Amazon's 'Melania' Documentary Exceeds Expectations, While Indonesia Lifts Ban on Grok
Amazon's documentary "Melania," about former First Lady Melania Trump, earned an estimated $7.04 million on its opening weekend, exceeding pre-release expectations, according to TechCrunch. The documentary, acquired by Amazon for $40 million with an additional $35 million allocated for promotion, came in third overall for the weekend.
Despite outperforming initial estimates of a $3 to $5 million opening, the documentary is unlikely to turn a profit in theaters, TechCrunch reported. Amazon's winning bid was $26 million higher than Disney's, the next highest bidder, leading some critics to speculate that the deal was not solely based on financial considerations.
In other news, Indonesia has conditionally lifted its ban on xAI's chatbot Grok, according to TechCrunch. The ban, along with similar actions taken by Malaysia and the Philippines, was initially imposed after Grok was used to generate a large number of nonconsensual, sexualized images on X, a subsidiary of xAI. These images included depictions of real women and minors. Analyses by The New York Times and the Center for Countering Digital Hate indicated that at least 1.8 million sexualized images of women were created using Grok between late December and January.
Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs stated that the ban was lifted after X provided a letter outlining "concrete steps for service improvements and the prevention of misuse," according to a translation provided by The New York Times. Alexander Sabar, the ministry's director general of digital space monitoring, confirmed the decision.
Meanwhile, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has denied accusations contained in recently released Epstein files, calling them "absolutely absurd," according to The Verge. The Verge reported that the documents included emails alleging Gates contracted an STD and wanted to secretly give Melinda Gates antibiotics. The reports detail growing scrutiny of Bill Gates' connections with Jeffrey Epstein as more documents are released by the Department of Justice.
In the tech sector, Tesla CEO Elon Musk continues to push for a rebranding of his company, according to TechCrunch. Musk has been attempting to position Tesla as more than just an electric vehicle manufacturer, emphasizing its potential in sustainable energy, AI, and robotics. However, financial realities show that the majority of Tesla's revenue still comes from EV sales. In 2025, the company generated $94.8 billion in revenue, with $69.5 billion attributed to the sale and leasing of EVs, as well as related services, TechCrunch reported.
January 2026 also saw the emergence of five new European unicorns, TechCrunch reported. These tech startups, spanning from Belgium to Ukraine, achieved valuations exceeding the $1 billion threshold after securing funding. TechCrunch noted that the count includes startups incorporated outside of Europe but with significant ties to the European tech scene.
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