The US has appointed executives of Meta, Palantir and OpenAI as lieutenant colonels. We have many questions

On June 13, 2025, four executives from some of the world’s largest technology companies donned the uniform of the United States Army at Myer-Henderson Barracks, a ten-minute drive from the Pentagon. After taking the oath, They were appointed lieutenant colonels of the Reserve. The appointment was controversial, but it was made on the occasion of the launch of Detachment 201, a very special army body dedicated exclusively to military innovation. Technological military with a wink. The four new reserve lieutenant colonels are Shyam Sankar, CTO of Palantir, Andrew Bosworth, CTO of Meta, Kevin Weil, CPO of OpenAI and Bob McGrew, advisor to Thinking Machines Labs (Mira Murati’s startup) and former head of research at OpenAI. The name of Detachment 201 is a wink to Silicon Valley, because an HTTP 201 status code on the web means that a resource was successfully created. All four will continue in their current positions while serving as reservists. Sankar’s thesis. Palantir’s CTO has already become a reference in the discourse on how to apply technology to military institutions after publishing on its website 18theses.com the document “Defense reform”. In it he talked about how “warriors fight with weapons and with git.” He criticized the Department of Defense (DoD) for treating technology as “expensive and unaffordable,” and proposed using AI to make military assets work more efficiently and quickly. The germ. The project was conceived by Brynt Oameter, who was responsible for talent management at the Pentagon. His idea was to attract technology experts so that they could take up positions in the Army when necessary. He met Sankar at a conference in early 2024 and began discussing the idea, which ended up crystallizing into a project that Donald Trump promoted. Finger designations. A curiosity: among that group of chosen ones there were no Anthropic executives even though the company was the one that ended up being the chosen one in July 2025 to integrate its AI model, Claude, into Pentagon systems. Then, how do we know, things changed. On Wired they explain how Sankar was the one who volunteered to be part of the project, but also recommended the three people who would end up forming that group with him. What will these four managers do in the Army?. The official mission of these experts is to integrate specialized knowledge in AI, software and data analysis into the Pentagon’s strategy. parameter gave an example: The commander of the Indo-Pacific region is evaluating threats in the Far East for the next ten years and has asked Detachment 201 to explain how AI can affect security in that context. These new lieutenant colonels can also operate more tactically, advising on how soldiers can use the new tools at their disposal. Or what is the same: they will act as consultants to the US Army, but in uniform and having taken the oath, something important because the relationship with the soldiers changes. The inevitable conflict of interest. The Army affirms that there is no conflict of interest because the members of Detachment 201 will not have a vote in the contracts signed with the private sector. The chronology of events tells us otherwise, however: A month before Bosworth took office, Meta announced an agreement with Anduril to develop military augmented reality products. A few months before OpenAI announced an alliance with Anduril in air defense systems. Palantir, Sankar’s company, signed a contract with the Army worth 480 million dollars in December 2024. That doesn’t prove anything, but suspicions are inevitable, because even if they don’t have a vote, they will be able to obtain internal knowledge and data that inevitably benefits their employer companies. But weren’t there going to be limits on AI in the army? Another of the thorny questions that arise from this Detachment 201 is how the recommendations of these experts will be applied on the battlefield. OpenAI theoretically has policies prohibiting its AI models from causing harm or developing military weaponry. However, the explicit mission of this body is to make the US Army be “more lethal”. That contradicts OpenAI statementswhich after allying itself with the Pentagon recently stressed again and again that its models would be used within limits… which is exactly why the Pentagon ended up wanting to turn Anthropic into a pariah company. Two weeks to get the rank. A conventional lieutenant colonel reaches that rank after between fifteen and twenty years of active military career. The members of Detachment 201 received that same rank after two weeks of partially online training that included physical conditioning, shooting as a diagnosis and basic notions of military protocol such as the rank structure and the use of the uniform. They did not complete basic training and have the flexibility to fulfill part of their 120 annual hours of service from home, something not offered to other reservists. All of this has generated reviews within the Army and also comments of all kinds on social networks. Image | DVIDS In Xataka | Anthropic and OpenAI have developed AI. The US Pentagon is showing you who really owns it

