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Larry Ellison reemerges as tech and media power player

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Forty-eight years after co-founding Oracle, Larry Ellison is once again at the center of global business headlines. Oracle’s stock surged 35.9% on the back of blockbuster cloud computing deals tied to AI, propelling Ellison’s net worth to nearly $400 billion—second only to Elon Musk.

Adding to his influence, Ellison’s family-controlled Paramount is preparing a bid for Warner Bros Discovery, a move that could dramatically reshape Hollywood. At the same time, his son David Ellison has begun steering CBS News with a more conservative tilt, hiring former Hudson Institute CEO Kenneth Weinstein as ombudsman and reportedly courting journalist Bari Weiss for a leadership role.

Ellison has also entrenched Oracle in the TikTok saga, providing U.S. infrastructure for the Chinese-owned app since 2022 amid national security scrutiny. Behind the flash of yachts, Hawaiian islands, and movie cameos—he played himself in Iron Man 2—Ellison has steadily bet big on AI.

Oracle became a major AI landlord, securing marquee clients including Meta, Elon Musk’s xAI, and OpenAI, which committed to a $300 billion compute deal over five years. This pivot helped Oracle’s booked revenue soar more than four-fold to $455 billion.

Unlike rivals Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, Oracle chose not to build custom AI chips, instead deepening ties with Nvidia. At a 2024 dinner with Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Ellison reportedly said, “Please take our money”—and soon after, Oracle secured GPU supplies that fueled the Stargate project with OpenAI.

Oracle’s cloud revival—after a failed 2016 launch—has proven cheaper and more adaptable. Its rapid scaling during the Zoom pandemic traffic surge and smooth takeover of TikTok’s U.S. user data in 2022 highlighted technical strength.

Still, huge risks remain. Oracle outsources critical infrastructure like land, data centers, and power, making it reliant on partners. Analysts warn that dependence on a small group of AI clients—particularly OpenAI—could expose Oracle to shocks if those firms stumble.

Ellison’s career has long swung between hubris and vindication, but with AI reshaping the tech landscape, the Silicon Valley “bad boy” may yet have the last laugh.

Paramount Names Meta’s Dane Glasgow as Chief Product Officer

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Paramount announced Wednesday that Dane Glasgow, a senior executive from Meta, will join the company as chief product officer. In his new role, Glasgow will shape Paramount’s product strategy and vision, with a focus on digital platforms and AI-driven capabilities.

Glasgow will report directly to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison and collaborate closely with Cindy Holland, who leads the company’s direct-to-consumer division.

He brings extensive experience from across the tech industry, having served as VP of Product Management at Meta’s Facebook since 2021, and previously holding executive positions at Microsoft, eBay, and Google.

Paramount Skydance was created after the $8.4 billion merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media in August, ushering in a wave of new leadership and strategic deals. Since then, the company has:

  • Secured a partnership with Activision Blizzard (owned by Microsoft) to produce a “Call of Duty” film adaptation,

  • Signed a three-year global distribution deal with Legendary Entertainment, beginning with a “Street Fighter” movie,

  • Committed $7.7 billion for the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the UFC for the next seven years.

With Glasgow’s appointment, Paramount is signaling its intent to push deeper into digital innovation while leveraging its expanded entertainment portfolio.

Paramount Plans Bigger Film Slate, Retains Cable Networks After Skydance Merger

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Paramount Global will expand feature film production while keeping its cable networks, including Nickelodeon, MTV, and BET, following its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The studio aims to increase annual movie releases from eight to 15, eventually reaching 20 films, featuring franchises like “Star Trek” and “Transformers,” alongside original titles such as Timothée Chalamet’s “High Side.” Paramount executives view legacy cable channels as strategic assets for streaming and plan to leverage emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance storytelling. The approach contrasts with rivals like Warner Bros Discovery and Comcast, which are spinning off their cable networks.