Today’s tech news highlights include OpenAI reversing its plan to remain a nonprofit-controlled organization amid regulatory pressure, Google’s new AI-focused film initiative aimed at boosting its image, and rising privacy concerns following Meta’s launch of its AI chatbot. Additionally, US job growth outperformed expectations despite a decline in IT sector employment, driven by increased demand for AI skills.
▶️ Open Source
Wireless USB Standards Fail to Achieve High-Speed Connectivity
Wireless USB’s competing standards and hardware limitations led to market failure; existing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies ultimately fulfilled WPAN needs, while UWB remains useful for location-based applications.
- Wireless USB standards emerged in early 2000s with competing protocols: WiMedia’s MB-OFDM and DS-UWB, approved by FCC in 2002
- Both standards were incompatible; MB-OFDM backed by Intel and others, DS-UWB led by Motorola; standards disputes caused fragmentation
- Wireless USB devices like Belkin’s Cable-Free USB and Gefen’s Wireless USB Extender demonstrated in 2006-2007 but failed commercially; hardware was limited, speeds far below USB 2.0
- The WiMedia Alliance merged standards into ECMA-368 in 2005; development stalled, and the UWB Forum disbanded in 2007
- Proprietary implementations, such as Atlona’s CW-USB and Gefen’s WiRanger, used 802.11g Wi-Fi or proprietary chips, limited to low bandwidth and insecure encryption (WEP)
- Wireless USB’s promise of high-speed, cableless connectivity was never realized; practical speeds remained slow (e.g., 13 KB/sec in tests), range limited, and compatibility issues persisted
- The concept was largely abandoned by 2008, replaced by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other existing wireless standards that exceeded UWB’s capabilities
- UWB technology persists today in location tracking and precise positioning (e.g., Apple U1 chips, NFL tracking, autonomous vehicles), but not as a high-bandwidth WPAN solution
OpenAI Keeps Nonprofit Control, Reverses For-Profit Transition
OpenAI reversed its plan to become a for-profit, confirming its nonprofit will control the organization, with the business wing transitioning to a PBC, amid legal and political opposition.
- OpenAI announced that its nonprofit division will retain control over its for-profit organization, reversing its previous plan to convert to a for-profit entity.
- The transition involves the business wing, under the nonprofit since 2019, becoming a public benefit corporation (PBC), with the nonprofit remaining a major shareholder.
- The decision follows engagement with civic leaders and legal consultations, after initial plans faced opposition from Elon Musk, ex-OpenAI employees, nonprofits, and civil society organizations.
Databricks Nears $1 Billion Deal to Acquire Open-Source Database Neon
Databricks is negotiating to acquire Neon for about $1 billion, aiming to expand its data and AI offerings, though the deal is not yet finalized and may surpass $1 billion with retention costs.
- Databricks is in advanced negotiations to acquire Neon, an open-source database engine startup, for approximately $1 billion.
- The deal’s status remains uncertain, with talks ongoing and potential total valuation exceeding $1 billion including employee retention packages.
- Neon’s CEO Nikita Shamgunov and the company did not respond to comment requests; Databricks declined to comment.
Security Risks Rise as Easyjson, Linked to Sanctioned Russian VK CEO, Threatens US Security
Security researchers warn that easyjson, widely used in US government and industry, linked to sanctioned Russian VK CEO, may enable malicious manipulation, posing a persistent national security threat.
- The open source serialization library easyjson, used by US government and private sectors, is linked to VK Group and its CEO Sergei Kiriyenko, sanctioned in Feb 2022
- Researchers at Hunted Labs warn that Russia’s ties to easyjson pose a “persistent” national security risk, potentially enabling data theft or espionage
- Easyjson, maintained mainly by Moscow-based developers and hosted on GitHub by a MailRu account owned by VK, is a critical component in cloud-native ecosystems
▶️ Management and Leadership
Perfect Wiki: A Niche Knowledge Base Achieving $250K Annual Revenue
Ilia Pirozhenko created Perfect Wiki, a Microsoft Teams-integrated knowledge base, reaching $250K/year by solving user pain points with minimal team and no investors.
- Ilia Pirozhenko founded Perfect Wiki, a SaaS internal knowledge base integrated into Microsoft Teams, launched in May 2020.
- The product addresses user dissatisfaction with Teams’ built-in Wiki, offering full-text search, simplicity, and seamless Teams integration.
- Over five years, the platform is used by 500+ companies worldwide, generating approximately $250,000 annual revenue, with monthly earnings around $25,000.
- The team consists of two people, with development and support handled internally; marketing and content are outsourced.
- Revenue expenses include $500–$1,000 on Google Cloud, $400–$500 on Algolia, and <$350 on SaaS tools and contractors.
