Weekly Tech Recap: Major Developments in AI, Streaming, and Silicon Valley Feuds

In the ever-evolving world of technology, keeping up with the latest developments can be challenging. Each week, groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence, software, and digital ecosystems shape the industry’s landscape. This week has been particularly eventful, with Jio launching its JioHotstar streaming service, the Sam Altman vs. Elon Musk feud escalating, Perplexity unveiling its Deep Search agent to challenge OpenAI and Google, and Adobe introducing its generative video model.

Here’s a roundup of the top five biggest tech stories of the week.

1. Apple’s Siri Revamp Faces Another Delay

Apple’s highly anticipated Siri overhaul has hit yet another roadblock, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The AI-powered Siri upgrade, announced at WWDC 2024, was initially expected to launch alongside iOS 18, but it was missing from the final release.

The update was then scheduled for April 2025, alongside iOS 18.4, but Apple engineers are reportedly struggling with persistent software bugs and optimization issues. The revised Siri experience, which was expected to offer deeper AI integration, on-device processing, and an enhanced conversational model, may now be pushed to iOS 18.5 or later.

The delay is seen as a setback for Apple’s AI strategy, especially at a time when OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are rapidly advancing in the AI-powered assistant space. Apple remains tight-lipped about the official timeline, but with WWDC 2025 on the horizon, there is speculation that the Siri revamp might debut alongside iOS 19 instead.

2. JioHotstar Launched: India’s Biggest Streaming Merger Goes Live

Reliance Jio has officially launched JioHotstar, a combined streaming platform that merges JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar under a single banner. This strategic move comes after Reliance Industries acquired the Indian operations of Disney+ Hotstar, creating one of the largest OTT platforms in the country.

JioHotstar aims to redefine the streaming market in India by offering:

• Live sports streaming, including IPL, ICC tournaments, and major football leagues
• Exclusive Disney content, including Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars franchises
• A vast catalog of Indian and international movies & TV shows
• Competitive subscription pricing with bundled Jio telecom plans

With this merger, JioHotstar is now the biggest streaming platform in India and a formidable competitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Industry experts believe that this move solidifies Jio’s dominance in the digital content space, leveraging its telecom and broadband network to attract millions of new subscribers.

3. Sam Altman vs. Elon Musk Feud Escalates Over OpenAI Lawsuit

The rivalry between Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI) and Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI) has intensified following Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI. The legal battle, which began last week, accuses OpenAI of violating its original mission of providing AI for the public good and instead commercializing its advancements for Microsoft’s benefit.

Altman fired back at Musk, calling his allegations “factually incorrect and misleading.” He also pointed out Musk’s failed attempts to take control of OpenAI in its early years, suggesting that the Tesla CEO was frustrated about losing influence over the company’s direction.

Meanwhile, Musk’s own AI startup, xAI, has been making aggressive moves to compete with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, with the upcoming launch of Grok AI 2.0 expected soon. The lawsuit, however, has sparked industry-wide debates about the ethical boundaries of AI commercialization and whether Microsoft’s involvement compromises OpenAI’s original non-profit mission.

4. Perplexity Takes on ChatGPT with Deep Search Agent

Perplexity AI, an emerging player in the AI search space, has launched its Deep Search agent, which aims to compete directly with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini AI.

Unlike traditional chatbots, Perplexity’s Deep Search model enhances AI-generated search queries by:

• Providing real-time, citation-based search results
• Combining AI-generated responses with up-to-date web content
• Offering more transparent and verifiable answers compared to ChatGPT’s or Gemini’s models

The launch has been seen as a significant step toward AI-powered search engines that are not limited by outdated training data. With OpenAI rumored to be working on its own AI-powered search product, and Google integrating Gemini AI into Google Search, Perplexity’s move positions it as a strong alternative to mainstream AI chatbots.

5. Adobe Unveils Its First Generative Video Model

Adobe has officially entered the AI video generation race with the launch of its Firefly-powered generative video model. Competing with Runway, Pika Labs, and OpenAI’s rumored Sora model, Adobe’s new AI tool will be integrated into Premiere Pro and After Effects, offering creators AI-powered video editing and generation tools.

Key features include:

• AI-powered text-to-video generation, similar to Midjourney’s text-to-image models
• Advanced AI motion tracking to simplify complex edits
• AI-generated background and object replacement
• Real-time scene enhancement tools

With this launch, Adobe is signaling its intent to lead the AI-driven creative software market, leveraging its dominance in digital media tools to compete with AI-first startups.