MadTech Daily: OpenAI's $122bn Funding Round; Anthropic to Sign Australia AI Safety Deal; Musk to Face Class Action Over Twitter Stake Disclosure Delay

Today’s MadTech Daily covers OpenAI raising USD$3bn from retail investors in a USD$122bn funding round, Anthropic set to sign a deal with Australia on AI safety and economic data tracking, as well as Elon Musk being ordered to face a class action lawsuit over the late disclosure of his Twitter stake.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers Australia’s eSafety Commission warning of ‘major gaps’ in the enforcement of the country’s under-16 social media ban, California defying Trump’s demands on AI with the introduction of a new executive order, and Disney+ striking its latest European deal with Italy’s Rai.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers Claude’s paid user growth surging, AdGreen’s findings on how changes to advertising production could slash emissions by nearly a third while generating huge financial savings, and WBD setting a date next month for shareholders to vote on a $111bn Paramount–Skydance takeover.

On today’s MadTech Daily we look at OpenAI extending its ad pilot as it tests a global rollout of sponsored ChatGPT responses, Elon Musk’s X ad boycott being dismissed by a US Judge, and Disney+ striking a landmark next-day streaming deal with RTVE.

In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire COO Lindsay Rowntree is joined by CEO Rachel Smith and Zac Selby, SVP of global solutions for data & technology at dentsu.They look at IAB Australia’s 'Future of Measurement' initiative, Google securing a patent for AI-generated landing pages, and Apple introducing advertisements in Apple Maps.0:00 Introduction1:20 IAB Australia launches new initiative12:51 Google patents right to replace landing pages27:34 Apple to introduce ads in Maps

On today’s MadTech Daily, a jury finds Meta and YouTube liable for harming young users, a judge dismisses publishers’ Google monopoly claim, and the UK government is accused of shifting goalposts regarding the LHF ad ban.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers TikTok introducing three new ad formats, OpenAI dropping its partnership with Disney as it decides to close Sora, and Anthropic battling it out in court against the Pentagon over its AI model ban. 

Today’s MadTech Daily covers OpenAI hiring a Meta ad veteran to build its ads business, Apple planning to introduce ads in Maps, and X considering a new method to win back advertisers.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers ChatGPT’s slow rollout of ads frustrating partners, Musk being found liable in a $44bn fraud case related to Twitter, and broadcasters pushing for tougher smart TV rules across Europe.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers Meta announcing reduced reliance on third-party vendors as it expands its AI tools, Walmart securing two new patents for algorithmic pricing, and OpenAI planning a desktop superapp.