OpenAI is reportedly nearing completion of a massive $40 billion funding round, with SoftBank leading the way. But this week, it wasn’t just the company funding news making headlines — its new image generator went live in ChatGPT, with capabilities including the ability to turn ordinary images into Studio Ghibli-style animation stills. While AI-generated art often sparks philosophical debates, this tool has been getting buzz for its visually impressive results. Of course, it also raises some big questions about copyright and intellectual property.
Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Max Zeff, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane are unpacking the week’s news, including how OpenAI’s latest tool is sparking both excitement and debate.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
- The road to CoreWeave’s IPO and the $7.6 billion loan that might stand in its way
- The new micromobility startup spinning out of Rivian
- Block’s decision to cut 8% of its staff, and Jack Dorsey’s reasoning for the move
- How AI sales automation startup 11x has been claiming customers it doesn’t have — and whether that practice is more common than you think
Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned!
Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.
Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here.
Theresa Loconsolo is an audio producer at TechCrunch focusing on Equity, the network’s flagship podcast. Before joining TechCrunch in 2022, she was one of 2 producers at a four-station conglomerate where she wrote, recorded, voiced and edited content, and engineered live performances and interviews from guests like lovelytheband. Theresa is based in New Jersey and holds a bachelors degree in Communication from Monmouth University.
Anthony Ha is TechCrunch’s weekend editor. Previously, he worked as a tech reporter at Adweek, a senior editor at VentureBeat, a local government reporter at the Hollister Free Lance, and vice president of content at a VC firm. He lives in New York City.
Maxwell Zeff is a senior reporter at TechCrunch specializing in AI and emerging technologies. Previously with Gizmodo, Bloomberg, and MSNBC, Zeff has covered the rise of AI and the Silicon Valley Bank crisis. He is based in San Francisco. When not reporting, he can be found hiking, biking, and exploring the Bay Area’s food scene.
Sean O’Kane is a reporter who has spent a decade covering the rapidly-evolving business and technology of the transportation industry, including Tesla and the many startups chasing Elon Musk. Most recently, he was a reporter at Bloomberg News where he helped break stories about some of the most notorious EV SPAC flops. He previously worked at The Verge, where he also covered consumer technology, hosted many short- and long-form videos, performed product and editorial photography, and once nearly passed out in a Red Bull Air Race plane.
