Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re diving into OpenAI’s newest, biggest model GPT-4.5, Microsoft pulling the plug on Skype, how Anthropic used Pokémon Red to train its Claude 3.7 Sonnet model, the unexpected return of Fyre Festival, and more! Let’s get into it.
OpenAI announced the launch of GPT-4.5, the much-anticipated AI model code-named Orion. GPT-4.5 is OpenAI’s largest model to date, trained using more computing power and data than any of the company’s previous releases. CEO Sam Altman even said that OpenAI was forced to stagger the model’s rollout because the company is “out of GPUs.” Subscribers to the $200-a-month ChatGPT Pro plan have access to GPT-4.5 as part of a research preview, while ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Team customers should get the model sometime next week.
A demo from Y Combinator cohort member Optifye.ai sparked intense backlash that resulted in YC deleting it entirely from its social media. According to its YC profile, Optifye says it’s building software to help factory owners know who is and isn’t working in “real time” thanks to AI-powered security cameras it places on assembly lines. The clip was heavily criticized on X, where user @VCBrags called it “sweatshops-as-a-service” and another deemed it “computer vision sweatshop software.”
Amazon introduced a new and improved Alexa experience called Alexa+. The new Alexa starts at $19.99 per month, which is competitive with other generative AI chatbots on the market, but it will be free for Amazon Prime subscribers. Alexa+ will roll out in the U.S. in early access beginning next month. Amazon is also launching Alexa.com, a new web experience designed for “long-form” work, as well as a refreshed Alexa mobile app with a new interface and functionality.
This is TechCrunch’s Week in Review, where we recap the week’s biggest news. Want this delivered as a newsletter to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here.
News
RIP, Skype: Microsoft is pulling the plug on Skype, marking the end of an internet era. Skype users have until May 5 to either migrate their contacts and chat data to Microsoft’s Teams platform or export their Skype data before it shuts down. Read more
Gotta catch ’em all: Anthropic used the Game Boy classic Pokémon Red to benchmark its latest model, Claude 3.7 Sonnet. The model successfully battled three Pokémon gym leaders and won their badges. Read more
Perplexity wants to reinvent the browser: The AI-powered search engine is launching sign-ups for Comet, which is expected to be an AI web browser. “Just like Perplexity reinvented search, we’re also reinventing the browser,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch. Read more
Whoopsie: Elon Musk, the man who changed Twitter’s name to X, has once again accidentally referred to his social media platform as Twitter — on the platform itself. Seems to be a hard habit to break for a lot of people. Read more
Zuckerberg fights the leaks: The Verge reports that Meta has fired “roughly” 20 employees for leaking confidential information. The move comes in response to a surge of news stories with leaked details about Meta’s internal meetings and undisclosed product plans. Read more
Perplexity chases more cash: Perplexity is reportedly raising a $50 million seed and pre-seed investment fund using some of the capital it raised for the company’s growth to anchor it. The company reportedly raised $500 million at a $9 billion valuation in December. Read more
Surprise, surprise: As Meta phases out its third-party fact-checking programs in the U.S., the company is reintroducing a program for creators that pays them for viral content. The timing of these changes could intensify the prevalence of misinformation. Read more
An easier way to code: Google introduced a new, free consumer version of Gemini Code Assist, its AI code completion and assistance tool. The tool lets developers use a chat window to talk in natural language with an AI model that can access and edit their codebase. Read more
Lucid Motors’ CEO steps down: Peter Rawlinson is stepping down from the CEO and CTO roles that he’s held since before Lucid Motors went public six years ago. According to regulatory filings, Rawlinson has also left the company’s board. Read more
SBF posts from prison: Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried made his first public post on X in over two years as he serves the early days of his 25-year prison sentence. In the 10-post thread, he referred to himself as being “unemployed.” Read more
Oh, brother: Remember the disaster that was Fyre Fest? Billy McFarland is back with its sequel. Fyre Festival 2 will, and I can’t stress this enough, allegedly take place in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, from May 30 to June 2. Tickets are on sale now — ranging from $1,400 to $1.1 million. Read more
Analysis
Where DEI stands so far: In response to threats from the Trump administration, companies across the U.S. have started cutting DEI programs and scrubbing public DEI commitments. The reaction to the government’s anti-diversity push has taken many forms. In corporate America, companies like McDonald’s, Walmart, and Target have announced some form of rollback to their DEI policies, while other companies like Apple, Costco, and JPMorgan have indicated a commitment to their diversity efforts. From Amazon to Zoom, we put together a helpful guide to where DEI stands among tech companies. Read more
