Marketplace®
Every story is an economic story
Dec 12, 2025

Bytes: Apple's leadership shakeup, the proposed Netflix-WB merger, and McDonald’s pulls AI-generated ad

Joanna Stern, senior personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal, joins Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino for this week’s Tech Bytes: Week in Review.

Download
Bytes: Apple's leadership shakeup, the proposed Netflix-WB merger, and McDonald’s pulls AI-generated ad
Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Subscribe:

There’s been something of a critical mass of high-profile departures and retirement announcements at Apple in recent weeks.

Plus, how will consumers be helped or hurt by a potential merger between Netflix and Warner Bros or a hostile takeover from Paramount?

And McDonald's pulls an AI-generated Christmas ad because some folks on social media weren't “lovin' it.”

But first, back to the shakeup at Apple. It's losing executives leading AI strategy, interface design and more. Plus, dozens of staffers have reportedly left for competitors like OpenAI.

Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Joanna Stern, senior personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal, about what's going on in Cupertino for this week’s Tech Bytes: Week in Review.

More on everything we talked about

Meta Poached Apple’s Top Design Guys to Fix Its Software UI - from WIRED

Top Apple Executives to Leave, Adding to Recent Departures - from The Wall Street Journal

Investors Bet That a Higher Bid for Warner Is Coming - from The Wall Street Journal

Ellison's Paramount makes $108B cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, escalating buyout fight with Netflix - from Yahoo Finance

McDonald’s Pulls Christmas Advert After Criticism - from Newsweek

The Team