Overview
A packed day for AI and developer-facing news: OpenAI released new voice intelligence features and a safety “Trusted Contact” expansion, schools and students faced a major Canvas outage amid ShinyHunters claims, and several startups and product moves made headlines.
OpenAI: voice features and safety updates
- OpenAI launched new voice intelligence features for its API, pitched for use in customer service, education, and creator platforms (TechCrunch).
- OpenAI also introduced a new “Trusted Contact” safeguard aimed at protecting ChatGPT users in conversations that may involve self-harm (TechCrunch).
Security & education: Canvas outage and Instructure incidents
- Canvas (Instructure) was down after confirming a large data breach affecting student names, emails, ID numbers, and messages; the group ShinyHunters threatened to leak school data (The Verge).
- Separately, ShinyHunters claimed another Instructure hack and several schools’ login pages were reportedly defaced with extortion messages (TechCrunch).
Startup, funding, and company moves
- Ramp is reportedly in talks to raise $750M at a pre-money valuation north of $40B, six months after a $32B round (TechCrunch).
- Kodiak AI raised $100M at a steep discount; the news sent its stock down ~37% and the company announced new commercial activity and pilots (TechCrunch).
- Pit, an AI startup from the founders of Voi, closed a $16M seed led by a16z and is emerging from Stockholm’s startup scene (TechCrunch).
- Gusto reported reaching $1B in revenue, a milestone toward public markets (TechCrunch).
- Disney is exploring a unified “super app” to streamline its offerings under CEO Josh D’Amaro (TechCrunch).
Product & consumer notes
- Tesla’s 2026 Model Y (assembled on/after Nov 12, 2025) became the first car to meet a new US driver assistance safety benchmark (TechCrunch).
- Peak Design ran a birthday sale with up to 50% off select camera bags and accessories through May 8 (The Verge).
Key takeaways
- OpenAI continues to expand modality support (voice) and user safety tools for developers and platforms.
- Education tech suffered serious security disruptions tied to claims from ShinyHunters; institutions should prioritize incident response and communications.
- Fundraising and market moves are active: large rounds and discounted raises are reshaping valuations and public-market prospects.
Sources
- Canvas is down as ShinyHunters threatens to leak schools’ data — https://www.theverge.com/tech/926458/canvas-shinyhunters-breach
- Hackers deface school login pages after claiming another Instructure hack — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/hackers-deface-school-login-pages-after-claiming-another-instructure-hack/
- OpenAI launches new voice intelligence features in its API — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/openai-launches-new-voice-intelligence-features-in-its-api/
- OpenAI introduces new ‘Trusted Contact’ safeguard for cases of possible self-harm — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/openai-introduces-new-trusted-contact-safeguard-for-cases-of-possible-self-harm/
- Mira Murati’s deposition pulled back the curtain on Sam Altman’s ouster — https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/926383/mira-murati-sam-altman-musk-trial-ouster
- Ramp in talks to hit $40B+ valuation — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/ramp-in-talks-to-hit-40b-valuation-6-months-after-reaching-32b/
- Kodiak AI raises $100M at a steep discount — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/kodiak-ai-raises-100m-at-a-steep-discount-sending-its-stock-tumbling-37/
- Voi founders’ new AI startup Pit raises $16M seed — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/voi-founders-new-ai-startup-pit-has-become-the-latest-rising-star-out-of-stockholm/
- Gusto hits $1B revenue — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/gusto-hits-1b-revenue-a-figure-that-brings-it-closer-to-public-markets/
- Disney looking to make a unified ‘super app’ — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/disney-looking-to-make-a-unified-super-app-report-says/
- Tesla Model Y meets new US driver assistance safety benchmark — https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/tesla-model-y-is-first-car-to-meet-new-u-s-driver-assistance-safety-benchmark/
- Peak Design sale for founder’s birthday — https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/925427/peak-design-peter-dering-birthday-sale-2026-camera-backpack-sling-deal
Not financial/professional advice