Tech Brew Ride Home
Tech Brew Ride Home

Silicon Valley's water cooler podcast. A tech news summary every day... 15 minutes and you're up to date. From Tech Brew, Morning Brew's tech hub.

I spoke with the great Paul Kedrosky to discuss the significant impact of AI capital expenditure (CapEx) on the economy, exploring how it contributes to GDP growth and the implications of this spending. Qw delve into the rapid growth of AI-related investments, the short lifespan of data centers, and the potential risks associated with this economic phenomenon. 00:00 The Impact of AI Capital Expenditure on the Economy 09:34 The Dynamics of Data Center Investments 19:39 Debt Financing and Its Implications 30:09 Potential Risks and Future Outlook for AI Investments Articles mentioned on this episode: Paul Kedrosky: Honey AI Capex Ate The Economy Chris Mims in the WSJ Noah Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tracking the fallout and implications from GPT-5’s rollout yesterday. Why is Google’s AI chatbot filled with self-loathing and recrimination? Are President Trump’s comments just the latest worry for the CEO of Intel? Are those AI coding companies actually making any money? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: GPT-5: Key characteristics, pricing and model card (Simon Willison) GPT-5 Hands-On: Welcome to the Stone Age (Latent Space) Google says it's working on a fix for Gemini's self-loathing 'I am a failure' comments (Business Insider) Intel’s Chief Holds Firm After Trump Demands His Resignation (NYTimes) High costs and thin margins threatening AI coding startups (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: AI Is Coming for the Consultants. Inside McKinsey, ‘This Is Existential.’ (WSJ) SEO Is Dead. Say Hello to GEO. (NYMag) Is Perrier as pure as it claims? The bottled water scandal gripping France (BBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the news around the big unveiling of GPT-5. President Trump calls on the CEO of Intel to “resign immediately.” Also, the threat of 100% tariffs on chips and semiconductors. But Apple gets a pass because they’re committing to building more in the US. Links: GPT-5 is being released to all ChatGPT users (The Verge) OpenAI Unveils GPT-5, Its Latest and Most Powerful Model, After Two-Year Wait (WSJ) OpenAI’s GPT-5 is here (TechCrunch) Trump Urges ‘Conflicted’ Intel CEO Tan to Resign Immediately (Bloomberg) Trump Eyes 100% Chips Tariff, Exempting Firms That Invest in US (Bloomberg) Apple Announces $100 Billion US Investment Ahead of Trump Event (Bloomberg) Could AI Datacenter Spending Blow Up The Economy? With Paul Kedrosky (YouTube) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Disney is making big streaming moves with the new ESPN app and a revamp to Hulu. Then, it’s all basically AI announces. OpenAI’s new open-weight models. Grok’s new spiciness is already generating nudity. A new AI model to identify malicious software autonomously. And Nvidia wants you to know: no back-doors! Links: ESPN flagship streaming service to launch Aug. 21 (CNBC) Hulu App to Be Phased Out as Disney Is ‘Fully Integrating’ Service Into Disney+ (Variety) OpenAI Just Released Its First Open-Weight Models Since GPT-2 (Wired) Anthropic's powerful Opus 4.1 model is here - how to access it (and why you'll want to) (ZDNet) Qwen-Image is a powerful, open source new AI image generator with support for embedded text in English & Chinese (VentureBeat) Grok’s ‘spicy’ video setting instantly made me Taylor Swift nude deepfakes (The Verge) Microsoft’s new AI reverse-engineers malware autonomously, marking a shift in cybersecurity (GeekWire) Nvidia defiant over backdoors and kill switches in GPUs as U.S. mulls tracking requirements — calls them 'permanent flaws' that are 'a gift to hackers' (Tom's Hardware) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TSMC has fired employees for allegedly attempting to pilfer information on their 2nm tech. Figma could have raised more money in its IPO but chose not to. Creating entire video game worlds with just a text prompt. And exactly how big Patreon has grown in the creator economy. 00:32 TSMC Spygate 02:50 Cloudflare V. Perplexity 04:52 Figma Followup 07:35 Music AI 09:53 New Google Models 14:58 Patreon Numbers Links: TSMC says employees tried to steal trade secrets on iPhone 18 chip process (9to5Mac) Cloudflare says Perplexity’s AI bots are ‘stealth crawling’ blocked sites (The Verge) Figma’s Pursuit of Long-Term Backers Kept IPO Price in Check (Bloomberg) Voice Startup ElevenLabs Launches AI Music Service (WSJ) Google’s new AI model creates video game worlds in real time (The Verge) Google’s Kaggle to host AI chess tournament to evaluate leading AI models’ reasoning skills (Silicon Angle) Exclusive: Patreon crosses $10 billion creator payment milestone (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Robotaxies are coming to Europe. Apple wants Answers. Literally. The AI researcher who turned down a billion and a half dollars. How the vibe seems to have definitively shifted in Silicon Valley. And will rollable laptop screens become mainstream? 00:33 Robotaxis In Europe 02:12 Apple Wants Answers 03:57 Lina Khan 05:54 Billion Dollar Turn-Down 07:54 AI Trading Bots 10:25 The Silicon Valley Boom Is Back 14:23 A Rollable Laptop Links: Lyft Partners With Baidu on Robotaxis in European Expansion (Bloomberg) Apple’s New ‘Answers’ Team Eyes ChatGPT-Like Product in AI Push (Bloomberg) Lina Khan points to Figma IPO as vindication of M&A scrutiny (TechCrunch) Thanks for Your $1 Billion Job Offer, Mark Zuckerberg. I’m Gonna Pass. (WSJ) ‘Dumb’ AI Bots Collude to Rig Markets, Wharton Research Finds (Bloomberg) Silicon Valley Is in Its ‘Hard Tech’ Era (NYTimes) Lenovo’s rollable laptop is the coolest computer I’ve used all year (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, it looks like Tech IPO’s might be back on the menu because Figma’s first day pop was like the good old days. Anthropic seems to be getting traction, OpenAI raises again. Earnings from Apple and Amazon, and of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Chapters: 00:33 Figma IPO 04:57 Anthropic And Open AI Numbers 08:45 New Deep Think Model 11:08 Tech Earnings Omnibus 14:35 Longreads Links: Figma more than triples in NYSE debut after selling shares at $33 (CNBC) Anthropic Revenue Pace Nears $5 Billion in Run-Up to Mega Round (The Information) Exclusive: OpenAI Secures Another Giant Funding Deal (NYTimes) Google rolls out Gemini Deep Think AI, a reasoning model that tests multiple ideas in parallel (TechCrunch) Reddit wants to be a search engine now (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The first commercial space station is nearly here. And it could change space forever (BBC Science Focus) A Deadly Fungus Killed 10 Scientists Working in a Tomb. It Could Be a Breakthrough in Curing Cancer. (Popular Mechanics) What happens once we spot the asteroid that will hit Earth? (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft and Meta earnings suggest AI is paying off so far, at least for the big guys. Has OpenAI’s revenues tripled so far in 2025? Devs are using AI more than ever, but that doesn’t mean they trust it. And at the end of the show, as promised, the huge podcast announcement. Links: Microsoft officially tops $4 trillion in market cap, joining Nvidia in exclusive club (CNBC) Investors Cheer an A.I. Spending Bonanza (NYTimes) Meta shares climb 10% on revenue beat, raised forecast (CNBC) Apple, Google, OpenAI to Work With Federal Agencies to Make Health Data Helpful (Bloomberg) OpenAI Hits $12 Billion in Annualized Revenue, Breaks 700 Million ChatGPT Weekly Active Users (The Information) Stack Overflow data reveals the hidden productivity tax of ‘almost right’ AI code (VentureBeat) Google DeepMind says its new AI can map the entire planet with unprecedented accuracy (VentureBeat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Age verification for web users is sweeping the globe. ChatGPT debuts a study mode for students. What, exactly is Zuckerberg trying to achieve by hiring everyone in AI? Maybe Cohere is the real dark horse in the AI model race. And what if the real money in AI video is in training robots? Links: YouTube rolls out age-estimation tech to identify US teens and apply additional protections (TechCrunch) ChatGPT’s Study Mode Is Here. It Won’t Fix Education’s AI Problems (Wired) Apple Loses Fourth AI Researcher in a Month to Meta’s Superintelligence Team (Bloomberg) Meta’s AI Recruiting Campaign Finds a New Target (Wired) AI Startup Cohere Projects $200 Million Revenue Pace as New Funding Nears (The Information) Runway, Luma Target Sales to Robotics Companies (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sony says Tencent has ripped off one of their biggest games. Microsoft wants to get ahead of the whole AI browser thing. Are rate limits coming for AI usage as some people are using AI too much? Waymo is coming to Dallas. And further proof of my thesis that smartglasses are the next big thing in tech hardware. Links: Sony sues Tencent for allegedly ripping off 'Horizon' video games (Reuters) Microsoft revolutionizes Edge as an AI-powered web browser with new experimental 'Copilot Mode' — here's how to enable it right now (Windows Central) Anthropic unveils new rate limits to curb Claude Code power users (TechCrunch) A Second Tea Breach Reveals Users’ DMs About Abortions and Cheating (404Media) Waymo, Avis Plan Dallas Robotaxi Launch in Multiyear Deal (Bloomberg) Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses revenue tripled over the year, EssilorLuxottica says (CNBC) Oakley Meta glasses review: A familiar formula with some upgrades (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Samsung’s foundry business gets a shot in the arm from Tesla. Zuck’s hiring spree nabs a Chat GPT creator. Anthropic is raising and leveling up in a big way. And no sooner did the hot new dating app Tea get hot, then it got hacked. Tea was spilt, if you will. Links: Samsung to Make Tesla AI Chips in Multiyear Texas Deal (Bloomberg) Donald Trump freezes export controls to secure trade deal with China (FT) Meta names Shengjia Zhao as chief scientist of AI superintelligence unit (TechCrunch) PayPal to Roll Out ‘Pay With Crypto’ Feature for Merchants (Bloomberg) AI start-up Anthropic open to Mideast funds in talks to double valuation to over $150bn (FT) Women are anonymously spilling tea about men in their cities on viral app (NBCNews) Hackers leak 13,000 user photos and IDs from the Tea app, designed as a women's safe space (NBCNews) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Could Intel exit the high-end chip game entirely? Why are public companies loading up on crypto? GPT-5 is probably coming in a matter of weeks. What if it’s actually AI jobpocalypse… not now? And in the Longreads, the best explainer of those GLP-1 drugs I’ve read so far. Links: Intel beats on revenue, slashes foundry investments as CEO says ‘no more blank checks’ (CNBC) Google is testing a vibe-coding app called Opal (TechCrunch) Companies load up on niche crypto tokens to boost share prices (Financial Times) OpenAI prepares to launch GPT-5 in August (The Verge) Is AI killing graduate jobs? (FT) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: First Look: macOS Tahoe Public Beta (SixColors) If GLP-1 Drugs Are Good For Everything, Should We All Be on Them? (Derek Thompson) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The White House has rolled out its big AI Action Plan. Google reported earnings but really wanted you to know about consumer adoption of its AI. A new Kindle Colorsoft. TMobile’s Starlink service is available to anyone, and the Switch 2 is now the fastest selling console in history. Links: Trump Signs AI Orders, Vows US Will Win Race Over New Technology (Bloomberg) Donald Trump blocks AI groups with ‘ideological bias’ from government work (FT) Google’s AI Overviews have 2B monthly users, AI Mode 100M in the US and India (TechCrunch) Google Photos adding free photo-to-video, Remix, and Create tab (9to5Google) Amazon is launching a cheaper color Kindle (The Verge) Starlink-powered ‘T-Satellite’ service is now live on T-Mobile (The Verge) The Nintendo Switch 2 Is the Fastest-Selling Gaming Hardware in U.S. History (IGN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Don’t sleep on that SharePoint exploit from earlier this week as it seems to have led to a ton of still active breaches. Apple has a new insurance plan for you. Elon wants even more money for xAI. The Chinese are still churning ahead with their AI models. And three different stories about AI and privacy. Links: Microsoft links Sharepoint ToolShell attacks to Chinese hackers (BleepingComputer) Apple Launches $20-a-Month AppleCare One Plan Covering Up to Three Devices (Bloomberg) Musk Allies to Raise Up to $12 Billion for xAI Chips as Startup Burns Through Cash (WSJ) Qwen3-Coder: Agentic Coding in the World (Simon Willison) Alibaba’s new open source Qwen3-235B-A22B-2507 beats Kimi-2 and offers low compute version (VentureBeat) Amazon buys Bee AI wearable that listens to everything you say (The Verge) Proton is launching a privacy-focused AI chatbot (The Verge) OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns of an AI ‘fraud crisis’ (CNN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, just like that, AI’s winning the Math Olympiad is commonplace. Is Stargate struggling to get off the ground, or is Sam Altman just going to do Stargate on his own without Masa Son? The AI company who’s stated mission was to do AI ethically explains why it needs to get its hands dirty. And even if AI isn’t making scientific breakthroughs yet, there are early signs it is shaking things up nonetheless. Links: OpenAI and Google outdo the mathletes, but not each other (TechCrunch) SoftBank and OpenAI’s $500 Billion AI Project Struggles to Get Off Ground (WSJ) Oracle to Supply OpenAI With 2 Million AI Chips for Data Centers (Bloomberg) Leaked Memo: Anthropic CEO Says the Company Will Pursue Gulf State Investments After All (Wired) AI Comes Up with Bizarre Physics Experiments. But They Work. (Quanta Magazine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Serious zero-day has been uncovered that is affecting everybody all around the world. There is a patch tho. Mark Gurman dishes on the foldable iPhone. TSMC joins the Trillion-Dollar-Club. If you’re an expert in a given field you too can join the AI goldrush. And did we just take a big step toward AGI, or is this just the latest in the hype-cycle? Sponsors: AGNTCY.ORG Links: Hackers Exploit Microsoft SharePoint as Firm Works to Patch (Bloomberg) The First Foldable iPhone Will Arrive Next Year in Un-Apple-Like Fashion (Bloomberg) Nvidia's CUDA platform now supports RISC-V — support brings open source instruction set to AI platforms, joining x86 and Arm (Tom's Hardware) TSMC’s Taiwan Stock Value Surpasses $1 Trillion Amid AI Frenzy (Bloomberg) AI groups spend to replace low-cost ‘data labellers’ with high-paid experts (FT) OpenAI's experimental model achieved gold at the International Math Olympiad (Engadget) OpenAI's gold medal performance on the International Math Olympiad. (Simon Willison's Weblog) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To find out more about Leap Labs go to Leap-Labs.com The white paper is here. Blog is here (with case studies). To get in touch with them: hello@leap-labs.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has a new agent that can control your entire computer. You might soon be able to put crypto in your 401k. Why is Apple suing a prominent YouTuber? And in the Weekend Longreads, the one article that has done the most to radicalize me, as an investor, in a long, long time. Links: OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Agent can control an entire computer and do tasks for you (The Verge) OpenAI ChatGPT Agent announcement LIVE — all the big news from today's livestream (Tom's Guide) Netflix says it’s streamed 95 billion hours in 2025, and a lot of ads too (The Verge) Donald Trump set to open US retirement market to crypto investments (Financial Times) AI start-up Perplexity’s valuation tops $18bn months after latest funding round (Financial Times) Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks (Macrumors) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: 4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment (The New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TSMC earnings suggest the AI buildout is continuing apace. Stablecoin regulation clears a major hurdle. Is Anthropic doing well growing revenue? Maybe not OpenAI well, but well enough? More signs Microsoft is struggling to sell its own branded AI. And how AI might be about to change how we pay for everything… forever. Links: TSMC Raises 2025 Outlook in a Big Boost for AI Demand Hopes (Bloomberg) US House agrees to consider crypto legislation in big win for the digital asset industry (Reuters) Investors Float Deal Valuing Anthropic at More Than $100 Billion (The Information) Microsoft's Copilot Is Getting Lapped by 900 Million ChatGPT Downloads (Bloomberg) Delta moves toward eliminating set prices in favor of AI that determines how much you personally will pay for a ticket (Fortune) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jensen is feeling his oats after the reprieve on China, spilling lots of tea about where he see the AI industry. OpenAI is going after the office and also the storefront, with interesting new integrations. Why is it so hard to create LLM’s in other languages? And a first person account of what its like to work at OpenAI, the culture, the pressure, etc. Links: Nvidia Boss Expects US to Move Fast on First H20 China Licenses (Bloomberg) OpenAI Preps ChatGPT Agents in Challenge to Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint (The Information) OpenAI to take cut of ChatGPT shopping sales in hunt for revenues (Financial Times) Fed up with ChatGPT, Latin America is building its own (Rest Of World) Reflections on OpenAI (Calvin French-Owen) Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Has the US government suddenly allowed Nvidia back in business in China? A segment wherein I make the case the GW’s are the new metric that matters to the tech industry, over and above anything else. Windsurf finds a permanent home. And is China already producing the smartglasses Zuck wants to see next? Links: Nvidia, AMD to Resume AI Chip Sales to China in US Reversal (Bloomberg) Apple to Buy Rare Earths From Pentagon-Backed US Producer MP (Bloomberg) Zuckerberg Says Meta Will Build Gigawatt-Size Data Centers (Bloomberg) Meta’s New Superintelligence Lab Is Discussing Major A.I. Strategy Changes (NYTimes) Cognition AI Buys Windsurf as A.I. Frenzy Escalates (NYTimes) China’s AI glasses market takes shape as Xiaomi’s entry inspires early adopters (SCMP) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google snatched the Windsurf acquisition out from under OpenAI in a big new acquihire. SpaceX is investing in xAI. ChromeOS and Android to merge, but for real this time? Was there a new sort of DeepSeek moment over the weekend? And example number 74 of how YouTube is now the king of video entertainment. Links: Google to Pay $2.4 Billion for Windsurf Staff, IP After Startup Ends OpenAI Talks (The Information) Google Is Said to Pay $2.4 Billion for Windsurf Assets, Talent (Bloomberg) An OpenAI Acquisition Turns Into a Google 'Hackqusition'... (Spyglass) Elon Musk’s xAI seeks up to $200bn valuation in next fundraising (Financial Times) SpaceX to Invest $2 Billion Into Elon Musk’s xAI (WSJ) Google exec: ‘We’re going to be combining ChromeOS and Android’ (The Verge) 'I think you see the future first on Android' – Google's Android leader Sameer Samat (TechRadar) Moonshot AI’s Kimi K2 outperforms GPT-4 in key benchmarks — and it’s free (VentureBeat) Eight Things We’ve Learned About Hollywood This Year (Bloomberg) The Streaming Wars Come Down to 2: YouTube vs. Netflix (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mega Omnibus Episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So, it sure looks like Grok tries to align some of its answers with the views of its maker, Elon Musk, but the question is why… Does AI have to align with political views more generally? New, tangible data suggests you actually might NOT be coding faster due to AI. It might just be in your head. