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
Black-owned media company BOMESI has partnered with Black-owned marketing and tech platform Breakr to launch SASA. The new payment and financing platform is designed to give Black-owned publishers and creators access to real-time compensation and campaign liquidity. The rollout supports BOMESI’s mission to build sustainable financial systems for diverse-owned media and address one of the industry’s biggest challenges: slow payment cycles that can take up to 90 days. Tackling Delayed Payments with SASA BOMESI (short for Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute) is an ecosystem that drives sustainable growth for independent, community-based, and
Campus, a Black-owned community college startup, has acquired Sizzle AI, an AI learning platform founded by former Meta AI chief Jerome Pesenti, who will join as Chief Technology Officer. “Acquiring Sizzle accelerates our engineering roadmap by 2-3 years,” said Tade Oyerinde, founder and Chancellor of Campus, in a press release. “They’ve built the best AI team in education and their infrastructure is so far ahead of anyone else – it’s super exciting.” Rethinking the Community College Model In American higher education, community colleges serve as gateways for students aiming to
Join our Patreon for extra-long episodes and ad-free content: https://www.patreon.com/techish Techish is back! In this week’s episode, hosts Michael and Abadesi break down Gen Z’s job market struggles, from AI shaking up entry-level roles to companies cutting costs and outsourcing instead of hiring fresh talent. They dig into why degrees aren’t translating into jobs, how AI panic is reshaping the workplace, and why some businesses are still dragging their feet on automation. And for our Patreon listeners: we dive into UK Black History Month losing steam, and Michael and Abadesi
Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has raised concerns over the use of AI to recreate deceased public figures. Users have been generating AI videos of celebrities through OpenAI’s Sora app. The app, which launched in September, Sora 2 allows users to create videos from simple text prompts. The app was downloaded over a million times within five days of its release, according to the BBC. However, the app is now facing backlash from the families of deceased celebrities, including Dr. Bernice A. King herself. Blacklash over
Jaden and Willow Smith are partnering with Black-owned media company studio N LITE to produce and voice roles in upcoming films. The anime studio, which is based in the US and Tokyo, was founded by Christiano Malik Terry, a creative entrepreneur and filmmaker. “We are honored to collaborate with Jaden and Willow,” Terry told The Hollywood Reporter. They are pillars of this generation and talented storytellers at the zeitgeist of culture, art, fashion, music, and cinema. I can’t wait for the world to see what we have in store.” Jaden
