Welcome again to Week in Overview. This week we’re diving into OpenAI’s newly launched AI agent, known as Operator. We additionally have a look at the place TikTok stands after being resuscitated, whether or not it’s time to return to Tumblr, and extra! Let’s get into it.
OpenAI launched a analysis preview of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent that may independently carry out sure actions like guide journey lodging, make restaurant reservations, and store on-line. When customers activate Operator, a small window will pop up displaying a devoted net browser that the agent makes use of to finish duties, together with textual content explaining what the agent is doing. The characteristic will first roll out to U.S. customers on ChatGPT’s $200 per 30 days Professional subscription plan.
Elon Musk and Sam Altman are combating on X about Stargate. The big infrastructure venture would funnel as a lot as $500 billion from buyers like SoftBank and Center East AI fund MGX into knowledge facilities that help OpenAI’s AI workloads. However Musk claims that Stargate doesn’t have the cash it says it does. It’s essential to notice, although, that he’s not a impartial occasion and occurs to be embroiled in a lawsuit with OpenAI.
Hackers discovered a strategy to remotely unlock, begin, and monitor hundreds of thousands of Subarus, based on a report from Wired. Two safety researchers found vulnerabilities in a Subaru net portal that allowed them to hijack automotive controls and monitor driver location knowledge. Subaru has since fastened the vulnerabilities after the researchers reported their findings to the Japanese automaker.
That is TechCrunch’s Week in Overview, the place we recap the week’s greatest information. Need this delivered as a publication to your inbox each Saturday? Join right here.
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Unpacking Samsung Unpacked: Samsung’s annual Unpacked occasion was this week, that includes the reveal of its Galaxy S25 line, new options for Gemini Stay, developments in good residence know-how, and extra. We put collectively a helpful recap of each reveal you might need missed. Learn extra
Perplexity launches an AI agent: The AI-powered search engine startup launched Perplexity Assistant, which the corporate says makes use of reasoning, search, and apps to assist with day by day duties. The assistant is on the market for Android gadgets and may take “multi-app actions.” Learn extra
Will MrBeast purchase TikTok? YouTube superstar MrBeast is in talks to affix a variety of bids for TikTok’s U.S. operations, although he hasn’t chosen one solely but. Whereas MrBeast is definitely rich, it’s his superstar that has attracted a number of bidders. Learn extra
Fitbit will get burned: Fitbit settled with the U.S. Shopper Product Security Fee over a long-standing defect that induced some wearers to maintain burns. Fitbit pays a $12.25 million penalty for the problems surrounding the Ionic smartwatch. Learn extra
Time to mud off your Tumblr weblog: Tumblr has lastly launched Tumblr TV, a GIF discovery characteristic a decade within the making that has since advanced to additionally host short-form movies to compete with TikTok. I’m wondering if the fandom GIFs I made in 2012 are nonetheless there… Learn extra
Now, that’s what I name smol 🤏: A group at AI dev platform Hugging Face has launched SmolVLM-256M and SmolVLM-500M, which they’re claiming to be the smallest AI fashions that may analyze photographs, quick movies, and textual content. Learn extra
That’s one strategy to get a cost: Carnegie Mellon researchers debuted Energy-Over-Pores and skin, whose know-how permits for electrical currents to journey by means of human pores and skin to energy issues like blood sugar displays, pacemakers, and even client wearables. Learn extra
Stripe axes 300 staff: The fintech big is shedding 300 individuals, based on a leaked memo reported by Enterprise Insider. Nonetheless, Stripe plans to proceed hiring in 2025 to develop its complete headcount by 17%. Learn extra
Meta copycats CapCut: Meta introduced a brand new video modifying app known as Edits shortly after ByteDance’s video modifying app CapCut was faraway from Apple’s App Retailer and the Google Play Retailer as a part of the U.S. TikTok ban. Learn extra
Simply in case TikTok goes darkish for actual: Whereas TikTok is again on-line within the U.S., its future stays unsure. Bookmarking backup service Dewey has an answer that saves your favourite TikToks and lets you entry them at any time — even when TikTok disappears once more. Learn extra