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Grok: searching X for “from:elonmusk (Israel OR Palestine OR Hamas OR Gaza)” (Simon Willison's Blog) Grok 4 seems to consult Elon Musk to answer controversial questions (TechCrunch) A Republican state attorney general is formally investigating why AI chatbots don’t like Donald Trump (The Verge) Study: Apple’s newest AI model flags health conditions with up to 92% accuracy (9to5Mac) Not So Fast: AI Coding Tools Can Actually Reduce Productivity (Second Thoughts) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Grand Unified Theory of Rogue Waves (Quanta Magazine) This Breakthrough Sponge Could Change How the World Gets Clean Water (SciTechDaily) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Grok 4 is out, plus Grok 4 Voice, Grok 4 Code, a bunch more. Ok we know Zuck wants to catch up on AI, but an insider explains why they think Meta fell behind in the first place. Are AI web browsers the next battlefield in the AI wars. And if your electricity bill goes up substantially, you’ll never guess what you can blame. Links: Grok 4 is live — here’s what makes it Elon Musk’s most advanced AI yet (Tom's Guide) Meta Poached Apple’s Pang With Pay Package Over $200 Million (Bloomberg) Zuckerberg’s $100 Million AI Job Offers Are Paying Off (Bloomberg) Exclusive: OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome (Reuters) Microsoft Touts $500 Million AI Savings While Slashing Jobs (Bloomberg) America's largest power grid is struggling to meet demand from AI (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the of the headlines from the Galaxy Unpacked event that was mostly about really thin foldable phones. Big changing of the guard at Apple. What happens when you make a bet on a betting market, think you’ve won, but are then told you’re not. And a useful new feature of Gmail. Links: Galaxy Z Fold 7 goes official with drastically thinner design, but a $2,000 price tag (9to5Google) Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a bigger battery and is still thinner than last year's model (Engadget) Samsung launches the more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for $899 (9to5Google) Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on: Samsung finally made the foldables we’ve been asking for (The Verge) Apple COO Jeff Williams to Retire in Major Changing of Guard (Bloomberg) Elon Musk's AI chatbot churns out antisemitic posts days after update (NBCNews) Polymarket Rules 'No' on $237M Controversial Bet Over Zelenskyy's Suit (Decrypt) Gmail’s new tab is made for unsubscribing from emails (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How much further behind can Apple get in AI now that Zuck is poaching from them as well? OpenAI has been forced to batten down the hatches, quite literally. A fully licensed AI video model. And back to Apple. They heard your complaints. They’re pumping the brakes on Liquid Glass a bit. Sponsors: AGNTCY.ORG Links: Apple Loses Top AI Models Executive to Meta’s Hiring Spree (Bloomberg) OpenAI’s Stock Compensation Reflect Steep Costs of Talent Wars (The Information) OpenAI clamps down on security after foreign spying threats (Financial Times) Bluesky can really keep up with the news now that it has activity notifications (The Verge) This New AI Tool Wants to Work With Filmmakers—Not Replace Them (Time) iOS 26 beta 3 dials back Liquid Glass (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Catching you up on the great Zuckerberg AI recruitment drive. Clueing you in to the great datacenter buildout goldrush that is, again, all about AI. TikTok is about to force everybody to use a new version of their app. And are the unicorns coming back? Links: Meta’s new hires offer a peek into superintelligence plans (Semafor) Zuck's Eleven (Spyglass) CoreWeave to Buy Core Scientific in $9 Billion Stock Deal (Bloomberg) US industrial groups pivot to data centres amid AI boom (FT) TikTok Building New Version of App Ahead of Expected U.S. Sale (The Information) As Trump pushes Apple to make iPhones in the U.S., Google’s brief effort building smartphones in Texas 12 years ago offers critical lessons (Fortune) At least 36 new tech unicorns were minted in 2025 so far (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More layoffs make me more concerned the AI jobpocalypse is coming to tech this summer. In the big Meta v. OpenAI talent battle, who is desperate and who is scared? We reframe the situation a bit. Figma files for an IPO. Chinese AI seems to be gain ground worldwide. And do universities need to fundamentally rethink teaching computer science? Links: Microsoft laying off about 9,000 employees in latest round of cuts (CNBC) Here’s What Mark Zuckerberg Is Offering Top AI Talent (Wired) Sam Altman Slams Meta’s AI Talent-Poaching Spree: ‘Missionaries Will Beat Mercenaries’ (Wired) Figma files for IPO on NYSE, plans to ‘take big swings’ with acquisitions (CNBC) China Is Quickly Eroding America’s Lead in the Global AI Race (WSJ) How Do You Teach Computer Science in the A.I. Era? (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta Superintelligence Labs is official. Cloudflare’s tool to help websites fend off AI bots is official. Will Apple throw in the towel and just buy some AI off the shelf? Does Amazon now have more robots than human workers in its warehouses? And my hands-down can’t live without you app finds a home. Sponsors: CornbreadHemp.com/ride and code RIDE Links: Zuckerberg Debuts Meta ‘Superintelligence’ Group, More Hires (Bloomberg) Cloudflare launches a marketplace that lets websites charge AI bots for scraping (TechCrunch) Apple Weighs Using Anthropic or OpenAI to Power Siri in Major Reversal (Bloomberg) Amazon Is on the Cusp of Using More Robots Than Humans in Its Warehouses (WSJ) Musk’s X Hires Entrepreneur Nikita Bier as Head of Product (Bloomberg) Grammarly to acquire email startup Superhuman in AI platform push (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Weird beef between Nintendo and Amazon. Is Apple going to make a cheap Macbook with an iPhone chip inside? OpenAI claps back at Meta. The AI avatar startup. And for the first time in a decade, Spotify has changed up the Discover Weekly playlist. Links: Amazon Misses Out on Switch 2 Sales After Nintendo Pulled Products From US Site (Bloomberg) Kuo: Apple to release cheaper MacBook powered by iPhone processor (9to5Mac) ‘F1’ Revs To $144M Opening Weekend Around The World, Brad Pitt & Apple Original Films Records (Deadline) OpenAI Leadership Responds to Meta Offers: ‘Someone Has Broken Into Our Home’ (Wired) AI avatars are here in full force—and they’re serving some of the world’s biggest companies (Fortune) Spotify revamps its Discover Weekly playlist after 10 years (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark Zuckerberg’s big AI plan seems still to be such a work in progress, he’s even considering abandoning Llama. Apple attempts to comply with the EU’s DMA. Instagram and TikTok want to follow YouTube to your TV. The infamous Blue Screen of Death is dying. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: In Pursuit of Godlike Technology, Mark Zuckerberg Amps Up the A.I. Race (NYTimes) Meta says it’s winning the talent war with OpenAI (The Verge) Apple announces sweeping App Store changes in the EU (9to5Mac) Google launches Doppl, a new app that lets you visualize how an outfit might look on you (TechCrunch) TikTok, Instagram Plot TV Apps Following YouTube’s Success (The Information) Windows is getting rid of the Blue Screen of Death after 40 years (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: My Couples Retreat With 3 AI Chatbots and the Humans Who Love Them (Wired) AI is ruining houseplant communities online (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The legal rulings on AI are finally coming in. The problem is, they’re contradictory, so we’re not getting any legal clarity yet. Creative Commons but for AI training data. Is DeepSeek’s R2 model being stymied by lack of access to Nvidia chips? And another deep look at the question of: is AI taking jobs at tech companies, right now? Links: Microsoft sued by authors over use of books in AI training (Reuters) Trump Mobile reiterates claims that new phones are 'made in America' (USAToday) Creative Commons debuts CC signals, a framework for an open AI ecosystem (TechCrunch) OpenAI, Microsoft Rift Hinges on How Smart AI Can Get (WSJ) DeepSeek’s Progress Stalled by U.S. Export Controls (The Information) Salesforce CEO Says 30% of Internal Work Is Being Handled by AI (Bloomberg) AI Killed My Job: Tech workers (Blood In The Machine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI is transforming job search on both sides of the equation. A first court ruling on using copyrighted books to train AI. New AI releases from Google devs will want to know about. How your kids 3rd grade teacher is using AI. And why did Apple push an ad to everybody? Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Employers Are Buried in A.I.-Generated Résumés (NYTimes) CareerBuilder + Monster to Sell Businesses in Bankruptcy (WSJ) Exclusive: Uber and Palantir alums raise $35M to disrupt corporate recruitment with AI (Fortune) Anthropic wins a major fair use victory for AI — but it’s still in trouble for stealing books (The Verge) Google unveils Gemini CLI, an open-source AI tool for terminals (TechCrunch) How ChatGPT and other AI tools are changing the teaching profession (AP) iPhone customers upset by Apple Wallet ad pushing ‘F1’ movie (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A new Xbox branded Meta Quest. Amazon is expanding same day delivery even more. What does it mean for the AI race if ChatGPT seems to be outcompeting Microsoft’s Copilot offerings in the enterprise space? Why is Wall Street leading the way on AI adoption? And what exactly is Mira Murati’s big new AI startup going to do, exactly? Sponsors: Venice.ai/techmeme and code: techmeme Links: After a year of waiting, Microsoft's Meta Quest 3S "Xbox Edition" is here — our hands-on review of this (very) limited edition partnership (Windows Central) Amazon bringing same-day delivery to ‘millions’ of rural customers (The Verge) Tesla Robotaxi Incidents Draw Scrutiny From US Safety Agency (Bloomberg) Waymo’s robotaxis are now available on the Uber app in Atlanta (The Verge) ChatGPT's Enterprise Success Against Copilot Fuels OpenAI and Microsoft's Rivalry (Bloomberg) Goldman Sachs launches AI assistant firmwide, memo shows (Reuters) Thinking Machines Lab’s $2B Seed Round Is Biggest By A Long Shot (Crunchbase News) How Ex-OpenAI CTO Murati’s Startup Plans to Compete With OpenAI and Others (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tesla launches its robotaxi service in Austin. Apple is negotiating desperately to avoid an EU fine coming as soon as this week. Also, why doesn’t Apple do some acquihires to get back in the AI game? Maybe Perplexity would be attractive? The Music industry gathers tools to detect AI. And is there a global divide growing when it comes to AI access? Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Tesla launches robotaxi service in Austin (Financial Times) Jony Ive Deal Removed From OpenAI Site Over Trademark Suit (Bloomberg) Apple locked in last-minute App Store negotiations to avoid Brussels fines (Financial Times) Apple Will Need to Leave Its M&A Comfort Zone to Succeed in AI (Bloomberg) Apple Executives Have Held Internal Talks About Buying AI Startup Perplexity (Bloomberg) The music industry is building the tech to hunt down AI songs (The Verge) The Global A.I. Divide (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta has some new smartglasses. How long can the TikTok groundhog day go on? Masa Son wants to create a Shenzhen-like production city here in the US. Are your smart cameras a national security threat to the home front in a war? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Factor75.com/ride Links: Meta announces Oakley smart glasses (The Verge) Meta tried to buy Ilya Sutskever’s $32 billion AI startup, but is now planning to hire its CEO (CNBC) Trump extends TikTok ban deadline for a third time, without clear legal basis (AP) Publishers facing existential threat from AI, Cloudflare CEO says (Axios) Masa Son Pitches $1 Trillion US AI Hub to TSMC, Trump Team (Bloomberg) Israeli Officials Warn Iran Is Hijacking Security Cameras to Spy (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Scientists once hoarded pre-nuclear steel; now we’re hoarding pre-AI content (ArsTechnica) Why Everything in the Universe Turns More Complex (QuantaMagazine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are we about to see a summer of layoffs in Silicon Valley? Midjourney’s new video model. Meta continues its acqu-hire spree with some folks we know. Microsoft has its own nuclear option with OpenAI, while OpenAI is starting to get worried about its models being nuclear dangerous? And what even IS AGI? Sponsors: CornbreadHemp.com/ride and code RIDE Links: Microsoft Planning Thousands More Job Cuts Aimed at Salespeople (Bloomberg) ‘Surpassing all my expectations’: Midjourney releases first AI video model amid Disney, Universal lawsuit (VentureBeat) Meta in Talks to Hire AI Investors Friedman and Gross, Partially Buy Out Their Venture Fund (The Information) Microsoft prepared to walk away from high-stakes OpenAI talks (FT) OpenAI warns models with higher bioweapons risk are imminent (Axios) Why Big Tech cannot agree on artificial general intelligence (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Remember how that TikTok ban or sale thing has never been resolved? Yeah. Sam Altman describes the money he says Meta is throwing at AI researchers. Is xAI the one with the real money crunch in the AI race? And a review of the first of this new wave of smartglasses. Sponsors: Quince.com/ridehome Links: Trump will grant TikTok another 90-day extension in enforcement of sale-or-ban law (CNNBusiness) Sam Altman says Meta tried and failed to poach OpenAI’s talent with $100M offers (TechCrunch) Musk’s xAI Burns Through $1 Billion a Month as Costs Pile Up (Bloomberg) YouTube to Add Google’s Veo 3 to Shorts in Move That Could Turbocharge AI on the Video Platform (The Hollywood Reporter) Amazon expects to cut corporate jobs as it relies more on AI (NBCNews) Xreal’s One Pro Are a Stopgap Ahead of True AR Smart Glasses (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Among the many snags to OpenAI shifting to for-profit, the Microsoft snag is still the biggest issue. More Intel job cuts coming. Would you believe a Roblox game involving gardening is maybe bigger than Fortnite? And two big firsts: most people get their news from social media, and streaming is now the king of all TV watching. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN Links: OpenAI Seeks New Financial Concessions From Microsoft, a Top Shareholder (The Information) OpenAI and Microsoft Tensions Are Reaching a Boiling Point (WSJ) OpenAI wins $200 million U.S. defense contract (CNBC) Intel will lay off 15% to 20% of its factory workers, memo says (The Oregonian) Amazon Prime Day stretches to four days of deals this year (The Verge) Generation Alpha’s FarmVille Is Growing Like Crazy in Roblox (NYTimes) For the first time, social media overtakes TV as Americans’ top news source (NiemanLab) It’s Official: Streaming Is Now the King of TV (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ads finally come to WhatsApp. Are we about to get a literal Trump phone? More ads on your TV. All ads are about to become AI. And at the end of the show, a bit of an essay from me about Google, AI, and what I think is about to happen to the larger web, literally right now. Sponsors: AGNTCY.ORG QualiaLife.com/ride and code ride Links: WhatsApp Introduces Ads in Its App (NYTimes) Trump Mobile: President’s Company Unveils Wireless Service Delivered via AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, Plans to Launch a U.S.-Made ‘Sleek, Gold’ Android Smartphone (Variety) Amazon Ads & Roku Set Landmark Pact Giving Brands Access To 80% Of Connected-TV Households (Deadline) TikTok Pushes Deeper Into AI-Generated Video Ads With New Tools (Bloomberg) Google Search Is Fading. The Whole Internet Is At Risk. (Barron's) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Omnibus Week Of 06/09 Sign up for the ad-free feed at tech.supercast.tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Do people know when they’re using the MetaAI app, it’s public? Chime had a successful IPO so let me tell you about my IPO-meter. The financials behind that fully-AI commercial running during the NBA playoffs. More signs stablecoins are taking over, but in the Longreads, do stablecoins represent a unique danger to the global financial system? Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50off and code ride50off For a limited time only, get 35% off plus an additional 50% off your first order when you head to Smalls.com and use code RIDE Links: The Meta AI app is a privacy disaster (TechCrunch) Meta Risks Regulatory Scrutiny in Pursuit of Scale AI (Bloomberg) Apple Targets Spring 2026 for Release of Delayed Siri AI Upgrade (Bloomberg) Chime pops 37% in Nasdaq debut after pricing IPO above expected range (CNBC) Walmart and Amazon Are Exploring Issuing Their Own Stablecoins (WSJ) Here’s the $2,000 fully AI-generated ad that aired during the NBA Finals (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Why we should worry about the rise of stablecoins (FT) Nintendo Switch 2 review: bigger, faster, and the best handheld since Game Boy (The Shortcut) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I explain how and why exactly this big Meta investment in Scale AI came about. Hollywood sues AI in a big way for the first time. A look at how stablecoins have mainstreamed crypto at long last. And episode number 205 of the long running series: we blew up traditional TV just to rebuild it. Links: Meta to Pay Nearly $15 Billion for Scale AI Stake and Startup’s 28-Year-Old CEO (The Information) Disney, NBCU sue Midjourney over copyright infringement (Axios) Wikipedia Pauses AI-Generated Summaries After Editor Backlash (404Media) How stablecoins are entering the financial mainstream (Financial Times) EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Doubles Prime Video Ads to 6 Minutes Per Hour (AdWeek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI rolls out an o3-pro model. Android one-ups iOS with a quick release. So far so good for the launch of the Switch 2. What is Google doing with its headcount? And is essentially a giant hologram the future of video calling? Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: OpenAI releases o3-pro, a souped-up version of its o3 AI reasoning model (TechCrunch) God is hungry for Context: First thoughts on o3 pro (Latent Space) Google Releases the Android 16 OS Months Earlier Than Expected (CNET) Nintendo Switch 2 Sets Sales Record in Boon for Games Sector (Bloomberg) Elon Musk says Tesla robotaxi rides in Austin ‘tentatively’ set to begin June 22 (CNBC) Google Offers Buyouts to Employees in Search and Ads, Other Units (The Information) HP reveals $24,999 hardware created just for Google Beam (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Zuckerberg’s big ambitions for AI seem to be coming into focus. OpenAI is actively starting to play the field when it comes to compute. More signs AI is kneecapping web traffic. And what do we think? Is liquid glass a good design choice, or a cul-de-sac for Apple? Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Meta Is Creating a New A.I. Lab to Pursue ‘Superintelligence’ (NYTimes) Zuckerberg Is Personally Recruiting New ‘Superintelligence’ AI Team at Meta (Bloomberg) Exclusive: OpenAI taps Google in unprecedented cloud deal despite AI rivalry, sources say (Reuters) Waymo halts service in downtown Los Angeles amid ICE protests (LA Times) News Sites Are Getting Crushed by Google’s New AI Tools (WSJ) Apple will end support for Intel Macs next year, macOS 27 will require Apple Silicon (9to5Mac) ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Hard to Read’: Designers React to Apple’s Liquid Glass Update (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from WWDC. Microsoft unveils the first iteration of that handheld gaming strategy. Meta is considering its largest external AI investment yet. And did Apple researchers reveal that Large Language Model have a structural ceiling, and are we basically there? Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: Hands-On With the Xbox Ally X, the New Gaming Handheld from Asus and Microsoft (IGN) Meta in Talks for Scale AI Investment That Could Top $10 Billion (Bloomberg) A knockout blow for LLMs? (Gary Marcus On AI) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Circle had such a successful IPO, I’m wondering if IPO’s might finally be back on the menu. Turns out Anthropic cut off Windsurf for the most obvious reason. Maybe Manus really is stoking a new gold rush, at least in China. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, the most consequential weather forecast of all time. Sponsors: Tonal.com Links: Stablecoin issuer Circle soars 168% in NYSE debut after pricing IPO above expected range (CNBC) Anthropic co-founder on cutting access to Windsurf: ‘It would be odd for us to sell Claude to OpenAI’ (TechCrunch) Anysphere, Hailed as Fastest Growing Startup Ever, Raises $900 Million (Bloomberg) Manus has kick-started an AI agent boom in China (MIT Technology Review) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Runway CEO Cris Valenzuela wants Hollywood to embrace AI video (The Verge) The Man Whose Weather Forecast Saved the World (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reddit goes after Anthropic. Meta seems to be reading a much cheaper Vision Pro killer, while still moving forward with their ambitious smartglasses product. What if your Amazon delivery person was not a person at all, but a humanoid robot. And how, quietly, Hollywood studios are already deep into AI adoption. Sponsors: CornBreadHemp.com/ride and code ride Links: Reddit Sues Anthropic, Alleges Unauthorized Use of Site’s Data (WSJ) Meta Talks to Disney, A24 About Content for New VR Headset (WSJ) Here’s what’s inside Meta’s experimental new smart glasses (The Verge) OpenAI slams court order to save all ChatGPT logs, including deleted chats (ArsTechica) Amazon Prepares to Test Humanoid Robots for Delivering Packages (The Information) Everyone Is Already Using AI (And Hiding It) (Vulture) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Windsurf accuses Anthropic of blocking it from AI models in a sign that competition in the AI coding space is fierce. But will the real battle happen when the likes of Microsoft and Google really go after the startups? NotebookLM is now sharable. Pump.fun is raising big money. And Nintendo didn’t send out any Switch 2 review units. What are they afraid of? Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Windsurf says Anthropic is limiting its direct access to Claude AI models (TechCrunch) AI startups revolutionize coding industry, leading to sky-high valuations (Reuters) Google’s NotebookLM now lets you share your notebook — and AI podcasts — publicly (The Verge) Pump.fun plans $1B token sale at $4B valuation: Sources (Blockworks) How Morgan Stanley Tackled One of Coding’s Toughest Problems (WSJ) It’s official: There are no Nintendo Switch 2 reviews. Here’s what that means for us, and you (VGC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon Musk is suddenly fundraising everywhere. An attempt to solve the nomenclature problem around hacking groups. Is the solution to more energy for data centers already hidden inside the grid? And the final two pieces today are two different takes on the great AI debate, our entire civilization is having right now. Sponsors: Oracle.com/techmeme Links: Musk Taps Investors for Billions Days After Washington Exit (Bloomberg) 'Forest Blizzard' vs 'Fancy Bear' - cyber companies hope to untangle weird hacker nicknames (Reuters) Gridcare thinks more than 100 GW of data center capacity is hiding in the grid (TechCrunch) Walmart is supercharging revenue — but with fewer workers (Financial Times) My AI Skeptic Friends Are All Nuts (Thomas Ptacek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We know WWDC might be underwhelming this year, but to what degree? Is Samsung about to pick Perplexity as its horse in the AI race? AI based acquisition and wrapups continue to be the new hotness in VC investing. And how DoorDash has quietly been killing it in the delivery space. Sponsors: AGNTCY.ORG QualiaLife.com/ride and code RIDE Links: Apple Developer Event Will Show It’s Still Far From Being an AI Leader (Bloomberg) Samsung Nears Wide-Ranging Deal With Perplexity for AI Features (Bloomberg) Google quietly released an app that lets you download and run AI models locally (TechCrunch) Early AI investor Elad Gil finds his next big bet: AI-powered rollups (TechCrunch) Meta Aims to Fully Automate Ad Creation Using AI (WSJ) DoorDash CEO Tony Xu is taking on the role of industry consolidator in food delivery (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Meta’s big deal with Anduril is a big deal for the entire tech industry. Microsoft is kinda not joining, but also kind of all in on the handheld gaming race. Count Hugging Face as someone else serious about AI robots. And in the longreads, more signs that the AI job apocalypse might already be upon us. Links: Meta Fired Palmer Luckey. Now, They’re Teaming Up on a Defense Contract. (WSJ) Mark Zuckerberg Finally Found a Use for His Metaverse — War (Bloomberg) EXCLUSIVE: Xbox's first-party handheld has been sidelined (for now), as Microsoft doubles down on 'Kennan' and Windows 11 PC gaming optimization (Windows Central) Black Forest Labs’ Kontext AI models can edit pics as well as generate them (TechCrunch) Hugging Face unveils two new humanoid robots (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: For Some Recent Graduates, the A.I. Job Apocalypse May Already Be Here (NYTimes) How Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd & Jethro Tull Financed the Making Monty Python and the Holy Grail (OpenCulture) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia had solid earnings, though they’re quite concerned about being boxed out of China. The apparent hack of Victoria’s Secret gave me a dad-joke-title for today’s episode. Why DeepSeek’s recent R1 update is a bigger deal than even they are letting on. And why the CEO of Anthropic says we should be more worried about the AI he’s unleashing than people are aware. Links: Nvidia beats on earnings and revenue as data center sales jump 73% (CNBC) Nvidia CEO Warns That Chinese AI Rivals Are Now ‘Formidable’ (Bloomberg) NVIDIA GeForce NOW launches a native Steam Deck app, unlocking 4K cloud gaming & extended battery life for Valve's handheld (Windows Central) Victoria’s Secret takes down website after security incident (BleepingComputer) Apple to Launch iOS 26, macOS 26 in Major Rebrand Tied to Software Redesigns (Bloomberg) DeepSeek Quietly Drops AI Update That Outperforms Google's Best (Implicator.ai) Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple is making noises in the gaming space once again, but I feel like we’ve heard this all before. Getty is still deadly serious about suing AI companies. Self driving trucks seem to be juuuust about to hit the roads. And a big piece about the enmity between Apple and Elon Musk. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Apple acquires RAC7, its first-ever video game studio (Digital Trends) Apple to Debut Dedicated Gaming App Within Days of Switch 2’s Arrival (Bloomberg) Texas Adopts Online Child-Safety Bill Opposed by Apple’s CEO (Bloomberg) Getty Images spending millions to battle a ‘world of rhetoric’ in AI suit, CEO says (CNBC) Driverless Semi Trucks Are Here, With Little Regulation and Big Promises (NYTimes) Apple’s Satellite Ambitions Threatened by Elon Musk, Internal Resistance (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Salesforce is back in the acquisition swing. Circle is going for an IPO. Is Netflix about to lose the streaming service crown? The Holy Grail of AI Models. And is your boss more demanding of your output now that you use AI? Links: Salesforce Agrees to Buy Informatica in Deal Worth $8 Billion (Bloomberg) Stablecoin Giant Circle File for IPO on NYSE (CoinDesk) The Browser Company mulls selling or open-sourcing Arc Browser amid AI-focused pivot (TechCrunch) Cricket gives Disney-Ambani unit in India almost as many users as Netflix (Financial Times) One of Europe’s top AI researchers raised a $13M seed to crack the ‘holy grail’ of models (TechCrunch) At Amazon, Some Coders Say Their Jobs Have Begun to Resemble Warehouse Work (NYTimes) Khosla Ventures among VCs experimenting with AI-infused roll-ups of mature companies (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more about Calmwave at Calmwave.ai. The case study we mention is here: https://catalyst.wellstar.org/casestudies/calmwave/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tariff fun is back and this time there’s only one tech company in the crosshairs: Apple. Anthropic releases flagship new Claude models, and they seem to be impressive, but half the story here is how weird they behave. Like, ratting on users to authorities, blackmailing engineers and maybe creating biological weapons. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Trump says a 25% tariff ‘must be paid by Apple’ on iPhones not made in the U.S. (CNBC) Anthropic’s new Claude 4 AI models can reason over many steps (TechCrunch) Exclusive: New Claude Model Triggers Stricter Safeguards at Anthropic (Time) Anthropic’s new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offline (TechCrunch) Anthropic faces backlash to Claude 4 Opus behavior that contacts authorities, press if it thinks you’re doing something ‘egregiously immoral’ (VentureBeat) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Exclusive look at the creation of High NA, ASML’s new $400 million chipmaking colossus (CNBC) Is Mubi Really Worth $1 Billion? Inside Efe Cakarel’s Plan to Make the Global Streamer Cooler Than A24 (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is this is biggest acquihire of all time? Jony Ive is joining OpenAI to the tune of $6.5 billion dollars. And what is he going to do there? Create hardware devices that Sam Altman expects to ship 100 million of. Why Google has a unique advantage in the AI race. Why Signal is blocking Recall. And why is weather forecasting AI’s next big trick? Sponsors: CornbreadHemp.com/ride and code RIDE Links: Former Apple Design Guru Jony Ive to Take Expansive Role at OpenAI (WSJ) What Sam Altman Told OpenAI About the Secret Device He’s Making With Jony Ive (WSJ) Google has a big AI advantage: it already knows everything about you (The Verge) “Microsoft has simply given us no other option,” Signal says as it blocks Windows Recall (Ars Technica) A.I. Is Poised to Revolutionize Weather Forecasting. A New Tool Shows Promise. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s Google day. Everything Google, everywhere, all at once. All the headlines from IO and there were a ton. What even is Google search in the age of AI? Google’s big push into smartglasses, a wild new video model and a ton, ton more. Here’s what you missed, yesterday, mostly, I guess, in the world of tech. Sponsors: Venice.ai/techmeme and code techmeme Links: Google is rolling out AI Mode to everyone in the US (Engadget) Android XR is getting stylish partners in Warby Parker and Gentle Monster (The Verge) My demo with Google's AR glasses went better than the one on stage (AndroidCentral) Google launches Veo 3, an AI video generator that incorporates audio (CNBC) Watch Me Try Google’s Live Language Translator. It’s Wild. (WSJ) Google moves to reassure EU cloud users amid concern over Trump threat (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
He noted the firm has the OVX computer that is meant to do simulation and graphic simulation physics engine, and it is used to synthesize and generate data. And this data is consumed by the DGX computer, which are used to train foundation models. And then it is deployed to the HX computer, which is the runtime on the edge for platforms like humanoid robots. Sponsors: 1password.com/ride Links: GitHub’s new AI coding agent can fix bugs for you (The Verge) The new Microsoft Discovery agentic platform targets scientists and researchers (Neowin) Trump signs the Take It Down Act into law (The Verge) Stablecoin Bill Advances in US Senate in Big Win for Crypto (Bloomberg) EU to impose €2 tax on low-cost items in blow to Temu and Shein (FT) Nvidia charges ahead with humanoid robotics aided by the cloud (GamesBeat) Autonomous cars with ‘social sensitivity’ cut threat to road users, study finds (FT) Mountainhead Trailer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The big, long saga of how Apple lost the AI race. Nvidia wants you to bring your own gear. 23andMe’s assets are acquired. Why are Apple and Epic still bickering? And why has kidnapping suddenly become a major issue for big crypto players? Sponsors: AGNTCY.org Qualialife.com/ride and code ride Links: Why Apple Still Hasn’t Cracked AI (Bloomberg) Nvidia Opens AI Ecosystem to Rival Chipmakers in Global Push (Bloomberg) Regeneron to Buy 23andMe Out of Bankruptcy for $256 Million (WSJ) Epic Asks Court to Force Apple to Approve Fortnite on US Store (Bloomberg) Epic asks court to compel Apple to reinstate Fortnite on the App Store (9to5Mac) Venture capital's series progression (Axios) Crypto High-Rollers Go Big on Bodyguards to Deter Kidnappers (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who wins? Jobs? Gates? Musk? Bezos? Collison, even? The grand finale of our #WorldCupOfEntreprenurs. (Originally aired October of 2021) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Epic Games and Apple are still having beef over app store rejections. Coinbase got hacked with the oldest attack vector there is: bribery. Meta’s having problems with its behemoth AI model. New Windsurf coding suite. New Apple Car Play. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50off and code RIDE50OFF Links: Apple blocks Fortnite’s App Store return as downloads fail in Europe (The Verge) Coinbase warns of up to $400 million hit from cyberattack (Reuters) Coinbase Hack Rocks Company That Led Crypto Into Mainstream (Bloomberg) Meta Is Delaying the Rollout of Its Flagship AI Model (WSJ) Vibe-coding startup Windsurf launches in-house AI models (TechCrunch) Next-gen CarPlay, branded CarPlay Ultra, starts rolling out today (9to5Mac) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: I let lasers power my smart home — and I don’t want to go back (The Verge) The Popular Alternative - The State of A24 (Dirt) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who is THE entrepreneur of the Internet Era? In this episode, we cover the round of 16 matchups as voted on by YOU. (Originally posted November 2021) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The US still has it out for Huawei. Sony takes a hit from tariffs. TikTok is turning to AI and also messaging. And then, how Airbnb is either going through a midlife crisis, or else, it is trying to become the thing that Brian Chesky always hoped it would become. Sponsors: AGNTCY.ORG Shopify.com/ride Links: US warns against using Huawei chips ‘anywhere in the world’ (FT) Sony Sees $700 Million Tariff Hit on Underwhelming Outlook (Bloomberg) Microsoft extends Office app support on Windows 10 to 2028 (The Verge) TikTok launches TikTok AI Alive, a new image-to-video tool (TechCrunch) TikTok Working on Photo Messaging Feature Despite Employee Concerns Over Sextortion (The Information) You can now book a chef or personal trainer while traveling with Airbnb (CNN) Airbnb Is in Midlife Crisis Mode (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The new thin phone era is definitively here with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple is working on a way to control your iPhone with your brain. For the first time a flagship DJI drone is NOT available in the US. And flying drones are cool, but you know what else is cool? Submarine drones. Sponsors: For 40% off your order, head to Udacity.com/RIDE and use code RIDE Links: Samsung Debuts $1,099 S25 Edge, Kicking Off Wave of Thin Phones (Bloomberg) Galaxy S25 Edge Hands-On: This Thin Phone Left a Deep Impression (CNET) Apple to Unveil New AI Tool to Increase iPhone Battery Life (Bloomberg) DJI is skipping the US with its most advanced drone yet (The Verge) German defence start-up plans underwater drones for naval surveillance (FT) Audible to Partner With Publishers to Create AI-Voiced Audiobooks (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Looks like China tariffs are back off, question mark? But not soon enough for some deals. OpenAI and Microsoft are trying to work out how to get to an IPO. Saudi Arabia, the country, makes a big AI play. Why you might want to take out AI insurance? And did the Pope choose his name because of the AI moment? Sponsors: Tonal.com MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN Links: Apple Considers Raising iPhone Prices, Without Blaming Tariffs (WSJ) SoftBank Stargate Venture With OpenAI Snags on Tariff Fears (Bloomberg) OpenAI negotiates with Microsoft to unlock new funding and future IPO (FT) Saudi Arabia launches AI venture Humain ahead of Donald Trump visit (FT) Insurers launch cover for losses caused by AI chatbot errors (FT) Klarna Slows AI-Driven Job Cuts With Call for Real People (Bloomberg) Pope Leo signals he will closely follow Francis and says AI represents challenge for humanity (CNN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More signs that Apple is diversifying its smart headgear ambitions. Meta wants back in on the stablecoin game it arguably bailed on too early. The Celsius network CEO gets 12 years in prison. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Quince.com/ridehome Links: Apple Is Developing Specialized Chips for Glasses, New Macs and AI Servers (Bloomberg) Meta Explores Stablecoin Integration as US Senate Blocks Key Crypto Bill (Coinpaper) Google rolls out AI tools to protect Chrome users against scams (TechCrunch) Celsius Founder Mashinsky Gets 12 Years for Crypto Fraud (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Can we make AI less power-hungry? These researchers are working on it. (ArsTechnica) Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has hired Instacart’s CEO to be a kind of CEO. Apple reveals the degree to which AI might be eating into Google Search. Why aren’t people seeing a return on their AI investments yet? And my dream grid gadget is finally coming to the US. Sponsors: Oracle.com/techmeme Links: OpenAI hires InstaCart CEO Fidji Simo for major leadership role (Fortune) Instacart CEO Fidji Simo is joining OpenAI (TechCrunch) Apple Eyes Move to AI Search, Ending Era Defined by Google (Bloomberg) Anthropic rolls out an API for AI-powered web search (TechCrunch) FYI: Most AI spending driven by FOMO, not ROI, CEOs tell IBM, LOL (The Register) Netflix debuts its generative AI-powered search tool (TechCrunch) EcoFlow brings its plug-in solar power plant to US homes (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta wins a case against that NSO Group in spyware allegations. Netflix is completely revamping its design for the first time in years. Amazon has a new robot that can do 70% of the work in its warehouses. And a big chip breakthrough that can bring about the ChatGPT moment for quantum computing? Sponsors: CornBreadHemp.com/ride and code ride Acorns.com/ride Links: Meta wins $168 million in damages from Israeli cyberintel firm in Whatsapp spyware scandal (Courthouse News Service) Netflix Overhauls Its Home Screen for the First Time in 12 Years (NYTimes) Amazon makes ‘fundamental leap forward in robotics’ with device having sense of touch (The Guardian) Generative AI tops cybersecurity in 2025 tech budget priorities, new AWS study finds (GeekWire) Mistral claims its newest AI model delivers leading performance for the price (TechCrunch) Cisco says its new entanglement chip could speed up practical quantum computing by a decade (Fast Company) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI backtracks in a major way, saying its nonprofit entity will remain in control of business operations. Huge consolidation happening all at once in the food delivery space. New Surface hardware from Microsoft. Huge investment in European defense tech startups. And Shein and Temu turn to Europe to stay afloat. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: OpenAI reverses course, says its nonprofit will remain in control of its business operations (TechCrunch) OpenAI Reaches Agreement to Buy Startup Windsurf for $3 Billion (Bloomberg) DoorDash strikes £2.9bn deal for Deliveroo (FT) Microsoft shrinks its Surface Laptop down to 13 inches, priced at $899 (The Verge) Microsoft’s smaller Surface Pro has a 12-inch display and starts at $799 (The Verge) Capital flies into Europe’s defence drone start-ups (FT) Exclusive: Shein, Temu ramp up advertising in UK and France as US tariffs hit (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The whole Telegram use by government officials story gets weirder as a Telegram clone has been hacked. Apple is thinking about REALLY shaking up its iPhone release schedule. Who put AI in my crypto? Deepfakes are being chased from the Internet. And the maker of Cursor closes its big round. Sponsors: Take control of your cellular health today. Go to qualialife.com/ride and save 15% to experience the science of feeling younger. Links: TeleMessage, a modified Signal clone used by US govt. officials, has been hacked (TechCrunch) Apple Plans iPhone Release Schedule Shakeup, New Styles (The Information) Tether CEO says the firm's AI product will enable peer-to-peer network of AI agents (The Block) Senate Democrats' reversal on US stablecoin bill throws future of legislation into doubt (The Block) Leading deepfake porn site is shut down for good (Engadget) Maker of AI ‘vibe coding’ app Cursor hits $9bn valuation (Financial Times) Reports: US losing edge in AI talent pool (Semafor) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Omnibus Week Of 04/28 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The big cultural event of maybe the decade is going to take a little while longer to get here. Earnings from Apple and Amazon. More signs of the impending death of the password. More signs of self-driving rapidly becoming reality. And in the longreads, what happens when AI completely changes your field? The AI researchers were the first to experience it. Links: Grand Theft Auto VI release delayed to May 2026 (The Verge) Amazon Says Operating Profits May Decline Amid Economic Uncertainty (NYTimes) Microsoft goes passwordless by default on new accounts (The Verge) Temu Blocks US Shoppers From Seeing Products Shipped From China (Wired) Aurora’s driverless trucks are making deliveries in Texas (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: When ChatGPT Broke an Entire Field: An Oral History (Quanta Magazine) The Life of the Most-Used Citi Bike in New York City (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple basically got held in contempt of court in the Epic case. Rumors about Elon staying at Tesla. Meta and Microsoft earnings. Xbox price increases. Would you wear a smart ring that proves you’re not cheating on your significant other? Links: Apple Dealt Stinging Court Defeat on App Store Sales Commissions (Bloomberg) Tesla Board Opened Search for a CEO to Succeed Elon Musk (WSJ) Microsoft is raising prices on Xbox consoles, controllers, and games worldwide (The Verge) Meta tightens privacy policy around Ray-Ban glasses to boost AI training (The Verge) Would you wear a smart ring that proves you’re not a cheater? (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta has launched a standalone competitor to ChatGPT. But is ChatGPT bending too far backwards in an attempt to please you? Even OpenAI thinks so. Waymo and Toyota cut a deal. And concerns about sovereign tech stacks rear their head again. Sponsors: Go to my sponsor https://venice.ai/techmeme and use code techmeme to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using my code will get you 20% off a pro plan. Links: Meta’s ChatGPT competitor shows how your friends use AI (The Verge) Microsoft CEO says up to 30% of the company’s code was written by AI (TechCrunch) OpenAI rolls back update that made ChatGPT ‘too sycophant-y’ (TechCrunch) Waymo, Toyota strike partnership to bring self-driving tech to personal vehicles (CNBC) Google Play sees 47% decline in apps since start of last year (TechCrunch) EU views break from US as ‘unrealistic’ amid global tech race (Politico) Microsoft vows to protect European operations from Donald Trump (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Amazon about to start showing tariff prices in listings? Armageddon has finally come for Temu and Shein. Is OpenAI getting into the shopping game because their web search usage is exploding? And Project Kuiper finally gets off the ground in a literal and meaningful way. Links: 042925 (PunchBowl News AM) Kickstarter Introduces ‘Tariff Manager Tool’ to Add Charges to Already Fully Funded Projects (404 Media) Temu adds ‘import charges’ of about 145% after Trump tariffs, more than doubling price of many items (CNBC) Congress passes bill to fight deepfake nudes, revenge porn (Washington Post) Alibaba unveils Qwen3, a family of ‘hybrid’ AI reasoning models (TechCrunch) OpenAI Adds Shopping to ChatGPT in a Challenge to Google (Wired) Duolingo will replace contract workers with AI (The Verge) Amazon launches first Kuiper internet satellites, taking on Starlink (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Apple’s 20th Anniversary iPhone the reason they can’t quit China just yet? That Chinese AI Manus just raised a big round. Is Prompt Engineer the job title that never was? And what really goes on in those powerful, behind the scenes Silicon Valley group chats? Sponsors: Freshbooks.com Links: Apple Begins Breaking Up Its AI Team With Robotics, Siri Changes (Bloomberg) Why Trump can’t build iPhones in the US (FT) The Future of Gadgets: Fewer Updates, More Subscriptions, Bigger Price Tags (WSJ) Google is killing software support for early Nest Thermostats (The Verge) Chinese AI Startup Manus Scores Funding at $500 Million Value (Bloomberg) The Hottest AI Job of 2023 Is Already Obsolete (WSJ) The group chats that changed America (Semafor) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alphabet earnings. Intel earnings. Apple is making moves to make sure all iPhones heading to the US are no longer manufactured in China. Zuck seems bound and determined to revive his original baby. Sexy looking new Motorola Razr phones. And, of course the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Alphabet shares rise on stronger-than-expected revenue growth (CNBC) Intel offers weak forecast amid trade tensions as CEO talks to TSMC (Reuters) Apple aims to source all US iPhones from India in pivot away from China (Financial Times) Publisher of PCMag and Mashable Sues OpenAI (NYTimes) Facebook cracks down on spammy content by cutting reach and monetization (TechCrunch) Mark Zuckerberg once considered deleting all your Facebook friends (TechCrunch) Motorola’s new Razr Ultra brings the wood back panel back (The Verge) Netflix rolls out dialogue-only subtitles (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Apple Watch Just Turned 10. Here’s How Far It’s Come (Wired) The Race to Fix Aging Computer Systems Heats Up With AI’s Help (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More fallout from those EU fines yesterday. A whole slew of self driving car news. The AI Coding Wars have officially begun. The back to the office wars continue. Is Chrome worth $50 billion? And let me tell you about the AI app that wants to help you cheat at everything. Links: Apple and Meta Are First to Be Hit by E.U. Digital Competition Law (NYTimes) Uber, Volkswagen pair up to launch robotaxi service in US with self-driving, electric microbuses (TechCrunch) Windsurf slashes prices as competition with Cursor heats up (TechCrunch) Google Chrome Worth ‘Upwards of $50 Billion,’ Browser Rival Says (Bloomberg) Google forcing some remote workers to come back 3 days a week or lose their jobs (CNBC) Columbia student suspended over interview cheating tool raises $5.3M to ‘cheat on everything’ (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
