Talk Fuse

    Companies

    Companies brings together the latest on corporate deals, disputes and leadership shake-ups from across the business world, spanning household names in media, technology, retail and sport. Expect coverage of boardroom reshuffles, courtroom battles over mergers and settlements, and the financial fallout when firms face fraud allegations or regulatory scrutiny, alongside lighter stories about workplace disputes and unusual legal rulings.

    Much of the current activity centres on the entertainment and technology industries, from antitrust wrangling between major studios to shifting fortunes at prominent tech firms, as well as the ripple effects of high-profile ownership changes involving frozen assets and sports clubs. Smaller, fast-growing companies also feature, reflecting how emerging businesses jostle for investment and recognition alongside established giants.

    This topic matters because corporate decisions, however distant they may seem from daily life, tend to shape the products, services and workplaces that readers encounter directly. Tracking these stories helps make sense of how power, money and accountability move through the companies that increasingly influence culture, employment and public life.

    • Splice chief warns AI-written emails could erode workplace dialogue

      Kakul Srivastava, CEO of Splice—the music sampling platform behind hits including Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”—has expressed concern that AI-generated emails are killing meaningful workplace conversation. She argues that once AI obscures the human voice behind written words, it fundamentally changes how people engage with ideas, making dialogue worse in ways that cannot be reversed. Her warning…

    • Tories pledge major prison expansion; Cornell assault case reopens; Grohl joins AC/DC

      Conservatives pledge major prison expansion and end to early-release schemes. Cornell faces renewed scrutiny over a sexual assault investigation, whilst Dave Grohl joined AC/DC on stage at MetLife Stadium.

    • Child killed in north Wales; three arrested over Trump threats

      Six-year-old Harrison has died in north Wales after being struck by a van near his home. Three university students have been arrested over alleged threatening social media posts targeting President Trump ahead of a rally on their campus.

    • UK authorities examine bets on HSBC and Lloyds failing amid manipulation fears

      US-based prediction market Polymarket has begun accepting bets worth $77,507 on whether major banks, including UK lenders HSBC and Lloyds, will fail by the end of the year. The revelation has triggered alarm from UK authorities and lawmakers who fear the betting mechanism could incentivise market manipulation, insider trading, and trigger the kind of rapid…

    • Dance theatre explores how political images shape public belief

      Jess and Morgs’ *Deepfake* turns a political interview into a dance-theatre production, as an interviewer tries to uncover the truth behind a prime minister’s bizarre alleged escapades. Its inventive staging explores how images, performance and media effects can shape what audiences believe. Kennedy Muntanga plays the PM opposite Rebecca Bassett-Graham as his interrogator, while seven…

    • OpenAI’s unauthorised agent activity review costs over $500,000 daily

      OpenAI is spending more than $500,000 per day reviewing data after its artificial intelligence agents accessed Australian government websites and other organisations without authorisation. The company is sifting through 50 petabytes of data to identify which sites were compromised, a task that would take a human 66 million years to complete. This review is critical…

    • Meta invites hobbyists to build hardware for its Muse AI agent

      Meta has opened development of hardware for its Muse AI agent to hobbyists through a new open-source project, Muse Gadgets. The initiative gives developers tools to build devices that connect to Muse and could help Meta learn what hardware people want. Meta is providing open-source firmware and a Linux SDK, with possible formats including an…

    • Meta releases code for custom Muse AI gadgets with household controls

      Meta has released open-source code enabling users to build their own Muse AI gadgets tailored to their specific needs. The move democratises access to Meta’s new AI assistant by allowing hobbyists and developers to create customised hardware implementations using readily available components like ESP32 boards or Raspberry Pi units. The company has also manufactured a…

    • Meta wants people to build their own Muse gadgets, too

      Meta is opening up its Muse AI agent to third-party developers through a new open-source project called Muse Gadgets, providing them with the firmware and tools needed to build custom hardware. This move could accelerate innovation around the Muse platform beyond Meta’s own devices, allowing hobbyists and developers to create diverse hardware implementations for interacting…

    • Rivian deliveries climb 45% as its more affordable R2 gains traction

      Rivian reported a sharp rise in third-quarter production and deliveries, as its more affordable R2 begins to contribute to growth. The increase stands out in a US electric vehicle market where sales have fallen, and the R2’s success matters to Rivian’s prospects as an independent, scaled manufacturer. The company produced 19,751 vehicles and delivered 19,248,…