OpenAI Gears Up for a Big Announcement

Apple Store Workers Authorize Strike

By Rebecca Szkutak and Haje Jan Kamps

May 13, 2024 | 11 minutes listen

As we dive into this week’s episode of Equity, we have some exciting news to share. Last weekend was a busy one for Apple Store employees in Towson, Maryland, where workers voted to authorize a strike. This move comes after months of negotiations between the union and Apple over work-life balance, unpredictable scheduling, and wages.

The Strike Authorization

While the exact date of the strike has not been determined yet, the union has been actively negotiating with Apple since January 2023. The issues at hand include:

  • Work-Life Balance: Employees are seeking more flexible schedules to better manage their personal lives.
  • Unpredictable Scheduling: Workers want more consistent and predictable scheduling to ensure they can plan their lives accordingly.
  • Wages: Employees are pushing for higher wages to reflect the value they bring to the company.

OpenAI’s Livestream Event

In other news, OpenAI is gearing up for a major announcement. While rumors have circulated about the company releasing a Google search competitor, Sam Altman has put those rumors to rest. However, it’s likely that OpenAI will announce at least a search feature within ChatGPT.

Pitch Deck Teardown: Cloudsmith

Haje takes over with another Pitch Deck Teardown, this time highlighting Cloudsmith, which secured $15 million for its cloud platform. The company’s 2021 round was the largest Series A for a Northern Ireland-based startup since 2005, demonstrating their innovative approach to the market.

Equity Podcast

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, or all the casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads at @EquityPod.

Full Episode Transcript

For those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes over at Simplecast.

About Our Hosts

Rebecca Szkutak is a senior reporter at TechCrunch covering venture capital trends and startups. She previously covered the same beat for Forbes and the Venture Capital Journal.

Haje Jan Kamps is also a writer at TechCrunch, focusing on general tech news and hardware. He has founded several companies to varying degrees of success and has been involved in the VC world and journalism since his career began.

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