That delayed action from the European Commission finally came down on Apple and Meta. Would OpenAI be a logical home for the Chrome web browser? Massive layoffs coming to Intel. Anysphere turned down an acquisition offer from OpenAI. And are the tariff wars coming for Elon Musk’s robots? Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Apple, Meta Fined by EU, Ordered to Comply With Tech Competition Rules (WSJ) OpenAI Would Buy Google’s Chrome Browser, ChatGPT Chief Says (Bloomberg) Intel to Announce Plans This Week to Cut Over 20% of Staff (Bloomberg) A new, open source text-to-speech model called Dia has arrived to challenge ElevenLabs, OpenAI and more (VentureBeat) Why OpenAI wanted to buy Cursor but opted for the fast-growing Windsurf (TechCrunch) Ex-OpenAI staff and top AI experts seek to block proposed for-profit restructure (FT) Tesla Humanoid Robot Plan Hampered by China Rare Earth Curbs (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As the US v. Google remedy trial begins, the FTC also sues Uber and makes Airbnb disclose all fees. Looks like tech regulation is still very much a thing. Bluesky begins rolling out verification. Meta is using AI to find if kids are lying about their age on Instagram. And Microsoft is forging ahead with that Recall feature. Sponsors: Udacity.com/ride and code RIDE Links: Justice Dept. asks judge to ‘thaw’ Google’s search monopoly by forcing Chrome sale (Washington Post) FTC sues Uber, says company charged for Uber One without consent (CNBC) Airbnb to Show Fees in Price Display to Comply With FTC Rule (Bloomberg) Bluesky Is Rolling Out Official Verification (Wired) Google Messages Sensitive Content Warnings for nudity rolling out (9to5Google) Meta is ramping up its AI-driven age detection (The Verge) Microsoft Is Dedicated To Building A Dodgy New Database Of Every Windows 11 User’s Online Behaviors (TechDirt) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta and Apple were about to go to the woodshed in Europe, but it looks like Trump’s tariffs have run interference for them. Everyone wants in on stablecoins, example number 23. Beware of phishing emails from Google.com. And are OpenAI’s latest models good, bad, or just “jagged”? Sponsors: QualiaLife.com/ride and code RIDE Links: EU Delayed Punishing Apple, Meta Just Before Trade Talks Started (WSJ) Crypto Knocks on the Door of a Banking World That Shut It Out (WSJ) Phishers abuse Google OAuth to spoof Google in DKIM replay attack (Bleeping Computer) Coinbase in hot water over $12 million ‘content coin’—but exec tells haters to lean in (Fortune Crypto) OpenAI’s new reasoning AI models hallucinate more (TechCrunch) On Jagged AGI: o3, Gemini 2.5, and everything after (Ethan Mollick) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google is ruled an illegal monopoly. Again. But for a different reason this time. Switch 2 pre-orders are back on. Americans are flocking to Temu and Shein alternatives. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, what if I told you 25 percent of community college applicants are now AI bots? And not only that, the bots are now “attending classes” in quotes. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50off and code ride50off Links: Google Broke the Law to Keep Its Advertising Monopoly, a Judge Rules (NYTimes) Google loses online advertising monopoly case (Axios) Google Found GUILTY of Monopolization Again (The Big Newsletter) Nintendo Switch 2 preorders start April 24th and the price is still $449.99 (The Verge) The latest viral ChatGPT trend is doing ‘reverse location search’ from photos (TechCrunch) Chinese shopping app Taobao joins DHgate in Top 5 on US App Store (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: As ‘Bot’ Students Continue to Flood In, Community Colleges Struggle to Respond (Voice Of San Diego) Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has a new reasoning model, and more lower cost models as well. Is OpenAI about to acquire a coding startup? Is Perplexity turning to Samsung for distribution and branding? A Neuralink rival gets FDA approval. And why is Jensen Huang on a code-red mission to China at the moment? Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: OpenAI's new o3 and o4-mini models are all about 'thinking with images' (Engadget) OpenAI debuts Codex CLI, an open source coding tool for terminals (TechCrunch) Vibe Check: o3 Is Here—And It’s Great (Every) OpenAI In Talks to Buy Windsurf for About $3 Billion (Bloomberg) Perplexity AI in Talks to Integrate Assistant Into Samsung, Motorola Phones (Bloomberg) Neuralink Rival Gets FDA Clearance in Path to Less Invasive Brain Implants (Bloomberg) Nvidia chief Jensen Huang flies to Beijing for talks (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Is what happened with the Studio Ghibli ChatGPT image generation stuff even legal? I spoke with AI lawyer Rob Rosenberg, former general counsel at Showtime Networks and founder and principal of Telluride Legal Strategies about it, and what he told me was very interesting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well we gotta talk about this tariff thing because the early indications are this could impact almost every nook and cranny of the tech industry. Could we get an announcement about TikTok within days? I think I figured out why CoreWeave’s stock popped back up. And how Nintendo plans to fight the scalpers. Links: Trump’s New Tariffs Test Apple’s Global Supply Chain (NYTimes) Trump to Outline TikTok Deal Proposal, With ByteDance Retaining Stake (The Information) Google in Advanced Talks to Rent Nvidia AI Servers From CoreWeave (The Information) AI Video Startup Runway Valued at $3 Billion in Funding Round (Bloomberg) Amazon targets April 9 launch of first Kuiper internet satellites (Reuters) Nintendo’s Switch 2 preorder process has strict requirements to thwart scalpers (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the details from the big Nintendo Switch 2 reveal this morning. Wikimedia says AI bots are increasing its costs by 50%. North Korean IT workers allegedy continue to go after remote IT jobs worldwide. Meta is reading its more ambitious, more expensive smartglasses for maybe later this year. And maybe the CoreWeave IPO wasn’t a bust? Sponsors: Udacity.com/ride and promocode RIDE Links: Amazon Said to Make a Bid to Buy TikTok in the U.S. (NYTimes) Everything announced at Nintendo’s Switch 2 Direct (Polygon) AI crawlers cause Wikimedia Commons bandwidth demands to surge 50% (TechCrunch) North Korean IT worker army expands operations in Europe (BleepingComputer) How Meta’s Upcoming $1,000+ Smart Glasses With a Screen Will Work (Bloomberg) Stablecoin issuer Circle files for IPO as public markets open to crypto (CNBC) CoreWeave shares rip nearly 42% higher, rising above IPO price (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Masa Son came through for OpenAI, to the tune of a $40 billion dollar round at a $300 billion-dollar post-money valuation. Sam Altman says OpenAI is going back to open weights. A new encryption model for Gmail. A new movie strategy for Amazon. And why the Switch 2 represents a new revenue strategy for Nintendo. Sponsors: FreshBooks.com Links: OpenAI closes $40 billion funding round, largest private tech deal on record (CNBC) OpenAI Finalizes $40 Billion Funding at $300 Billion Value (Bloomberg) OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model in the coming months (TechCrunch) Gmail is making it easier for businesses to send encrypted emails to anyone (The Verge) Amazon’s New Movie Strategy Starts With Theaters (NYTimes) Nintendo Departs From Its Founding Philosophy With Switch 2 (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Over the weekend Elon said that xAI has acquired X. Elon does love to blend his companies together. Tensions between SpaceX and Apple. Apple is working on a major Health app overhaul. And in this era of crypto ascendency, is Ethereum being left behind? Links: Elon Musk says xAI has acquired X in deal that values social media site at $33 billion (CNBC) Musk’s xAI Startup Swallows Up X Social Network in Surprise Deal (Bloomberg) Amazon unveils Nova Act, an AI agent that can control a web browser (TechCrunch) Apple and Musk Clash Over Satellite Expansion Plans (WSJ) Apple Readies Its Biggest Push Into Health Yet With New AI Doctor (Bloomberg) Crypto’s Trumpian Embrace Is Leaving Bitcoin’s Big Rival Behind (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Me On The Big Technology Podcast Talking This Week In Tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Silicon Valley is in more trouble than I think people are talking about... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Move big moves in the gaming space. But we need to talk about that CoreWeave IPO. It. Didn’t. Go. Well. Facebook has a shocking idea: what if you could see what your friends were up to? Anthropic says it’s getting close to understanding how LLM’s actually work. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Maker Ubisoft Jumps After Games Carve Out (Bloomberg) CoreWeave prices IPO at $40 a share, below expected range (CNBC) CoreWeave’s Shaky IPO Signal (The Information) Facebook Returns to Its Roots: Showing Posts From Friends and Family (NYTimes) Thoughts on setting policy for new AI capabilities (Joanne Jang) Anthropic makes a breakthrough in opening AI’s ‘black box’ (Fortune) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Yahoo Is Still Here—and It Has Big Plans for AI (Wired) Inside arXiv—the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science (Wired) YouTube Video Of My Essay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Everyone is using that new ChatGPT image generator to make Miyazaki memes. Google is taking Android development private. Are we seeing signs of an AI datacenter pullback? Now even you can do extra gig work for Instacart. And quantum computers seem to have cracked truly random random number generators. Sponsors: Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, at SELECTQUOTE.COM/RIDE Shopify.com/ride Links: OpenAI’s viral Studio Ghibli moment highlights AI copyright concerns (TechCrunch) OpenAI CEO Responds to ChatGPT Users Creating Studio Ghibli-Style AI Images (Variety) Exclusive: Google will develop the Android OS fully in private, and here's why (AndroidAuthority) Microsoft Abandons Data Center Projects, TD Cowen Says (Bloomberg) China built hundreds of AI data centers to catch the AI boom. Now many stand unused. (MIT Technology Review) Apple chips will be made in US at faster pace, says TSMC (9to5Mac) Instacart will pay shoppers to take videos of store shelves (The Verge) JPMorgan Says Quantum Experiment Generated Truly Random Numbers (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s all AI today basically. New Gemini “thinking” models. New “deep reasoning” agents for Copilot. But the really big news is the new image generator from OpenAI. Fidelity wants to get in the stablecoin business. And if Europe wants to create its own Starlink, it’s got some serious hurdles to overcome. Links: OpenAI rolls out image generation powered by GPT-4o to ChatGPT (The Verge) Gemini 2.5 Pro is Google’s ‘most intelligent AI model’ with thinking built-in (9to5Google) Microsoft adds ‘deep reasoning’ Copilot AI for research and data analysis (The Verge) Fidelity plans to launch stablecoin in digital assets push (FT) ‘No substitute’: Europe’s battle to break Elon Musk’s stranglehold on the skies (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Looks like the EU is bringing down the hammer on Meta. Waymo’s next city is Washington DC. Napster continues to live! And it has a new owner! Maybe domestic chip production can be cost competitive? And what happens if Europe decouples from Silicon Valley? Sponsors: Tonal.com promocode RIDE for $200 off Links: European Union to slap Meta with fine up to $1B or more for breaching strict antitrust rules: sources (NYPost) EToro Files for IPO Showing Commissions Jumped 46% Last Year (Bloomberg) Waymo plans robotaxi launch in Washington, DC in 2026 (The Verge) Napster pioneered music sharing over 25 years ago. It just got bought for $207 million (CNBC) Producing wafers at TSMC Arizona is only 10% more expensive than in Taiwan: TechInsights (Toms Hardware) Trump’s Aggression Sours Europe on US Cloud Giants (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
23andMe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Are mergers and acquisitions officially back on the menu of Silicon Valley? Are cameras coming to the Apple Watch? Devs, does your AI experience line up with your peers? And how Broadway is using AI live translation to reach new audiences. Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride Links: DNA Tester 23andMe Files Bankruptcy to Sell Firm, CEO Quits (Bloomberg) Big Startup Deals Soar to $55 Billion, Passing Quarterly Record (Bloomberg) Ticket reseller StubHub files for an IPO (Axios) AI Chip Startup FuriosaAI Rejects Meta’s $800 Million Offer (Bloomberg) Google is rolling out Gemini’s real-time AI video features (The Verge) Apple Working on Turning Watches Into AI Devices With Cameras (Bloomberg) How Software Engineers Actually Use AI (Wired) New York’s longest-running play offers AI-powered live translations to attract new audiences (Semafor) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
That whole thing with Meta allegedly scraping all the world’s books using LibGen is back in the news. Cloudflare is fighting AI scraping with AI slop. A super interesting executive shakeup at Apple. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: FreshBooks.com Links: The Unbelievable Scale of AI’s Pirated-Books Problem (The Atlantic) Cloudflare builds an AI to lead AI scraper bots into a horrible maze of junk content (The Register) Apple Shuffles AI Executive Ranks in Bid to Turn Around Siri (Bloomberg) Gmail rolling out AI-powered ‘Most relevant’ search update (9to5Google) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How the AI Boom Created the Most Valuable Monopolies in History (Bloomberg) One Man’s Crypto Windfall Is Funding a $1 Billion Space Station Dream (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SoftBank acquires a chip making startup. Nvidia says it hasn’t been approached to help save Intel. OpenAI announces another expensive AI tier. Apple TV+ is losing more than a billion dollars a year. And do Apple’s recent stumbles indicate their where Microsoft was in the Windows Vista era? Sponsors: Incogni.com/ridehome and code ridehome Links: SoftBank Seals $6.5 Billion Deal for Chip Designer Ampere (Bloomberg) Nvidia CEO says company has not been asked to buy a stake in Intel (Reuters) Nvidia to spend hundreds of billions on US supply chain, says chief (FT) A First Look at How Apple’s C1 Modem Performs With Early Adopters (Ookla) OpenAI’s o1-pro is the company’s most expensive AI model yet (TechCrunch) Apple Streaming Losses Top $1 Billion a Year (The Information) Apple innovation and execution (Benedict Evans) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The EU Commission has brought the hammer down on Apple and Google at the same time. All the big news from Nvidia’s big event yesterday. More details on that Google/Wiz deal. Two new Pebble smartwatches and Google’s new entry-level Pixel… that you can’t preorder yet. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com and promocode BRIAN Links: EU sends Apple first DMA interoperability instructions for apps and connected devices (TechCrunch) Google Search charged with breaking EU antitrust rules (The Verge) Nvidia announces Blackwell Ultra and Rubin AI chips (CNBC) The key takeaways from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s GTC keynote (SiliconAngle) NVIDIA GTC 2025 – Built For Reasoning, Vera Rubin, Kyber, CPO, Dynamo Inference, Jensen Math, Feynman (SemiAnalysis) Google's $32 billion deal for Wiz accelerated under Trump, sources say (Reuters) The first new Pebble smartwatches are coming later this year (The Verge) The Pixel 9A is a midrange phone that actually looks like a good deal (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We get that first big test of M&A I was looking for as Alphabet acquires Wiz. Is Roku going to force us to watch ads just to turn on our TVs? The AI coding assistant space continues to be hot. The breakthrough in electric vehicle charging that could really change the game. And what exactly does Lumon Industries do? Sponsors: Robinhood.com/gold Links: Google Strikes $32 Billion Deal for Cybersecurity Startup Wiz (WSJ) “Awful”: Roku tests autoplaying ads loading before the home screen (Ars Technica) Critical RCE flaw in Apache Tomcat actively exploited in attacks (Bleeping Computer) Cognition AI Hits $4 Billion Valuation in Deal Led by Lonsdale’s Firm (Bloomberg) BYD Shares Jump to Record on Five-Minute EV Battery Charging (Bloomberg) They Named Their Companies Lumon. Then ‘Severance’ Aired. (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Europe wants to ween itself off of foreign big tech. Could this be the sign of a future rift with Silicon Valley? The weird case of Rippling versus Deel. Klarna lands a big fish. What the Coreweave IPO could mean for tech. And how the new iPhone Air signals a big hardware design change at Apple. Sponsors: QualiaLife.com/ride and promocode RIDE Links: European tech industry coalition calls for ‘radical action’ on digital sovereignty — starting with buying local (TechCrunch) Accusations of Corporate Espionage Shake a Software Rivalry (NYTimes) Klarna, nearing IPO, plucks lucrative Walmart fintech partnership from rival Affirm (CNBC) CoreWeave serves as bellwether for AI in soft IPO market (Semafor) Apple’s iPhone 17 ‘Air’ Is a Step Toward a Slimmer, Port-Free Era (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The new RCS messaging standard makes encryption universal, and even Apple is getting on the bandwagon. OpenAI calls for a US ban of DeepSeek. Is Apple about to turn your AirPods into the Universal Translator from Star Trek? And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/factorpodcast and code FACTORPODCAST Links: Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users (The Verge) OpenAI calls DeepSeek ‘state-controlled,’ calls for bans on ‘PRC-produced’ models (TechCrunch) Apple Plans AirPods Feature That Can Live-Translate Conversations (Bloomberg) Gemini can now personalize its answers based on your search history (The Verge) Sony’s new RGB backlight tech absolutely smokes regular Mini LED TVs (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: ‘Ne Zha 2’s $2B+ Box Office Run: How It Happened And What Does Blockbuster Behemoth Mean For China & Hollywood Ahead (Deadline) The End Of Children (The New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Intel has a new boss and they seem to want to double down on the Foundry strategy. Meta is testing community notes. Sonos is abandoning its big streaming video hardware project. Is Adobe falling behind in AI? Is Oracle the leader to take over TikTok US? And why is John Gruber so mad at Apple? Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Intel appoints chip industry veteran Lip-Bu Tan as CEO (Reuters) Intel CEO Signals That He’ll Stick With Contentious Foundry Plan (Bloomberg) Meta unveils new community notes program; will not apply distribution penalties nor limit flow of information (Fox News) Sonos has canceled its streaming video player (The Verge) Microsoft’s new Xbox Copilot will act as an AI gaming coach (The Verge) Adobe shares drop 13% as concerns about AI growth overshadow better-than-expected results (CNBC) Oracle Is Leading Contender to Help Run TikTok in New Deal (The Information) Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino (Daring Fireball) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Niantic officially sells to that Saudi-owned game developer. iRobot says it might not be alive in about 12 months time. Sam Altman believes he has an AI that can write believable fiction. Is the cavalry coming to save Intel? And why can’t we create a true AI Einstein in a data center? Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: Pokémon Go developer Niantic to sell gaming business to Saudi group (The Verge) Saudi-owned Scopely buys Pokémon Go in $3.5bn gaming deal (FT) One-Time Amazon Takeover Target iRobot Warns Doubt on Future (Bloomberg) Google calls Gemma 3 the most powerful AI model you can run on one GPU (TheVerge) Sam Altman says OpenAI has trained a fiction writing AI model that’s actually decent (SiliconAngle) Google changes Chrome extension policies following the Honey link scandal (TheVerge) Exclusive: TSMC pitched Intel foundry JV to Nvidia, AMD and Broadcom, sources say (Reuters) Hugging Face’s chief science officer worries AI is becoming ‘yes-men on servers’ (TheVerge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are we about to get the biggest overhaul of iOS since 2013? Is inference the way that everybody is going to eat Nvidia’s lunch? Exactly how much to AI search engines get it wrong? Why is the global smartwatch market shrinking? And apparently the new Mac Studios are the thing you want to get, if you can afford it! Sponsors: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code RIDEHOME at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/ridehome 1password.com/ride Links: Apple Readies Dramatic Software Overhaul for iPhone, iPad and Mac (Bloomberg) Exclusive: Meta begins testing its first in-house AI training chip (Reuters) How ‘inference’ is driving competition to Nvidia’s AI chip dominance (FT) Sony is experimenting with AI-powered PlayStation characters (The Verge) AI Search Has A Citation Problem (CJR) Global Smartwatch Shipments in 2024: Market Declines for First Time, China Leads for First Time (Counterpoint Research) Apple Mac Studio (Early 2025) Review: Renewed vigor with M4 Max and M3 Ultra (Tom's Hardware) Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) first look: a weekend with an $8,000 powerhouse (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, do we have another DeepSeek moment on our hands? I tell you about Manus, which had some people losing their minds over the weekend. Now do we have the first signs of the AI M&A I’ve been looking for? Absolutely everybody wants to get in on the Stablecoin business. And the AI crisis at Apple delayed a product we might have seen this month. Sponsors: Kinsta.com/brian Timeline.com/ride Links: China’s Autonomous Agent, Manus, Changes Everything (Forbes) Manus probably isn’t China’s second ‘DeepSeek moment’ (TechCrunch) Undocumented commands found in Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices (BleepingComputer) ServiceNow Nears Deal to Buy AI Assistant Maker Moveworks (Bloomberg) Banks and fintechs join ‘stablecoin gold rush’ (Financial Times) Apple Clears the Decks With Rare Early-Year Product Frenzy (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
