Welcome to another edition of Week in Review!

This week’s updates include significant leadership changes at Instacart and 11x, a revival of the web series format in a new guise, video ads on Threads, and much more. Let’s dive in!

Major shakeup:

Instacart’s Fidji Simo has been named the new CEO for Applications at OpenAI, as announced this week. Simo, who is already part of the OpenAI board, will oversee scaling the company’s “traditional” functions, according to CEO Sam Altman, although specifics on this role were not disclosed.

On the topic of OpenAI:

The organization has decided that its nonprofit division will maintain control over its for-profit branch after initially considering a complete transition to for-profit status. OpenAI stated that this decision was made “after receiving feedback from civic leaders and engaging in productive discussions with the Attorney Generals of Delaware and California.”

More CEO updates:

11x’s Hasan Sukkar has announced his resignation, transitioning to a “non-executive chairman” role. In March, TechCrunch revealed that 11x had showcased customer logos on its website from companies that were not actually clients, leading to legal threats from one of those entities.

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News

Image Credits: Tesla

Trademark challenges:

Tesla is attempting to trademark “Cybercab” and “Robotaxi,” but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected the application, citing the generic nature of the terms. Tesla has three months to respond, or the application will be considered abandoned.

No thank you:

During Stripe’s annual Sessions conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined his vision for automating the ad industry through a comprehensive AI tool. Maxwell Zeff noted, “The impact of AI ad testing on the user experience across Meta’s platforms is uncertain, especially given their current state of generative AI content.”

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Speaking of advertising:

At the NewFronts conference, Meta revealed it is testing video ads in Threads, following its announcement that the platform now boasts over 350 million monthly active users.

Count me in!

Cooking isn’t my forte, so Posha’s new cooking robot that prepares meals for you seems like a fantastic innovation. You simply browse recipes, select your choice, add the required ingredients, and let the machine handle the cooking.

Back again:

Before vertical video took the spotlight, structured web series on YouTube had notable success, evolving into beloved TV shows like “Broad City,” “Insecure,” and “Letterkenny.” Now, these web series are making a comeback, but this time on TikTok.

Farewell to a true visionary:

Bill Gates announced Thursday that the Gates Foundation aims to complete its mission and disburse its funds within the next 20 years. He has pledged to donate 99% of his fortune, currently estimated at $107 billion, to the foundation.

Analysis

Image Credits: Stefano Guidi / Getty Images

Future prospects for OpenAI:

OpenAI’s restructuring strategy may address the concerns of regulators and investors eager for profit, yet it could also hinder the organization’s future goals, particularly regarding a potential public offering.