A company wants to sell sunlight on demand using gigantic mirrors in space. We have questions

A Californian startup wants to sell solar light at night and, although it has not yet started, many scientists are already putting their hands together. They find it difficult to do it correctly for technical reasons, but they consider that it would be even more serious if these difficulties are resolved. The consequences for people’s health, the environment and the work of astronomers can be devastating. The longest day. The goal of Reflect Orbital is to launch into space a swarm of 4,000 satellites loaded with giant mirrors. These would capture sunlight from the illuminated side of the Earth and reflect it in dark areas. Thus, the solar panels could work 24 hours a day, not only when sunlight naturally falls on them. First steps. For now, the objectives of this startup have been developed only on paper. They already have their first satellite ready, which they have named Eärendil-1, in honor of a JRR Tolkien character. However, They are still waiting for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to of the United States gives the green light for its launch. In principle It is scheduled to take place throughout this month of Aprilbut there is no definitive date. Once in low Earth orbit, this satellite will deploy an 18-meter-wide mirror, which would be capable of illuminating a 5-kilometer patch on Earth. If all goes well, a swarm of 4,000 mirrors could be launched by 2030. The background is not good. There was already a project similar to this developed in Russia in the 1990s. The goal of the project, named Znamya, was to illuminate Siberia in the dark winter months. And they got it. However, the resulting light was so dim and the satellite so difficult to control that the mission was never completed. More than technical difficulties. Fionagh Thomson, researcher in spatial ethics at Durham University, explained in statements to Live Science who does not believe that the project is viable today, since the engineering involved is very complex. They already verified it in Russia. But that’s not all. Both this and other experts warn that a large amount of light pollution would be generated, which could affect the circadian rhythms of living beings in the illuminated environment. It could also dazzle aircraft pilots and make the work of astronomers difficult. Even astronomy enthusiasts trying to look at the sky with binoculars or a telescope could suffer vision damage if they encounter the light reflected from these satellites. After all, the population would not be notified before changing the direction of the mirrors. Worse than Starlink. starlink, Elon Musk’s telecommunications companyhas been receiving criticism for many years for the artificial way in which they illuminate the night sky. However, this company’s satellites accidentally illuminate the Earth. In this case it would be something deliberate and, therefore, even more intense and serious. It’s not worth it. All these risks are not worth it when you consider the results. And many other experts assure that the light that would be obtained would be too dim. The solar radiation that would reach the solar panels, for example, would be a minimum fraction of that which arrives during the day. In order to obtain a sufficient amount of light, an exorbitant number of satellites would have to be launched into space and that would be expensive and even more dangerous. Beware of space debris. If the mirror of Eärendil-1 will measure about 18 meters in diameter, the goal of Reflect Orbital is to launch satellites into space with even larger mirrors, up to 54 meters. In general, they would be giant objects; who would therefore be at greater risk of impacting with meteorites or space junk fragments. The more exposed surface, the more risk. This would not only mean the uncontrolled release of fragments resulting from the impact, it would also cause damage to the structure of the mirrors themselves. A leaky mirror would be even more difficult to control and its harmful effects could worsen. Therefore, although the goal of selling sunlight at night seems feasible on paper, in reality it is complicated and dangerous. We’ll see where all this goes. Image | Reflect Orbital In Xataka | Solar thermal plants are in the doldrums, so now they have two jobs: generating energy by day and hunting asteroids by night