(Omnibus) Week Of 03/03/2025 Subscribe to get this every week AD-FREE at tech.supercast.tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Will Apple have to allow side loading in Brazil? The US Strategic Crypto Reserve becomes a reality. Larry Page has a new startup. The concept of a startup being nothing more than an “AI Wrapper” is no longer a pejorative. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Tonal.com Promocode RIDE for $200 off Links: Brazilian court gives Apple 90 days to allow sideloading on iOS (9to5Mac) Donald Trump signs executive order for Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (CoinTelegraph) Drone Defense Startup Shield AI Lands $5.3 Billion Valuation (Bloomberg) Larry Page Has a New AI Startup (The Information) The Hottest AI Companies Right Now Are ‘Apps’ (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: McDonald’s Gives Its Restaurants an AI Makeover (WSJ) YouTube at 20: How the Video Colossus Launched the Creator Economy and Turned From Hollywood Foe to Friend (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More signs the tech IPO logjam is breaking. Another cheap new AI model from China. Would you pay 20 THOUSAND dollars a month to use an OpenAI agent? The umpteenth foldable iPhone rumor, though this time with dates. And let me introduce you to YouTube Premium Lite. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Klarna to File for $1 Billion-Plus IPO as Soon as Next Week (Bloomberg) Discord in Early Talks With Bankers for Potential I.P.O. (NYTimes) Alibaba’s new open source model QwQ-32B matches DeepSeek-R1 with way smaller compute requirements (VentureBeat) OpenAI Plots Charging $20,000 a Month For PhD-Level Agents (The Information) Google Search’s new ‘AI Mode’ lets users ask complex, multi-part questions (TechCrunch) Kuo: Apple's First Foldable iPhone to Feature Book-Style Design, Sell for Over $2,000 (MacRumors) New M4 MacBook Air fixes the line's biggest problem (Apple Insider) YouTube launches a $7.99 per month, ad-free Premium Lite subscription (TechCrunch) YouTube Music hits 125 million subscribers, adding 2m subs per month on average over the past year (Music Business Worldwide) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon can’t stop OpenAI, but the case will go on. Trump wants to stop the Chips Act immediately. Apple released more new Macs today. If you can believe it, Digg is back! They’re coming for Reddit! And the AI chatbot that might have passed the uncanny valley when it comes to AI generated speech. Sponsors: Oracle.com/techmeme Links: Musk’s Fight With OpenAI Set for Expedited Trial This Year (Bloomberg) Trump Calls for End to $52 Billion Chips Act Subsidy Program (Bloomberg) Apple launches new Mac Studios with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips (The Verge) Digg is coming back, thanks to its founder — and Reddit’s (The Verge) Bored Ape Creator Yuga Labs Says SEC Closing Investigation in 'Huge Win' for NFT Sector (Decrypt) Google Urges Trump DOJ to Reverse Course on Breaking Up Company (Bloomberg) Eerily realistic AI voice demo sparks amazement and discomfort online (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have our first official IPO of the AI Era coming. Anthropic has a big new round. New iPads from Apple. New phones from Nothing. Waymo rolls out in Austin, Texas. And how the Kinnect technology lives on, as a tool for Ghostbusters. Sponsors: FreshBooks.com IQBar: Text TECHMEME to 64000 Links: AI cloud provider CoreWeave files for IPO (CNBC) Anthropic Finalizes Megaround at $61.5 Billion Valuation (Bloomberg) Apple launches a new M3-powered iPad Air (The Verge) Waymo is now available exclusively on Uber in Austin (The Verge) Nothing’s Phone 3A and 3A Pro use AI to organize all your stuff (The Verge) Ghost hunting, pornography and interactive art: the weird afterlife of Xbox Kinect (The Guardian) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Maybe we really will be getting that national crypto reserve after all. TSMC doubles down on manufacturing in the US. Return to the office is one thing, but Sergey Brin things RTO could lead to AGI, at least at Google. And Mark Gurman says there is an AI crisis inside Apple. Sponsors: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code RIDEHOME at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/ridehome QualiaLife.com/ride Links: Donald Trump Names Components Of Crypto Reserve (CoinDesk) Trump, Chip Maker TSMC Expected to Announce $100 Billion Investment in U.S. (WSJ) Google’s Gemini now lets you ask questions using videos and what’s on your screen (TechCrunch) Google’s Sergey Brin Urges Workers to the Office ‘at Least’ Every Weekday (NYTimes) Peter Thiel-backed fintech Ramp nearly doubles valuation to $13bn (Financial Times) Apple’s Artificial Intelligence Efforts Reach a Make-or-Break Point (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has launched GPT-4.5, but they want you to know, this is not a frontier model, it’s a stepping stone. Skype enters the Deadpool. Memecoins are ok by the SEC. Most criminality in crypto is now done with stablecoins. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, how the MTA is using Pixel phones to do subway maintenance. Links: OpenAI announces GPT-4.5, warns it’s not a frontier AI model (The Verge) OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says the company is ‘out of GPUs’ (TechCrunch) Microsoft hangs up on Skype: service to shut down May 5, 2025 (TechCrunch) Microsoft is killing Skype after 14 years of neglect (Windows Central) Meta plans to release standalone Meta AI app in effort to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT (CNBC) SEC says most meme coins are not securities (CNBC) Illicit Crypto Volume in 2024 Hit a Record $40B in 2024 (CoinDesk) Meta is firing about 20 employees for leaking information (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestrions: The New York City Subway Is Using Google Pixels to Listen for Track Defects (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia’s first earnings are out after the whole DeepSeek thing. Do they seem nervous or no? A pretty big price cut for the PlayStation VR2. Huge outflows from bitcoin ETFs. Can insecure code somehow make AI homicidal? And is the iPhone 16e worth your money? Links: Nvidia sales grow 78% on AI demand, company gives strong guidance (CNBC) Sony drops PlayStation VR 2 price to $399 (The Verge) Bitcoin ETFs Are Hit by a Record $1 Billion Outflow in One Day (Bloomberg) FAA targeting Verizon contract in favor of Musk’s Starlink, sources say (Washington Post) Researchers puzzled by AI that praises Nazis after training on insecure code (Ars Technica) iPhone 16E review: Eh, it’s alright (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amazon finally updated Alexa with generative AI. It’s called Alexa+ and it can do plenty of neat things, but unless you’re a Prime subscriber, it’s gonna cost ya. DeepSeek is rushing its next AI model to press its momentum. Zuck wants to build a $200B AI datacenter. And how the SteamDeck has created a whole new category in gaming. Sponsors: shopify.com/ride Links: Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus (The Verge) Amazon unveils a new and improved Alexa, Alexa+ (TechCrunch) DeepSeek rushes to launch new AI model as China goes all in (Reuters) Meta Discusses AI Data Center Project That Could Cost $200 Billion (The Information) How North Korea pulled off a $1.5 billion crypto heist—the biggest in history (ArsTechnica) Three years later, the Steam Deck has dominated handheld PC gaming (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anthropic releases its latest cutting-edge model, Claude 3.7 Sonnet. Would you tolerate ads inside your Excel spreadsheet if you could use Excel for free? Why some journalists are joining AI companies. And let me introduce you to “tiny teams” the new startup meme in Silicon Valley. Links: Anthropic launches a new AI model that ‘thinks’ as long as you want (TechCrunch) AI Startup Anthropic Finalizing $3.5 Billion Funding Round (WSJ) Microsoft Quietly Launched a Free Ad-Supported Office App, and No One Noticed (Beebom) Apple’s $500 Billion U.S. Investment Is Mostly Already in the Books (WSJ) Meet the journalists training AI models for Meta and OpenAI (NeimanLab) A.I. Is Changing How Silicon Valley Builds Start-Ups (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple makes a huge investment in US manufacturing and hiring. Are SMS messages as 2-factor authentication on the way out? The biggest crypto theft of all time happened over the last few days. And why some school districts are turning to AI counseling for students. Sponsors: RobinHood.com/gold Links: Apple Will Add 20,000 US Jobs Amid Threat from Trump Tariffs (Bloomberg) Apple Abandons Budget Smartphone Market With the iPhone 16e (Bloomberg) Google Confirms Gmail To Ditch SMS Code Authentication (Forbes) Bybit Hit by Crypto’s Worst Hack With Almost $1.5 Billion Stolen (Bloomberg) Bybit Hack (CoinDesk) Microsoft Dropped Some AI Data Center Leases, TD Cowen Says (Bloomberg) When There’s No School Counselor, There’s a Bot (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, kinda... But we do talk about how the show started, get a bit into the process of what I do every day. But mostly we get deep into where AI is going, my fears for silicon valley if the M&A activity doesn't pick up, why I got into investing, what it means if Silicon Valley is bigger than the government (maybe?) what it's like when that weird dude you talk to at a tech meetup becomes a billionaire, and why this is still the greatest job I've ever had. Thank you all for listening. Here's to 2,000 more episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft is claiming a historical quantum breakthrough with its first quantum processor, the Majorana 1. Google is going all in on the Gemini brand. The world’s thinnest foldable phone. Rabbit releases a demo it probably should have led with. And James Bond now works for Amazon. Sponsors: Freshbooks.com/pricing-offer Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code RIDEHOME at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: Incogni.com/ridehome Links: Microsoft announces quantum computing breakthrough with new Majorana 1 chip (The Verge) Microsoft’s Xbox AI era starts with a model that can generate gameplay (The Verge) Google app on iOS removing Gemini as it pushes users to full app (9to5Google) The world’s thinnest foldable phone doesn’t come cheap (The Verge) Rabbit shows off the AI agent it should have launched with (The Verge) 'Bond' Producers Stepping Back From Iconic Franchise As Amazon MGM Studios Takes Creative Control (Deadline) Join us for the livestream tonight here: https://riverside.fm/studio/2000th-episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple has announced the new iPhone 16e. I’ve got all the details for you. The Humane AI Pin is definitively dead, and HP is acquiring the ashes. Yet ANOTHER potentially big new AI player. And why some Bytedance investors kind of don’t care if TikTok US gets split off. In fact, they might even prefer it. Links: Apple launches new iPhone 16e: Here’s everything you need to know (9to5Mac) All of Humane's AI pins will stop working in 10 days (Engadget) ‘Pokémon Go’ Maker Nears $3.5 Billion Deal to Sell Games Unit (Bloomberg) Mira Murati debuts Thinking Machines Lab, her AI startup (Axios) ByteDance's US Backers Say China Growth to Counter Any TikTok Ban Damage (Bloomberg) Can AI Predict the Next Big IPO? Crunchbase Thinks So. (WSJ) 2000th episode livestream link: https://riverside.fm/studio/2000th-episode AI Engineer Summit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
xAI and Elon Musk have launched Grok-3, their cutting-edge AI model. Is it really a step forward? It’s really the cutting-edge? Andrej Karpathy is gonna tell us. The first tri-foldable phone is here. Is there a new huge AI player? And how Apple’s move to manufacture in India is going. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com Promocode: BRIAN Links: Elon Musk’s xAI releases its latest flagship model, Grok 3 (TechCrunch) Impressions of Grok-3 (@karpathy) Huawei’s trifold phone launches outside of China (The Verge) Trump tariffs result in 10% laptop price hike in U.S. says Acer CEO (Tom's Hardware) OpenAI Co-Founder Sutskever’s Startup Is Fundraising at $30 Billion-Plus Valuation (Bloomberg) Apple’s quiet pivot to India (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The vultures are circling Intel, if that’s not too aggressive an analogy. OpenAI’s board officially rejects Elon’s bid. Zelle is quietly the biggest player in P2P payments. Everybody wants to go after robotics as the next big thing. And why over a thousand tech unicorns are in trouble. Sponsors: QualiaLife.com/ride and code RIDE at checkout Links: TSMC Considers Running Intel’s US Factories After Trump Team Request (Bloomberg) Broadcom, TSMC Weigh Possible Intel Deals That Would Split Storied Chip Maker (WSJ) OpenAI Rejects Elon Musk’s $97.4 Billion Bid for Control of the Company (NYTimes) Zelle payments top $1 trillion in 2024 as network’s growth outpaces rivals including PayPal (CNBC) TikTok Grabs Market Share From Shein Despite Looming Risks (Bloomberg) Meta Plans Major Investment Into AI-Powered Humanoid Robots (Bloomberg) Apple and Meta Are Set to Battle Over Humanoid Robots (Bloomberg) The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TikTok is back in the app stores. But the biggest news is that Arm is going to make its own chips, thereby upending how the entire semiconductor industry has been constituted. Why Reddit has been killing it lately. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, what if TikTok, but for Wikipedia? Sponsors: Tonal.com promocode RIDE for $200 off Links: Apple, Google Restore TikTok App After Assurances From Trump (Bloomberg) Arm to launch its own chip in move that could upend semiconductor industry (Financial Times) Shein IPO plans hit by Trump’s low-cost parcels crackdown (Financial Times) AI Licensing Deals With Google and OpenAI Make Up 10% of Reddit's Revenue (AdWeek) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Forget DeepSeek. Large language models are getting cheaper still (The Economist) How a resurgent Walmart saw off the Amazon threat (Financial Times) Developer creates endless Wikipedia feed to fight algorithm addiction (Ars Technica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We maybe have a roadmap for GPT-5, but also, is it not really GPT-5 just a renaming of what they already have in the pipeline? It’s kind of weird. Elon gives his conditions for dropping his takeover bid. Utility companies say the AI hype is real, but what if, in the end, the end users don’t actually show up? Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: OpenAI postpones its o3 AI model in favor of a ‘unified’ next-gen release (TechCrunch) Elon Musk will withdraw bid for OpenAI’s nonprofit if its board agrees to terms (TechCrunch) Musk, Altman Spar Over $97.4 Billion OpenAI Bid in Court Filings (Bloomberg) The Apple TV app is now available on Android: watch Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass (9to5Mac) Meta Opens Facebook Marketplace to Rivals in EU Antitrust Clash (Bloomberg) Data Center Power Demand Almost Doubled in Virginia, Utility Says (Bloomberg) AI Agents Are Everywhere…and Nowhere (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The first big AI legal ruling has come down, and it might not be good news for AI startups. Apple launches its biggest health study yet. This one weird trick that tech companies are using to make their AI spending seem not so expensive. And Matt Levine on the whole Elon buying OpenAI thing. Sponsors: Kinsta.com/brian FactorMeals.com/ride50off Links: Thomson Reuters Wins First Major AI Copyright Case in the US (Wired) Apple Plans to Learn More About Your Holistic Health With Its New Apple Health Study. You Can Enroll Now (CNET) Meta In Talks To Buy Korean AI Chip Startup Founded By Samsung Engineer (Forbes) Meta Accounting Move on AI Servers to Boost Profit This Year (Bloomberg) Sam Altman Dismisses Elon Musk’s Bid to Buy OpenAI in Letter to Staff (Wired) Sure Elon Musk Might Buy OpenAI (Matt Levine/Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon makes an unsolicited bid to buy OpenAI, or at least the non-profit that controls it, and maybe he doesn’t really want to own it, it’s complicated. I’ll explain. YouTube continues to be the biggest thing in media. Forget smartwatches, get ready for smart earbuds. And the crazy cheap Chinese EVs can now do crazy cheap self-driving too! Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Elon Musk-Led Group Makes $97.4 Billion Bid for Control of OpenAI (WSJ) Exclusive: OpenAI is not for sale, CEO Sam Altman says (Axios) Musk’s $97.4 Billion OpenAI Bid Piles Pressure on Sam Altman (WSJ) YouTube Surprise: CEO Says TV Overtakes Mobile as “Primary Device” for Viewing (THR) Google Calendar removed events like Pride and BHM because its holiday list wasn’t ‘sustainable’ (The Verge) Powerbeats Pro 2 Debut With Heart Rate Monitoring, H2 Chip, Active Noise Cancellation, and More (MacRumors) Chinese EV leader BYD to offer ‘God’s Eye’ self-driving system on all models (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
According to the Super Bowl ad I saw last night, anyone can use Starlink on their phone soon, not just T-Mobile users. Was this the Super Bowl of crypto-betting? Are we seeing the first signs that AI is stealing jobs from tech workers? And a behind the scenes tale of how Sam Altman outflanked Elon Musk. Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride Links: T-Mobile to Charge $15 Per Month for Starlink Satellite Texting Feature (Bloomberg) Polymarket Bettors Punt $1.1B on Superbowl Results, Despite Regulatory Overhang (CoinDesk) Exclusive: OpenAI set to finalize first custom chip design this year (Reuters) IT Unemployment Rises to 5.7% as AI Hits Tech Jobs (WSJ) Exclusive: Anthropic's "index" tracks AI economy (Axios) Christie’s announces AI art auction, and not everyone is pleased (TechCrunch) How Sam Altman Sidestepped Elon Musk to Win Over Donald Trump (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
