OpenAI has made a significant breakthrough in artificial intelligence with the release of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent capable of performing various tasks independently. This innovative technology allows users to activate Operator, which will then utilize a dedicated web browser to complete tasks such as booking travel accommodations, making restaurant reservations, and shopping online. The feature will initially be available to U.S. users on ChatGPT's $200 per month Pro subscription plan.

In related news, Elon Musk and Sam Altman are engaged in a heated debate on X about Stargate, a massive infrastructure project aiming to funnel up to $500 billion from investors like SoftBank and Middle East AI fund MGX into data centers supporting OpenAI's AI workloads. However, Musk has raised concerns that Stargate lacks the necessary funding, although it's essential to note that he is not a neutral party, being embroiled in a lawsuit with OpenAI.

Meanwhile, the tech world has been abuzz with other significant developments. Hackers have discovered vulnerabilities in a Subaru web portal, enabling them to remotely unlock, start, and track millions of Subaru vehicles. Fortunately, Subaru has since fixed the vulnerabilities after being notified by the security researchers.

In other AI-related news, Perplexity has launched Perplexity Assistant, an AI-powered search engine that utilizes reasoning, search, and apps to assist with daily tasks. The assistant is currently available for Android devices and can perform "multi-app actions."

YouTube celebrity MrBeast is reportedly in talks to join a bid for TikTok's U.S. operations, leveraging his significant wealth and celebrity status to attract multiple bidders. This development comes as TikTok's future remains uncertain, despite its recent resuscitation.

In a move to revitalize its platform, Tumblr has launched Tumblr TV, a GIF discovery feature that has evolved to host short-form videos, directly competing with TikTok. This development may prompt users to revisit their dormant Tumblr blogs.

On the AI research front, a team at Hugging Face has released SmolVLM-256M and SmolVLM-500M, claiming these to be the smallest AI models capable of analyzing images, short videos, and text.

In a breakthrough that could revolutionize wearable technology, Carnegie Mellon researchers have debuted Power-Over-Skin, a technology allowing electrical currents to travel through human skin to power devices such as blood sugar monitors, pacemakers, and consumer wearables.

Stripe, a fintech giant, has announced plans to lay off 300 employees, according to a leaked memo. However, the company intends to continue hiring in 2025, aiming to grow its total headcount by 17%.

Meta has launched Edits, a new video editing app, shortly after ByteDance's video editing app CapCut was removed from Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store as part of the U.S. TikTok ban. This move has sparked speculation about Meta's intentions in the video editing space.

As TikTok's future remains uncertain, bookmarking backup service Dewey has introduced a solution that saves users' favorite TikTok videos, allowing them to access them even if the platform disappears again.

In conclusion, this week has seen significant developments in the tech industry, from OpenAI's groundbreaking Operator AI agent to the ongoing drama surrounding Stargate and TikTok's uncertain future. As the tech landscape continues to evolve, it's essential to stay informed about the latest advancements and their potential implications.