AI NewsMeta’s ‘open’ AI, and a $250M deal gone very wrong

Meta’s ‘open’ AI, and a $250M deal gone very wrong

2:54 AM IST · August 15, 2026

Meta released Glimmer this week, an open-weight AI model anyone can download and run on their own hardware — a contrast to Muse Spark, the company’s more powerful model that stays locked behind its own APIs. The release landed alongsidea letter from Mark Zuckerbergarguing AI should be “for everyone” rather than controlled by a handful of labs, but as Equity’s hosts point out, the vision comes withsome asterisks. On this episode of TechCrunch’sEquitypodcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan take a look at Glimmer, Zuckerberg’s 6,500-word manifesto, and more of the week’s headlines, from the true cost of the AI industry’s energy needs to a $250M acquisition gone very wrong. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Subscribe to Equity onYouTube,Apple Podcasts,Overcast,Spotifyand all the casts. You also can follow Equity onXandThreads, at @EquityPod.