News/OpenAI
Sora creates deepfakes of dead celebrities like Michael Jackson despite OpenAI policy
OpenAI's Sora video generation app allows users to create AI deepfakes of deceased celebrities like Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Malcolm X, despite the company's stated policy of blocking depictions of public figures. The policy exemption for "historical figures" raises questions about consent, misinformation, and the potential misuse of AI-generated content featuring dead celebrities who cannot approve their digital resurrection. What you should know: OpenAI explicitly permits AI-generated videos of deceased public figures while blocking living celebrities unless they consent through the Cameos feature. Users have created disturbingly realistic deepfakes of Michael Jackson, Bob Ross, Tupac Shakur, and Malcolm X...
read Oct 2, 2025OpenAI becomes world’s most valuable private company at $500B
OpenAI has become the world's most valuable private company at $500 billion, surpassing SpaceX and ByteDance following a secondary share sale that raised $6.6 billion from investors including SoftBank and Abu Dhabi's MGX fund. This milestone solidifies OpenAI's position as the dominant force in the AI industry while setting the stage for its controversial transition from nonprofit to a Public Benefit Corporation structure. The big picture: OpenAI's valuation jump from $300 billion to $500 billion reflects unprecedented investor confidence in AI technology and the company's market leadership. The secondary sale allowed current and former employees to sell their shares, with...
read Oct 2, 2025Flagrantly fun Sora 2 tops iOS charts while sparking copyright lawsuits
OpenAI released Sora 2, an AI-powered app that creates high-definition videos from text prompts and allows users to insert realistic "cameos" of themselves and others into AI-generated content. The app immediately surged to become the most popular video app on iOS, but its ability to generate copyrighted characters like Mario and Pikachu has sparked significant copyright and deepfake concerns among legal experts. What you should know: Sora 2 represents a major upgrade from OpenAI's original Sora model, now featuring synchronized dialogue and sound effects alongside video generation. Users can create lifelike videos by providing simple text descriptions, and the app...
read Oct 2, 2025Psst, Sora invite codes selling for $35 on eBay after OpenAI app launch
OpenAI's new TikTok-style video app Sora has sparked an unexpected secondary market, with scalpers selling invite codes on eBay for $20 to $35 just one day after launch. The resale frenzy highlights the intense demand for OpenAI's first social media platform, which uses AI to generate videos and is currently restricted to invite-only access to manage computational costs and prevent abuse. What you should know: Over 20 listings for Sora invite codes appeared on eBay within 24 hours of the app's launch, with more than 120 codes already sold according to eBay's Terapeak data. One ambitious seller attempted to auction...
read Oct 1, 2025OpenAI’s Sora 2 sparks backlash over unsettling AI-generated, robo-like Altman video
OpenAI has released Sora 2, its latest text-to-video AI generator, accompanied by a promotional video featuring an AI-generated version of CEO Sam Altman that has drawn widespread criticism for its unsettling, robotic appearance. The launch positions OpenAI to compete directly with Meta's recently unveiled Vibes app in the emerging market for AI-generated video content, though early user reactions suggest significant skepticism about the value of AI-generated "slop." What you should know: The promotional campaign centers around an algorithmically synthesized Sam Altman announcing the new Sora app, designed as a TikTok-like experience for AI-generated videos. • The AI-generated Altman delivers the...
read Sep 30, 2025OpenAI launches Sora app for AI-generated videos to rival TikTok
OpenAI has launched Sora, a new social media app that generates AI videos, joining Meta's recent entry into the AI-generated short-form video market with its Vibes product. The launch signals a major push by tech giants to capture attention currently dominated by TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, while raising concerns about "AI slop" potentially crowding out authentic human creativity and degrading the information ecosystem. What you should know: Sora allows users to create videos of themselves in virtually any imaginable scenario, from anime-style content to highly realistic footage. The iPhone app is currently available only in the U.S. and Canada, with...
read Sep 29, 2025OpenAI tests TikTok-like app for AI-generated videos internally
OpenAI is preparing to launch a standalone social app for AI-generated videos powered by its upcoming Sora 2 model, according to internal documents viewed by WIRED. The TikTok-like platform features vertical video feeds, swipe navigation, and social features like likes and comments, positioning OpenAI to compete directly in the short-form video space amid uncertainty around TikTok's US operations. What you should know: The Sora 2 app allows users to create AI-generated video clips up to 10 seconds long with no option to upload existing photos or videos.• The platform includes a For You-style recommendation feed and social features including the...
read Sep 26, 2025Amazon loses another AI leader as competition with OpenAI heats up
Karthik Ramakrishnan, a 13-year Amazon veteran and vice president involved in artificial general intelligence development, has stepped down from the company. His departure adds to a growing exodus of senior AI leaders at Amazon as the tech giant intensifies its push to compete with OpenAI and Google in the artificial intelligence race. What you should know: Ramakrishnan was instrumental in creating Amazon's most recognizable consumer AI products and joins several other high-profile departures. He was part of the team that developed the Alexa voice assistant and Echo devices, two of Amazon's flagship AI-powered consumer products. Before Amazon, he worked at...
