Tech News Weekly (Audio) TNW 383: Google Loses DoJ Ad Tech Case - OpenAI, Zuckerberg, o3 & o4-mini
Apr 17, 2025
Dan Moren, East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors and a tech podcast host, breaks down the latest news in tech. He discusses the Department of Justice's win over Google regarding antitrust issues in ad tech. OpenAI's intriguing move to create its own social network is analyzed, pondering its motivations. The episode also touches on Mark Zuckerberg's negotiations with the FTC surrounding Meta's challenges. Additionally, ChatGPT's new AI models perform fascinating 'reverse location searches' using images, showcasing the intersection of tech and privacy.
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Google's Ad Tech Monopoly Insight
- Google lost an antitrust case for using its combined ad tech to maintain monopoly power over ad publishing.
- This case focuses on publishers' lack of alternatives, showing monopoly can exist even if customers don't see it as such.
Law Lags Tech Innovation
- The tech industry is fast-moving but law and regulation are slow, causing a lag in legal responses.
- Similar to early cars lacking safety testing, tech regulation catches up after widespread adoption.
OpenAI's Real Motive for Social Media
- OpenAI aims to build a social network primarily to acquire real-time user data to improve its AI.
- Social media is not very profitable now, so data access motivates OpenAI more than direct profit.