The Morning After: Tech's biggest winners of 2025

"As we wrap up 2025, we're looking at the year's biggest winners: the people, companies, products and trends that made the most impact over the year. Almost at the top of the pile, of course, are the tech billionaires. According to a recent report by Oxfam, the 10 richest US billionaires (who are all tech leaders, save for Warren Buffet) increased their wealth by $698 billion in 2025. Some of that has been spent treating and lavishing donations on President Trump."

"Thanks to updates from Meta, Google, OpenAI and others, AI video is more realistic and easier to make than ever. AI video is everywhere. It's not only overtaken your Facebook and Instagram recommendations, but Meta created an entirely separate feed just for users' AI-generated fever dreams. The numbers are huge: OpenAI's Sora, which lets you make AI videos of real people, was downloaded a million times in just a few days."

"Paramount wasn't going to let Netflix pick up Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) without a fight. Following the streaming service's $82.7 billion deal to buy much of WBD, Paramount is making a hostile takeover bid of $108 billion, pitching directly to WBD shareholders with an all-cash offer of $30 per share, which expires on January 8. Last week, the WBD board unanimously accepted Netflix's offer of $27.75 per share. That breaks down to $23.25 per share in cash and another $4.50 per share in Netflix stock."

Tech billionaires captured outsized gains in 2025, with the ten richest US figures increasing wealth by $698 billion and some directing large donations toward President Trump, including nearly $300 million reportedly from Elon Musk and corporate contributions to White House projects. Simultaneously, AI-generated video became pervasive and more accessible after updates from Meta, Google and OpenAI, driving millions of downloads and tens of millions of created videos. Consumer platforms introduced dedicated AI feeds as generative video content proliferated. Major media consolidation played out as Paramount launched a $108 billion hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery while Netflix pursued a separate acquisition strategy.

Read at Engadget