For the past decade, Danielle Udogaranya, CEO and co-founder of Ebonix, has been one of the most influential voices championing Black representation in gaming. “Ten years ago today, I stopped accepting what we were given as Black gamers: an afro, some Killmonger locs, a teeny weeny afro, and maybe a low cut fade,” Udogaranya shared in a recent TikTok video. Now, as she marks ten years of reshaping virtual identity, she is celebrating the milestone with a new London exhibition, Black Lines of Code. The exhibition brings together more than 20
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman is taking legal action against companies and individuals who have replicated his iconic voice and likeness without his permission. His stance comes amid growing concerns in Hollywood over the use of AI to create deepfakes and synthetic replications without consent or compensation. Morgan Takes Legal Action Against Unauthorized AI In a recent interview with The Guardian, Freeman made his position clear: “I’m a little PO’d, you know. I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it, and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing
This episode is sponsored by DeleteMe. Get 20% of DeleteMe at joindeleteme.com/techish with code TECHISH. This week on Techish, hosts Michael and Abadesi breakdown Amazon’s cutting 10% of its corporate workforce, the future of HR in tech, why networking and referrals matter more than ever, and leaving a toxic workplace. And for the Patreon folk, did Mango founder Isak Andic fall to his death or was he pushed? Chapters 00:30 Amazon Lays Off 30,000 Employees14:22 Why Referrals Are Key to Beating the Job Market19:10 Exit Interviews at a Toxic Company24:31
Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett’s company Steven.com, which houses his creator media assets and ventures, has closed an eight-figure funding round to build the “Disney of the creator economy.” The round, reportedly the largest of its kind for a creator holding company in Europe, was led by Slow Ventures and Apeiron Investment Group and puts his company’s valuation at $425 million. Bartlett, best known as the host of The Diary of a CEO podcast and a former Dragons’ Den investor, shared the news on X (formerly Twitter). Building the Platform for the Next Creator Era Founded
CBS News has disbanded its race and culture unit as part of sweeping layoffs at parent company Paramount Global that began on Wednesday. A former CBS News producer has accused the company of “race-based layoffs.” Mass Layoffs and Restructuring Last week, Paramount began laying off about 1,000 US-based workers, with plans to eliminate another 1,000 roles in the coming months. The 2,000 layoffs represent roughly 10% of the company’s global workforce. In a memo to employees, CEO David Ellison described the cuts as necessary to eliminate redundancies and “phase out roles that are no longer
Join our Patreon for extra-long episodes and ad-free content: https://www.patreon.com/techish Techish host Michael Berhane and TechCrunch reporter Dominic-Madori Davis unpack what’s really going on with funding for Black founders — and why so many are heading back to the 9-to-5. They also get into Elon Musk’s clash with X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, Meta’s smart glasses and the end of privacy, and why academics need to step out of the ivory tower. Follow Dom on Instagram (@dominicmadori) and subscribe to her Substack, The Black Cat. Chapters 00:28 Black Founders Are
Cactus Jack Foundation, a non-profit founded by rapper Travis Scott, has launched a new initative for students with Space Center Houston. As reported by Complex, the program will allow Houston Independent School District students to engage in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-enriched curriculum. Cactus Jack Foundation’s new initative The program will teach students the necessary skills to pursue careers in engineering, design, and exploration. Students will analyze real-world challenges such as water scarcity, space habitation, and power generation and discuss solutions through virtual and in-person workshops at Cact.Us Design
Social media star Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johsnon, who went viral after posting her Who TF Did I Marry? series on TikTok, has signed a book deal. Storehouse Voices, an imprint within the Crown Publishing Group, acquired the book, which is titled What (TF) Do I Do Now? Not Just a Memoir, It’s a Survival Guide. Johnson is represented by CAA, which negotiated the deal. Johnson’s rise to fame came after posting a video revealing shocking revelations about her ex-husband, Legion, who is dubbed for his deceitful nature. The series unfolds
VIBE has merged with Rolling Stone, according to Billboard. The merger will allow Rolling Stone to expand its hip-hop coverage and take a deeper dive into the genre. Additionally, VIBE will release exclusive collector’s edition issues of the magazine and debut a new interview series featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures across music, sports, and fashion. “We are thrilled to announce that VIBE is joining forces with Rolling Stone,” Julian Holguin, CEO of Rolling Stone, said. “VIBE will continue to power cultural conversations and reestablish itself as a driving force for commentary and reporting. Our goal is
OpenAI has paused video generations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on its new Sora 2 app after backlash over disrespectful AI-generated depictions of the civil rights leader. The company announced the decision on X on Sunday, confirming it had reached a resolution with King, Inc., the organization representing the late Dr. King’s estate. The move comes less than a week after OpenAI launched Sora 2, a video-generation app that allows users to create realistic clips from text prompts. The app quickly went viral, surpassing a million downloads in five
