Welcome to the Future: OpenAI’s Operator is Here to Run Your Life

This week, OpenAI dropped a BOMBSHELL with the launch of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent that’s about to revolutionize how you interact with the web. Imagine a personal assistant that doesn’t just talk – it ACTS. Booking flights? Done. Reserving dinner? Easy. Online shopping? Operator’s got your back. And it’s not just a chatbot – it’s a full-blown AI-powered browser that pops up in a sleek window, explaining every move it makes. Think of it as your digital butler, but faster, smarter, and always on call.

Here’s the kicker: Operator is rolling out first to ChatGPT Pro users in the U.S. for a cool $200 a month. If you’re not on that plan yet, you’re about to feel some serious FOMO.

Elon vs. Sam: The Billion-Dollar AI Showdown

Meanwhile, the tech world is buzzing about the feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over Stargate, OpenAI’s massive $500 billion infrastructure project. Musk claims the funding isn’t there, but let’s be real – he’s not exactly a neutral party. With a lawsuit against OpenAI hanging over his head, this drama is juicier than a Netflix series.

Hackers Hijack Subarus – Yes, Really

In other news, hackers found a way to remotely unlock, start, and track millions of Subarus. Thanks to vulnerabilities in a Subaru web portal, these cyber-criminals could hijack car controls and track drivers. Subaru has since patched the issue, but this is a wake-up call for car manufacturers everywhere. Your car isn’t just a vehicle – it’s a computer on wheels.

TechCrunch Week in Review: The Highlights

• Samsung Unpacked: The Galaxy S25 line stole the show, alongside new Gemini Live features and smart home tech advancements. Missed it? We’ve got you covered.
• Perplexity Assistant: The AI-powered search engine launched its own assistant, capable of multi-app actions. Your Android just got a whole lot smarter.
• MrBeast Eyes TikTok: The YouTube legend is in talks to join bids for TikTok’s U.S. operations. It’s not just his wealth – it’s his star power that’s turning heads.
• Fitbit’s Burn Problem: Fitbit settled for $12.25 million over burns caused by its Ionic smartwatch. Ouch.
• Tumblr TV: Tumblr finally launched its GIF discovery feature, now with short-form videos to take on TikTok. Your 2012 fandom GIFs might still be there – go check!
• Smol AI Models: Hugging Face released SmolVLM-256M and SmolVLM-500M, the tiniest AI models capable of analyzing images, videos, and text. Small but mighty.
• Power-Over-Skin: Carnegie Mellon researchers unveiled tech that lets electrical currents travel through human skin to power devices like pacemakers and wearables. The future is literally under your skin.
• Stripe Layoffs: The fintech giant cut 300 jobs but plans to grow its headcount by 17% in 2025. A bump in the road or a strategic pivot?
• Meta’s Copycat Move: Meta launched Edits, a video editing app, right after CapCut was removed from app stores. Coincidence? We think not.
• TikTok Backup Plan: Dewey lets you save your favorite TikToks in case the app disappears again. Because let’s face it – TikTok’s future is still up in the air.

“The future isn’t just coming – it’s already here. From AI agents to skin-powered tech, the next decade will redefine what’s possible.”

TechCrunch Week in Review

What’s Next?

This week was a rollercoaster of innovation, drama, and jaw-dropping tech. Whether it’s OpenAI’s Operator, Elon’s beef with Sam, or the rise of skin-powered devices, one thing’s clear: the future is moving FAST. Buckle up – it’s only going to get crazier from here.