plan itineraries and answer your questions

Let’s explain to you how to create a specialized AI for your next tripcapable of helping you plan itineraries or answer your questions. We are going to use NotebookLM to create a your own specialized AI with the data and knowledge that we give you manually, which can be videos, web pages or online or PDF guides. This is actually quite simple, because with this tool, once the knowledge is uploaded we can use Gemini to process them and give you answers based solely on the data you have given. With this, he will be able to make itineraries for you and answer any questions you want. Use your own sources instead of delegating to one artificial intelligence that searches for results online will allow you maintain control over the information that is used to generate your itinerary. This way, you can ensure that it only uses data from sources that you consider reliable. In addition, you can also make the AI ​​specialized in the specific destination you want to visit. First choose the sources about your destination The most complex step to do this task will be to choose the fonts you want to use so that the AI ​​can rely on it when generating itineraries or answering any question you want. These sources can be links, videos or documents in any language. The ideal for this is save the sources you find in a folderand do it with time. For example, if you have 3 or 4 destinations in mind that you would like to travel to, save the best information you find over the next few months about them in separate folders, and then when you decide where to go you have everything at hand to do the rest. I am aware that this requires planning in advance, being aware that we will be able to use NotebookLM. However, if you want to do all this faster you will also be able to, although you will need to spend a couple of afternoons searching for sources. Please note that our AI will not look for information beyond the sources that we give him. This means that it will only use the data from the links, videos or documents that we attach, and hence the importance of having a good collection. Create a notebook and add your sources Once we have clear sources, it’s time to get to work. For that, let’s go into notebooklm.google.comand create a new notebook. In its free version, you will be able to add up to 50 sources to each notebook, something that should give you plenty to plan a trip. Once you have created your notebook, at the top left you can give it a name. When you do this, you will have a column or tab of Sourcesand in it you can click on the button Add fonts to start adding all the sources that you consider useful or reliable. When uploading files, you can add links to web pages or videos, you can upload files in different formats, and even access Drive to add the ones you have in your cloud. By proxy, you can even add copied text. Here, therefore, now you have to add the links you want and PDF files. In my case, I have added several videos from travel YouTubers who make reports for my destination, I have added some very renowned guides digitized in PDF, and official websites of the destination or the country of the destination that contain guides and all kinds of information. Create your itinerary, save it, ask questions… Now you can start taking advantage of the AI ​​you have created, which will only use the files and websites you have attached as sources. Go to the Chat section and ask him to make you an itinerary for this city or destination, specifying the number of days you want to stay. In just a few seconds, Gemini will generate your itinerary based on the information from the sources. Here, as always with any AI, I recommend that you review everything and don’t stick with the first result. You can ask them to add specific things, take into account some specific aspects, or directly redo the result if you are not convinced. When you already have a guide created to your liking, press the button Save as note which you will have below the answer. When you do, the response will be saved in the tab Studiowhere you can access whenever you want even after you delete the chat history to clean it or ask other different things. Beyond the guide, you will also be able to ask you any other related questions with your destiny. When you do this, Gemini will search through the sources you have uploaded and generate a response. You can ask all the questions you want. And if there is a question for which the AI ​​can’t find an answer in the sources, it will tell you. Then, you could even look for an article or video on that topic to add to your feeds. Inside the section Studiothere are also some tools that may interest you. For example, you can create a custom podcast with the option of Audio Summary. You can ask it, for example, for a list of the essential places to visit, and it will generate it for you based on your sources in audio format so that you can listen to it whenever you want while you do other things. You’ll also have options to ask him the same with video summaries or slideshows. You can choose the format that you like the most or that best suits you, since with these two you can generate content that is easy to see with other people if you are going to meet to talk about the trip. Finally, in the section Studio also you can create a mind map. It may seem like a strange option, but it allows you to have a … Read more

How to create a game with multiple choice questions on any PDF to study with the help of artificial intelligence

Let’s explain to you how to create an interactive multiple choice game to help you study anything. We are going to do it with Claudeand you will only have to upload any PDF with the theme you want, and the artificial intelligence It will process its content and ask you questions about it. For this we are going to use the Claude’s artifactswhich means that they will be fully interactive games. In our case, it will be a test type, with several answers of which there is only one valid. So, if you click on the correct answer it will tell you that it is true, and if you click on the incorrect one it will correct you by giving you all the information about why it is not like that. The positive part of using Claude is that you only need a prompt and it will generate the game artifact for you. However, you should keep in mind that all PDFs you upload will be processed by AI, and that could be stored on servers of the company. Therefore, be careful about uploading files that contain private information. You should also keep in mind that AI is not infallible, and that there may be errors and hallucinations, so it is advisable to verify the answers by other means. In addition, you must also make sure that the PDFs you upload have accurate information. Create your multiple choice question game The only thing you have to do to create your game is write a prompt with which ask the AI ​​to create an artifact and describe the type of game what you want You can start with something simple like the following: I want to create an artifact. This artifact will take the information from a PDF that I upload, and will generate a series of multiple choice questions to learn the content. You will do this using Claude, who will analyze the content of the PDF, detect the most important themes and then generate the questions. Once you write the prompt, Claude will generate the game in a few minutes. At the top prompt you can specify anything you want about the game, both specific mechanics and adding a scoring system such as the number of questions or even the colors of the buttons. Then, on the left side, a window will open where you will be able to start your game. For that, the normal thing is that you simply click on the indicated option and upload the PDF from which you want the questions to be generated. Then, in my case I had to choose the number of questions, and then click on the start button below. When you upload the content and start the game, Claude will begin to analyze the content of the documentunderstanding what it says and based on its information to generate questions. After analyzing the content, the game will start asking you questions. As we have asked it to be a test typeit will ask you questions with several possible answers, and you will have to click on the one you consider to be the correct one. If you got it right, it will tell you. But if you fail to choose the correct answer, it will also indicate the failure. In my case, below the correct or incorrect answers, a fragment of the text appears in which it tells you the correct answer. It is not necessary to stay with the first result. If when you try it you are not convinced, you can return to the conversation and ask Claude for changesspecifying the things you want to change or those you want to add or remove. It will then regenerate the artifact from scratch with your instructions. Save your device to use whenever you want Once you have the device to your liking, in the upper right part of the screen you must click on the down arrow button next to where it says Copy. When you do it, click on the option Publish artifact. This will upload your creation to the servers and keep it saved. By publishing your artifact, anyone will be able to find it, and you will also be given a link to share it. But most importantly, in the artifacts section there is a tab Your artifactsand when you click on it you will see all those that you have created. This will be a good way to reuse the game you created whenever you want. In Xataka Basics | Claude: 23 functions and some tricks to get the most out of this artificial intelligence

How does this number of questions about housing work and what is it for?

Let’s tell you What is telephone 047 and how does it work?. This is a toll-free government telephone number to make inquiries related to housing, and it comes into force from February 2026. With this number, the Government tries to offer citizens a reliable and truthful way to resolve any doubts they may have about housing, but also advice regarding possible conflicts. Let’s explain everything to you. How telephone 047 works The telephone number 047 is intended to access accurate information related to housing. Come on, if you have any questions related to legal or technical aspects of the home, you can call and ask about your rights and obligations. In this number you can make inquiries about topics such as rentals, sales or problems of coexistence with neighbors. You may also ask about urban leases, horizontal property, eviction procedures, prevention mechanisms, social housing and situations of vulnerability or legal protection of tenants. This phone also offers legal advice and support against market abuses. If you believe that your rights are being violated, you can call for help. For this legal part, the Ministry has the collaboration of the General Council of Lawyers of Spain (CGAE), which brings together 83 professional associations promoting arbitration and mediation methods. The idea is that mediation can be done to avoid going to court unnecessarily when there are conflicts. There are three levels when answering calls. The first level of attention is for basic consultations on the first call, those that are about general issues regarding rights and obligations regarding rental, property and cohabitation. It is expected that the first level can resolve between 90 and 95% of calls. There will also be a level for more specific and less general questions, such as those about specific cases or specialized areas. And there will also be a level to help with legal support or legal advice related to conflicts regarding housing. This advice and advice will be extrajudicial, meaning it will not be helped if the conflict is already judicialized. This number will be available to all Spanish users, regardless of the telecommunications company we have contracted. We will simply have to dial 047 without any type of prefix or anything else, and you will be put in contact with the helpline. Initially this service will have 25 people of different profiles and levelswho are the ones who will answer the calls. Among them there will be lawyers and personnel with specific training in housing matters.

the questions you have sent us (and their answers) about these smart washing machines

It may seem that all washing machines are the same, but it is also a field where innovation continues year after year, and that is why it is advisable to know the latest technologies that reach models such as LG VX. We have been testing them for several days, and now we bring you a video with all the answers to the questions that you have been sending us about them at our Instagram profile. LG VX Q&A We start the video by talking about the operation of the AI ​​Direct system, which makes washing machines smart. These technologies use artificial intelligence to detect load weight and dirt of the garments. In fact, you have an AI Wash washing mode with which the washing machine chooses the best way to clean the clothes you have inside according to their weight, characteristics and dirt. Come on, you don’t have to think about anything when programming it. This adapts the drum cycles and makes everything more efficient. And speaking of the drum, it is made of stainless steel, so that it protects the clothes as much as possible. These washing machines have a lifetime motor warranty, and many preset programs on the washing machine. Here, in addition to the classic programs, you have TurboWash 39 to do a faster wash, and a steam wash mode perfect for allergy sufferers and to eliminate bad odors. In addition, we also talk to you in depth about other programs. In addition to this, we explain how the washing machine is programmed with the mobilewhich in addition to allowing you to configure everything remotely also allows you to download new washes from your mobile. Of course, you can also program delayed washing from the washing machine itself. We also talk to you about other features such as the weight it supports, the revolutions at which it works, its energy efficiency or its colors among many other things, in addition to detergent management and more. But the best thing is that you watch the full video to see all the answers we give to the questions you have sent us. This content is a collaboration and sponsorship between Xataka and the brand, but there is no agreement on the script or the selection of the topics. The editorial content is created entirely by Xataka.

the questions you have sent us (and their answers) about this cordless vacuum cleaner and mop

Although cordless vacuum cleaners are already common today, mops are not so common, and that makes products like this more interesting. X-Clean 7 from Rowenta, a 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner and mop. We have been testing it for several days, and now we bring you a video with all the answers to the questions that you have been sending us about it to our Instagram profile. Rowenta X-Clean 7 Q&A We start by answering the most basic things. This product is classified as an electric mop, although it is actually a hybrid. Everything is done at onceno vacuuming first and then scrubbing like other products. When you pass it, the vacuum module is on the front, but although the brush is the same, the dirt does not mix with the water you use to scrub. The key is the clean water and cold water system. The clean water tank moistens the roller throughout the cleaning process, and the dirty water tank collects the water that the roller recovers after scrubbing. In addition to this, when you finish you put it on its base, press the self-cleaning button and the device cleans itself, and you only have to worry about the dirty water tank. You ask us about the surfaces for which it is valid. It is designed for hard floors such as tiles, parquet, wood, marble or laminate. You will not have problems because it detects the type of surface and always applies the necessary humidity to avoid damaging it. Yes indeed, It is not intended for rugs or carpets.there this scrubber is not worth it. The same is not true for sofas and other surfaces. As for which cleaning product to use, Rowenta recommends using a specific cleaning solution for hard floors or non-foaming soaps. It has three cleaning modesan automatic one that detects the type of floors, an ECO mode for routine passes that consume less and has to collect less dirt, and a MAX mode to give you maximum power. We also talked about the dimensions, in addition to a hand weight of just one kilo thanks to a kind of system that pulls the head. It is very quiet, and its autonomy can be 50 minutes in ECO mode, an automatic mode that is usually enough to clean everything. But the best thing is that you watch the full video to see all the answers we give to the questions you have sent us. This content is a collaboration and sponsorship between Xataka and the brand, but there is no agreement on the script or the selection of the topics. The editorial content is created entirely by Xataka.

