Is Facebook’s rebrand just a strategic move to create a portfolio of CEO’s that allow the founder to move into a space that is removed from scandal and scrutiny?
MAT COLE ON
Facebook has officially announced that it will change its name to meta, signalling a new era for the social media giant.
The name change follows months of scrutiny and growing public distrust around the social media giant.
The shift will see a new focus on becoming a computing platform specialising in virtual reality and the metaverse.
Chief Executive and Founder Mark Zuckerberg says the metaverse is the next frontier and from now on the company will be metaverse first, not Facebook first.
But Facebook is under fire – so is Zuck looking to play the blame game?
Mat Cole from ACT media ventures this sort of re architecture of their portfolio, allows the appointment of CEOs for WhatsApp, CEO for Facebook and a CEO for Instagram, but Zuck will always controls the company
META
“Expect a new Facebook CEO, who will be the one facing the senate enquiries, while the founder and actual leader of Facebook will be of wearing Facebook glasses on morning television”
COLE SAID.
“Mark Zuckerberg as a founder, can now move away and create a shield from all the bad press that they’re getting.”
But behind the speeches, feel good stories about Facebook’s growth and ultimately – a rebrand, what will change?
Cole says the data policies across all of their business will not change and has not changed.
“By allowing him to pull in CEOs, what it does is every time that there is a controversy, and Facebook has a an amazing history of 10 years, you no longer have consistent controversies,” he told ticker.
META
“Instead of turning up and sitting in front of Congress and be grilled, he can say no, not me. Go and speak to the CEO of Facebook, or go and speak to the CEO of WhatsApp, or go and speak to the CEO of Instagram.”
Are people all going to flock to this idea of virtual reality?
META
“We’re not all going to buy VR goggles and jump into work. Like that’s that’s just not going to happen,” Cole says.
"We're not all going to buy VR goggles and jump into work" #Facebook users are an older group & Mat Cole from ACT Capital Ventures says a #metaverse can't happen in a centralised environment like Facebook pic.twitter.com/CN3KgILMaX
“Facebook’s users are an older group, which have a less likelihood of being able to jump in and buy virtual reality headsets. They’re just not going to do that.”
Cole says the Metaverse is part of a broader conversation, “a disconnected, interoperable, landscape of technology.”
“So I can take my avatar from work, play, to dating, and all of that can happen in the metaverse. It doesn’t happen in these, centralised environments. And that’s what Facebook talking about.”
“So it’s quite wrong in terms of what the metaverse is. So I think, it doesn’t always have to be in VR goggles, which is a lot of what Facebook is, is talking about adoption being predicated upon.”
In Short:
– OpenAI launched GPT-5.1 with two models to improve ChatGPT’s conversation and user control.
– The update, initially for paid users, addresses prior complaints and introduces adaptive reasoning and personality presets.
OpenAI launched GPT-5.1 today, featuring two upgraded models aimed at enhancing ChatGPT’s conversational abilities and providing users better control over its personality.The update started rolling out to paid subscribers on November 12, introducing GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking, both designed to address complaints regarding the original GPT-5 release in August.
GPT-5.1 Instant is said to be “warmer by default and more conversational,” with early testers noting its playfulness while remaining clear and useful.
The launch follows a backlash from users after GPT-5’s release, who criticized its “colder” tone and the removal of previous models like GPT-4o. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, admitted that discontinuing GPT-4o “was a mistake” and acknowledged the emotional attachment users had to specific models.
Adaptive Reasoning
GPT-5.1 Instant introduces adaptive reasoning, which helps it determine when to “think before responding” to complex questions.
This leads to marked improvements in mathematical and coding tasks. GPT-5.1 Thinking adjusts processing time based on the task, resulting in clearer explanations and improved ease of use for various tasks.
The new version includes six personality presets, allowing users to tailor interactions. OpenAI aims for the model to integrate cognitive and emotional intelligence effectively.
For now, the rollout is for paid users, with free access occurring soon. Both models will be available via API, and legacy models will remain accessible for three months.
In Short:
– Apple has postponed the iPhone Air’s launch due to poor sales of the current model.
– Production of the iPhone Air will stop, with Foxconn and Luxshare ceasing manufacturing by November and October respectively.
Apple has delayed the launch of its second-generation iPhone Air, which was scheduled for fall 2026, due to disappointing sales of the current model that debuted two months ago, as reported by The Information.Engineers and suppliers have been informed that the iPhone Air will be removed from the production schedule without a new release date.
The decision coincides with a significant reduction in the production of the existing model. Foxconn is expected to cease all manufacturing by the end of November, while Luxshare will stop production by the end of October.
Sales for the iPhone Air have not met Apple’s expectations since its launch in September. Foxconn has limited its production lines for the device, and future orders are projected to decrease significantly. A survey indicated nearly no demand for the iPhone Air, with consumers instead choosing the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models.
Production Challenges
The underperformance of the iPhone Air continues a trend of failed attempts by Apple to add a fourth model to its lineup.
The iPhone mini was previously discontinued after poor sales, followed by the larger Plus models, which faced similar challenges.
Apple had intended to develop a lighter second-generation iPhone Air with improved specifications but may now reconsider its design approach. The company also has plans for a staggered launch of the iPhone 18 lineup set for 2026 and early 2027.
In Short:
– Wall Street started November mixed as AI deals boosted tech stocks, especially Amazon’s share price after a major agreement.
– OpenAI plans $1.4 trillion investment for computing resources, with Big Tech predicting over $250 billion AI infrastructure spending this year.
Wall Street began the month with mixed performances as major artificial intelligence deals influenced tech stocks positively, while broader market indices diverged.
Amazon’s shares rose over 5% following a significant $38 billion cloud services agreement with OpenAI, contributing to gains for the Nasdaq despite a decline in the Dow.The seven-year collaboration with Amazon Web Services marks OpenAI’s first major partnership with AWS, offering access to Nvidia graphics processing units essential for its AI expansion.
Amazon commented on the soaring demand for computing power resulting from rapid AI advancements, aiming for full capacity deployment by the end of 2026.
Microsoft also sealed a $9.7 billion agreement with IREN, highlighting the industry’s insatiable need for cloud capacity.
The collaborations depict Big Tech’s ongoing commitment to AI infrastructure, with significant investments aimed at catering to the escalating demand for computing resources.
Investment Perspective
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed intentions to invest $1.4 trillion to create 30 gigawatts of computing resources.
Major players, including Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta, have adjusted their capital expenditure forecasts for 2025, anticipating AI infrastructure spending to surpass $250 billion this year.
Despite market caution regarding inflated valuations, analysts remain optimistic about growth in the sector. Even amidst fears of an AI bubble, industry leaders assert ongoing investments will continue to bolster market performance through 2026.