta's agent and subscription moves, and a new AEO unicorn
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Today covers coordination among major AI labs on safety, Meta's expansion of AI agents and subscription plans, and new efforts to monitor and constrain AI agents. We also look at Profound's unicorn round and industry spending on AI infrastructure and biology data.
1 of 7 · TechCrunch AI
OpenAI, Anthropic, Google have been in talks on AI safety for weeks
OpenAI has confirmed it has been in discussions with Anthropic and Google DeepMind on AI safety for several weeks. The talks come as the Trump administration downplays safety concerns and prioritizes competition with China.
Read the full story →2 of 7 · TechCrunch AI
Meta now lets AI agents handle the boring parts of WhatsApp Business setup
Meta released a WhatsApp Business MCP server that lets developers use AI coding agents such as Claude, Cursor, Codex, and ChatGPT to manage setup, messaging templates, testing, and troubleshooting. The tool aims to reduce manual work involved in configuring WhatsApp Business.
Read the full story →3 of 7 · TechCrunch AI
Meta expands subscription push with new AI-focused plans
Meta introduced Meta One, a subscription that combines expanded access to its AI tools with premium features across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The move extends the company's push into paid offerings tied to its AI products.
Read the full story →4 of 7 · TechCrunch AI
Early Anthropic hire, former METR COO have found a way to rein in rogue AI agents
A startup called Artificial Intelligence Underwriting Company, founded by an early Anthropic hire and former METR COO, has raised $40 million in a Series A round led by Ribbit Capital with participation from First Harmonic. The company aims to develop methods for controlling the behavior of AI agents.
Read the full story →5 of 7 · TechCrunch AI
AI agents now have a place to snitch
A new service called the AI Contact Hotline has launched as a channel for AI agents to report observed misbehavior to authorities. The system is intended to provide a discreet way for agents to flag misconduct they encounter.
Read the full story →6 of 7 · TechCrunch AI
AEO startup Profound hits unicorn valuation, raises $180M Series D 7 months after last round
Profound, a startup focused on answer engine optimization, raised a $180 million Series D at a $1.8 billion valuation. The round comes less than seven months after its $96 million Series C.
Read the full story →7 of 7 · MIT Technology Review
The Download: AI’s trillion-dollar gamble and OpenAI’s biology data bid
OpenAI is seeking biology data as part of its expansion efforts, while economists including University of Pennsylvania finance professor Jessica Wachter examine the economic risks of the AI industry's large-scale investments.
Read the full story →That is today's roost. See you tomorrow morning.
Morning Roost Issue #86