the questions you have sent us (and their answers) about this television

Choosing a television is always complicated, but the TCL C8K It seeks to be the best choice for both movie buffs and gamers, and also has a sound adjustment with real-time adjustments. We have been testing it for several days, and now we bring you a video with all the answers to the questions that you have been sending us about it to our Instagram profile. TCL C8K Q&A We start the video by answering the question you asked us about your panel, explaining that it has the Fourth generation QD-MiniLED technology with CrystGlow WHVA panel. It offers a brightness of 4,500 nits, a high contrast of 7,000:1 and very vivid colors, making it a good option for movie buffs. We also talked about the colors, as well as the different modes it has and its customization capacity. You can adjust the image almost any way, and if this is too much for you, it has an AI with adaptive options to change the image depending on the environment. Then we go to a lightning round answering several questions, where we tell you that it is a “zero border” television that is almost borderless, that it can be viewed in split screen, and that it has WiFi, Bluetooth connections, and to send Chromecast and AirPlay content. In addition, we tell you the multiple HDR modes it has. The television is 75 inches, and has 4K resolution. Its dimensions are 1.65m wide and 95cm high. Yes indeed, The model has various sizes with different inches. In addition, we tell you that it has 4 HDMI, two of them 2.1 for computers and consoles. It also has USB, Ethernet port, optical audio output and the rest of the usual connections. In addition, we explain what its remote control is like, and we delve into its excellent Bang & Olufsen speakers and its functions to adapt the sound in real time, in addition to many other things and its functions for gaming. But the best thing is that you watch the full video to see all the answers we give to the questions you have sent us. This content is a collaboration and sponsorship between Xataka and the brand, but there is no agreement on the script or the selection of the topics. The editorial content is created entirely by Xataka.

the questions you have sent us (and their answers) about this sound bar

The downside of any television is usually always in the sound, and therefore, to enjoy movies and video games to the fullest, it is usually advisable to invest in a sound bar. An example of a good alternative is JBL BAR 1300MK2the brand’s high-end bar. We have been testing it for several days, and now we bring you a video with all the answers to the questions that you have been sending us about it to our Instagram profile. JBL BAR 1300MK2 Q&A We start the video talking about their channels. The JBL BAR 1300MK2 has a 11.1.4 configurationwhich are distributed between the central bar, two removable satellites and a subwoofer. In total we have 8 front speakers and another four upwards in the center bar. The satellites have three each, and the subwoofer has a double speaker. We also talked to you about the wireless features of this bar, with the peculiarity that the wireless ones are the two satellites so you can place them wherever you want at all times. The body of the bar does have to be connected via HDMI to the TV. Then we do an express round, where by answering several short questions we tell you that it has 2470W peak power, its Dolby Atmos support or its many wireless compatibilities with technologies such as Chromecast, AirPlay, Alexa Multi-Room Music or Spotify Connect. The sound bar has 4 HDMIs, being an eARC. Another thing we talked to you about is its sound quality and its sensationstelling you about the experience we have had testing. Be careful with content with surround sound, because that is where it shines the most. And we end up talking to you about other aspects such as the vibrations of the bar, how you can control it with the remote or with the mobile application, the options of this app, and many other aspects of the bar. But the best thing is that you watch the full video to see all the answers we give to the questions you have sent us. This content is a collaboration and sponsorship between Xataka and the brand, but there is no agreement on the script or the selection of the topics. The editorial content is created entirely by Xataka.

