Uncle Sam’s Intel Stake
The government has indeed taken a stake in Intel. Apple might turn to Google to save Siri. Meta turns to Midjourney. Perplexity wants to cut publishers in on the action. And how DHL is using AI to shore up a workforce that is aging out. Links: Trump, Intel Agree to 10% U.S. Stake as President Promises More Deals (NYTimes) Apple Explores Using Google Gemini AI to Power Revamped Siri (Bloomberg) Meta partners with Midjourney on AI image and video models (TechCrunch) Perplexity to Let Publishers Share in Revenue from AI Searches (Bloomberg) Netflix Sets Opening Dates for Permanent Entertainment and Shopping Venues in Philadelphia, Dallas (Variety) Inside DHL’s AI upgrade: ‘Love it or hate it, you have to work with it’ (FT) 8 Women, 4 Bedrooms and 1 Cause: Breaking A.I.’s Glass Ceiling (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
25 Elo 202518min
Has China Shut The Door On Nvidia?
We talked recently about how Nvidia wasn’t home free in China just yet, and low and behold, they’re stopping H20 chip production over Chinese concerns. Did Elon Musk talk to Mark Zuckerberg about buying OpenAI together? And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Nvidia Orders Halt to H20 Production After China Directive Against Purchases (The Information) Meta Signs $10 Billion-Plus Cloud Deal With Google (The Information) Elon Musk tried to enlist Mark Zuckerberg in $100bn bid for OpenAI (Financial Times) OpenAI Is Challenging Google—While Using Its Search Data (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: He Sold His Likeness. Now His Avatar Is Shilling Supplements on TikTok. (NYTimes) Bill Gates meets Willy Wonka: How Epic’s 82-year-old billionaire CEO, Judy Faulkner, built her software factory (CNBC) Mutant Podcast Army Fantasy Football League Link poyeg1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
22 Elo 202519min
Now Meta Has Frozen AI Hiring
What is going on at Meta AI story number 77. A deeper look at that new chip that Google unveiled with the Pixel phones yesterday and what that could suggest for Google’s hardware strategy. And an interesting startup that is making AI smartglasses happen now. Links: Meta Freezes AI Hiring After Blockbuster Spending Spree (WSJ) Suddenly, Silicon Valley Is Lowering AI Expectations (NYMag) Google did more than just switch to TSMC for Tensor G5 — This is what’s new (9to5Google) DeepSeek Touts Model That Outdoes Flagship in Agentic AI Step (Bloomberg) Sony is raising PS5 prices, starting tomorrow (The Verge) Harvard dropouts to launch ‘always on’ AI smart glasses that listen and record every conversation (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
21 Elo 202521min
The Pixel 10 Smartphone Unveiling
All the headlines from the Made By Google event where we saw the new Pixel 10 lineup and the 4th gen Pixel Watch. We have a release date for those new Xbox handhelds. More seeming chaos at Meta’s AI headquarters. And a report back from the first ever AI film festival. Links: The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first fully dust-resistant foldable (The Verge) Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL are all about upgrades you can’t see, still starting at $999 [Hands-on] (9to5Google) Google debuts Pixel Watch 4 with domed display, emergency Satellite Communication (TechCrunch) Microsoft and Asus’ new Xbox Ally handhelds launch on October 16th (The Verge) Mark Zuckerberg Shakes Up Meta’s A.I. Efforts, Again (NYTimes) US tech stocks hit by concerns over future of AI boom (FT) I Saw the Future of AI Film and It Was Empty (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
20 Elo 202521min
Chamath Is Back In The Arena
Masa Son is investing $2B into Intel, and the Uncle Sam might join in as well. Small AI models continue to have a moment. Chamath is reentering the arena with a new SPAC. The Texas AG is investigating AI chatbots. And does GPT-5 prove that we’ve hit an AI ceiling, even if only temporarily? Links: Intel is getting a $2 billion investment from SoftBank (CNBC) Nvidia releases a new small, open model Nemotron-Nano-9B-v2 with toggle on/off reasoning (VentureBeat) ‘SPAC King’ Chamath Palihapitiya is back with a new one (Pitchbook) Texas attorney general accuses Meta, Character.AI of misleading kids with mental health claims (TechCrunch) Is AI hitting a wall? (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
19 Elo 202521min
Meta’s Smart Headware Push
Meta is readying smartglasses with a display, but also, a look at their theoretical and prototype roadmap for the future of headware hardware generally. Is all the money in the world not actually going to get Zuck what he wants in AI? And is the acquihire in all but name trend of recent months breaking Silicon Valley’s fundamental business model? Links: Apple’s Vision Pro Is Suffering From a Lack of Immersive Video (Bloomberg) Meta Tiramisu "Hyperrealistic VR" Hands-On: A Stunning Window Into Another World (UploadVR) Meta Boba 3 Prototype Hands-On: Ultra-Wide Field Of View Without Compromise (UploadVR) Startup down rounds are at a 10 year high, according to PitchBook data (Fortune) Meta Plans Fourth Restructuring of AI Efforts in Six Months (The Information) Zuckerberg Squandered His AI Talent. Now He’s Spending Billions To Replace It. (Forbes) Big Tech Is Eating Itself in Talent War (WSJ) Enough is enough—I dumped Google’s worsening search for Kagi (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
18 Elo 202522min
AI Business Bigger Than The Smartphone Business?
Will the US government take a stake in Intel? Why was Meta letting spicy conversation happen with their AI bots? What does it mean if Foxconn’s AI business is now bigger than its gadget assembly business? And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Trump Administration Said to Discuss Taking Stake in Intel (Bloomberg) Meta’s AI rules have let bots hold ‘sensual’ chats with kids, offer false medical info (Reuters) Forget Foxconn the iPhone factory. AI’s made it a server-slinger first and foremost (The Register) Apple returns blood oxygen monitoring to the latest Apple Watches (The Verge) Whoop Refuses to Pull Blood Pressure Tool After FDA Warning (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Big Tech’s A.I. Data Centers Are Driving Up Electricity Bills for Everyone (NYTimes) Behind Wall Street’s Abrupt Flip on Crypto (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 Elo 202518min
Thu. 08/14 – An Apple Pixar Lamp?
New York is suing Zelle. Another IPO pop has me raising my eyebrows. Maybe Perplexity really was serious, at least about getting a browser. Does Apple want to make basically that Pixar lamp? And AI has so broken the hiring process that some companies are resorting again to in-person interviews. Links: New York sues Zelle, says security lapses led to $1 billion consumer fraud losses (Reuters) Crypto Firm Bullish Soars 84% in Debut After $1.1 Billion IPO (Bloomberg) Before Wild Chrome Bid, Perplexity Had Been Hunting for Browsers (The Information) Apple Plots Expansion Into AI Robots, Home Security and Smart Displays (Bloomberg) AI Is Forcing the Return of the In-Person Job Interview (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
14 Elo 202516min
