Spotify saw a surge in paid subscribers, reaching 290 million in the last three months of 2025, contributing to a net profit of $1.17 billion, according to the company's financial results released on Tuesday. However, the music streaming giant continues to face criticism from artists regarding the platform's payment structure. In other business news, Ford reported a $900 million hit from unexpected tariff costs last year, while the Israeli government's new land registration rules in the West Bank have raised concerns among Palestinians. Additionally, Elon Musk discussed ambitious plans for his AI company, xAI, and OpenAI fired a policy executive who reportedly opposed a new chatbot feature.
Spotify's success, driven in part by its "Wrapped" feature, saw paid subscribers increase by 9 million during the last quarter of 2025, as reported by BBC Business. Despite the financial gains, the Swedish firm faced ongoing criticism from artists who believe they are not adequately compensated for their music being streamed on the platform. Spotify stated it paid almost $11 billion to artists.
Ford's financial woes stemmed from a last-minute change to the Trump administration's tariff relief program, as detailed by BBC Business. The US carmaker's tariff costs were $900 million higher than expected because of a change in the effective date of the policy. Chief executive Jim Farley said Ford spent double what it had expected on tariffs.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the Israeli government's decision to alter land registration rules in the West Bank has sparked fear among Palestinians, as reported by Al Jazeera. The new rules, which make it easier for Israeli Jews to purchase property in the occupied territory, are seen by Palestinians as a step towards de facto annexation. The Israeli cabinet announced the decisions on Sunday.
In the tech world, Elon Musk outlined his vision for xAI during an all-hands meeting, as reported by TechCrunch. Musk told employees that xAI needs a lunar manufacturing facility to build AI satellites and launch them into space. "You have to go to the moon," he said, according to The New York Times. Musk believes this will allow xAI to harness more computing power than its rivals.
Also in the tech sector, OpenAI terminated Ryan Beiermeister, the company's vice president of product policy, according to TechCrunch. The termination followed a sex discrimination claim made by a male colleague. The Wall Street Journal reported that Beiermeister had previously expressed criticism of a planned ChatGPT "adult mode" feature. Beiermeister stated, "The allegation that I discriminated against anyone is absolutely false."
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