read Sep 26, 2025In the money: Nvidia’s $100B OpenAI bet sparks $12B equity fund surge
U.S. equity funds attracted $12.06 billion in net inflows during the week ending September 24, reversing two consecutive weeks of outflows as investor sentiment improved following Nvidia's announcement of a potential $100 billion investment in OpenAI. The renewed appetite for equities signals growing confidence in AI-driven market opportunities, with large-cap funds leading the charge while bond funds also experienced their strongest weekly performance since February 2021. What you should know: The equity fund turnaround represents a dramatic shift from the previous week's massive $39.91 billion outflow. Large-cap equity funds dominated the inflows with $16.94 billion in net investments, marking the...
read Sep 25, 2025Databricks partners with OpenAI in $100M deal to embed ChatGPT into enterprise platforms
Databricks, a San Francisco-based data analytics firm, has partnered with OpenAI to integrate the ChatGPT maker's AI models directly into its enterprise data and analytics platforms, including its flagship Agent Bricks product. The partnership is expected to generate $100 million in revenue and gives Databricks a competitive edge over rival Snowflake in the rapidly expanding enterprise AI market. What you should know: The integration will embed OpenAI's AI models directly into Databricks' cloud platform and Agent Bricks, which helps customers create, test and scale AI applications and agents.• More than 20,000 enterprise customers of Databricks will gain access to GPT-5...
read Sep 23, 2025OpenAI and partners add 5 new data centers to $500B Stargate project
OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank announced plans to build five new AI data centers across the United States as part of their $500 billion Stargate project, expanding the initiative launched by President Trump in January. The new facilities will bring the project's total data center capacity to nearly 7 gigawatts with over $400 billion in investment over the next three years, positioning the partnership to capture a significant portion of the rapidly expanding AI infrastructure market. What you should know: The five new data centers will be strategically distributed across multiple states to support the growing demand for AI computing power....
read Sep 19, 2025Quick info lookups, practicalities comprise majority of ChatGPT usage
Three heavyweight studies have landed that pull back the curtain on what artificial intelligence usage actually looks like in practice. Reports from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Ipsos, a global market research firm, provide something rare in the AI hype cycle: concrete evidence about who uses these systems, what they do with them, and how the public really feels about this technology. OpenAI released usage data from more than one million ChatGPT conversations spanning mid-2024 to mid-2025. Anthropic published analysis of Claude AI usage statistics in its Economic Index, including enterprise API traffic—the behind-the-scenes data streams that power business applications. Meanwhile, Ipsos...
read Sep 19, 2025OpenAI poaches 24+ Apple engineers for consumer AI hardware launch
OpenAI and former Apple design chief Jony Ive have recruited over two dozen Apple employees for their hardware venture, io, and secured partnerships with key Apple suppliers including Luxshare and Goertek. The talent acquisition represents a significant brain drain from Apple's hardware teams, as OpenAI targets a late 2026 or early 2027 launch for its first consumer AI devices. What you should know: The io venture is developing multiple AI-powered consumer products with help from Apple's established supply chain.• Luxshare, which assembles iPhones and AirPods, has already secured a contract to manufacture at least one OpenAI device.• OpenAI has approached...
read Sep 18, 2025Nvidia, Microsoft, and OpenAI back UK AI startup with $700M
Nvidia, Microsoft, and OpenAI have collectively backed London-based AI infrastructure company Nscale with $700 million to dramatically expand the UK's AI computing capacity. The partnership positions the UK as a major player in the global AI infrastructure race, with plans to deploy up to 58,640 Nvidia GPUs across the country and potentially scale to 300,000 globally. What you should know: The investment transforms Nscale from a crypto mining spinoff into a cornerstone of Britain's AI ambitions. Nscale emerged from Arkon Energy, a cryptocurrency mining company, and only exited stealth mode last year. The company didn't exist when OpenAI launched ChatGPT...
read Sep 17, 2025OpenAI launches ChatGPT personalization hub amid GPT-5 backlash
OpenAI has launched an updated personalization hub for ChatGPT, allowing users to customize the AI chatbot's personality, communication style, and memory settings through a new interface accessible via settings. The move comes as OpenAI attempts to address widespread user dissatisfaction with GPT-5's performance, which many found inferior to its predecessor GPT-4o in both speed and conversational quality. What you should know: The new personalization page offers several customization options designed to make ChatGPT feel more like a trusted colleague than a machine. Users can select from personality types including "Cynic," "Robot," "Listener," and "Nerd" through a dropdown menu. A custom...
read Sep 17, 2025OpenAI and Anthropic data reveals Claude is huge in NY, Cali and Virginia
OpenAI and Anthropic have released detailed global usage reports revealing significant disparities in how their AI models are being adopted worldwide. The data exposes a growing economic divide, with AI usage heavily concentrated in wealthy nations and tech hubs, potentially contradicting OpenAI's assertion that AI access should be treated as a "basic right." What the data reveals: The two companies' AI models serve distinctly different purposes, reflecting varied user needs and capabilities. Computer and mathematical tasks, including coding assistance, dominate Claude's usage at 36%, while accounting for less than 8% of ChatGPT usage. OpenAI's models function primarily as a search...
