OpenAI shifts: ads, cheaper subscriptions

Nilay owns a Sony TV. He loves his Sony TV, and he's a little sad that it appears this era of Sony TVs is ending. He and David talk through the news of a new joint venture between Sony and TCL, before digging into OpenAI's new-fangled plan to make money (spoiler alert: it's ads!), and some new news about an AI gadget Apple may or may not be working on. Then it's time for the lightning round: Brendan Carr, Netflix, the Trump Phone, and much more.

Further reading:

• The TikTok deal could finally close this week.

• Epic and Google have a secret $800 million Unreal Engine and services deal

• Sony’s TV business is being taken over by TCL 

• What a Sony and TCL partnership means for the future of TVs OpenAI’s 2026 ‘focus’ is ‘practical adoption’ 

• OpenAI releases a cheaper ChatGPT subscription 

• Ads are coming soon to ChatGPT, starting with shopping links 

• Opinion | A.I. Is Real. But OpenAI Might Still Fail.Apple is reportedly working on an AirTag-sized AI wearable 

• Apple is turning Siri into an AI bot that’s more like ChatGPT 

• FCC Targets Colbert and Kimmel in New Crackdown on Late-Night TV - The New York Times

• Bureau Provides Guidance on Political Equal Opportunities Requirement | Federal Communications Commission

• Free TV startup Telly only had 35,000 units in people’s homes last fall

• Microsoft wants to build 15 data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin 

• OpenAI says its data centers will pay for their own energy and limit water usage

• Netflix will revamp its mobile UI this year 

• 600,000 Trump Mobile phones sold? There’s no proof.

• YouTubers will be able to make Shorts with their own AI likenesses 

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices