Technology

OpenAI's Chief Revenue Officer announced today that she is leaving the AI giant.

"I wanted to let you know that I made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI in the coming weeks to pursue other opportunities," said Denise Dresser, the now-former OpenAI CRO, in a post shared to her LinkedIn. "I’m incredibly proud of all we’ve accomplished together and deeply grateful to the extraordinary people and customers who made this chapter so meaningful."

On its own, Dresser's departure may not be so noteworthy. However, what is notable is that Dresser is the second OpenAI executive to leave the company just this week, and one of several to leave the company within the last few months.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI employees can apparently complain directly to Sam Altman

Two days ago, OpenAI executive Brad Lightcap also announced his departure from OpenAI. Over his years with the company, Lightcap wore many hats. Lightcap was promoted to OpenAI's COO role in April but later shifted out of that position to lead special projects within the company.

“Over the last few months, I’ve been focused on the next horizon,” Lightcap said in a note to OpenAI employees, as reported by Bloomberg. “I believe there are a few important things the world will need to get right as we enter this next period. I’ll have more to share soon.”

Just one month ago, OpenAI lost its number two executive, Fidji Simo. Simo had gone on medical leave months earlier and said she ultimately decided to leave in July as a result of ongoing health issues. Perhaps Simo would have stayed with the company if not for these circumstances. 

SEE ALSO: OpenAI’s first brand trip puts influencers in the hot seat

However, Simo wasn't the only high-profile OpenAI employee to leave in July either. That very same month, OpenAI head ethicist Chloé Bakalar departed the company as well. While Bakalar's departure apparently occurred last month, it was only recently revealed in a Financial Times report.

The tenures of the departing executives vary widely: Lightcap had been at the company since 2018, while Dresser leaving after just nine months.

Are these OpenAI departures a sign of something more concerning going on within the company? OpenAI has dealt with multiple high-profile departures at once before. For example, chief marketing officer Kate Rouch left in April of this year, shortly before OpenAI lost two research heads Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles.

With that said, these recent departures are certainly something to keep tabs on. Concerns surrounding OpenAI's safety protocols are at all-time highs following a few high-profile security incidents. Is this really the best time for OpenAI to lose Bakalar, who was reportedly its only dedicated ethicist?

SEE ALSO: The OpenAI-Hugging Face hack was worse than we thought

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has recently been going on about how the company is on the cusp of bringing a kind of digital superintelligence once confined to science fiction novels to reality. Would these executives not want to be with OpenAI for this achievement?

As of now, the departing former OpenAI executives haven't shared exactly what spurred their decisions to leave the company or why they chose this particular moment. Perhaps we'll find out more soon enough. 

If you enjoy superhero content, you're going to love our list of new shows to watch this weekend. I've been looking forward to the top-ranked show on this list. It's one of the main reasons to keep your HBO Max subscription. The show is part of the DC Universe, but it should appeal to mass audiences.

SAVE $10.50: The DJI Power 140W GaN Charger is on sale at Amazon for $59.49, down from the list price of $69.99. That's a 15% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 140W GaN Charger $59.49 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $10.50   Get Deal

Our modern tech brings us plenty of joy. There's getting real-time livestreams of concerts, chatting with family across the globe, and never being more than one click away from streaming your favorite movie. While plenty of this tech has made our lives easier, there's a common complaint about a tech-ridden life: batteries die. Instead of dealing with multiple power bricks and charging cables, simplify the process thanks to this Amazon deal.

As of Aug. 13, the DJI Power 140W GaN Charger is on sale at Amazon for $59.49, marked down from the standard price of $69.99. That's a 15% discount, taking $10.50 off the price.

DJI is a standout brand for content creation. From drones to the Mic Mini and the Osmo Pocket 4, DJI makes life easier, and the Power Charger plays to the same tune. With a 140W power delivery, the GaN Charger ups the game, offering smart temperature control and stable charging across all three ports.

SEE ALSO: Amazon has the DJI Osmo 360 Standard Combo on sale for almost $120 off

The DJI logo on the charger itself is actually an LED status indicator that lets you know when the charger is in use. DJI says this is an ideal charger for high-performance devices in the DJI ecosystem. The brand says it can recharge three DJI Air 3S batteries in under 180 minutes or three DJI Mavic 4 batteries in 240 minutes.

If you're ready to streamline charging up life's essential tech, consider the DJI Power 140W GaN Charger while it's on sale for under $60.

SAVE $130: As of Aug. 13, the Google Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5 bundle is on sale for $1,168.99 at Amazon. That's a 10% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 11 + Pixel Watch 5 $1,168.99
$1,298.99 Save $130   Get Deal

Looking to do a full overhaul of your personal tech? Well, this new Google bundle deal saves you $130 on a new phone and smartwatch. As of Aug. 13, you can get the Google Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5 for $130 less.

If you order the new Google Pixel 11 any time between Aug. 12-27, you'll get $130 off the Pixel Watch 5, while supplies last and subject to availability. Just be aware that if you return the Pixel 11 without the Pixel Watch 5, you’ll be charged for the discount you received.

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These are two of Google’s latest devices revealed at the Made By Google event, both of which are currently available to preorder ahead of their Aug. 20 release.

The Pixel 11 will feature an upgraded 30x Super Zoom camera, Night Sight for clearer low-light shots, and a battery life of over 30 hours. Plus, wireless charging has been upgraded to be 25% faster. Design-wise, it has a smooth matte back, a polished frame, and a slim camera bar, along with ultra-durable glass and IP68 water and dust protection.

Meanwhile, the Pixel Watch 5 features advanced sensors that deliver impressive health and wellness metrics, including Google’s most accurate heart rate tracking. You'll also get sleep tracking, pulse loss detection, and a morning brief feature. And this is all packaged in a domed Actua 360 display with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass.

With just a week to go until these products are released, head to Amazon to secure this preorder deal now.

TL;DR: Pay $32.97 once for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and get lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more on one Windows PC.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $32.97
$219.99 Save $187.02   Get Deal

Ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. You can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.

We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.

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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.

No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.

Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 until Aug. 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT (reg. $219.99). No coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner lets you participate in real solo Bitcoin mining with a quiet, plug-and-play desktop device for $49.99 (reg. $99.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: BlockChance BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner (Black) $49.99
$99.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

You don’t need a room full of noisy hardware — or a stress-inducing electricity bill — to see how Bitcoin mining works. The BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner is available for $49.99 (reg. $99.99) and offers an approachable way to participate in real solo Bitcoin mining from your desk.

This compact miner delivers up to 1,060 KH/s of hashing power, connects directly to WiFi, and runs independently without a dedicated computer. A built-in 1.54-inch display lets you monitor hashrate and mining activity in real-time, while Bluetooth support and over-the-air firmware updates keep setup and maintenance straightforward.

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The important thing to understand is that this is not a replacement for a commercial mining rig. Instead, it works more like a lottery ticket backed by real mining activity. The device continuously submits legitimate solo mining attempts for a chance — however small — of discovering an entire Bitcoin block reward.

The odds are long, and buyers should view it as a learning experience and an entertaining hobby rather than a predictable way to earn Bitcoin.

That said, it has genuine appeal for crypto enthusiasts, developers, engineers, and anyone curious about how the Bitcoin network operates behind the scenes. It runs quietly, uses very little power, and makes an interesting addition to a home office or workspace.

If you’ve been curious about Bitcoin mining but couldn’t justify spending thousands on specialized equipment, $49.99 is a relatively inexpensive way to explore the technology firsthand.

Get this BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner for $49.99 (reg. $99.99) while you can.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $80.01: The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus portable speaker is on sale at Amazon for $169.98, down from the normal price of $249.99. That's a 32% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Boom 2 Plus $169.98 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $80.01   Get Deal

Summer 2026 is coming to a close. If you have a few gatherings left on the calendar, it's time to make them epic. The right playlist is essential for the end-of-summer parties, and Soundcore wants an invite. Check out this portable speaker deal.

As of Aug. 13, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus portable speaker is on sale at Amazon for $169.98, down from the normal price of $249.99. That's a 32% discount.

An outdoor-worthy speaker has a checklist of requirements. It needs to be waterproof and have a durable exterior, and earn high marks for portability. The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is up for tagging along on poolside afternoons or a sunset beach excursion. It's not only waterproof, but it also floats. The included carrying strap makes it easy to pack along on any adventure, and it can get up to 20 hours of playtime before it needs a recharge.

SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel Buds 2a are down at their best-ever price at Amazon — they're yours for $99

Soundcore mentions that this model can reach up to 103 decibels and is equipped with the brand's BassUp 2.0 technology for deep beats. With a 30W charger, the speaker can get a full charge in just three hours.

In addition to these features, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus can recharge small devices such as phones and earbuds.

Since this is a limited-time deal and summer days are running out, make the upgrade to the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus speaker. It's the perfect party and beach companion.

You'll have to wait a while if you're eager to buy Ford's affordable electric pickup truck. Ford has revealed that Fathom EV production won't start until sometime after March—in part because the automaker just finished the factory overhaul needed to make it.

Paramount+ U.S. subscribers have a pretty great weekend in store, especially if you're looking for something a bit different. While its streaming calendar isn't exactly spilling over with new documentaries at the moment, some serious action kicks in on Saturday when UFC 330 makes its way to the octagon—and the lead-up special that precedes it, to get fans focused and ready, is my top pick this weekend.

Are you still buying those cheap throw-away printers every time you need to print a book report? Yes, they’re cheap, but they end up costing you way more money than you think they do.

Buying a luxury SUV doesn't necessarily mean spending luxury money, especially if you're willing to look at a lightly used model. Depreciation can turn once-expensive premium SUVs into surprisingly affordable alternatives to new mainstream crossovers, but reliability is often the catch. Fortunately, one American luxury SUV bucks that trend, offering a comfortable, well-equipped cabin and a stronger reputation for dependability than you might expect.

When you hear the phrase “home lab,” do you picture a server rack, tons of monitors, and screens/devices everywhere? I don't blame you if you do, but my home lab is nothing like what I just described. It's much, much smaller. However, I still needed to keep an eye on things, so I turned an old phone into an always-on monitor for my work.

In a first for the United States, the White House is looking to build an army of private hackers to combat cyberattacks.

Outlined in a new presidential memoranda issued Aug. 12, the Trump administration will begin contracting out efforts to curb the actions of transnational criminal organizations (or TCOs) to American businesses.

"American businesses’ innovative capabilities have historically been underutilized in efforts to identify and disrupt criminal networks operating in cyberspace," the order reads. "It is the policy of the United States to use all instruments of national power, including the innovative capabilities of the private sector, to combat cybercrime."

SEE ALSO: Flock backpedals as nation revolts against surveillance devices

The new program will be overseen by Trump's National Coordination Center (NCC). The center, in coordination with the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, will vet and authorize businesses to conduct cyber surveillance and effects operations, the White House explains.

These "private sector entities" will the enter contractual agreements with the federal government, granting them access to relevant information from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies to pinpoint threats and propose offensive efforts. The businesses would be on the lookout for TCO networks involved in distributing ransomware, launching phishing attacks, and enabling financial fraud or sextortion.

Prior to the new memoranda, the U.S. government barred private companies from conducting cyber offenses without court approval. Private hacking operations will still need to abide by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act which forbids retaliatory hacking, also known as "hacking back," the White House made clear. Federal agencies will also need to sign off on operations before they can proceed. The NCC has 60 days to establish procedures for the new program.

The notice is an expansion of a March 6 Executive Order titled "Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens," which directed federal agencies and resources to more aggressively intervene in escalating cybercrime attacks against Americans. In the months since, private companies have announced their own cyber offense programs, including a new "disruption unit" out of Google.

Conservative leaders have previously floated reauthorizing “letters of marque" related to cybercriminals. Under old maritime law, letters of marque allowed private mercenaries to attack and capture enemy ships on behalf of the government. Critics of private cyber offensive proposals have worried that such offensives could have rippling legal and diplomatic ramifications.

Instagram has a new logo. Well, sort of.

The familiar gradient camera icon on your phone isn’t going anywhere. Instead, Instagram has redesigned the handwritten wordmark that appears at the top of the app, giving it its first update in a decade.

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"The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh," Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on Aug. 13. He described the new version as "cleaner and more modern," while preserving references to Instagram’s original design.

Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options, including all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, and literal handwriting, before returning to a script design.

"Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right," Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. "The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram," she adds.

The wordmark is part of a broader brand refresh that includes an updated Instagram Sans typeface and two new fonts: the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono. Users will also eventually see refreshed motion, layouts, and more restrained use of Instagram’s signature gradient. It is rolling out globally now, with the rest of the changes coming throughout 2026 and beyond.

Naturally, the internet had opinions. Some kinder than others.

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Others struggled to see much of a difference between the old and new designs, leaving them to question why Instagram felt a refresh was necessary at all.

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The new wordmark keeps Instagram’s handwritten style but combines cursive and print lettering, with some letters connected and others floating on their own. But its unusually shaped “s” and “r” have led some online to conclude that it actually says "Instagzam." I can see it.

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In the r/logodesign Reddit thread, one user described the wordmark as looking “fan-made,” like a logo created in Canva. Another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive,” while someone else neatly summarized the redesign as a "sidegrade" — or, more accurately, a "zidegrade."

The response wasn’t entirely negative. Some in the subreddit called the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others said it was an improvement over Instagram’s previous wordmark. One commenter argued that Instagram was simply following the minimalist branding trend later than everyone else.

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In one day, Instagram now has given us a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and, apparently, an unofficial new pronunciation.

Mid-August has a way of sneaking up on you, and HBO Max has so far done a great job of dangling several delicious carrots in front of its U.S. subscribers with movies like Mortal Kombat II and The Drama creeping up its top 10 chart (not to mention House of the Dragon). As for this weekend, things are about to get awesome, with the premiere of a new action film I'm personally stoked for.

Android Auto does a decent job out of the box, but some of its default settings are clearly designed for the average case instead of your specific situation. That kind of thing is okay at first, but it gets really annoying when the novelty of the apps wears off. None of these are terrible on their own, but together they add up to something more annoying than it needs to be. Luckily, they’re easy to change.

Finding recipes online can be a hassle at best. I don't like outsourcing stuff like that to an LLM and I absolutely don't want someone's life story before getting a recipe. So I tried making a recipe terminal with a modded Fire Tablet, some Python, and my good friend Docker.

A Mercedes-Benz GLC is easy to like. It looks sharp, feels properly upscale, and has the kind of polished driving experience you'd expect from a luxury SUV.

By default, a router's DHCP server assigns IP addresses to devices as they connect to the network. Frankly speaking, this works fine for most households, but when you're into self-hosting and want more control over a network filled with devices, constantly changing IPs are a massive headache. After assigning static IPs to all of my mainstay devices, my life became a lot easier. Here's why.

It seems that we're still trying to crack the code with Gen Z and love, whether finding that they want deeper connections (while using AI), or that they perform during sex — even solo sex. But the Hily dating app has found a new "rule," of sorts: No swimwear, bikini, or shirtless photos on dating profiles after summer ends. Unless you want to appear desperate, that is.

A Hily survey of 5,900 U.S. Gen Z and millennial daters found that 28 percent of Gen Z women and 34 percent of Gen Z men believe these kinds of shots are only acceptable during the summer.

SEE ALSO: Hookup apps without AI features

Most young women (72 percent) and men (56 percent) have never posted these kinds of pics on dating apps, and it might be because one in three of Gen Z overall believes it's a sign of desperation. Around one in five Gen Z women and one in ten Gen Z men believe they shouldn't even be on dating apps, and it makes some of them (30 percent of women and 14 percent of men) less likely to "like." The internet undoubtedly shaped Gen Z's relationship to sex and dating, and one suspected impact is the fear of coming off as cringe.

Not everyone thinks this way about swimwear and shirtless pics, though. Around half of Gen Z (47 percent of women and 52 percent of men) think these photos could help them make a better-informed decision on whether they like the person or not. The majority (62 percent of women and 74 percent of men) see them as a sign of confidence. So if you want to, go ahead. You can even wear white if you want.