Online gaming platform Roblox is launching a TikTok-like short-form video feed for sharing gameplay moments, the company unveiled on Friday at the Roblox Developers Conference. The company also announced increased earnings for creators, new AI tools to boost creation, and other advancements in performance.The new short-form video experience, called “Roblox Moments,” is launching in beta for users 13 and above. It allows users to capture clips of their gameplay, then edit and share those clips in a scrollabl ...

Tesla spent $400,000 advertising on Elon Musk’s social media platform X in 2024, according to a new regulatory filing. But the automaker appears to be on track to spend just a fraction of that in 2025 as sales have struggled.In the first two months of 2025, Tesla spent $10,000 on X ads, putting it on track to spend only $60,000 annually unless it radically increases its advertising for the remainder of the year. During the same time period last year, it had already spent $200,000 on X, Tesla disclosed. Tesl ...

Group 1 - Warner Bros. is suing AI startup Midjourney for copyright infringement, claiming that Midjourney allows users to generate images and videos of characters like Superman, Batman, and Bugs Bunny without permission [1] - The lawsuit alleges that Midjourney has made a profit-driven decision to offer no protection for copyright owners, despite being aware of the extent of its piracy and copyright infringement [2] - Warner Bros.' lawsuit follows a similar lawsuit filed by Walt Disney and Universal against Midjourney for copyright infringement involving characters such as Darth Vader and Bart Simpson [3] Group 2 - The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, the return of profits earned from the alleged infringement, and a cessation of further violations [2] - Midjourney has argued that using copyrighted works to train generative AI models is legal under the fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright law [3] - Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit [3]

Core Viewpoint - Tesla shareholders will vote on a proposal to invest in Elon Musk's AI startup xAI, aimed at enhancing Tesla's AI, robotics, and energy ambitions [1] Group 1: Investment Proposal - The proposal for Tesla to invest in xAI is presented by shareholder Stephen Hawk, who believes it will secure access to advanced AI capabilities and drive shareholder value [1] - If approved, this would mark Tesla's second investment in Musk's companies, following SpaceX's commitment of $2 billion to xAI as part of a $5 billion equity raise [3] - Some shareholders view xAI as a competitor to Tesla, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest [3] Group 2: Current Challenges - Tesla is facing challenges with declining EV sales and a slow rollout of its robotaxi service, prompting a shift in focus towards AI initiatives [4] - The company is attempting to redirect investor attention from these challenges to its AI efforts, including autonomous vehicles and the Optimus humanoid robot [4] Group 3: Executive Compensation - Alongside the investment proposal, shareholders will also vote on a new 10-year compensation plan for Musk, which could increase his control over Tesla to more than 25% [5] - The new compensation plan aims to tie Musk's pay to ambitious benchmarks, including increasing Tesla's market value from approximately $1 trillion to over $8 trillion [7] Group 4: Market Potential - Analysts suggest that achieving an $8 trillion market cap may require the integration of xAI, as current offerings like Full Self-Driving and robotaxi services may not suffice [8] - The excitement surrounding the potential collaboration between Tesla and xAI could positively influence Tesla's valuation and shareholder returns [10]

Tesla has proposed a new 10-year compensation plan for CEO Elon Musk that could be worth as much as $1 trillion even as the EV maker’s car business stumbles and it sets its sights on humanoid robotics and AI.The company has tied the compensation to a number of benchmarks, one of which involves increasing Tesla’s overall valuation from around $1 trillion to more than $8 trillion. The plan would grant Musk more than 423 million additional shares in the company, boosting his level of control to around 25%. Mus ...

In Brief Rivian is laying off around 150 workers — its second small staff cut in a matter of months — as the company readies itself for the all-important launch of its more-affordable R2 SUV next year.The company confirmed to TechCrunch that the new cuts were mostly to its “commercial” team, which deals with sales and service operations, and that affected employees will be eligible for rehire and encouraged to apply for other open positions. The Wall Street Journal first reported the layoffs earlier Thursda ...

Core Insights - GE Aerospace is investing $300 million in Beta Technologies to develop a hybrid-electric turbogenerator for next-generation aircraft, pending regulatory approval [1][5] - The partnership aims to enhance the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, focusing on hybrid solutions that combine traditional turbines with electric power to improve flight time and payload capacity [2][4] Company Collaboration - GE Aerospace, a leader in jet and turboprop engines, is collaborating with Beta Technologies, a startup specializing in electric aircraft, leveraging their complementary expertise [3] - The new turbogenerator will utilize GE's established infrastructure and components, while Beta will contribute its knowledge in high-performance electric propulsion [3] Performance and Certification - The hybrid system developed by GE and Beta is expected to offer improved range, payload capacity, and overall aircraft performance [4] - Beta is also working towards certification for its Alia aircraft, which includes both conventional and eVTOL variants, and if the deal is finalized, it will increase Beta's total funding to $1.45 billion [5] Strategic Implications - If the investment is approved, GE will have the right to appoint a director to Beta's board, indicating a serious commitment to hybrid-electric technologies [6]

In Brief Many major airlines are beefing up their in-flight internet offerings by tapping SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, but JetBlue is going in a different direction. Amazon and JetBlue announced Thursday a partnership under which the airline will instead use Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites to provide free in-flight connectivity starting in 2027.The Kuiper terminals on JetBlue’s planes will be capable of download speeds of up to 1Gbps from Amazon’s low-Earth orbit satellites. That’s more bandwidth than S ...

Group 1 - Atlassian has agreed to acquire The Browser Company for $610 million in cash, aiming to reimagine the browser for knowledge work in the AI era [1][2] - The acquisition will allow The Browser Company to operate independently under Atlassian while continuing to develop its browser, Dia [2][3] - The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of Atlassian's fiscal year 2026 [3] Group 2 - The Browser Company raised $50 million at a $550 million valuation last year, bringing its total funding to $128 million from various investors [4]

Core Viewpoint - A federal judge has ordered changes to Google's business practices to prevent anticompetitive behavior, but has not mandated a breakup of its search business [1][4]. Group 1: Court Orders and Remedies - U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta has outlined remedies that will prevent Google from entering exclusive deals that tie the distribution of its services to other apps or revenue arrangements [2]. - Google is required to share certain search index and user-interaction data with "qualified competitors" and must offer search and search ad syndication services at standard rates [3][4]. - A technical committee will be established to enforce the final judgment, which will last for six years and take effect 60 days after entry [4]. Group 2: DOJ's Position and Proposals - The Department of Justice (DOJ) had advocated for stronger penalties, including the divestiture of Google's Chrome browser and possibly Android, as well as ending agreements with major partners [5]. - The DOJ also requested that Google share its search index, user-side data, and ads data with competitors under privacy-protected terms [6]. Group 3: Market Context and Implications - Google has maintained approximately 90% market share in the traditional search market for the last decade and argues that the government's proposals could stifle innovation and jeopardize user privacy [8]. - Judge Mehta's decision may influence a separate antitrust trial related to Google's advertising technology business, with a remedies trial scheduled for late September [11]. - The ongoing legal proceedings may extend until late 2027 or early 2028, as appeals and potential escalations to the Supreme Court are anticipated [13].