Bloomberg just published a cool interactive piece about AI’s effect on global power systems. In short, AI is driving up the need for data centers and, in turn, energy to power them, generally wreaking havoc on energy grids.
The war to build a better AI model may be mostly happening in Silicon Valley, but now another important front has opened: Washington, DC.
Anthropic announced a $20 million donation to Public First Action, a new super PAC that advocates for AI policies and regulations that prioritize public safety. The PAC describes itself as “a counterforce that will defend the public interest against those who aim to buy their way out of sensible rule-making.”
The move is seen as a counter to OpenAI’s growing investments in PACs that argue for less AI regulation.
OpenAI recently donated to Leading the Future PAC, which has received over $50 million from the family of OpenAI president and cofounder Greg Brockman, and the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. The PAC says it is focused on “identifying, maintaining, and growing pro-AI candidates in order to support an AI innovation policy agenda at the state and federal level.”
OpenAI’s Brockman and his wife, Anna, recently donated a total of $25 million to the pro-Trump MAGA, INC. PAC.
OpenAI recently donated to Leading the Future PAC, which has received over $50 million from the family of OpenAI president and cofounder Greg Brockman, and the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. The PAC says it is focused on “identifying, maintaining, and growing pro-AI candidates in order to support an AI innovation policy agenda at the state and federal level.”
OpenAI’s Brockman and his wife, Anna, recently donated a total of $25 million to the pro-Trump MAGA, INC. PAC.
US federal employment levels already hit a 12-year low in October.
As the Department of Justice probes Netflix’s proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, it has reportedly subpoenaed at least one other entertainment company to investigate whether the streamer has taken part in anticompetitive behavior.
Netflix said the DOJ is conducting a standard review and it expects its acquisition to be approved.
Per Wall Street Journal reporting, the DOJ is also seeking out information on how Paramount’s proposed acquisition could harm competition in the entertainment industry.
Netflix has argued that its acquisition of WBD would not be anticompetitive, as there is an 80% overlap in Netflix and HBO Max subscribers. The company has said it competes not just with streaming services but also with broader content platforms like YouTube and TikTok for attention. Netflix booked $45.2 billion in revenue in 2025, compared to YouTube’s $60 billion.
The streamer has repeatedly said it will stick to a 45-day theatrical release window for Warner Bros. films. Movie theater trade groups have pointed out that after theatrical release, many films move to premium video on-demand (PVOD), where they can be digitally rented or purchased for several more weeks or months before moving to streaming (subscription video on-demand, or SVOD). According to Cinema United, the average SVOD window for major theatrical films is 102 days, significantly longer than the potential 45-day window for Netflix.
Per Wall Street Journal reporting, the DOJ is also seeking out information on how Paramount’s proposed acquisition could harm competition in the entertainment industry.
Netflix has argued that its acquisition of WBD would not be anticompetitive, as there is an 80% overlap in Netflix and HBO Max subscribers. The company has said it competes not just with streaming services but also with broader content platforms like YouTube and TikTok for attention. Netflix booked $45.2 billion in revenue in 2025, compared to YouTube’s $60 billion.
The streamer has repeatedly said it will stick to a 45-day theatrical release window for Warner Bros. films. Movie theater trade groups have pointed out that after theatrical release, many films move to premium video on-demand (PVOD), where they can be digitally rented or purchased for several more weeks or months before moving to streaming (subscription video on-demand, or SVOD). According to Cinema United, the average SVOD window for major theatrical films is 102 days, significantly longer than the potential 45-day window for Netflix.
With a pro-tech, pro-AI administration in Washington, DC, Meta has decided the next battlegrounds that it needs to flood with cash are in individual states.
Starting in Meta’s home state of California, the tech giant is pledging $65 million to a pair of super PACs that it created to fund pro-tech and pro-AI candidates at the state level, according to a report from Politico.
Meta has funded the American Technology Excellence Project ($45 million) and Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (META) California ($20 million) to push back on what it sees as burdensome AI regulations coming from state legislatures.
The META California PAC will support tech-friendly candidates regardless of party.
Starting in Meta’s home state of California, the tech giant is pledging $65 million to a pair of super PACs that it created to fund pro-tech and pro-AI candidates at the state level, according to a report from Politico.
Meta has funded the American Technology Excellence Project ($45 million) and Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (META) California ($20 million) to push back on what it sees as burdensome AI regulations coming from state legislatures.
The META California PAC will support tech-friendly candidates regardless of party.
