Databricks wanted to raise $1B, investors wanted $15B. It settled on $5B at a...

2 new item(s): Databricks wanted to raise $1B, investors wanted $15B. It settled on $5B at a $190B valuation.; OpenAI introduces ‘Ultrafast,’ a new mode that makes GPT-5.6 Sol work at 14x the speed. 30% of content changed. New text: Databricks wanted to raise $1B, investors wanted $15B. It settled on $5B at a $190B valuation. | OpenAI introduces ‘Ultrafast,’ a new mode that makes GPT-5.6 Sol work at 14x the speed | AI coding startup Cognition reportedly already in talks to raise at $40B valuation. The update was spotted on TechCrunch on 13 August 2026.

What we know

According to TechCrunch, here's what we've got so far.

Databricks wanted to raise $1B, investors wanted $15B. It settled on $5B at a $190B valuation. OpenAI introduces ‘Ultrafast,’ a new mode that makes GPT-5.6 Sol work at 14x the speed IBM partners with OpenAI to bolster enterprise AI push Anthropic set AI agents loose on the same task. They started a turf war. OpenAI hires new CRO as executive shake-up continues Ford on track to complete $2B factory overhaul for Fathom EV truck X open sources its ranking algorithm, letting users see if they’ve been ‘shadowbanned’ Instagram introduces a redesigned wordmark Microsoft kills off unsuccessful AI features while merging its separate Copilot apps Nvidia’s new $500B plan is risky but brilliant, especially for aging GPUs Who really needs a cocktail robot?

Why it matters

AI is moving fast enough that announcements from major players tend to ripple across the whole industry within weeks. If TechCrunch is shifting direction here, developers, businesses, and anyone building on top of these tools will want to pay attention.

What to watch

We'll be tracking TechCrunch for follow-up announcements. If this turns into something bigger, you'll hear about it here.