News/OpenAI
OpenAI’s 390-megawatt Texas data center could double town’s power needs
OpenAI is building a massive data center in Denton, Texas, that will consume 390 megawatts of power—enough to double the city's electricity needs by 2030. The facility represents a critical infrastructure push as AI companies scramble to secure computing power, but it threatens to strain Texas's already fragile electrical grid and could raise electricity bills for the city's 160,000 residents. The big picture: This data center is part of a broader wave of AI infrastructure projects across Texas, driven by OpenAI's urgent need for computing capacity after having to limit feature releases in early 2025 due to underestimated power requirements....
read Jul 11, 2025Snowflake unveils 6 AI enhancements at summit drawing 20K professionals
Snowflake, the cloud-based data platform that helps organizations store and analyze massive amounts of information, unveiled a series of AI-focused enhancements at its annual Summit conference in San Francisco. The event drew more than 20,000 data and AI professionals—making it the largest gathering in the company's history—and featured keynotes from Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman exploring how artificial intelligence is shifting from experimental projects to operational business tools. While these updates represent incremental rather than revolutionary progress, they signal Snowflake's strategic push to position itself as a comprehensive platform for AI-powered business applications. The announcements span...
read Jul 10, 2025Microsoft, OpenAI invest $23M in teachers’ union amid education cuts
Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic have collectively invested $23 million into the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second-largest teachers' union in the US, to establish an AI training center for educators. This unprecedented funding from major AI companies comes as the education sector faces severe budget constraints, with the Trump administration cutting nearly $7 billion in public school funding while simultaneously threatening to dismantle the Department of Education entirely. The big picture: Tech companies are strategically positioning themselves within cash-strapped educational institutions, creating long-term dependencies while the sector struggles with funding cuts and political uncertainty. Key details: The National Academy...
read Jul 9, 2025OpenAI plans to launch web browser with AI agent to challenge Chrome
OpenAI plans to launch its first web browser in the coming weeks, directly challenging Google Chrome's dominance in the browser market. This move comes just as Perplexity AI debuted its own browser called Comet, signaling a coordinated push by AI companies to capture web traffic and user data while potentially undermining Google's search-dependent revenue model. What you should know: OpenAI's browser will likely integrate its AI agent called Operator, which can automate repetitive web tasks for users. Operator performs actions like "filling out forms, ordering groceries, and even creating memes" on behalf of users, according to OpenAI. The AI agent...
read Jul 7, 2025OpenAI’s $30B Oracle deal fuels Project Stargate AI buildout
OpenAI has been revealed as the customer behind Oracle's massive $30 billion annual cloud computing contract, with the AI company leasing approximately 4.5 gigawatts of data center power to support its expanding artificial intelligence workloads. The deal represents one of the largest cloud computing contracts to date and directly supports OpenAI's ambitious "Project Stargate" initiative to scale AI infrastructure across the United States. What you should know: Oracle will develop multiple data centers across the U.S. as part of this unprecedented cloud computing agreement. Sites under consideration include Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wyoming. Oracle will...
read Jul 3, 2025Apple abandons internal AI development, turns to OpenAI and Anthropic for Siri
Apple is abandoning its internal AI development for Siri and instead considering partnerships with OpenAI or Anthropic to power its voice assistant, according to new Bloomberg reporting. This represents a major strategic retreat for one of the world's largest tech companies, which has faced lawsuits from shareholders and customers over unfulfilled promises about AI-powered Siri features in the iPhone 16. What you should know: Apple's AI ambitions have spectacularly failed to materialize, forcing the company to seek outside help for Siri's long-promised upgrade. The iPhone 16, launched in September 2024 for $799, was marketed with promises of "Apple Intelligence" features...
read Jun 26, 2025Microsoft-OpenAI partnership crumbles over charge that AGI can’t be reached
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella no longer believes OpenAI can achieve artificial general intelligence (AGI), creating a major rift between the two companies whose partnership launched the current AI boom. The disagreement centers on OpenAI's potential declaration of AGI, which would terminate Microsoft's exclusive access to OpenAI's technology under their current contract—a prospect that has Microsoft demanding new terms while OpenAI considers antitrust action. The big picture: What started as a lucrative partnership that defined the AI era has devolved into a high-stakes contract dispute worth billions, with both companies' futures hanging in the balance. What you should know: The current...
read Jun 26, 2025U jelly? Corporate customers choose ChatGPT over Microsoft Copilot despite $10B+ investment
Microsoft faces an embarrassing competitive dilemma with its AI partner OpenAI, as corporate customers consistently prefer ChatGPT over Microsoft's Copilot assistant despite the tech giant's tens of billions in investment. The preference gap is creating awkward sales situations for Microsoft and highlighting the risks of partnering with a direct competitor in the fast-moving AI market. What you should know: Major corporations are choosing ChatGPT over Copilot even when they've purchased Microsoft's AI assistant for thousands of employees. New York Life Insurance Co., a major U.S. life insurance provider, bought both products to let employees decide which they prefer. Pharmaceutical company...
