:

SAM ALTMAN'S ORB COMPANY FALSELY CLAIMS BRUNO MARS DEAL

INDUSTRY DESK1 MIN READ
THU, APR 23, 2026

■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE

Orb, Sam Altman's biometric technology company, promoted a partnership with Bruno Mars that never existed. A spokesperson for the artist denied any discussions or agreements.

Orb, the biometric company backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, marketed a partnership with Bruno Mars that the artist's team says is entirely fabricated. When contacted by WIRED, a Bruno Mars representative stated: "To be clear, we were never approached … nor were we in any discussions regarding a partnership or tour access." The false claim raises questions about Orb's promotional practices and credibility. The company, which focuses on iris-scanning technology for identity verification, has positioned itself as a security solution for high-profile events and venues. This incident comes as Orb has faced scrutiny over its operations and expansion plans in various markets. The company has not yet publicly addressed the inaccurate partnership claim or clarified how the misinformation was distributed. The Bruno Mars camp's swift denial underscores the seriousness of misrepresenting celebrity endorsements or partnerships, a practice that can constitute false advertising.

■ SOURCES

Wired

■ SUMMARY WRITTEN BY AI FROM THE LINKS ABOVE

■ MORE FROM THE BIG TECH DESK

A new social platform called Twitter has launched despite an ongoing trademark injunction case against Elon Musk's X. The service explicitly states it is not affiliated with X.

1H AGOIndustry Desk

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang interrupted an all-hands meeting to take a call from Donald Trump. Hours later, the president posted congratulations to Nvidia on Truth Social regarding the company's latest earnings.

1H AGOIndustry Desk

Apple increased Apple TV+ subscription prices effective immediately, raising the monthly cost from $12.99 to $14.99 and annual plans from $99 to $119. The company also bumped up its Apple One bundle pricing.

3H AGOIndustry Desk

Meta has implemented a feature that disables recording on its AI glasses when users cover the safety light, addressing privacy concerns around nonconsensual video capture.

3H AGOAI Desk

■ SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

ONE EMAIL, 5 STORIES, 06:00 UTC. UNSUBSCRIBE ANYTIME.