All the unanswered questions left by Netflix’s purchase of Warner: a huge mess

After a few weeks of three-way negotiations, it is finally Netflix that has won, with $82.7 billion ahead, take over Warner Bros.. Which includes, of course, HBO Max, but also the entire production arm of the veteran company, one of the few majors classics that remain in Hollywood. However, the purchase is of such importance that a multitude of questions arise, many of them still unanswered. This is everything we know (and don’t know) about this absolute revolution in the world of streaming. What we do know. Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced an agreement that radically transforms the entertainment industry. The operation, which is expected to close between the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027, unites the streaming giant and its more than 300 million subscribers with one of Hollywood’s most legendary film studios, founded more than a century ago. For now, Netflix must wait for CNN and Discovery to finish separating from what was their parent company. And now, the doubts. What will happen to Warner’s classic IPs and franchises? Netflix takes over a trove of intellectual property that includes the DC universe‘harry potter‘, ‘game of thrones‘, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo and the distribution rights to franchises such as ‘Dune‘ or the Monsterverse. It also acquires film classics such as ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Citizen Kane’, as well as emblematic HBO series such as ‘The Sopranos’, ‘The Wire’ and others close to the platform such as ‘Friends’. Netflix will most likely keep these franchises active and continue them. The company has stated in its statement that these IPs will allow “creating greater value for talent, offering more opportunities to work with successful intellectual property.” The big advantage for consumers is certainty: One of the fiercest criticisms of Warner Bros. Discovery under David Zaslav was the removal of content from HBO Max for tax reasons. Netflix has opposite incentives. Who knows…and if we get to see ‘Batgirl’? What has Netflix not bought and what Warner divisions and businesses are not included in the purchase? The deal completely excludes Warner Bros. Discovery’s global networks division, which will be spun off into a new company called Discovery Global. This spin-off has been planned since June 2025 and will be completed in the third quarter of 2026, before Netflix can close the acquisition, and includes assets such as CNN, TNT Sports in the United States, all Discovery channels (Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TBS, TruTV), the main free-to-air television channels in Europe, the Discovery+ streaming platform and Bleacher Report. This split makes strategic sense: Netflix has never shown interest in the traditional linear channel business, which is in structural decline. In fact, revenue from Warner Bros.’ cable television division. fell 23% in the last reported quarter. Netflix stays with what really interests it: production studios, content libraries and HBO Max. Are HBO Max prices going to rise? The most immediate answer is that most likely yes, although not immediately. Netflix has a documented history of regular increases: Since 2017, the platform has raised its rates by approx. every 18 months. The most recent one occurred in January 2025. However, the arrival of HBO Max changes the equation. When Disney acquired Fox in 2019 for 71 billion, Disney+ increased its price by 129% between 2019 and 2025. We must not be naive: with 302 million global subscribers after acquiring the 128 million of HBO Max, Netflix would exceed 420 million, a huge base where small increases will generate billions of dollars in additional income. Our bet: a single premium price between 20 and 25 dollars/euros per month by 2027, when the deal is underway. What does Netflix get apart from the catalog? Beyond content libraries, Netflix acquires monumental physical and operational infrastructure. You get the historic Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, a production facility that has been operational since the 1920s and includes multiple sets and top-of-the-line technical equipment. The company has emphasized that this will allow them to “significantly expand American production capacity.” Perhaps most transformative is the global theatrical distribution apparatus. Warner Bros. has deals with networks around the world, a network that Netflix has never fully developed. Netflix will inherit “a global distribution apparatus” which includes contracts, commercial relationships and an army of professionals: human teams made up of executives and creatives with decades of experience. Will you take advantage of it? Netflix has promised maintain “Warner Bros.’ current operations, including theatrical releases for films,” but frankly, and seeing Netflix’s relationship with theaters in recent years, there is reasonable room for skepticism. How is Netflix’s presence on HBO going to be creatively noticed? Speculative territory, but we can reason from the corporate cultures of each platform. HBO built its reputation through a creative process where pre-production is vital, with constant rewrites and only the best series receiving the green light. A meticulousness that has historically paid off, for example, at the Emmys. Netflix is ​​just the opposite: it renews and cancels without stopping, trying many things and sticking with what works. Possibly we will see a hybridization where HBO maintains its distinctive seal of quality, less fast food than Netflix, but accelerating production rates. As a curious note, in the presentation in London to which We attended just a couple of days ago The current CEO of HBO, Casey Bloys, highlighted the differences in creative approaches with Netflix as one of its strengths. Maybe everything will change from now on. What legal problems may arise for the purchase? The regulatory hurdles are substantial. The combined entity would exceed 420 million global subscribers, giving it more than 30% of the streaming market, a threshold traditionally considered problematic in US antitrust law. Republican Representative Darrell Issa warned this month that Netflix already possesses “unmatched market power” and that adding HBO Max “could result in harm to consumers.” Senator Mike Lee was more forceful, declaring in X that this transaction “raises serious competition issues, perhaps more so than any transaction I have seen in a decade.” Netflix … Read more

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