read Sep 15, 2025OpenAI quietly rebuilds robotics team with humanoid focus after 5-year break
OpenAI is quietly rebuilding its robotics team after shuttering the division in 2020, with new hiring patterns suggesting the company may be targeting humanoid robot development. The move signals a renewed focus on physical AI systems as part of OpenAI's broader push toward artificial general intelligence, potentially positioning the company to compete in the rapidly expanding robotics market. What you should know: OpenAI began posting robotics job openings in January 2025, marking its return to the field after a five-year hiatus. Job listings reveal the company is assembling a team focused on training robots through teleoperation (remote human control) and...
read Sep 15, 2025Oracle stock soars 40% after $300B OpenAI cloud deal
OpenAI has signed a $300 billion contract with Oracle to purchase computing power over the next five years, marking one of the largest cloud deals in history. The agreement, which begins in 2027, represents a massive bet on AI's continued growth while highlighting the extraordinary financial risks both companies are taking in the artificial intelligence race. What you should know: The deal requires unprecedented power and financial commitments that could reshape both companies' futures. The contract will consume 4.5 gigawatts of power capacity—enough electricity to supply about four million homes. OpenAI will owe Oracle an average of $60 billion annually...
read Sep 12, 2025OpenAI signs $300B Oracle cloud deal for massive Stargate AI project
OpenAI has signed a $300 billion cloud computing agreement with Oracle, marking one of the largest cloud contracts in history. The five-year deal, which begins in 2027, positions OpenAI to secure massive computing resources as part of the broader $500 billion Stargate AI infrastructure initiative, while providing Oracle with unprecedented revenue visibility in the rapidly expanding AI market. What you should know: The agreement forms part of Stargate, an ambitious $500 billion AI infrastructure project that includes building 4.5 gigawatts of new data center capacity. OpenAI will purchase computing power from Oracle starting in 2027, providing the AI company with...
read Sep 12, 2025Microsoft and OpenAI reshape $13B partnership as OpenAI eyes IPO
Microsoft and OpenAI have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to establish the "next phase" of their partnership, marking a significant shift in their collaboration structure. The deal reportedly modifies key provisions around technology access and revenue sharing, while paving the way for OpenAI's long-anticipated transformation from a nonprofit into a public benefit corporation. What you should know: The new agreement addresses how the companies will share technology and revenue from those technologies, though specific terms remain under negotiation. The deal modifies the original clause preventing Microsoft from accessing OpenAI's most advanced technology if the board determines it has achieved...
read Sep 11, 2025OpenAI ponders South Korea data center amid Samsung and SK partnerships
OpenAI is considering building a data center in South Korea while expanding partnerships with major Korean conglomerates like Samsung and SK, according to remarks made during the launch of its Seoul office. The move aligns with South Korea's push for AI sovereignty and positions OpenAI to tap into the country's advanced semiconductor ecosystem as it prepares to manufacture its own AI chips. What you should know: OpenAI's Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon confirmed the company's openness to Korean infrastructure investments during a September 10 press conference. "When it comes to the hardware chip side, I think we have a lot...
read Sep 10, 2025Jared Kushner founds AI consulting startup Brain Co. with $30M funding
Jared Kushner has cofounded Brain Co., an AI consulting startup that helps large corporations and governments implement artificial intelligence solutions across their operations. The company emerged from stealth with $30 million in Series A funding and has already secured deals with major clients including Sotheby's and Warburg Pincus, positioning itself to capitalize on the widespread struggle businesses face when trying to deploy AI effectively. The founding team: Kushner partnered with prominent tech investor Elad Gil and former Mexican foreign minister Luis Videgaray to launch the San Francisco-based startup in 2024. The company has around 40 employees and maintains a strategic...
read Sep 9, 2025Microsoft plays the field, plans to add Anthropic’s Claude to Copilot features
Microsoft reportedly plans to start using Anthropic's Claude models to power some Copilot features in Office 365 applications, marking a potential shift away from its exclusive reliance on OpenAI technology. The move suggests growing tensions between Microsoft and OpenAI as the companies navigate disputes over OpenAI's restructuring plans, while also highlighting Microsoft's assessment that Claude 4 Sonnet outperforms competing models in specific use cases. What you should know: Microsoft currently uses OpenAI's technology to power most AI features in Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, but plans to announce the integration of Anthropic models "in the coming weeks."• The company will...
read Sep 9, 2025UAE releases 32B-parameter AI model that matches OpenAI performance
The United Arab Emirates has released K2 Think, an open-source AI reasoning model that matches the performance of much larger systems from OpenAI and DeepSeek while using just 32 billion parameters compared to their 200+ billion. Developed by researchers at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi and backed by tech conglomerate G42, this represents one of the strongest indicators yet that the UAE's massive AI investments are yielding competitive results in the global race for AI supremacy. What you should know: K2 Think is specifically designed for advanced reasoning tasks rather than being a complete large...
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