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OpenAI is working on X-like social media network, the Verge reports

In February, a consortium of investors led by Musk made an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid for the control of OpenAI, only to be rejected by Altman with a swift “no thank you.” (REUTERS/File)
In February, a consortium of investors led by Musk made an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid for the control of OpenAI, only to be rejected by Altman with a swift “no thank you.” (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 16 April 2025

OpenAI is working on X-like social media network, the Verge reports

OpenAI is working on X-like social media network, the Verge reports
  • The project remains in its early stages, with its release as a standalone application or integration into ChatGPT yet to be determined, report says
  • Potential move could escalate tensions between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and X’s owner Elon Musk

LONDON: OpenAI is working on its own X-like social media network, the Verge reported on Tuesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
There is an internal prototype focused on ChatGPT’s image generation that has a social feed, the report said.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been privately asking outsiders for feedback about the project, which is still in early stages, according to the Verge. It is unclear whether the company plans to release the social network as a separate application or integrate it into ChatGPT, the report said.
The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The potential move could escalate tensions between Altman and billionaire Elon Musk — the owner of X and an OpenAI co-founder who left the startup in 2018 before it emerged as a front-runner in the generative artificial intelligence race.
The feud has intensified in recent months. In February, a consortium of investors led by Musk made an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid for the control of OpenAI, only to be rejected by Altman with a swift “no thank you.”
Musk had sued the ChatGPT maker and Altman last year, alleging they had abandoned OpenAI’s original goal of developing AI for the benefit of humanity — not corporate gain.
OpenAI counter-sued Musk earlier this month, accusing him of a pattern of harassment and attempting to derail its shift to a for-profit model. The two parties are set to begin a jury trial in spring next year.
An OpenAI social network could also put the company in direct competition with Facebook-owner Meta, which is reportedly working on a standalone Meta AI service. In February, Altman responded on X over media reports on Meta’s plans, saying “ok fine maybe we’ll do a social app.”
Both Meta and X have access to a massive amount of data — public content posted by users on their social media platforms — that they train their AI models on.


YouTube to roll out AI video generation model Veo 3 on Shorts in MENA

YouTube to roll out AI video generation model Veo 3 on Shorts in MENA
Updated 07 November 2025

YouTube to roll out AI video generation model Veo 3 on Shorts in MENA

YouTube to roll out AI video generation model Veo 3 on Shorts in MENA
  • Veo 3 on Shorts can create high-definition videos in English, but platform said it is looking to expand to more languages and creators
  • According to YouTube’s own figures, 61 percent of Saudi YouTube Shorts users reported that they do not use Instagram Reels

LONDON: YouTube announced on Thursday that it will begin rolling out Veo 3, Google’s most advanced AI video generation model, on YouTube Shorts — free of charge to selected countries in the MENA region — over the coming weeks.

The announcement came during YouTube’s flagship advertiser event, Brandcast, marking the platform’s renewed push into AI as it seeks to solidify its regional presence against competitors TikTok and Meta’s Instagram.

“YouTube has been the launchpad for the creator economy across MENA for over a decade,” said Tarek Amin, YouTube’s regional director for the Middle East, Turkiye & Africa.

“By combining the authentic trust of our creators with powerful AI models like Veo 3, we are offering brands in the region an unmatched ability to drive culture and commerce with audiences they can’t find anywhere else,” he said.

YouTube marked its 20th anniversary since the upload of the historic video, “Me at the zoo,” on April 23, 2005, and has been operating in MENA for more than a decade.

The platform boasts high penetration rates — 94 percent in the UAE and 89 percent in ֱ — making it the dominant video-sharing platform in the region.

According to YouTube’s data, which it described as “significant and unique,” 61 percent of Saudi YouTube Shorts users and 54 percent of UAE users reported that they do not use Instagram Reels.

YouTube reiterated its commitment to regional growth, stating that the introduction of new features reflects its dedication to creators in MENA.

Among these is Veo 3 on Shorts, which can create high-definition videos. Initially, it will be English-first but plans exist to expand to more languages and creators in the future.

The Google-owned platform also plans to broaden the reach of its auto-dubbing feature, currently available to about 51,000 Egyptian creators translating Egyptian Arabic to English — an AI-powered translation tool enabling creators to reach global audiences.

Additionally, YouTube will launch its “Creator Partnerships Hub and Open Call” in 2026 across MENA to help brands streamline collaborations with creators and identify the best fit for their campaigns.

Key consumer trends were also highlighted, including a notable shift in viewer behavior.

A Kantar survey revealed that viewers in ֱ and the UAE rank YouTube as their top platform for researching, vetting or making decisions about brands, products or services — outperforming Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter) and Snapchat.

Sixty percent of surveyed Gen Z viewers in ֱ and the UAE indicated that they prefer watching video product reviews over reading written content or listening to audio reviews.

“We’re building the future of streaming, commerce and entertainment on YouTube,” Amin said. “MENA is a global force in content creation, and we are just getting started.”