Product & Design Pulse v69

🎧 Audio Overview [BETA]

Last week…

1. Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros.

   Netflix announced plans to acquire Warner Bros., marking one of the most significant entertainment mergers in decades. The deal would give Netflix control of Warner’s vast film and TV library—including DC, HBO, and major franchise IP—strengthening its position against streaming competitors. Regulators are expected to scrutinize the acquisition closely, given its potential to reshape the global entertainment landscape.

2. OpenAI’s Altman Declares “Code Red” as Google Threatens AI Lead

   Sam Altman has reportedly issued a “code red” inside OpenAI, pushing teams to rapidly improve ChatGPT as new Google models begin to challenge OpenAI’s leadership. The internal directive reflects rising competitive pressure as Google’s latest Gemini systems show significant capability gains. The report highlights how the race for AI dominance is accelerating—and becoming more public.

3. New York Times Sues Perplexity AI Over Copyright Violations

   The New York Times has filed a lawsuit accusing Perplexity AI of intentionally scraping and reproducing copyrighted journalism without permission. The suit alleges “systematic copying,” misuse of paywalled content, and the creation of AI outputs that compete directly with the Times’ reporting. The case could become a defining legal battle over how news media and AI companies negotiate data rights.

4. Commission Fines X €120 Million Under the Digital Services Act

   The European Commission fined X €120 million in its first enforcement action under the Digital Services Act, citing the platform’s “deceptive design” of blue checkmarks that imply verification even when no real identity checks occur.  The decision also faults X for a lack of transparency in its ads repository and for failing to provide researchers with appropriate access to public data.  X now has strict deadlines—60 working days to outline how it will fix the deceptive checkmark system and 90 days to address the ads and researcher-access issues—or risk further penalties. 

5. Meta Planning Deep Cuts to Metaverse Initiatives

   Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is preparing significant cuts to the company’s metaverse investments, shifting resources toward AI and more near-term revenue opportunities. Internal teams reportedly face budget reductions, consolidation, and potential cancellations of long-running AR/VR projects. The move signals a strategic retrenchment after years of heavy spending that produced slower-than-expected consumer adoption.

6. EU Opens Aantitrust Investigation Into Meta’s WhatsApp Chatbot Policy

   The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Meta’s new policy governing how third-party AI providers (chatbots) can access WhatsApp, amid concerns it may unfairly restrict competing services. Regulators are probing whether Meta is using its control over WhatsApp to disadvantage rival AI assistants by limiting or removing their ability to operate on the platform. If the policy is found to abuse Meta’s dominant position or violate the Digital Markets Act, the company could face fines and be forced to restore more open access for competing chatbots.

7. Apple Design Executive Alan Dye Joins Meta in Major Talent Coup

   Meta has poached longtime Apple design leader Alan Dye, marking one of the most significant design-talent moves in recent years. Dye, who helped shape some of Apple’s most iconic interfaces, will reportedly lead major design efforts across Meta’s hardware and AI products. The hire reinforces Meta’s push to elevate product craft as it competes more directly with Apple in AR, wearables, and AI-enabled devices.

8. Google, Nvidia, and OpenAI: The Strategic Triangle

   Ben Thompson analyzes the increasingly intertwined strategies of Google, Nvidia, and OpenAI as each company seeks dominance in AI infrastructure and model deployment. Nvidia’s hardware lead, Google’s integrated stack, and OpenAI’s rapid productization form a competitive triangle with overlapping but diverging incentives. The piece argues that ecosystem control—not just model quality—is becoming the defining battlefield.

9. Meta Acquires AI Wearables Startup Limitless

   Meta has acquired Limitless, an AI wearables startup known for lightweight recording and transcription devices. The acquisition strengthens Meta’s hardware and AI assistant ambitions as it builds toward a broader ecosystem of ambient computing products. Analysts see the move as part of Meta’s strategy to counter Apple and OpenAI in the emerging market for everyday AI companions.

📱 Product & Feature Highlights

🎙️ Interviews

🎨 Design Focus

📚 Resources

🧠 For the Nerds

👀 Fun & Interesting Things