- The product’s growth was driven by direct customer feedback, internal use, and top placement in Microsoft Teams Marketplace search results.
- Future plans include expanding to Slack, integrating ChatGPT, and creating public support portals.
- Key lessons: niche focus, simplicity, and building products for specific problems are crucial for success.
Reclaiming Boredom: How Smartphones Harm Creativity and Well-Being
Christine Rosen highlights how smartphones eradicate interstitial time, impairing creativity and patience, and advocates for embracing boredom to restore mental health and human connection.
- Christine Rosen argues that smartphones and digital distraction have eliminated interstitial time, reducing opportunities for reflection, daydreaming, and patience.
- The loss of unmediated idle moments diminishes creativity, empathy, and memory consolidation, with studies showing increased social isolation and mental health issues.
- Rosen emphasizes the importance of reclaiming boredom and idle time to foster imagination, patience, and mental well-being, advocating for limiting phone use during brief moments of waiting.
Google’s 100 Zeros Initiative Boosts Tech Image with AI Films and Hollywood Partnerships
Google’s 100 Zeros, a multiyear film and TV initiative with Range Media, aims to promote its tech and improve its image among young audiences by funding scripted and unscripted projects, including AI-themed films, without focusing on YouTube distribution.
- Google launched a film and TV production initiative called 100 Zeros in partnership with Range Media Partners.
- The project aims to identify and fund scripted and unscripted films and TV shows to promote Google’s products, such as Immersive View, spatial tools, and AI.
- Early efforts included marketing dollars for the indie horror film Cuckoo, with logo placement in credits, and a partnership called “AI On Screen” to create short films about AI, with plans to develop two into feature films.
US Job Growth Surpasses Expectations Amid IT Sector Challenges and Rising AI Demand
US job growth exceeded expectations in April 2025, but IT pros face job losses due to automation, market pressures, and shifting industry demands, with AI skills increasingly valued.
- US economy added 39,000 more jobs in April 2025 than expected, according to JP Morgan and Bureau of Labor Statistics data
- IT sector experienced a net loss of 10,600 jobs in April, with overall tech jobs decreasing by 214,000 according to CompTIA
- IT unemployment rate among pros fell from 5.0% to 4.6%, while non-IT tech occupation unemployment rose from 3.1% to 3.5%, due to out-of-work IT pros leaving the sector
- Automation and AI adoption are cited as factors reducing demand for new IT hires; companies focus on automating compliance and reporting tasks
- IT outsourcing firms face contract losses and hiring freezes amid tariff pressures and market downturn fears; stock market decline impacts investment
- AI skills demand increased, with a 184% rise in AI-related job postings in April 2025; security roles also remain promising
- Industry leaders suggest acquiring skills in AI and omnichannel e-commerce for job security
OpenAI Reverses Plan to Become a For-Profit PBC Amid Public and Regulatory Pressure
OpenAI reversed its plan to shift control to a for-profit PBC, maintaining nonprofit oversight amid regulatory and public pressure, moving to a standard stock-based structure without capped investor returns.
- OpenAI announced on May 5, 2025, that its for-profit subsidiary will become a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), while its nonprofit parent retains control.
- The decision follows pressure from civic leaders, state Attorneys General of California and Delaware, and an open letter from former employees and AI researchers.
- The restructuring moves away from a capped-profit model to a standard capital structure with stock, with the nonprofit becoming a major shareholder supported by independent financial advisors.
▶️ Technology
Tech Companies Misunderstand Public Concerns Over AI Privacy and Ethics
The article argues that tech companies misunderstand public dislike of AI, emphasizing privacy, ethical, and societal risks, advocating for AI features to be opt-in and disabled by default.
- The author criticizes tech companies’ enthusiasm for AI, citing a lack of understanding of public concerns.
- The Jetbrains developer ecosystem survey included questions about AI, but lacked ethical objections, focusing instead on sci-fi and pop culture references.
- The author personally opposes AI due to risks of antisocial behaviors (misinformation, coordinated inauthenticity, nonconsensual content, industry displacement) and privacy violations, especially with cloud-based models and potential government surveillance.
Meta AI Launch Sparks Privacy Concerns Amid Popularity
Meta’s AI chatbot launched on May 5, 2025, offers personalized responses and social sharing, raising privacy concerns over data use from Facebook and Instagram.
- Meta AI app launched by Mark Zuckerberg on May 5, 2025, available on iOS, ranking No. 2 in free downloads
- Promises a personalized AI with tailored responses and a social network for sharing conversations and images
- Critics express privacy concerns due to Meta AI’s use of personal data from Facebook and Instagram, labeling Meta as “creepy” and untrustworthy