read Jun 23, 2025Judge weighs in on OpenAI’s $6.5B Jony Ive partnership and trademark dispute
OpenAI has temporarily removed all mentions of its $6.5 billion partnership with legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive from its website following a federal judge's ruling in favor of a trademark dispute. The legal challenge comes from IYO, an AI hardware startup that claims OpenAI's "io Products" branding infringes on its trademark, forcing the tech giant to halt marketing efforts for the high-profile collaboration until an October hearing. What you should know: U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson ruled that IYO has a strong enough case to proceed, issuing a temporary restraining order against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman, and Jony Ive. The...
read Jun 23, 2025Uh-oh, “io”: Trademark fight threatens OpenAI and Jony Ive’s $6.5B AI hardware venture
OpenAI and Jony Ive's highly anticipated AI hardware venture has hit a major legal roadblock after a court order forced the removal of their partnership announcement due to a trademark dispute. The conflict centers on the "io" name for Ive's startup, which another AI company claims infringes on their existing trademark, potentially forcing a costly rebrand of the $6.5 billion collaboration. What happened: OpenAI was forced to remove its blog post announcing the acquisition of Jony Ive's hardware startup "io" following a court order triggered by trademark complaints from a company called iyO. The original blog post detailed a $6.5...
read Jun 18, 2025OpenAI researchers fix models, offer rehab for AI that develops “bad boy” personas
OpenAI researchers have discovered how AI models develop a "bad boy persona" when exposed to malicious fine-tuning and demonstrated methods to rehabilitate them back to proper alignment. The breakthrough addresses "emergent misalignment," where models trained on problematic data begin generating harmful content even from benign prompts, and shows this dangerous behavior can be both detected and reversed with relatively simple interventions. What you should know: The misalignment occurs when models shift into undesirable personality types by training on untrue or problematic information, but the underlying "bad personas" actually originate from questionable content in the original pre-training data. Models fine-tuned on...
read Jun 18, 2025Tribeca Studios partners with OpenAI for 2026 AI filmmaker program
Tribeca Studios, the film production arm of the renowned Tribeca Festival, has partnered with OpenAI to launch an AI-integrated short film program for the 2026 Tribeca Festival, selecting two filmmakers to create live-action shorts using OpenAI's artificial intelligence tools. The collaboration builds on last year's successful Sora Shorts initiative and positions Tribeca at the forefront of AI-enhanced filmmaking, offering selected participants funding, training, and mentorship alongside access to cutting-edge AI technology. What you should know: The year-long program will culminate with premieres at the 2026 festival, accompanied by discussions about AI's role in filmmaking. Selected filmmakers will receive comprehensive support...
read Jun 17, 2025Aerial combat: OpenAI considers antitrust complaint against Microsoft over cloud dominance
OpenAI executives have discussed filing an antitrust complaint against Microsoft with US regulators, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the AI partners. The potential federal complaint would argue that Microsoft is using its dominant cloud position and contractual leverage to suppress competition, with insiders describing it as a "nuclear option" that could unravel one of the AI industry's most important business relationships. What you should know: The friction centers on OpenAI's stalled efforts to restructure from a nonprofit into a public benefit corporation, which requires Microsoft's approval. The two companies have been unable to agree on restructuring details after...
read Jun 16, 2025OpenAI CEO says AI may need “significant fraction” of Earth’s electricity
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly stated that a "significant fraction" of Earth's electricity should be dedicated to running AI systems, making the admission during AMD's AI conference last week. The comment reveals the massive energy demands of artificial intelligence companies and raises serious concerns about the environmental impact of AI's exponential growth. What he said: Altman made the startling admission when asked by AMD CEO Lisa Su whether there would ever be enough GPUs to meet AI demand. "Theoretically, at some points, you can see that a significant fraction of the power on Earth should be spent running AI compute,"...
read Jun 16, 2025OpenAI’s ChatGPT Teams now $1 for first month—96% off
OpenAI has quietly rolled out an exceptional promotional offer that makes its premium ChatGPT Teams plan accessible to small groups at a fraction of the usual cost. For businesses and collaborative teams that have been hesitant to invest in advanced AI capabilities, this 96% discount represents a rare opportunity to test enterprise-grade features without the typical financial commitment. ChatGPT Teams, OpenAI's collaborative AI platform designed for small organizations, typically costs $30 per user monthly. However, the current promotion drops that price to just $1 for the first month, covering up to five team members. While the discount only applies to...
read Jun 13, 2025OpenAI maintains Scale AI partnership despite Meta’s $14.8B investment
OpenAI will continue collaborating with Scale AI despite Meta's $14.8 billion investment for a 49% stake in the data labeling startup. The partnership underscores how major AI companies are prioritizing ecosystem collaboration over exclusivity, even as competitive dynamics intensify through strategic acquisitions. What you should know: Scale AI provides the massive datasets of labeled and curated training data that power sophisticated AI models like ChatGPT. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, agreed to acquire a 49% stake in Scale AI for $14.8 billion on Friday, marking one of the largest AI startup investments to date. OpenAI CFO Sarah...
