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Cartoon Network Enterprises partners with Random House
MUMBAI: Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the global licensing and merchandising arm of the US television network, has announced a partnership with Random House Children‘s Books to create a full line of books based on the top-rated action-adventure series, Generator Rex.
The deal between the two companies builds on a long-standing partnership with Random House, Inc. that includes other popular Cartoon Network brands including Ben 10 and Bakugan (Del Ray Manga).
The Random House Children‘s Books programme will bring to market content-rich titles centered around Rex, a 15-year-old typical teenager with abnormal powers – including the ability to make his fists the size of boulders, sprout a jet pack out of his back and turn his legs into a lightning-fast motorcycle, among other talents.
Random House will launch their book programme in Summer 2011 with a Step into Reading levelled reader and a deluxe 3-D storybook. Additional readers, storybooks, and activity books will follow.
CNE senior VP Christina Miller says, “Generator Rex is driven by action-packed storytelling and strong characters that excite fans and leave them wanting more. Random House, and the publishing category as a whole, are key components to further expanding the Generator Rex universe into an immersive world that tells Rex‘s story off screen in a fun and engaging way.”
Random House/Golden Books Young Readers Group editorial director Dennis Shealy said, “Cartoon Network is a favorite among families, and Generator Rex is a powerhouse TV show with everything kids like: fast-paced action, sarcastic humor, creepy villains and monsters?and my personal favorite: Rex‘s talking monkey sidekick. Combine that with some of Random House Children‘s Books‘ strongest formats, and you‘ve got a recipe for retail success.”
Random House joins other partners for the consumer products launch of Generator Rex that currently includes Mattel as the brand‘s global master toy partner, Activision, for interactive, Hallmark for party goods and social expression, Hybrid Apparel and DC Comics.
Additionally, CNE will release the first title in the Generator Rex home entertainment franchise on October 19 with Warner Home Video distributing. Additional partners for the brand will continue to be announced in the coming weeks.
Cartoon Network has committed to at least 40 episodes of the series, and has also created an online game, Generator Rex: Nanite Master, featured at CartoonNetwork.com that has had more than 6.9 million game plays since its launch in March, as well as a show page and a Facebook fan page.
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Three senior OpenAI infrastructure executives join Meta
Key members of Stargate project move to rival amid aggressive AI spending race.
MUMBAI: Three key architects of OpenAI’s ambitious data centre plans have switched sides and joined Meta Platforms, according to people familiar with the matter. Peter Hoeschele, who played a central role in OpenAI’s high-profile Stargate initiative, is among the new hires. He is joined by Shamez Hemani, who focused on computing strategy and business development, and Anuj Saharan, another leader in the computing organisation. The Information first reported their departure from OpenAI on Thursday.
The moves come as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to spend aggressively on AI infrastructure. The company is projecting capital expenditure of up to $135 billion this year alone, with hundreds of billions more expected before the end of the decade to support its Meta Superintelligence Labs and new models such as Muse Spark.
OpenAI, which is pushing ahead with massive data centre expansion, had described its early lead in securing computing power as a competitive advantage. Stargate, originally announced last year as a $500 billion venture involving OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, has since become an umbrella term for the company’s broader data centre ambitions. However, the project has seen recent adjustments, including a pause on its UK plans and the decision not to expand the Abilene, Texas site.
A spokesperson for Meta declined to comment, while Hoeschele, Hemani, and Saharan also declined to comment. OpenAI said it was grateful for the contributions of the three employees and remains focused on hiring talent for its infrastructure plans. The company recently brought in former Intel executive Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute efforts.
In the high-stakes race to build the future of artificial intelligence, talent is proving to be as valuable as computing power itself. Meta’s latest hires suggest the competition for top infrastructure minds is intensifying, even as OpenAI continues to scale its own ambitious projects. The move highlights how quickly the AI talent war is heating up across Silicon Valley.
