Sunday, March 9, 2025

Image Credits: Michael Kovac / Vanity Fair / Getty Images

A federal judge has denied Elon Musk's request for a preliminary injunction to halt OpenAI's conversion into a for-profit company — but as Maxwell Zeff reports, there are reasons for Musk and his legal team to be hopeful.

In her ruling, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers expressed some concerns about the conversion, writing that "significant and irreparable harm is incurred" when public money is used to turn a not-for-profit organization into a for-profit. She also offered an expedited trial in fall 2025.

Musk's lawyer told TechCrunch that his legal team intends to accept the judge's offer. We'll see how OpenAI responds.

Keep reading to see what else TechCrunch is covering this weekend.

Weekend news and opinion

Image Credits: rob dobi / Getty Images

How to stop doomscrolling: It's happening again — I've noticed that I'm spending more and more time staring at my phone and feeling bad. Thankfully, Amanda Silberling has a straightforward guide on how to get this habit under control. Read more

Nine U.S. AI startups have raised more than $100 million this year: It won't surprise you to learn that VCs are writing big checks for AI startups, but it might surprise you how many big checks have already been written (or at least announced) in 2025. Rebecca Szkutak rounds them up, from Anthropic to Together AI. Read more

Five devices that help with smartphone addiction: Sounds like TechCrunch writers are really mulling over their relationships with technology! In this post, Paul Sawers looks at physical devices (like Unpluq's NFC-enabled fob) that can help you get off your phone. Read more

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What else we're reading 📗

With Google's launch this week of "AI Mode," Spyglass' M.G. Siegler looks at the ways AI is disrupting web search and publishing. He sounds surprisingly optimistic (or at least pragmatic) about the changes, suggesting that we may see the emergence of more sustainable, hybrid business models. Read more

Also, Futurism looks at how Netflix's use of AI to upscale the classic sitcom "A Different World" led to "borderline horrific" results. Read more