Top249: WhatsApp getting ads | OpenAI for Govt | Trump Mobile

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June 17, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

17th June 2025

OpenAI secured a landmark $200 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop advanced AI solutions for national security and military applications.
The one-year deal, won from a competitive field of 12 bids, marks OpenAI’s first official Pentagon partnership and builds on previous work with defense tech firms like Anduril.
Alongside this, OpenAI introduced “OpenAI for Government” to streamline its government collaborations, targeting areas like public services, cybersecurity, and healthcare for service members.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has begun inserting ads into its Status (Stories-like) feed in the Updates tab, a significant departure from its ad-free origins.
Ads are personalized using limited data such as location, language, ad interactions, and followed channels, while core chat privacy remains intact.
This rollout introduces additional monetization features including promoted channels and paid subscriptions for exclusive content—all outside personal chats.

OpenAI launched “OpenAI for Government,” a set of AI tools and services tailored for public-sector use, built on secure compliance-ready infrastructure.
The initiative includes ChatGPT Gov, deployed in Azure Government and designed to meet standards such as FedRAMP High, IL5, CJIS, and ITAR.
Over 90,000 government employees across thousands of agencies have already begun using the platform for tasks like translations, memo-writing, and application development.

Researchers at a German university engineered ultra-thin crystal-based solar panels up to 1,000 times more efficient than conventional silicon designs.
They achieved this breakthrough by layering materials like barium titanate, strontium titanate, and calcium titanate into a compact, highly-responsive lattice.
This innovation could revolutionize clean energy production by offering dramatically improved performance in smaller, more sustainable form factors.

In reaction to rising conflict between Israel and Iran, President Trump urged the evacuation of U.S. citizens from Tehran, spurring oil futures to rise by up to 2.7%, with Brent crude reaching $73.50 per barrel.
U.S. futures markets dropped amid fears of regional escalation, including potential threats to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Market analysts warned that a disruption in Middle East shipping would significantly impact global energy prices during peak summer demand.

The Trump Organization is launching "Trump Mobile," a patriotic 5G carrier built on AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile networks, offering a flagship plan called the “47 Plan” at $47.45 per month.
A gold-colored “T1 Phone,” designed and built in the U.S., will debut in August at a price of $499, available either as a BYOD phone number SIM or as a standalone device.
Included features span telehealth, international voice/text, and roadside assistance, aligning with the founders’ America-first branding and efforts to pivot away from major carriers.

A free plan for self-learners to learn the basics of deep-learning architectures

Till next time.