FTI Consulting News Bytes – 12 December 2025

FTI Consulting News Bytes

This week, we start by looking at the drama unfolding in Hollywood, after Paramount launched a hostile takeover bid of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). We then discuss Hinge CEO’s decision to leave the company for his new venture – an AI-powered dating service, Overtone. Next, we turn to Australia’s social media ban that has come into play for under-16s this week. Elsewhere, SpaceX is planning an IPO in 2026, and it may be a temperature check for the survival of private companies, under the scrutiny of public markets.  Finally, we turn to the UK where DeepMind is planning to launch a new research lab to drive the discovery of new materials for superconductors.

This week’s news

The bidding war for Warner Bros heats up

A fresh drama has hit the entertainment industry this past week, with Paramount and Netflix going head-to-head in a bid to buy WBD. The $83bn deal struck last week between Netflix and WBD signaled Netflix’s latest push to establish itself as a major player in Hollywood. However, Paramount has since raised the stakes, tabling an unexpected $108bn all-cash offer for the entertainment studios, set to also include its studio, streaming and cable business. The Financial Times reported that Paramount’s bid is backed by large contenders, with financing from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners. The bidding war leaves WBD studios in the balance, with President Trump expected to be drawn into the decision. This news is signaling that top-tier intellectual property is now the ultimate currency in a market where subscribers – and their attention – are increasingly fleeting.

Hinge founder takes his next steps

Hinge CEO Justin McLeod is swiping left on his role at the global dating app, with plans to launch a new dating service which will be powered by AI. Created in 2011, Hinge is on track to reach $1bn in revenue by 2027. TechCrunch wrote that McLeod’s new product will be called Overtone, backed by Match Group – the online dating services giant that owns the likes of Hinge and Tinder. McLeod is committed to the integration of AI into the dating experience, after founding Hinge on the premise of building meaningful connections. He is the latest to join other dating app CEOs looking to differentiate themselves in a market of “growing malaise” amongst Gen Zs, who are leaving traditional apps behind. Tinder, for example, is leaning on its AI features to help press pause on nine straight quarters of paying-subscriber decline. With clear endorsement, Overtone may be the reset that the dating game is looking for.

Australia’s social media ban comes into effect 

Australia’s social media ban for under-16s has come into effect this week, but whether the evidence to warrant the ban is strong enough is still up for debate, writes Sky News. Although the incidence of depressive symptoms has risen globally in the era of mainstream social media, it is proving difficult to establish a causal link. A lack of scientific confirmation that social media use leads to negative health outcomes, continues to hang over the Australian government’s decision. In a 2024 study conducted by the University of Cambridge, the connection between usage and psychological problems presented only a “very weak” correlation. When governments around the world are deciding whether to replicate Australia’s model, they may want to think about the strength of the data – and whether it outweighs the benefits that social media has brought to younger generations. 

SpaceX IPO set to shake Wall Street

Elon Musk is planning an IPO for SpaceX, according to Bloomberg, which writes that the deal could reopen Wall Street to a flood of mega-listings, putting as much as $2.9 trillion of private-company value back into the public market and signalling a new era for “centicorns”, valued at $100bn or more. While the company’s groundbreaking work in space and satellite broadband makes it a must-watch for both retail and institutional investors, going public could challenge Elon Musk and SpaceX’s culture of independence, potentially slowing ambitious projects like Starship and Mars missions. The IPO, possibly as soon as in mid-2026, may not just be a financial event but a bellwether for whether mega-private companies can survive – and thrive – under the scrutiny of public markets. 

DeepMind to launch UK AI lab 

CNBC reported that Google DeepMind will open its first “automated research lab” in the UK, a robotics- and AI-driven facility aimed at accelerating discovery of new materials for superconductors, while giving British scientists priority access to its most advanced AI tools. The partnership with the UK government also includes potential use of DeepMind’s Gemini models across public services, education, and national security, as well as deeper collaboration with the UK’s AI Security Institute in researching the safety of AI systems. While the UK sees this as a major win in its race to build domestic AI capacity and attract global investment, the Financial Times cites critics who warn that the government’s heavy reliance on Big Tech risks letting corporate incentives shape the UK’s public-sector AI strategy more than democratic oversight – an emerging trend worth watching as technology partnerships scale.

Top Tweets of the Week

• Department of Science, Innovation and Technology: A new partnership between the UK and @GoogleDeepMind will turn cutting-edge AI into real benefits for people. It will lead to scientific breakthroughs and better public services. The company will also open its first autonomous lab in the UK, driving forward innovation.
• LBC: Trump to make all foreign tourists provide five years of social media history before entering US.

Number of the week

$1bn The The equity investment Disney is making in OpenAI, which will allow users to make videos with its copyrighted characters on Sora AI video generator (CNBC)