read Jun 12, 2025San Francisco Barbie: Mattel partners with OpenAI to create AI-powered toys amid declining sales
Barbie-maker Mattel has partnered with OpenAI to develop AI-powered toys and games, with plans to launch its first AI-enhanced product later this year. The collaboration comes as toy manufacturers face declining demand amid economic uncertainty, prompting companies to explore new technologies and revenue streams to revitalize their core business. What you should know: Mattel will integrate OpenAI's technology into both its products and internal operations to drive innovation across the company. The partnership focuses on creating "age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety," according to Mattel's announcement. Beyond consumer products, Mattel will incorporate OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise...
read Jun 12, 2025AI coding tools boost productivity 50% but struggle with complex software
Advanced AI coding models from companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google are fundamentally transforming software development, with some experts predicting AI could write 90% of all code within months. This shift toward "vibe coding"—where developers use natural language prompts to generate entire applications—is creating both unprecedented opportunities and deep concerns about the future of engineering careers. The big picture: What started as simple code autocompletion in ChatGPT has evolved into AI systems capable of building complete apps, websites, and even multiplayer games through conversational prompts. Steve Yegge, a veteran engineer at Sourcegraph (a code search company), now codes on four...
read Jun 12, 2025Sam Altman predicts AI will transform human productivity by 2030
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared in a June 10 blog post that artificial intelligence has already passed "the event horizon" and that humanity is close to building digital superintelligence, describing the transition as a "gentle singularity." His optimistic vision suggests AI will drive unprecedented scientific progress and productivity gains, with individuals capable of accomplishing far more by 2030 than they could in 2020, though his claims have sparked significant debate within the AI community about both the timeline and risks of advanced AI. What he's saying: Altman's blog post "The Gentle Singularity" contains several bold predictions about AI's imminent transformation...
read Jun 11, 2025ChatGPT outage leaves millions scrambling for alternatives for 11 hours
ChatGPT experienced a widespread outage starting at 3 a.m. ET on June 10, affecting users across all platforms for over 11 hours. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, acknowledged the service disruption, which also impacted its Sora video generation platform and APIs, with the company working throughout the day to restore full functionality. What you should know: The outage affected ChatGPT across all platforms, including the website and mobile applications. Users encountered error messages stating there was "an error in the message stream" or that "something seems to have gone wrong" when attempting to use the service. The disruption impacted ChatGPT,...
read Jun 10, 2025OpenAI diversifies beyond Microsoft with Google cloud partnership
OpenAI has struck an unprecedented cloud computing deal with Google, despite the companies' fierce rivalry in artificial intelligence. The partnership, finalized in May after months of negotiations, allows OpenAI to tap Google's cloud infrastructure to meet surging demand for computing power needed to train and run its AI models, marking a significant shift in AI industry dynamics. The big picture: This collaboration between two AI heavyweights illustrates how massive computing demands are reshaping competitive relationships in the sector, with OpenAI diversifying beyond its primary supporter Microsoft. What you should know: The deal represents OpenAI's latest move to reduce dependency on...
read Jun 10, 2025OpenAI and Jony Ive develop screenless AI wearable targeting 2027 launch
OpenAI is developing a screenless, wearable AI device in collaboration with legendary Apple designer Jony Ive that could potentially replace smartphones entirely. Expected to launch in late 2026 or early 2027, the pocket-sized device would feature microphones and cameras to provide contextually aware AI assistance without requiring users to look at a screen. What you should know: The device represents OpenAI's ambitious push beyond software into hardware, targeting the emerging ambient computing market. One version is rumored to resemble an iPod Shuffle worn around the neck, with touch or voice-based controls for real-time interaction with OpenAI's models. The device would...
read Jun 10, 2025Apple expands OpenAI partnership while major Siri upgrades remain distant
Apple expanded its partnership with OpenAI and introduced several AI-powered features during its Worldwide Developers Conference, though significant improvements to Siri remain on the distant horizon. The announcements signal Apple's continued effort to catch up in the AI race, building on the ChatGPT integration first introduced last year that now underpins many capabilities coming to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and visionOS 26 this fall. What you should know: Apple's AI strategy continues to rely heavily on external partnerships rather than purely in-house development. The expanded OpenAI relationship will power new features across Apple's operating system updates launching this...
read Jun 10, 2025OpenAI makes ChatGPT standard for 460K students across 23 campuses
OpenAI is launching a comprehensive strategy to embed ChatGPT and AI tools throughout college campuses, positioning artificial intelligence as core educational infrastructure. The company's "AI-native universities" vision would provide students with personalized AI assistants from orientation through graduation, while professors create custom study bots and career services offer AI-powered interview practice. What you should know: OpenAI is selling ChatGPT Edu, a premium service designed specifically for universities that offers enhanced features and privacy protections compared to the free version. Universities like Duke, University of Maryland, and California State University are already implementing campus-wide AI access for students and faculty. Cal...
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