Meta launches Glimmer open-weight model as Zuckerberg releases 6,500-word manifesto

Meta released Glimmer, an AI model whose weights are open for download and local hardware execution, unlike its more powerful counterpart Muse Spark, which remains locked behind the company’s APIs. The move is accompanied by a lengthy letter from Mark Zuckerberg asserting that AI should be "for everyone" and not controlled by a few labs, while also drawing clear limits: the truly powerful model stays proprietary, and openness applies only to the smaller version.

At the same time, the Equity podcast from TechCrunch disclosed details of a collapsed $250 million acquisition (≈ 920 million shekel) between video-editing startup VideoVerse and media group Minute Media. According to the report, the deal fell apart over allegedly forged documents, reciprocal lawsuits and a missing CEO that no one can locate. Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha and Rebecca Bellan note that the case echoes earlier media-tech merger failures.

Anthropic has begun embedding watermarks in text generated by its models, a step intended to enable detection of synthetic content, but the community reacts negatively. The main complaint is that the mechanism harms usability and output reliability without providing real protection, as malicious actors can bypass it relatively easily.

The episode also surveys the soaring energy costs of the AI industry: Amazon is planning a large data center in Texas, and several startups are tackling grid strain. Form Energy raised $750 million (≈ 2.76 billion shekel) to develop 100-hour batteries; Reservoir invested $8 million (≈ 29 million shekel) in smart water heaters; and Discovered Materials is seeking materials for more efficient chip cooling. On the lighter end, a $300 cocktail-mixing robot (≈ 1,100 shekel) is looking for buyers.

Joby Aviation announced the purchase of a security contractor for $500 million (≈ 1.84 billion shekel), a move Korosec compares to last year’s Blade deal. The backdrop is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which could serve as a showcase for air taxis if regulation and infrastructure mature in time.