Opens in a new tab

Breaking news

OpenAI Plots Social Media Disruption—And Elon Musk Won’t Like It

by News Editor

OpenAI is quietly building a social network that could rival Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), according to The Verge. Still in its early stages, the project has already sparked intrigue—and may further fuel the public feud between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his once-ally Musk.

Inside OpenAI’s Social Experiment

Sources familiar with the initiative say there’s already an internal prototype featuring an image-focused social feed powered by ChatGPT. It’s unclear whether the platform will launch as a standalone app or be embedded directly into the ChatGPT interface, but the direction is clear: OpenAI wants in on social.

Altman is reportedly soliciting advice from external experts behind the scenes. Though OpenAI has yet to confirm the project, the idea itself signals a dramatic expansion of its ambitions—from foundational AI models to consumer-facing platforms.

A Brewing Tech Rivalry

A move into social media would place OpenAI in direct competition with tech giants like Meta, which is building its own AI-driven social platform, and X, which Musk acquired in 2022.

The timing is anything but neutral. Altman and Musk have clashed repeatedly over the direction of OpenAI. Musk, a co-founder of the company, departed in 2018 and has since become one of its loudest critics. In February, he led a group of investors in a failed $97.4 billion bid to seize control of the company—an offer Altman flatly rejected.

Their conflict escalated into legal warfare: Musk sued OpenAI and Altman last year, accusing them of abandoning the startup’s original nonprofit mission. Earlier this month, OpenAI fired back with a countersuit, accusing Musk of attempting to sabotage its business transition. The case is headed to trial next spring.

Catching Up With The Data Giants

If OpenAI launches a social network, it faces an uphill battle. Meta and X already sit on mountains of user-generated data—fuel for training powerful AI systems. OpenAI, despite its dominance in generative AI, lacks that kind of proprietary dataset.

Still, the idea isn’t without precedent. In February, after Meta’s social AI project leaked, Altman posted a cryptic jab on X: “Okay, maybe we can make a social app.” It may have been more than just a joke.

If this experiment becomes real, OpenAI won’t just be competing for attention—it will be reshaping the interface between AI and the social internet.

Tether-Like Social Network Amid Tensions with Musk

OpenAI is quietly building a social network that could rival Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), according to The Verge. Still in its early stages, the project has already sparked intrigue—and may further fuel the public feud between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his once-ally Musk.

Inside OpenAI’s Social Experiment

Sources familiar with the initiative say there’s already an internal prototype featuring an image-focused social feed powered by ChatGPT. It’s unclear whether the platform will launch as a standalone app or be embedded directly into the ChatGPT interface, but the direction is clear: OpenAI wants in on social.

Altman is reportedly soliciting advice from external experts behind the scenes. Though OpenAI has yet to confirm the project, the idea itself signals a dramatic expansion of its ambitions—from foundational AI models to consumer-facing platforms.

A Brewing Tech Rivalry

A move into social media would place OpenAI in direct competition with tech giants like Meta, which is building its AI-driven social platform, and X, which Musk acquired in 2022.

The timing is anything but neutral. Altman and Musk have clashed repeatedly over the direction of OpenAI. Musk, a co-founder of the company, departed in 2018 and has since become one of its loudest critics. In February, he led a group of investors in a failed $97.4 billion bid to seize control of the company—an offer Altman flatly rejected.

Their conflict escalated into legal warfare: Musk sued OpenAI and Altman last year, accusing them of abandoning the startup’s original nonprofit mission. Earlier this month, OpenAI fired back with a countersuit, accusing Musk of attempting to sabotage its business transition. The case is headed to trial next spring.

Catching Up with the Data Giants

If OpenAI launches a social network, it faces an uphill battle. Meta and X already sit on mountains of user-generated data—fuel for training powerful AI systems. OpenAI, despite its dominance in generative AI, lacks that kind of proprietary dataset.

Still, the idea isn’t without precedent. In February, after Meta’s social AI project leaked, Altman posted a cryptic jab on X: “Okay, maybe we can make a social app.” It may have been more than just a joke.

If this experiment becomes real, OpenAI won’t just be competing for attention—it will be reshaping the interface between AI and the social internet.

Esports Must Put Children’s Rights Ahead Of Competitive Ambitions, Report Says

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

Competitive gaming can help children build skills, find community and pursue achievement. However, as esports grows, young players face health, psychological and online safety risks, often without consistent safeguards, according to a new report from Save the Children.

The report, Protecting Child Rights in Esports, estimates that up to 300 million children worldwide participate in esports. It calls on the industry to prioritise the rights set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child over competitive ambitions.

Potential risks include disrupted sleep, musculoskeletal pain, anxiety, depression, sexism and online harassment. Intensive training can also leave less time for education, family and friends.

“Esports offers exciting opportunities for children, but participation should never come at the expense of their rights, wellbeing or development,” said Theo Toresson, a psychologist and gaming expert at Save the Children.

Children must be treated “as children first and competitors second”, he added, calling for their involvement in decisions that affect them.

Training Standards Remain Uneven

The report highlights the lack of widely established standards for training hours and methods. Extended periods of sitting, insufficient breaks and schedules that interfere with sleep, exercise and schoolwork can affect young players’ health and development.

Poor posture and long sessions may also cause neck, shoulder and wrist pain, while late-night gaming can undermine sleep, concentration and mood.

Although some organisations provide guidance on breaks, nutrition, sleep and hydration, a representative of a national esports federation told the report that this advice often draws on separate studies rather than a centralised set of guidelines.

The report also notes positive findings: many professional esports players report satisfactory levels of physical activity, and higher-ranking players often place greater emphasis on fitness.

Online Harassment Adds To Mental Health Risks

Gaming communities and livestreaming platforms can help young players build connections and public profiles, but they may also expose them to cyberbullying, discrimination and privacy violations.

An analysis cited in the report examined chatrooms across 302 gameplay segments involving the 20 most popular Twitch streamers. It found sexist language in 62% of streams, racist language in 37%, ableist language in 84% and violent language in 97%.

Some esports federations and teams require staff to receive mental health first-aid training, but the practice remains uncommon. Young competitors may also face public scrutiny through livestreams, interviews and social media before they have the support to manage it.

Safeguards Must Extend Beyond Gameplay

The report raises further concerns about unequal participation linked to gender, race, LGBTQIA+ identity and disability. It also highlights children’s limited involvement in decisions affecting them and the risk of economic exploitation by teams, agents or parents, particularly where contracts lack transparency.

Inadequate supervision at live events presents additional risks.

Save the Children argues that protecting young competitors requires more than advice on posture and screen breaks. Clear standards, responsible oversight and age-appropriate safeguards are needed to ensure esports supports children’s development rather than putting it at risk.

As competitive gaming expands, the industry faces growing pressure to make children’s rights and wellbeing part of its operating standards.

Aretilaw firm
The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties
Uol
eCredo

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter