In today’s Digest we look at TikTok introducing three new ad formats, OpenAI dropping its partnership with Disney as it decides to close Sora, and Anthropic battling it out in court against the Pentagon over its AI model ban.
TikTok ads to get more disruptive
TikTok has unveiled a suite of new advertising formats aimed at increasing brand visibility on the platform. Among them is “Logo Takeover”, which places a brand’s logo alongside TikTok’s on the app’s launch screen, giving advertisers immediate exposure as users open the app. The company said the format is designed to reinforce brand association and cultural relevance while delivering broad reach.
It also introduced “Prime Time”, a feature that allows advertisers to deliver a sequence of ads to the same user within a defined time window, enabling more cohesive storytelling during peak engagement periods. In addition, TikTok launched “Top Reach”, which merges its existing Top View and Top Feed placements to maximise daily audience exposure through prominent positioning.
While the company positions these formats as more immersive and aligned with user behaviour, they may also raise concerns about increased intrusiveness, particularly given their visibility and repetition. However, TikTok maintains that such ads are integrated into the broader content experience rather than interrupting it, arguing that brands are participating in ongoing cultural conversations rather than disrupting them.
OpenAI shuts down Sora and ends Disney partnership
OpenAI has discontinued its AI video-generation tool Sora, less than two years after the product drew global attention for its ability to create highly realistic clips from simple prompts. The decision also brings an end to its content partnership with The Walt Disney Company, as the company shifts focus away from video generation.
The company confirmed it will shut down both the consumer-facing Sora app and its professional platform, signalling a wider exit from video-generation efforts. Instead, OpenAI plans to prioritise advancements in “agentic” AI capable of carrying out tasks with minimal human input, with some of the underlying technology expected to be repurposed for robotics.
Anthropic faces the Pentagon in court over AI model ban
Anthropic has taken legal action against the United States Department of Defence, seeking a temporary injunction to halt a directive barring the military and its contractors from using its AI systems. The dispute centres on the company’s refusal to allow its Claude chatbot to be deployed for domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.
During the hearing in a California federal court before Judge Rita Lin, the court raised questions over whether the government’s actions extended beyond procurement decisions into punitive measures. Lawyers for Anthropic contend the designation violates constitutional protections, framing it as retaliation for maintaining safety restrictions on its technology, while defence officials argue the measures do not carry binding legal force.
