Wed. 04/16 – Why Does OpenAI Want A Social Network?
Well, it looks like DOGE has finally come for cybersecurity. It sounds like the tariff stuff is already biting Nvidia to the tune of $5 billion. Why is OpenAI building a social network? The government would have settled the antitrust case with Meta to the tune of $30 billion. And why did Mark Zuckerberg consider spinning off Instagram voluntarily? Sponsors: SelectQuote.com/ride Links: Uncle Sam abruptly turns off funding for CVE program. Yes, that CVE program (The Register) Nvidia says it will record $5.5 billion charge tied to H20 processors exported to China (CNBC) OpenAI is building a social network (The Verge) Figma confidentially files for IPO more than a year after ditching Adobe deal (CNBC) Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Failed Negotiations to End Antitrust Case (WSJ) Zuckerberg Says He Considered Spinning Off Instagram in 2018 (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
16 Apr 18min
Tue. 04/15 – Why Is OpenAI Going Backwards (Name-Wise)?
OpenAI releases its latest next gen models but you wouldn’t know it by the nomenclature because the numbers are going backwards. What’s up with that? Apple is tying itself in a pretzel to train on user data but still stick to privacy. And a big rundown of the first day of the big Meta antitrust trial. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN Links: OpenAI’s new GPT-4.1 AI models focus on coding (TechCrunch) OpenAI launches another model before GPT 5 — here’s what this one can do (Tom's Guide) Nvidia says it plans to manufacture some AI chips in the US (TechCrunch) Apple to Analyze User Data on Devices to Bolster AI Technology (Bloomberg) Zuckerberg testifies as FTC, Meta trade opening salvos in antitrust trial (Politico) Mark Zuckerberg Takes Stand to Defend Meta Against Antitrust Suit (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 Apr 19min
Mon. 04/14 – Tariff Groundhog Day
You know that meme of Ebenezer Scrooge shouting out the window? “Hey boy, what tariff regime is it today?” Sam Altman again implies ChatGPT usage has exploded. If you’re coding with AI, a big new vulnerability you need to know about. And is Apple pivoting the Vision Pro to the type of product I thought they should have done all along? Sponsor: Freshbooks.com Links: Apple, Nvidia Score Relief From US Tariffs With Exemptions (Bloomberg) Sony raises PlayStation 5 prices in Europe citing ‘challenging’ economic environment (CNBC) ChatGPT Hits 1 Billion Users? ‘Doubled In Just Weeks’ Says OpenAI CEO (Forbes) LLMs can't stop making up software dependencies and sabotaging everything (The Register) AI-hallucinated code dependencies become new supply chain risk (Bleeping Computer) Apple Readies Pair of Headsets While Still Looking Ahead to Glasses (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
14 Apr 17min
Fri. 04/11 – Why COULDN’T Apple Make An iPhone In The US?
Europe says it could tax social media ads if the tariff wars get really nasty. Why COULDN’T Apple make an iPhone in the US as President Trump wants? Is OpenAI cutting corners on safety in order to stay ahead in the AI race? And as always, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Oracle.com/techmeme Links: EU could tax Big Tech if Trump trade talks fail, says von der Leyen (Financial Times) Why Trump’s Dream of Made-in-the-USA iPhones Isn’t Going to Happen (Bloomberg) OpenAI updates ChatGPT to reference your past chats (TechCrunch) OpenAI slashes AI model safety testing time (Financial Times) Mira Murati doubled the fundraising target for her new AI startup to $2 billion. It could be the largest seed round in history. (Business Insider) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: 12 Graphs That Explain the State of AI in 2025 (IEEE Spectrum) Generative AI is learning to spy for the US military (MIT Technology Review) How Apple Fumbled Siri’s AI Makeover (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11 Apr 17min
Thu. 04/10 – JK, JK, JK
At the time of this writing, the tariffs are back off, but who know what will happen by the time you hear this. OpenAI sues back. Google wants a framework for AI agents to talk to each other. Oh, and how many iPhones can you pack in a jumbo jet? Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: Trump temporarily drops tariffs to 10% for most countries, hits China harder with 125% (CNBC) Nintendo Gains Time to Prep Switch 2 Debut With Tariff Pause (Bloomberg) How Many New iPhones Can Fit on a Freight Plane? (Daring Fireball) Wall Street Consultant Paul Atkins Confirmed to Lead SEC (Bloomberg) OpenAI countersues Elon Musk, claims harassment (Reuters) Google launches Agent2Agent protocol to connect AI agents across platforms (Testing Catalog) OpenAI launches program to design new ‘domain-specific’ AI benchmarks (TechCrunch) AI is set to drive surging electricity demand from data centres while offering the potential to transform how the energy sector works (IEA) AI to double data centre energy demand by 2030 (Silicon Republic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 Apr 17min
Wed. 04/09 – Instagram iPad App But For REAL This Time?
Google unveils its new TPU’s, this time with inference! Temu and Shein officially get nuked from orbit. More signs of pullback in AI datacenter buildout. Are we actually, for real, about to get an iPad Instagram app? And a cute little home robot from ages ago, looks like it’s finally coming to a house near you this summer. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Ironwood is Google’s newest AI accelerator chip (TechCrunch) Google announces ‘Workspace Flows’ automation with Gems, audio in Docs, and more Gemini (9to5Google) US Raises Charges on Small Parcels, Targeting Chinese Retailers (Bloomberg) Microsoft pauses $1bn data center plans in Licking County, Ohio (Data Center Dynamics) Instagram’s Mosseri Positions App for TikTok Turmoil (The Information) Amazon Seeks Partners for $15 Billion Warehouse Expansion Plan (Bloomberg) Google Maps is launching tools to help cities analyze infrastructure and traffic (The Verge) Samsung Taps Google AI to Launch Long-Promised Ballie Robot With Video Projector (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9 Apr 17min
Tue. 04/08 – It’s Already Starting…
Uh oh, it looks like the tech price hikes are already starting! People are accusing Meta of doing some weird things with those latest AI models. Shopify tells workers that they need to embrace AI for everything. Is AI killing web traffic? And how AI is being used to automatically create sequels for books. Sponsors: Kinsta.com/brian LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Framework “temporarily pausing” some laptop sales because of new tariffs (ArsTechnica) Exclusive: Micron to impose tariff-related surcharge on some products from April 9, sources say (Reuters) Apple Plans to Source More iPhones From India as Potential Tariff Fix (WSJ) Apple Customers Dash to Stores to Buy iPhones Ahead of Tariffs (Bloomberg) Meta got caught gaming AI benchmarks (The Verge) Shopify CEO says staffers need to prove jobs can’t be done by AI before asking for more headcount (CNBC) Google AI Search Shift Leaves Website Makers Feeling ‘Betrayed’ (Bloomberg) THE A.I. ROMANCE FACTORY (Bloomberg Businessweek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Apr 17min
Mon. 04/07 – Will Tech Raise Prices Cause Of Tariffs?
TikTok lives! Again. Again. At least for another 75 days. Meta’s big new Llama models are out. AI coding assistant Cursor has become the big breakout hit of the AI moment. And then yes, we get into the tariff situation, including, me polling tech execs who make consumer facing gadgets: do you plan to raise prices? Here’s what they told me. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/gold Qualialife.com/ride and code RIDE Links: Trump extends TikTok deadline for the second time (CNBC) Meta releases two Llama 4 AI models (The Verge) AI Coding Assistant Cursor Draws a Million Users Without Even Trying (Bloomberg) Tariffs are tanking tech stocks, so why is Microsoft escaping the worst of the bloodbath? (Fortune) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7 Apr 17min
