Kleiner Perkins Closes $3.5B Fund With Heavy AI Focus

Venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins has raised $3.5 billion in new capital, with a stated emphasis on artificial intelligence investments, according to TechCrunch. The fund is structured across two tiers: $1 billion earmarked for early-stage startup investments and $2.5 billion allocated toward late-stage growth businesses. The raise signals continued institutional confidence in AI as a long-term investment category, with one of Silicon Valley's most established VC firms making it a central pillar of its portfolio strategy.

Anthropic Expands Claude Code Autonomy With New Auto Mode

Anthropic has introduced an auto mode for Claude Code, its AI-powered coding assistant, TechCrunch reports. The new mode allows the AI to execute tasks with fewer required user approvals, reducing friction during longer or more complex development workflows. According to the report, Anthropic has implemented built-in safeguards to maintain a balance between operational speed and safety. The update reflects a broader industry trend toward more autonomous AI developer tooling, where agents can take multi-step actions without constant human confirmation at each stage.

Spotify Tests Tool to Prevent AI-Generated Tracks From Being Attributed to Real Artists

Spotify is piloting a new feature designed to give artists greater control over which tracks appear under their name on the platform, TechCrunch reports. The tool is aimed at addressing the growing problem of AI-generated music being incorrectly or deceptively attributed to real artists — a practice that has been referred to in the industry as "AI slop." By allowing artists to flag or disassociate tracks from their profiles, Spotify is positioning the feature as an artist-facing control mechanism rather than a purely algorithmic solution. The tool is currently in a testing phase and has not been rolled out broadly.

OpenAI Shuts Down Sora's Standalone App

OpenAI is discontinuing the standalone mobile application for Sora, its video and audio generation model, according to TechCrunch. The report notes that while the underlying Sora 2 model demonstrated strong technical capabilities in generating video and audio content, the dedicated social feed format — which presented an AI-only content experience — did not sustain user interest over time. The shutdown of the app does not appear to affect the Sora 2 model itself, which remains part of OpenAI's broader product offerings.

These developments reflect continued momentum across AI investment, tooling, and platform infrastructure heading into Q2 2026. Check back for further updates as these stories develop.