A proposed class-action complaint filed in the Northern District of California alleged that, since 2023, MasterClass (formerly Yanka Industries Inc.) sent subscribers’ viewing habits to Meta through pixel tracking without disclosure or consent, violating the Video Privacy Protection Act. These are allegations, not a court finding.
Since 2023 MasterClass, formally known as Yanka Industries Inc., has transmitted subscriber’s viewing habits to Meta Platforms Inc. via its pixel tracking code without disclosing the practice to users, according to the complaint filed Friday in US District Court for the Northern District of California. It alleges violations of the Video Privacy Protection Act, which prohibits providers from disclosing video viewing or sale records to third parties without consumer consent.
OpenSecrets reports $25,108 in 2024-cycle contributions associated with MasterClass, all from individuals—not the organization—including employees, members, owners or their immediate family members. Recipients were predominantly Democratic candidates and party committees. OpenSecrets reported no federal lobbying or outside spending by MasterClass for the cycle.
In February 2026, MasterClass, OpenAI and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business announced MasterClass Executive, a planned 12-week, $2,500 program with online lessons, AI tutoring and an in-person campus experience. The first cohort is expected to have fewer than 1,000 students; the program is not accredited, though MasterClass says it plans to offer an opportunity to earn OpenAI certifications.
Some of the biggest names in education are teaming up on a new platform for aspiring business leaders who don’t have the time and money to attend business school. MasterClass, OpenAI, and the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business have announced MasterClass Executive, an AI-powered alternative to traditional MBA programs. The organizations believe that through a combination of online learning and AI tutoring, average performers can become exceptional in a compressed amount of time. David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass, says that MasterClass Executive is a 12-week, $2,500 program that will feature Zoom-based lessons (supplemented by a custom AI tutor from OpenAI) from academics and entrepreneurs, along with AI labs with representatives from companies like OpenAI, Lovable, Weights & Biases, and ElevenLabs. There will also be an in-person experience hosted on the University of Chicago’s campus. Some of the instructors include household names like Ray Dalio, Mark Cuban, Issa Rae, Tony Robbins, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Paul Krugman. The program will also feature professors from the University of Chicago, UCLA, Stanford, and Oxford. Unlike a typical MasterClass course, interested students will need to apply to be considered for acceptance into the cohort. “We’re aiming for an acceptance rate of 10 percent,” says Rogier, “which is more tough than Harvard.” The first cohort will consist of fewer than 1,000 people. Applicants will be required to participate in a screener and a “skills-based challenge” before being considered for the cohort. Each student will also go through an orientation process that provides the AI tutor with key information about the student’s preferred methods of learning. With this context, Rogier says, MasterClass Executive can adapt the learning experience to each individual’s pace and what they’re looking to get out of the program. The program, created in close collaboration with professors at Chicago Booth, will consist of nine modules, with topics including financial intelligence, AI skills, marketing and growth strategy, and strategic leadership. Students will also be required to complete capstone projects, which Rogier says will be graded by both AI and humans from MasterClass. Part of this initiative will utilize already-existing AI features like MasterClass On Call, a tool that enables users to have voice conversations with AI versions of the company’s instructors. As an example, Rogier says, after a lesson on fundraising strategies, students could be tasked with pitching a product to an AI-powered Mark Cuban.