Did OpenAI ask its investors to avoid backing rivals like Anthropic and xAI? It's what hosts Devin Coldewey, Margaux MacColl, and special guest Anthony Ha were trying to find out today on the Equity podcast from TechCrunch. The team kicked things off looking at OpenAI's $6.6 billion round, which's being called the 'largest VC round of all time'. What the funding could mean for that path to profitability, and the debunking of some of the rumors floating around post-announcement particularly given how unusual those investor restrictions would be in later-stage funding. OpenAI is not all that was on the Equity crew's minds this week.

Margaux wanted to talk about Dave Clark's new thing, Auger, which just raised $100 million to make supply chains more efficient with AI. Taking Clark's Amazon and Flexport history into account, Augur could be on the path to success amid current global supply chain issues and the recent longshoreman strikes. To round off our deals of the week, Anthony zeroed in on Impulse Space, which just scored $150 million to develop and launch its orbital transfer vehicles. What about the AI that people don't want? Margaux took us deeper into her coverage of Shield AI, AI weapons and ethics. On the topic of tech getting out of hand, Devin and Anthony closed out the show with an update on the ongoing antitrust case against Google, and what a potential breakup could mean for the tech giant and startups looking to disrupt search. Hit play to join the conversation, and we'll see you next week with Equity!