(Omnibus) Week Of 02/03/2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is the UK government about to force Apple to put backdoors into all of our iPhones? Tallying up the Tech Earnings week of CAPEX announcements. We might get a new iPhone next week. The Weekend Longreads suggestions. And listen to the end of the show cause I’m running an experiment. Sponsors: IQBar. Text TECHMEME to 64000 Links: U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users’ encrypted accounts (Washington Post) Amazon plans to spend $100 billion this year to capture ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ in AI (CNBC) Tech Giants Double Down on Their Massive AI Spending (WSJ) Apple’s Long-Awaited Overhaul of iPhone SE Nears Release (Bloomberg) Softbank set to invest $40 billion in OpenAI at $260 billion valuation, sources say (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How is Fortnite's Attempt to Become the YouTube of Gaming Going? (Posting Nexus) The Sims Turned Players Into Gods. And Farmers. And Vampires. And Landlords. (NYTimes) Signup to the Premium Feed at tech.supercast.tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Now researchers say they have trained a cutting edge AI model for… checks notes… $50. Not $50 million dollars. $50. Dollars. Get ready for the superbowl of AI ads. Amazon has scheduled an Alexa AI event. And also, why does Amazon fail so hard when it comes to physical retail? Sponsors: Oracle.com/techmeme Links: Researchers created an open rival to OpenAI’s o1 ‘reasoning’ model for under $50 (TechCrunch) Google Kills Diversity Hiring Targets (WSJ) Google Unwinds Employee Diversity Goals, Citing Trump’s D.E.I. Orders (NYTimes) OpenAI Set to Make Super Bowl Ad Debut (WSJ) OpenAI to Air Its First Super Bowl Ad (AdWeek) Amazon's AI revamp of Alexa assistant nears unveiling (Reuters) Bill banning social media for youngsters advances (Politico) Trump's de minimis cancellation is bad news for Temu, but worse for Shein (Reuters) Amazon, King of Online Retail, Can’t Seem to Make Its Physical Stores Work (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Temu And Shein got a reprieve from the USPS, but they are still in deep, deep trouble. I’ll explain why. Alphabet earnings disappoint their investors but cheer investors of Nvidia. Google and Meta going in different directions when it comes to AI. And why are people increasingly refusing to pay ransomware? Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: USPS Resumes Accepting Packages From China After Unexpected Suspension (Wired) Google expects to spend $75 billion this year on the AI race (The Verge) Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance (The Washington Post) Meta says it may stop development of AI systems it deems too risky (TechCrunch) After a bruising year, Sonos readies its next big thing: a streaming box (The Verge) 35% Year-over-Year Decrease in Ransomware Payments, Less than Half of Recorded Incidents Resulted in Victim Payments (Chainalysis) Apple Launches New 'Invites' App (MacRumors) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is the US government about to get into, or at least, heavily impact the VC investing business? Apparently, the trade war with China is still on. The resurrection of Twitterific. And how Spotify has quietly stopped investing, and started getting real about profitability. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Trump Signs Executive Action to Create Sovereign Wealth Fund (Bloomberg) China Hits Back Against Trump’s Tariffs With Targeted Actions (Bloomberg) China targets Google, Nvidia and Intel as Trump tariffs bite (Financial Times) Twitterrific team launches new ‘Tapestry’ iPhone app for Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, more (9to5Mac) Opera’s new browser might save you from doomscrolling (The Verge) Spotify Reports First Full-Year Profit (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI unveils Deep Research, an AI agent just for that. I’ll explain. Are Shein and Temu first up to feel the brunt of the new Trump tariffs? Apple canceled the AR project I assumed they would be pivoting toward. And the Beatles won a Grammy last night with the first AI augmented song to ever win a Grammy. Sponsors: QualiaLife.com/ride and code RIDE Links: OpenAI unveils a new ChatGPT agent for ‘deep research’ (TechCrunch) Trump Targets Loophole Temu, Shein Used to Take On Amazon (Bloomberg) Shein to Face EU Consumer Law Probe Under E-Commerce Crackdown (Bloomberg) Apple Scraps Work on Mac-Connected Augmented Reality Glasses (Bloomberg) Stablecoins are finding product-market fit in emerging markets (TechCrunch) That AI-restored Beatles song won Grammy for Best Rock Performance (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If the entire world shifts after you launch your startup, what do you do? Terra Trust founder Mike DiPetrillo tells you how to do it. What was our original use-case? DOUBLE DOWN on what you do well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple’s earnings are decidedly mixed. Mark Zuckerberg’s complaints about everything he says leaking… leaked, and there are a lot of interesting details in those leaks. Looks like the SoftBank and OpenAI courtship is a serious one, and if the marriage happens, looks like Arm Holdings can be leveraged for the dowery. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Apple shares rise 3% as boost in services revenue overshadows iPhone miss (CNBC) Mark Zuckerberg said that Meta missed TikTok's rise because it didn't seem 'social' enough, leaked recording reveals (Business Insider) OpenAI in Talks for Huge Investment Round Valuing It at Up to $300 Billion (WSJ) OpenAI’s Sam Altman and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son Are AI’s New Power Couple (WSJ) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: DeepSeek Chief’s Journey From Math Geek to Global Disruptor (WSJ) Chinese Quant Whiz Built DeepSeek In The Shadow Of a Hedge Fund Rout (Bloomberg) DeepSeek Debates: Chinese Leadership On Cost, True Training Cost, Closed Model Margin Impacts (SemiAnalysis) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta and Microsoft reported earnings, but all Wall Street cared about was getting Capex updates. Meta settles with… the President. Waymo’s expansion continues apace. Why Masa Son is the perfect white knight for OpenAI. And AI IS copyrightable. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Microsoft shares slide as cloud forecast, AI spending disappoint (Reuters) Meta’s Reality Labs posts $5 billion loss in fourth quarter (CNBC) Zuck shrugs off DeepSeek, vows to spend hundreds of billions on AI (TechCrunch) Meta to Pay $25 Million to Settle 2021 Trump Lawsuit (WSJ) Waymo to test in 10 new cities in 2025, starting with Las Vegas and San Diego (The Verge) SoftBank in talks to invest up to $25bn in OpenAI (FT) Copyright Office Offers Assurances on AI Filmmaking Tools (Variety) Authors Guild sets up ‘Human Author’ portal to certify books come from ‘human intellect’ (AP) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Essentially, OpenAI suspects that DeekSeek might have copied them. I’ll explain the term, “distillation.” Could you soon be able to connect to Starlink on your iPhone? Is Comcast about to make the Internet… better? And the hopeful return of commercial supersonic flight. Links: OpenAI says it has evidence China’s DeepSeek used its model to train competitor (Financial Times) Microsoft Probing If DeepSeek-Linked Group Improperly Obtained OpenAI Data (Bloomberg) Alibaba releases AI model it says surpasses DeepSeek (Reuters) Alibaba Announces AI Model That ‘Outperforms ChatGPT & DeepSeek’ (Tech.co) Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 surpasses DeepSeek as China’s AI race heats up (BGR) Apple and SpaceX Link Up to Support Starlink Satellite Network on iPhones (Bloomberg) Comcast is rolling out ‘ultra-low lag’ tech that could fix the internet (The Verge) Streaming prices climb in 2025 after already surpassing inflation rates (ArsTechnica) Netflix won the streaming wars, and we’re all about to pay for it (The Verge) Civilian jet breaks sound barrier during historic test flight over Mojave Desert (CBSNews) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More fallout from the DeepSeek realignment of everybody’s thinking about AI. Could this be a signal that the large model business model is over and value is going to be in the application layer? Pebble lives! Spotify says it pays out tons, but does it really? And the network of AI local news newsletters. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/gold Links: Viral AI company DeepSeek releases new image model family (TechCrunch) Smartwatch pioneer and Kickstarter darling Pebble is returning in a new form (TechCrunch) OpenAI launches ChatGPT Gov for U.S. government agencies (CNBC) Spotify Paid Out $10 Billion to the Music Industry in 2024 — $1 Billion More Than Last Year — and $60 Billion Total (Variety) Inside a network of AI-generated newsletters targeting “small town America” (NiemanLab) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s one of those days where there’s only one story. Maybe you saw that tech stocks got obliterated today. I’m here to tell you why. It’s solely because of DeepSeek and Chinese AI tech generally. How this tech is making people think twice about the AI boom, what DeepSeek did that is different and how this could affect all of Silicon Valley. Sponsors: TryJoyMode.com and use code RIDE Links: China’s DeepSeek Tops iPhone Downloads and Spurs AI Selloff (Bloomberg) The Short Case for Nvidia Stock (Jeffrey Emanuel) DeepSeek R1’s bold bet on reinforcement learning: How it outpaced OpenAI at 3% of the cost (VentureBeat) DeepSeek resets the board (Axios) 17 Thoughts About the Big DeepSeek Selloff (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI releases its agentic bot that can do things on your behalf on your computer. Has the Stargate controversy driven a rift between Musk and Trump? Will the US government create a strategic crypto stockpile? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode: BRIAN Links: OpenAI’s new Operator AI agent can do things on the web for you (The Verge) We Tried OpenAI’s New Agent—Here’s What We Found (Every) Trump staff ‘furious’ after Musk trashes AI project (Politico) Stargate artificial intelligence project to exclusively serve OpenAI (FT) Trump signs executive order promoting crypto, paving way for digital asset stockpile (CNBC) Mark Zuckerberg's Post (Facebook) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: As Netflix stock surges, an ‘anti-ESPN’ sports strategy emerges (The Athletic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ok, that whole AI datacenter joint venture thing seems to have gotten messy. A ByteDance board member thinks TikTok might have a way out without selling. Netflix rakes in a bunch of Oscar nominations. And humanity’s final exam has been formulated to see when AI has actually graduated to true intelligence. Sponsors: Qualialife.com/ride and code ride Links: OpenAI, SoftBank Each Commit $19 Billion to Stargate Data Center Venture (The Information) OpenAI’s Stargate Deal Heralds Shift Away From Microsoft (WSJ) TikTok’s parent company is in active discussions about a deal, board member says (CNN) Co-founder of French Crypto Startup Freed After Kidnapping (Bloomberg) Subaru Security Flaws Exposed Its System for Tracking Millions of Cars (Wired) Oscar Nomination Scorecard: Netflix Leads Among Studios With 16, A24 Close Behind With 14 (Variety) When A.I. Passes This Test, Look Out (NyTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from today’s Samsung event, including the S25 lineup. The Silk Road creator gets a pardon. A huge joint venture for a new AI datacenter effort. Will Elon take half of TikTok and the US the other half? And guess what? Netflix is raising prices again. Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride Links: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra smooths out some sharp edges (The Verge) Trump Pardons Creator of Silk Road Drug Marketplace (NYTimes) OpenAI teams up with SoftBank and Oracle on $500B data center project (TechCrunch) 'Stargate' Squares Some AI Circles (Spyglass/MG Siegler) Trump Says He’s Open to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison Purchasing TikTok (Bloomberg) Meta Plans Oakley-Branded Glasses, Explores Watches and Earbuds (Bloomberg) Meta will soon let you link your WhatsApp account with Instagram and Facebook (TechCrunch) Netflix Adds 19 Million Subscribers in Latest Quarter (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alright, I’ll sum up everything that happened this weekend with TikTik, but also get to all of the changes the new Trump administration has made, which is relating to tech, in just the past 24 hours. How folks are trying to eat TikTok’s lunch. Should Apple buy Sonos? And the IMDB loses its founder after 25 years. Sponsors: IQBar text TECHMEME to 64000 1Password.com/ride Links: Trump signs order refusing to enforce TikTok ban for 75 days (The Verge) Trump signs executive order to halt TikTok ban, risking legal showdown (Washington Post) President Trump signs exec order to make Musk’s DOGE commission more official (TechCrunch) Meta announces a new CapCut rival called Edits (TechCrunch) Bluesky adds TikTok mode while Elon mulls reviving Vine in the latest banning drama (Windows Central) Apple Is Unlikely to Buy Sonos, But Amazon or Spotify Might Consider It (Bloomberg) IMDb Founder Col Needham Steps Aside as CEO, COO Nikki Santoro Promoted to Chief Exec (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I speak to Senator Ron Wyden about the TikTok ban, AI and regulation, tech regulation in general, and his new book: It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Supreme Court rules against TikTok, but at this point, I think this is all kabuki theater. Somehow TikTok is going to survive. Bumble’s founder returns to the company. Is Apple Intelligence really working for anyone? Does anyone care that the Chinese have allegedly hacked everything at this point? And, of course, The Weekend Longreads suggestions. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN Links: Supreme Court Upholds Law That Threatens US TikTok Ban (Bloomberg) Bumble Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd to Return as CEO in March (Bloomberg) iOS 18.3 temporarily disables Apple Intelligence notification summaries for select apps, more (9to5Mac) General Motors Is Banned From Selling Driving Behavior Data for 5 Years (NYTimes) FBI Warned Agents It Believes Phone Logs Hacked Last Year (Bloomberg) Chinese Hackers Accessed Yellen's Computer in US Treasury Breach (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Charlwin Mao, the Chinese tech founder welcoming ‘TikTok refugees’ (Financial Times) Kids Turn to a Mental-Health Chatbot to Share Their Anxieties (WSJ) To release Animal Crossing in the West, Nintendo ‘had to change everything’ (Polygon) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nintendo finally takes the wraps off the Switch 2. Everybody seems to want to give TikTok more time, but can they find a way to do it? A big new AI research lab. A check in with Nothing. The company, I mean. And the weird story of when Walgreens tries to replace refrigerator doors with smartscreens. Sponsors: TryJoyMode.com and code RIDE at checkout Links: Here’s the Nintendo Switch 2 (The Verge) Trump considers executive order hoping to ‘save TikTok’ from ban or sale in U.S. law (Washington Post) Biden administration looks for ways to keep TikTok available in the U.S. (NBCNews) AI researcher François Chollet founds a new AI lab focused on AGI (TechCrunch) Phone Startup Nothing Raises Funding, Crosses $1 Billion in Lifetime Sales (Bloomberg) Walgreens Replaced Fridge Doors With Smart Screens. It’s Now a $200 Million Fiasco (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The SEC is suing Elon Musk. Big AI insertions in Microsoft Copilot, Google Workspace and even LinkedIn. How TikTok plans to handle the immediate aftermath of a shutdown. Another new Instagram alternative. And have your AirPods been misbehaving? Here’s what Apple did without telling anyone. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Musk Accused by SEC of Cheating Twitter Investors Out of Millions (Bloomberg) Microsoft relaunches Copilot for business with free AI chat and pay-as-you-go agents (The Verge) Google Workspace business users getting full Gemini experience, price increasing (9to5Google) LinkedIn adds free AI tools for job hunters and recruiters (TechCrunch) TikTok Prepares for Immediate Shut-Off in the U.S. on Sunday (The Information) Decentralized Instagram alternative Pixelfed launches mobile apps (TechCrunch) Apple starts pushing AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 owners into Transparency or Noise Cancellation modes repeatedly, without an easy opt out (Key Discussions) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Break out your 2025 headline bingo cards. Did you have Elon Musk maybe buying TikTok on there? You’re a better bingo player than I am. Is the EU going to back off Tech in the Trump era? More layoffs come to Meta. The big streaming sports play that isn’t gonna happen now. And why is Barcelona a hub for spyware companies? Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: China Weighs Sale of TikTok US to Musk as a Possible Option (Bloomberg) EU reassesses tech probes into Apple, Google and Meta (Financial Times) Meta to Cut Roughly 5% of Staff, Targeting Lowest Performers (Bloomberg) Databricks Inks $5 Billion of Private Credit, Bank Funding (Bloomberg) Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Pull the Plug on Venu Sports Streaming Venture (THR) Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery call off plans to launch Venu sports streaming service (CNBC) How Barcelona became an unlikely hub for spyware startups (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Biden administration unveils its long planned new chip export rules, and Nvidia isn’t happy. That whole botched Sonos app debacle has cost the CEO his job. Why we might not see blockbuster tech IPOs this year. Why some of Nvidia’s customers are returning Blackwell chips. And say hello to China’s answer to Instagram. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/gold Links: US imposes export controls on chips for AI to counter China (FT) Sonos CEO Leaving After Botched App Revamp Led to Customer Revolt (Bloomberg) Sonos CEO Patrick Spence steps down after disastrous app launch (The Verge) Silicon Valley’s largest start-ups to shun IPOs in 2025 (Financial Times) Nvidia’s Top Customers Face Delays From Glitchy AI Chip Racks (The Information) Xiaohongshu, China’s answer to Instagram, hits no. 1 on the App Store as TikTok faces US shutdown (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The great Simon Willison joins SWYX and I to talk about everything we learned about LLMs in 2024, and what the state of AI is generally, as we go into 2025. Here is Simon's blog post we keep referring to: https://simonwillison.net/2024/Dec/31... 00:00 The State of AI in 2025 10:05 The Evolution of AI Models 19:54 Challenges in AI Agents 30:07 The Future of AI in Creative Industries 38:29 The Rise of AI Influencers 40:54 Credibility in the Age of AI 43:15 The Future of User Interfaces for LLMs 51:17 Local LLMs and Desktop AI Applications 55:17 AI Tools and Applications for Everyday Use 01:01:26 The Future of OpenAI and AI Regulation 01:08:08 The Need for Better Criticism of LLMs 01:10:41 The Future of Wearables and AI Integration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the controversies continue. I’ll update you on the Meta moderation controversy. The latest twist in the WordPress brouhaha. The TikTok thing is coming to a head right now as we speak, in the form of Supreme Court arguments. Asking again if the business model of Triple A gaming development is broken. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Qualialife.com/ride and code ride Links: Mark Zuckerberg gave Meta’s Llama team the OK to train on copyrighted works, filing claims (TechCrunch) Automattic says it will reduce its contribution to WordPress core project to match WP Engine (TechCrunch) Billionaire Frank McCourt's Project Liberty proposes bid for TikTok's US assets (Reuters) Candy Crush, Tinder, MyFitnessPal: See the Thousands of Apps Hijacked to Spy on Your Location (Wired) Call of Duty's massive development budgets revealed: $700 million for Black Ops Cold War (Game File) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The New $30,000 Side Hustle: Making Job Referrals for Strangers (Bloomberg) The smart glasses era is here — I got a first look (The Verge) The Anti-Social Century (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big new zero day to tell you about. Apple says Siri is safe, honest. Google rolls out an AI Daily Listen audio feature. Looking at the next wave of wearable AI. And let me tell you about WatchDuty, the app everyone in LA was using overnight. Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride33 Links: Hackers are exploiting a new Ivanti VPN security bug to hack into company networks (TechCrunch) Apple says Siri isn’t sending your conversations to advertisers (The Verge) Google’s ‘Daily Listen’ lab is a personalized podcast based on your Discover feed (9to5Google) SoftBank’s Chip Designer Arm Considers Acquiring Ampere Computing (Bloomberg) Your Next AI Wearable Will Listen to Everything All the Time (Wired) With L.A. on alert, wildfire app Watch Duty adds 600,000 users overnight (Los Angeles Times) LA residents find a lifeline in this free wildfire-tracking app (The Verge) ‘It’s not just alerts, it’s a state of mind’: How a wildfire monitoring app became essential in the US west (The Guardian) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tons and tons of controversy and fallout from Meta’s announced content moderation changes yesterday. I’ve got I think a fair, comprehensive rundown of all the angles. Interesting new rounds for Bluesky and Anthropic. And the coolest stuff I’ve seen from CES thus far, including: are rollable laptop screens finally ready for prime time? Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: Meta’s fact-checking changes are just what Trump’s FCC head asked for (The Verge) Social-Media Companies Decide Content Moderation Is Trending Down (WSJ) AI Startup Anthropic Raising Funds Valuing It at $60 Billion (WSJ) Lenovo’s Latest Laptop Has a Rollable OLED Screen (Wired) BMW’s new iDrive turns the whole windshield into a heads-up display (The Verge) New Nike Therapeutic Shoes at CES 2025 Look Like Nothing You've Ever Seen Before (CNET) EcoFlow’s Solar hat is better for the planet than your style (Engadget) Anker made a solar beach umbrella, because of course (Engadget) This Slim Little Battery I Saw at CES 2025 Is Like a Tesla Powerwall for Your Fridge (CNET) I Watched a Printer-Size Gadget Boost a Phone's Battery Life in Seconds (CNET) This toaster-looking gadget boosts your phone’s battery in seconds (The Verge) If you’re constantly losing cables, this could be your ideal charger (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta is completely revamping its fact-checking program, going instead with a version of Community Notes. A new Tesla recall, but for a different reason. Dell is taking rebranding to new, Google-like lows. All the headlines from a jam-packed Nvidia keynote. And what about an AI copilot but for gaming? Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: US opens probe into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles over remote driving feature (Reuters) Getty Images and Shutterstock agree to merge (Axios) Getty Images and Shutterstock to Merge in $3.7 Billion Deal (The Wrap) Dell kills the XPS brand (The Verge) Nvidia announces next-gen RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs (The Verge) Nvidia’s Project Digits is a ‘personal AI supercomputer’ (TechCrunch) Razer Project Ava: would you pay an AI to help you get good at games? (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Altman says AGI isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? Superintelligence. Why is nobody using Meta’s AI profiles? Keep an eye on Zuck, is my advice. The big trend at CES so far is AI inside smart TVs. And our first day wrap up of some of the cool things we’ve seen so far at CES. Sponsors: Oracle.com/techmeme Links: Reflections (Sam Altman's Blog) Meta's AI Profiles Are Indistinguishable From Terrible Spam That Took Over Facebook (404 Media) Samsung spreads Vision AI across its 2025 TV portfolio (VentureBeat) LG and Samsung are adding Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant to their TVs (The Verge) LG’s 2025 OLED TVs are its best yet — but they risk going overboard with AI (The Verge) CES 2025: We Spent Hours Watching a Robot Vacuum Pick Up Socks. It's a Dream Come True (CNET) Stop Scalding Your Tongue: This $25 Cat Robot 'Blows' on Your Drink to Cool It (CNET) Elvie unveils an app-controlled smart bouncer that transforms into a bassinet at CES 2025 (TechCrunch) TiVo-powered TVs are coming to the US (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple pays a fine cause Siri was listening in on what you said. Strava does a tie-in with Apple Fitness+. Net Neutrality is dead again, and it looks like for good this time. The nuclear winter in the VC space, CES is coming for us all, and a Weekend Longreads Suggestion. Links: Apple to pay $95 million to settle Siri privacy lawsuit (Reuters) Apple Fitness Plus and Strava are collaborating with a new integration (The Verge) US appeals court blocks Biden administration effort to restore net-neutrality rules (Reuters) AI-generated phishing scams target corporate executives (Financial Times) Number of US venture capital firms falls as cash flows to tech’s top investors (Financial Times) Asus, Samsung, and MSI announce world’s first 27-inch 4K OLED 240Hz monitors (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestion: AI Needs So Much Power, It’s Making Yours Worse (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Among other things, learn how Miami Vice inspired the Golden Girls, how the Golden Girls helped finance the making of the movie Reservoir Dogs, whether or not Betty White and Bea Arthur hated each other, where the Golden Girls house was, and the real ages of the actresses when they were playing Golden Girls. Special guest, Christina Warren, @film_girl! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AT&T and Verizon say they’ve rooted out Salt Typhoon. Trump asks the Supreme Court to intervene in the TikTok situation. All the banks want to be like Tether. And as we slide into this new year, it’s a USB-C world now, we’re just living in it. Links: AT&T, Verizon Say Networks Now Clear After Salt Typhoon Hack (Bloomberg) Trump Asks Supreme Court to Pause Law Threatening TikTok Ban (Bloomberg) Biden administration proposes new cybersecurity rules to limit impact of healthcare data leaks (Reuters) Banks Want In on Tether’s Billions in Stablecoin Profits (Bloomberg) ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ set to break records despite gaming slowdown (FT) The USB-C charging mandate arrives in the EU — here’s what that means (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft and OpenAI are reportedly having problems deciding how make this whole, reclassifying as for-profit thing work. Oh, also, they secretly decided on a new definition of artificial general intelligence that is tied to tangible dollar value. At the tail end of the year, the most interesting new AI model of the year. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Microsoft and OpenAI Wrangle Over Terms of Their Blockbuster Partnership (The Information) Microsoft and OpenAI’s Secret AGI Definition (The Information) DeepSeek-V3, ultra-large open-source AI, outperforms Llama and Qwen on launch (VentureBeat) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Video Games Can’t Afford to Look This Good (NYTimes) Hawk Tuah Wasn’t What It Seemed (The Atlantic) The Paper Passport Is Dying (Wired) You Need to Create a Secret Password With Your Family (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Was Calvin And Hobbes the greatest comic strip ever? Or maybe a great work of art of the 20th Century? Why did Bill Watterson disappear? Was Calvin "good" (morally)? Was Hobbes "real"? Why were there never any toys? Would we ever really want Calvin and Hobbes to come back? With special guest @kibblesmith! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How about a Ring Doorbell, but from Apple? How about Meta Ray Ban’s but crossed with Google Glass? How everybody is combining forces to bid for defense contracts. How Tether won the crypto profitability wars. And how Britannica has not only survived the Internet era, but is actually thriving? Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Apple Explores a Face ID Doorbell and Lock Device in Smart Home Push (Bloomberg) Meta to add display to Ray-Bans as race over smart glasses intensifies (FT) Palantir and Anduril join forces with tech groups to bid for Pentagon contracts (FT) Tether Sees $10 Billion in Net Profits for 2024 (Bloomberg) Britannica Didn’t Just Survive. It’s an A.I. Company Now. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gemini Flash Thinking a model making a serious run at “reasoning.” The FAA has had to ban drones in New Jersey cause of all those weird drone sightings. Self Driving technology continues to prove it is safer. An open source generative physics engine for robots. Sponsors: WashingtonPost.com/ride Links: Google reveals AI ‘reasoning’ model that ‘explicitly shows its thoughts’ (The Verge) FAA Bans Drone Flights in Parts of New Jersey (Bloomberg) Instagram teases AI editing tools that will completely reimagine your videos (The Verge) Waymo still doing better than humans at preventing injuries and property damage (The Verge) New physics sim trains robots 430,000 times faster than reality (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple says Meta is getting annoying. You can now call 1800CHATGPT to, you know, talk to ChatGPT. Apple scraps plans for a hardware subscription package. Oura’s big new raise also indicates how well its smart-ring business is going. And has Bengaluru grown to quickly for its own good? Links: Apple hits out at Meta's numerous interoperability requests (Reuters) OpenAI makes ChatGPT available for phone calls and texts (CNBC) Apple Halts Effort to Build iPhone Hardware Subscription Service (Bloomberg) Smart ring start-up Ōura raises $200mn as valuation leaps to $5.2bn (Financial Times) Oura closes $200M round, bringing its valuation to $5.2B (TechCrunch) 3 Changes That Would Make Samsung's Galaxy Ring So Much Better (CNET) PS5 Pro deep dive reaction: GPU and RT improvements, PSSR and Sony's new AMD Amethyst partnership (EuroGamer) Inside India's 'Silicon Valley' (BusinessInsider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is your home internet router about to be banned? The US has a new Chinese tech target. An AI dev kit from Nvidia. Who actually buys the most chips from Nvidia? Hollywood has flip-flopped on the whole theatrical release strategy. And why Instagram is officially king of the hill at Meta. Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: U.S. Weighs Ban on Chinese-Made Router in Millions of American Homes (WSJ) Nvidia's new $249 AI development board promises 67 TOPS at half the price of the previous 40 TOPS model (TomsHardware) Nvidia’s $249 dev kit promises cheap, small AI power (The Verge) Microsoft acquires twice as many Nvidia AI chips as tech rivals (Financial Times) Grubhub to pay $25 million for misleading customers, restaurants, drivers (Reuters) ‘Red One’ Becomes Most-Watched Prime Video Film Debut Ever With 50 Million Viewers After Modest Theatrical Run (Variety) Here’s a Hollywood Twist: Streaming Success Runs Through Theaters (NYTimes) Instagram Expected to Generate 50% of Meta’s US Ad Sales in 2025 (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the same day that ByteDance asks the US Supreme Court to intervene, the TikTok CEO meets with Donald Trump. DeepMind’s big new competitor to Sora called Veo 2. The FTC comes down against so called “junk fees.” And on their historic raise, a deep dive look at Databricks, one of the biggest private companies in the world. Sponsors: Miro.com Links: Trump meets with TikTok CEO as video app challenges potential ban (NBCNews) TikTok Asks Supreme Court to Block Law Banning Its U.S. Operations (NYTimes) Google DeepMind unveils a new video model to rival Sora (TechCrunch) FTC issues rules requiring hotels, ticket sellers to reveal ‘junk fees’ (WashingtonPost) Waymo to begin testing in Tokyo, its first international destination (CNBC) His Startup Is Now Worth $62 Billion. It Gave Away Its First Product Free. (WSJ) Google’s Whisk AI generator will ‘remix’ the pictures you plug in (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I break down the coming battle of the titans that is going to likely play out in 2025 between Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Mark Gurman says Apple is finally going foldable. Oh, and that Magic Mouse is finally that sin against God charger design. Every country wants a Starlink. And the big legal battle happening this week. Links: Meta Urges California Attorney General to Stop OpenAI From Becoming For-Profit (WSJ) OpenAI hits back at Elon Musk's lawsuit in court filing (Axios) Sam Altman reckons with a growing threat to OpenAI: Elon Musk (Financial Times) Apple’s New Vision for Computing Is a Giant Foldable iPad (Bloomberg) Europe signs €10.6bn Iris² satellite deal in bid to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink (Financial Times) Chip groups Arm and Qualcomm square off in high-stakes US trial (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brian on The Newsworthy podcast with Erica Mandy. Find out more about the show here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ok, what if AI models are really the new OS for… everything. But also: smartglasses and a Vision Pro competitor. I’ll explain. Could NotebookLM become a fully fledged product? Seemingly the leader in the clubhouse in the race to create the next AI paradigm beyond the transformer model. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: I saw Google’s plan to put Android on your face (The Verge) Google’s NotebookLM AI podcast hosts can now talk to you, too (The Verge) Google says its breakthrough quantum chip can’t break modern cryptography (The Verge) Liquid Set to Raise $250 Million to Build AI Inspired by Tiny Worm Brains (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Cult of Claude (NYTimes) How WhatsApp ate the world (Rest Of World) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More fallout from the whole Cruise wind-down. What it’s like to use some of the new Gemini 2.0 features. Has Apple, quite belatedly, finally done a feature update that provides the Vision Pro with a “killer app?” An Instagram-like app from China I had never heard of. And one singular, eye-popping datapoint from the CHIPS Act. Links: The end of Cruise is the beginning of a risky new phase for autonomous vehicles (The Verge) Gemini 2.0 Flash: An outstanding multi-modal LLM with a sci-fi streaming model (Simon Willison's Blog) FCC Opens Entire 6-GHz Band to Very-Low-Power Device Operations (TV Tech) The Vision Pro’s ultrawide Mac display is very close to being a killer app (The Verge) China’s Instagram-Style Xiaohongshu Crosses $1 Billion in Profit (Bloomberg) Harvard Is Releasing a Massive Free AI Training Dataset Funded by OpenAI and Microsoft (Wired) US chipmaking boom in doubt after Biden’s defeat (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
GM shocked everybody by shutting down the Cruise robotaxi business. ChatGPT is finally on your iPhone once you update it. Could all Apple watches someday have satellite texting? And then, I guess Google wanted to pre-empt Santa Sam, because they released an absolute slew of AI products today. Links: GM to refocus autonomous driving development on personal vehicles (GM Investor Relations) GM Calls It Quits on Mary Barra’s $50 Billion Robotaxi Dream (Bloomberg) Apple’s Next Ultra Smartwatch Will Be Able to Send Texts Via Satellite (Bloomberg) Google Rolls Out Faster Gemini AI Model to Power Agents (Bloomberg) Google’s new Trillium AI chip delivers 4x speed and powers Gemini 2.0 (VentureBeat) Gemini 2.0, Google’s newest flagship AI, can generate text, images, and speech (TechCrunch) Google unveils AI coding assistant ‘Jules,’ promising autonomous bug fixes and faster development cycles (VentureBeat) Google unveils Project Mariner: AI agents to use the web for you (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
You can now buy a car on Amazon. A new AI unicorn doing something with AI I hadn’t heard about before. New AI enhanced smartglasses. Microsoft says it has a new datacenter design that uses zero water. And if you were able to use Sora yesterday, what was that like? Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: You Can Buy a Car on Amazon Now (Wired) US finalizes $6.1 bln Micron chip-making subsidy (Reuters) Memory chip maker Micron’s $6.1 billion grant confirmed by Commerce Dept. (Washington Post) OpenAI-Backed Language Tutor Startup Doubles Value to $1 Billion (Bloomberg) Solos challenges Meta’s Ray-Bans with $299 ChatGPT smart glasses (The Verge) Microsoft Unveils Zero-Water Data Centers to Reduce AI Climate Impact (Bloomberg) Bluesky teases paid subscription, Bluesky+, in new mockup (TechCrunch) I just went hands-on with Sora — the good, the bad, and the wow (Tom's Guide) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI’s Sora model is here! TikTok is still in trouble. China does more turnabouts is fair play, this time with Nvidia. I Apple, belatedly, getting serious about gaming on the Vision Pro? And did Google just make a huge, historic leap forward in quantum computing? Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride MackWeldon.com promocode: brian Links: Sora is here (OpenAI) OpenAI’s controversial Sora is finally launching today. Will it truly disrupt Hollywood? (LATimes) OpenAI releases Sora, its buzzy AI video-generation tool (CNBC) Appeals Court Upholds U.S. Ban of TikTok (WSJ) Nvidia Hit With China Probe in Global Tech War Escalation (Bloomberg) Apple, Sony Discuss Teaming Up on Gaming Controllers for Vision Pro (Blooomberg) Quantum Computing Inches Closer to Reality After Another Google Breakthrough (NYTimes) Google Debuts New Quantum Chip, Error Correction Breakthrough, and Roadmap Details (HPCWire) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Santa Sam has made his first delivery of the promised 12 days of launches from OpenAI. David Sacks is named the AI and Crypto Czar. Samsung’s entire UI is getting a radical overhaul. OpenAI is seemingly about to restructure everything. No more Surface Studios? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: OpenAI is charging $200 a month for an exclusive version of its o1 ‘reasoning’ model (The Verge) Trump Names David Sacks as White House AI and Crypto Czar (Bloomberg) Here’s everything new Samsung’s Android 15 update, One UI 7, and the full changelog [Gallery] (9to5Google) OpenAI seeks to unlock investment by ditching ‘AGI’ clause with Microsoft (Financial Times) The Surface Studio is dead? — Microsoft ends production on $4,500 Surface Studio 2+ as stock dwindles (Windows Central) Hawk Tuah memecoin dumps 90% amid backlash over controversial launch (Cointelegraph) What Pat Gelsinger’s exit means for Intel and the US Chips Act (Financial Times) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: He Was Going to Save Intel. He Destroyed $150 Billion of Value Instead. (WSJ) Friend or Faux (The Verge) When a Telescope Is a National-Security Risk (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bitcoin crosses the big $100k mark for the first time. We now know who Trump wants to fill the roles Silicon Valley cares about the most. Is Amazon about to become a top tier AI model player? Two new models from Google DeepMind, one of them promises to revolutionize weather prediction. And Waymo says bienvenido a Miami. Sponsors: WashingtonPost.com/ride Links: Crypto Trading Volume Surged to $10 Trillion for the First Time in November (Bloomberg) Trump Picks Paul Atkins to Run the S.E.C. (NYTimes) Trump Taps Vance Aide Gail Slater as Top DOJ Antitrust Cop (Bloomberg) Amazon announces Nova, a new family of multimodal AI models (TechCrunch) First impressions of the new Amazon Nova LLMs (via a new llm-bedrock plugin) (Simon Willison's Blog) DeepMind’s Genie 2 can generate interactive worlds that look like video games (TechCrunch) Google Introduces A.I. Agent That Aces 15-Day Weather Forecasts (NYTimes) Key leaders behind Google’s viral NotebookLM are leaving to create their own startup (TechCrunch) Waymo to expand to Miami, aims to launch robotaxi service there in 2026 (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amid the Salt Typhoon hack, the US government wants you and me to go encrypted. Ubisoft shuts down XDefiant. Spotify Wrapped 2024 has NotebookLM baked right into it. And Google’s text to video AI model has beaten Sora to market, but is Sam Altman about to get all Santa on us? Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: U.S. officials urge Americans to use encrypted apps amid unprecedented cyberattack (NBCNews) Ubisoft shutting down XDefiant in 2025, laying off half of its team (Polygon) Spotify Wrapped 2024 adds an AI podcast powered by Google’s NotebookLM (TechCrunch) Smart Home Market Becomes Apple’s Next Strategic Target; New HomePod with Display Set to Be Key Product in Apple’s Smart Home Strategy (Ming-Chi Kuo) Google’s new generative AI video model is now available (The Verge) AWS announces Aurora DSQL, a new distributed SQL database that promises virtually unlimited scalability (TechCrunch) Kindle Scribe 2 review in progress: Is slightly useful AI worth the extra cash? (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The search for a new Intel CEO has begun in earnest, but a change in leadership probably makes a wholesale transformation of the company more likely. China goes tit for tat on banning things. Why ChatGPT can’t say certain names. And how is that shopping with AI agents thing going? Links: Exclusive: Intel's CEO-shortlist candidates include former board member Lip-Bu Tan, sources say (Reuters) Intel CEO Forced Out by Board Frustrated With Slow Progress (Bloomberg) China retaliates against latest US chip restrictions (Financial Times) Why does the name ‘David Mayer’ crash ChatGPT? Digital privacy requests may be at fault (TechCrunch) The race is on to make AI agents do your online shopping for you (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pat Gelsinger is out at Intel. So where do they go from here? The first announces from the AWS re:Invent conference. More signs that crypto is in the ascendency. Elon files to block OpenAI from going for profit. Is he the greatest threat to that company? And a new startup taking on Nvidia. Links: Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger retires (TechCrunch) AWS opens physical outlets that let customers upload their data (TechCrunch) Ripple-Linked XRP Soars to Third-Largest Token After Trump Win (Bloomberg) Elon Musk files for injunction to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit (TechCrunch) Musk’s Rivals Fear He Will Target Them With His New Power (WSJ) Bezos Backs AI Chipmaker Vying With Nvidia at $2.6 Billion Value (Bloomberg) Open-source OpenWrt One router released at $89 — 'hacker-friendly device' sports two Ethernet ports, three USB ports, with dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (Tom's Hardware) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It is maybe the one moment of tragedy where most 80s kids remember where they were when it happened. Today, RAD! 80s90s History is looking at the Challenger disaster. Our guest is @fmanjoo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did you know that we could have had the answering machine decades before we actually got to buy one? Why the 1980s and 90s was an unusual time for an innovation explosion in communications technology. The history of the whole AT&T/Ma Bell breakup by the government. And how much did YOU beg your parents to get your own phone line in your bedroom? The guest this episode is the actress Toni Trucks. @tonitrucks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has suspended access to Sora after an activist stunt. Anyone can train AI on your Bluesky posts, but that is by design, in a way. Elon is readying a straight ChatGPT competitor. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: OpenAI’s Sora video generator appears to have leaked (TechCrunch) OpenAI hits pause on video model Sora after artists leak access in protest (Washington Post) Someone Made a Dataset of One Million Bluesky Posts for 'Machine Learning Research' (404Media) Inside Elon Musk’s Quest to Beat OpenAI at Its Own Game (WSJ) Yes, That Viral LinkedIn Post You Read Was Probably AI-Generated (Wired) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Should You Still Learn to Code in an A.I. World? (NYTimes) Bad influence (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Intel does get its money. Threads continues to feel the heat from Bluesky, and responds by… giving people what they want. The new Mate 70 flagship smartphone from Huawei. Is Apple trying to make the iPhone so thin it can’t put a sim card in it? And yes, the whole Drake/Kendrick Lamar beef. Sponsors: LegalZoom.com promocode: techmeme Links: Intel Gets Up to $7.9 Billion Award for U.S. Chip-Plant Construction (WSJ) Threads is testing the option to choose your own default feed (The Verge) Elon Musk Admits X is Throttling Links — Effectively Limiting People From Reading News (Mediaite) Starbucks, Other Retailers Hit by Ransomware Attack on Tech Provider (WSJ) China’s Huawei Takes Aim at Apple With Latest Smartphone (NYTimes) Apple’s Thin iPhone Has No Physical SIMs—That Could Dampen China Sales (The Information) Drake Accuses UMG & Spotify of Scheme to ‘Artificially Inflate’ Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ (Billboard) Link to AI avatar experiment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Sony about to get back into the mobile gaming hardware business? Is Bluesky in the dog house with the EU? Nvidia’s new AI model. Is Intel not going to get as much money as it hoped for? And the rise of AI superclusters. Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN 1Password.com/ride Links: Sony Working on Handheld Console for PS5 Games to Rival Switch (Bloomberg) Bluesky breaching rules around disclosure of information, says EU (Financial Times) Nvidia shows AI model that can modify voices, generate novel sounds (Reuters) NVIDIA's new AI model Fugatto can create audio from text prompts (Engadget) Washington Curtails Intel’s Chip Grant After Company Stumbles (NYTimes) Klarna’s Planned IPO Sets the Stage for More Fintech Listings (Bloomberg) Exclusive: CoreWeave targets valuation of over $35 billion in 2025 US IPO, sources say (Reuters) AI’s Future and Nvidia’s Fortunes Ride on the Race to Pack More Chips Into One Place (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brian's appearance on Daily Detroit talking about creating new tech hubs around the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wait, how long is it going to take Apple to make Siri behave like ChatGPT already does today? Maybe that talk of OpenAI buying the Chrome browser isn’t completely far fetched after all. Is Threads feeling the heat from Bluesky? Do I want to wear a watch on my finger? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Apple Readies More Conversational Siri in Bid to Catch Up in AI (Bloomberg) OpenAI Considers Taking on Google With Browser (The Information) Threads’ algorithm will focus more on the people you follow (The Verge) As Bluesky soars, Threads rolls out custom feeds globally (TechCrunch) Casio’s first smart ring has innovative features like a stopwatch and flashing alarm (The Verge) The Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Here’s some cool stuff you can do with Bluesky (The Verge) How Mark Zuckerberg has fully rebuilt Meta around Llama (Fortune) Are the robots finally coming? (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The DOJ has filed its “remedy” for Google but what would it mean for end users if their recommendations actually come to pass? Nvidia’s earnings continue to be historic but are they worried about current AI models hitting a wall? How AI might help make quantum computing become reality. And did a major new AI player just release its first product? Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: US regulators seek to break up Google, forcing Chrome sale as part of monopoly punishment (Associated Press) Google could be forced to sell Chrome – here’s what it would mean for users (iNews) Apple Pay, Other Tech Firms Come Under CFPB Regulatory Oversight (Bloomberg) Nvidia’s CEO defends his moat as AI labs change how they improve their AI models (TechCrunch) AI Power For Quantum Errors: Google Develops AlphaQubit to Identify, Correct Quantum Errors (Quantum Insider) Elon Musk’s xAI Startup Is Valued at $50 Billion in New Funding Round (WSJ) H, the AI startup that raised $220M, launches its first product: Runner H for ‘agentic’ applications (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Now authors are being approached about training AI on their books, and some are not pleased. The new Android development cadence is here. More signs crypto is ascendant. More signs that Bluesky has taken off. And a case in point for why governments and militaries are worried about smartphone tracking. Links: Microsoft Signs AI-Learning Deal With News Corp.’s HarperCollins (Bloomberg) Penguin Random House underscores copyright protection in AI rebuff (The Bookseller) The first Android 16 developer preview just landed: Here’s what you need to know (Android Police) Sony’s new PlayStation Portal update lets you stream PS5 games from the cloud (The Verge) Howard Lutnick, Tether's Wall Street Banker, Is Trump's Pick for Commerce Chief, Not Treasury Secretary (CoinDesk) Bluesky tops 20M users, narrowing gap with Instagram Threads (TechCrunch) Anyone Can Buy Data Tracking US Soldiers and Spies to Nuclear Vaults and Brothels in Germany (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have an idea of how the DOJ wants to breakup Google, and it seems to hinge a lot on selling the Chrome web browser. Sony wants the Elden Ring franchise. The outgoing administration is racing to give out Chips Act money. And all the headlines from today’s Microsoft Ignite event. Sponsors: WashingtonPost.com/ride Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code RIDEHOME at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/ridehome Links: Google’s Chrome to Fetch Up to $20 Billion If Judge Orders Sale (Bloomberg) Source: Google is turning Chrome OS into Android to compete with the iPad (AndroidAuthority) Exclusive: Sony is in talks to buy media powerhouse behind 'Elden Ring' (Reuters) Two undersea cables in Baltic Sea disrupted, sparking warnings of possible ‘hybrid warfare’ (CNN) Windows 365 Link is a $349 mini PC that streams Windows from the cloud (The Verge) Windows comes to the Meta Quest (TechCrunch) Want to speak Italian? Microsoft AI can make it sound like you do. (Washington Post) Biden Team Races to Deliver Chip Grants Before Trump Takes Over (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have the nomination for the next FCC chair. More hype around smartglasses. About that Jake Paul/Mike Tyson fight on Netflix. Is YouTube now the king of the podcast ecosystem? And a deeper dive on how AI is giving Wall Street a brand new window into the startup ecosystem. Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Ramp.com/techmeme Links: Trump Designates FCC Veteran Brendan Carr as Chair of Agency (Bloomberg) Report: Samsung XR glasses have Ray-Ban Meta specs with more features, seemingly no display (9to5Google) Netflix’s Tyson-Paul Boxing Bout Gets 65 Million Viewers at Peak (Bloomberg) Why Everyone Is Now Watching Podcasts on YouTube (WSJ) Nvidia Customers Worry About Snag With New AI Chip Servers (The Information) Wall Street's Elites Are Piling Into a Massive AI Gamble (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We talk to @cara_jacqueline about what its like when your startup dies. How do you know when it's over? What were the lessons she learned from her journey? One of my favorite episodes we've ever done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eighteen states are suing the SEC over crypto regulation. The FTC might be going after Microsoft, but is this well timed or terribly timed? ChatGPT on Windows just got more available. NASA has created an AI Copilot for… Earth. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: SEC, Gary Gensler Sued by 18 States Over Biden’s Crypto Crackdown (Decrypt) US regulators plan to investigate Microsoft’s cloud business (Financial Times) ChatGPT App for Windows Now Available to Everyone (PCMag) NASA’s AI Earth Copilot will take your questions about our planet (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Not even Spotify is safe from AI slop (The Verge) Klarna’s Seb Siemiatkowski — from burger flipping to billionaire club (Financial Times) Inside the Billion-Dollar Startup Bringing AI Into the Physical World (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Buckle up cause it’s going to be a regulation heavy day. Meta is served up its first big EU fine. The FBI is investigating Polymarket? The CFPB might require regular inspections of Google? A new AI agent from OpenAI in about a month? And forget the streaming wars, are we entering the age of the puzzle wars? Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Meta fined nearly €800mn for breaking EU law over classified ads practices (FT) Polymarket Investigated by DOJ for Allegedly Letting US Users Bet on Platform (Bloomberg) CFPB looks to place Google under federal supervision, setting up clash (WashingtonPost) OpenAI Nears Launch of AI Agent Tool to Automate Tasks for Users (Bloomberg) Live Scam Detection in calls rolling out to Pixel 6-9 Phone app (9to5Google) Apple Releases Updates to Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for the Mac and iPad (MacStories) Meta to Launch Ads on Threads in Early 2025 (The Information) Words With Friends takes on Wordle with new single-player daily puzzles (The Verge) AI Avatar YouTube Experiment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The guessing game on who the new tech regulators will be for the new administration. What is Amazon Haul? Why has Bluesky suddenly seen a flurry of activity? More on Apple’s smarthome ambitions. And more on why AI seems to be hitting a wall lately? Here’s what you missed today in the world of Tech. Sponsors: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code RIDEHOME at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: Incogni.com/ridehome Links: Donald Trump’s potential antitrust enforcers may keep Big Tech in their sights (Financial Times) Amazon debuts discount store with everything under $20 to take on Temu and Shein (CNBC) With Surge in New Users, Bluesky Emerges as X Alternative (NYTimes) Apple’s Next Device Is an AI Wall Tablet for Home Control, Siri and Video Calls (Bloomberg) OpenAI, Google and Anthropic Are Struggling to Build More Advanced AI (Bloomberg) Bluesky Techmeme Starter Pack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Looks like Apple wants to get serious about smarthome tech. The EU gets Meta to change, but has another requested change from Apple. Signal has some new features. Netflix’s ad-tier continues to win. And a deeper dive into how AI can leap this scaling wall it seems to have run into. Here’s what you missed today in the world of tech. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Kuo: Apple to release its own smart home camera in 2026, with AI features (9to5Mac) In Europe, Instagram Ads Are About to Get Less Personal (WSJ) Apple Gets EU Warning to Stop Geo-Blocking on App, ITunes Stores (Bloomberg) Nvidia’s new app replacement for GeForce Experience is now out of beta (The Verge) Signal calls now work a lot more like Meet and Zoom (The Verge) Netflix Says Ad Tier Reaches 70 Million Users Globally (Variety) OpenAI and others seek new path to smarter AI as current methods hit limitations (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
FTX is suing basically anybody you can think of. Why will your iPhone now reboot itself if you don’t log into it for several days? Is OpenAI’s next flagship model underperforming what they were expecting? And I’ve found the one company most disrupted by AI. At least, so far. Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: FTX Sues Binance, Ex-CEO Zhao Seeking $1.8 Billion Clawback (Bloomberg) FTX Sues Scaramucci to Recoup Money for Creditors (Bloomberg) Apple Quietly Introduced iPhone Reboot Code Which is Locking Out Cops (404Media) OpenAI Shifts Strategy as Rate of ‘GPT’ AI Improvements Slows (The Information) How ChatGPT Brought Down an Online Education Giant (WSJ) Painting by A.I.-Powered Robot Sells for $1.1 Million (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Middle Mile is the next evolution of the gig economy. Make use of your spare garage/basement space to provide fullfillment for ecommerce brands. More here: GetMiddleMile.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Some interesting moves over at Block. Share to TikTok could be something major for the music industry. Amazon’s offer to invest again in Anthropic comes with some interesting strings attached. More signs that the smartglasses category is coming now. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: LegalZoom.com promocode Techmeme Links: Block reports revenue miss but a slight beat on earnings (CNBC) Jack Dorsey's Square to Invest More in Bitcoin Mining and Shut Decentralized 'Web5' Venture (CoinDesk) TikTok’s latest feature lets music fans ‘Share to TikTok’ from Spotify and Apple Music (TechCrunch) Amazon Discussing New Multibillion-Dollar Investment in Anthropic (The Information) Baidu Readies AI Smart Glasses to Rival Meta’s Ray-Bans (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Your TV set has become a digital billboard. And it’s only getting worse. (ArsTechnica) What I Learned From Destroying Myself at the NYC Marathon (Intelligencer) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More in depth analysis of what the Trump victory might mean for Silicon Valley, and Elon Musk’s companies in particular. Canadian regulators going after TikTok. Australia wants to make sure no one uses social media until they’re sixteen. France is “aware” of Polymarket. And the reviews of all the new Macs. Sponsors: Promevo.com/techmeme Links: Elon Musk Helped Elect Trump. What Does He Expect in Return? (NYTimes) Canada orders shutdown of TikTok's Canadian business, app access to continue (Reuters) Labor backs 16 as the minimum age to use social media ahead of national cabinet meeting (ABCNews) French Regulator Examines Polymarket After Bets on Trump (Bloomberg) Apple Mac mini review (M4 Pro, 2024): Shockingly small, incredibly powerful (Engadget) Apple MacBook Pro M4 review: the Pro for everyone (The Verge) Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch review (2024): Brace yourself for M4 speed (Engadget) Apple iMac M4 review: More power, same great looks (Tom's Guide) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The tech angle to the election news yesterday, and interestingly a lot of it is crypto related. The EU Commission looks like it will fine Apple and has opened a case against Corning? Perplexity is raising another massive new round. And a pretty definitive piece about how drone tech has changed warfare. Sponsors: Head to Lumen.me/RIDE for 15% off your purchase. WashingtonPost.com/ride Links: Polymarket, Prediction Betting Markets Vindicated by Trump's Strong Showing (Coindesk) Apple to Face First EU Fine Under Bloc’s Digital Markets Act (Bloomberg) Corning Faces EU Probe Into Smartphone ‘Gorilla Glass’ (Bloomberg) How Lina Khan Became an Election Hot Topic (NYTimes) Mozilla Foundation lays off 30% staff, drops advocacy division (TechCrunch) AI Startup Perplexity to Triple Valuation to $9 Billion in New Funding Round (WSJ) Battles of Precise Mass (Foreign Affairs) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big hacking arrest in Canada. More evidence Apple is thinking: “You know, maybe smartglasses are the way to go…” More signs OpenAI is focusing on hardware. More signs they’re about to go for-profit. And what it’s actually like to use GPT Search? Is it a Google killer or no? Links: Canada Arrests Man Suspected of Hacks of Snowflake Customers (Bloomberg) Apple Explores Push Into Smart Glasses With ‘Atlas’ User Study (Bloomberg) Meta’s former hardware lead for Orion is joining OpenAI (TechCrunch) OpenAI in Regulator Talks to Become For-Profit Company (Bloomberg) Anthropic hikes the price of its Haiku model (TechCrunch) Uber’s Real Threat Isn’t From Robots (WSJ) ChatGPT Search is not OpenAI’s ‘Google killer’ yet (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple is investing more in Satellite technology, and also acquires Pixelmator. What does this all mean for them? Is the high end Vision Pro getting abandoned? What does it mean that Google Cloud is now growing faster than AWS? And how Coreweave and other “neocloud” startups are financing their crazy growth in a totally new way. Here’s what you missed today in the world of Tech. Sponsors: Miro.com MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN Links: Apple expands iPhone satellite services deal, commits $1.1bn to expand capacity (9to5Mac) Apple is acquiring the popular image editing app Pixelmator (The Verge) Apple Finally Finds Its Gaming Console With the New Mac Mini (Bloomberg) Apple Vision Pro rumored to get M5 in 2025, but lower cost model is delayed (Apple Insider) X updates block feature, letting blocked users see your public posts (TechCrunch) Google’s cloud outpaces rivals in third quarter as AI battle heats up (CNBC) Early Apple M4 Pro and M4 Max benchmarks hint at a massive performance boost (Neowin) Wall Street frenzy creates $11bn debt market for AI groups buying Nvidia chips (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI officially gets into the search game. Earnings from Apple and Amazon. Why Google is switching up how it does Android. And in the longreads, Meta to win AI even if doesn’t produce AGI, and how downsizing is helping game developers survive the jobspocalypse. Links: OpenAI Brings Search Features to ChatGPT in Challenge to Google (Bloomberg) China Ruins Apple's Quarter (24/7WallStreet) Amazon Surges Past Earnings Forecasts (The Motley Fool) Google confirms Android 16 is coming earlier than usual, developer preview begins soon (Android Authority) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Meta’s AI Abundance (Stratechery) After Era of Bloat, Veteran Video-Game Developers Are Going Smaller (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’ve got that day where all the tech earnings have come at once, but this time I’m gonna mention Uber too cause did you know they’re making bank these days? China says that two can play the sanctioning technology game. A niche little app from Nintendo. And a review of the Starlink Mini, which seems incredibly compelling for a specific type of user. Links: Meta AI has more than 500 million users (Engadget) Meta’s Next Llama AI Models Are Training on a GPU Cluster ‘Bigger Than Anything’ Else (Wired) Microsoft says AI is on pace to be a $10 billion-a-year business (Axios) Uber shares slide on slowing bookings growth (Financial Times) Chinese sanctions hit US drone maker supplying Ukraine (Financial Times) Nintendo made a music streaming app for Switch Online subscribers (The Verge) Starlink Mini review: space internet goes ultraportable (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Apple release week continues with new MacBook pros. GitHub goes multi-model. Alphabet earnings were good, but Reddit earnings were massive. Why Samsung is having such a hard time since the summer. And a summary of the color Kindle reviews. Here’s what you missed today in the world of Tech. Links: Apple updates the MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips (The Verge) Every MacBook Air now starts with 16GB of RAM at no extra cost (Engadget) GitHub Copilot will support models from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI (The Verge) PlayStation Shutters Studio Behind ‘Concord’ Video-Game Flop (Bloomberg) More than a quarter of new code at Google is generated by AI (The Verge) Reddit shares soar 22% on earnings beat and better-than-expected forecast (CNBC) Samsung’s Sudden $122 Billion Wipeout Shows the Cost of Sleeping on AI (Bloomberg) Russian Hackers Are Targeting US Officials, Microsoft Says (Bloomberg) Kindle Colorsoft review: The missing link in Amazon’s ereader lineup (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A whole bunch of new Macs plus the first dribbles of Apple Intelligence. Apple is taking a big step in weening itself off of China reliance for manufacturing. Microsoft accuses Google of astroturfing. And potentially the return of startups buying startups? Here’s what you missed today in the world of Tech. Links: Apple Announces iMac With M4 Chip, Upgraded Camera, Nano-Texture Display Option, and More (MacRumors) New Mac mini shrinks down, gains M4 and M4 Pro chips (SixColors) Apple Intelligence goes live with iOS 18.1 update (TechCrunch) Apple Taps India to Learn How to Build New iPhone (The Information) Microsoft says Google is running ‘shadow campaigns’ in Europe to influence regulators (CNBC) Sequoia to Rake in More Than $100 Million From Crypto Acquisition (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Robinhood rolls out smart contract derivatives around the election, a look at how smart markets have seemed to have their mainstream breakthrough this year. TikTok now has a Fediverse, open-source competitor. AI now has an opensource definition, or something? And Meta opensourced their own AI podcast making tool. Here’s what you missed today in the world of tech. Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Robinhood jumps into election trading, giving users chance to buy Harris or Trump contracts (CNBC) Billions in election bets raise the stakes of the presidential race (Washington Post) Apple Blocked From Selling iPhone 16 Models in Indonesia (Bloomberg) The fediverse is getting its own TikTok competitor called Loops (TechCrunch) We finally have an ‘official’ definition for open source AI (TechCrunch) Even With Venture Slowdown, Megadeals Grow (CrunchBase) Netflix Adds ‘Moments’ Feature Allowing Users to Easily Share Favorite Scenes (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety) Meta Releases NotebookLlama, An Open-Source Podcast Generator (Techopedia) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Verge says we could get GPT-5 by December, but it might be called Orion. The biggest health care data breach in US history. Turns out Americans can actually produce high yield, quality silicon. Or, at least, Arizonans can. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Here’s what you missed today in the world of Tech. Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: OpenAI plans to release its next big AI model by December (The Verge) UnitedHealth says data of 100 million stolen in Change Healthcare breach (BleepingComputer) TSMC’s Arizona Chip Production Yields Surpass Taiwan’s in Win for US Push (Bloomberg) Bluesky raises $15M Series A, plans to launch subscriptions (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The mystifying, acrimonious battle between Arm and Qualcomm (Financial Times) Who Gets the TikTok in the Divorce? The Messy Fight Over Valuable Social Media Accounts (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Raspberry PI does AI now too. Apple is cutting iPhone production orders. Microsoft says China, Russia and Iran are still doing the dirt as the election nears. What if Foxconn got into the business of manufacturing cars? And what if surge pricing, but for groceries? New electronic price tags could make that possible. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Raspberry Pi releases more AI-focused add-ons (TechCrunch) Raspberry Pi release higher performance AI HAT+ — 13 and 26 TOPS variants (TomsHardware) iPhone 16 orders cut by around 10 million units for 4Q24–1H25; no evidence yet that Apple Intelligence could boost iPhone shipments in the near term (Ming-Chi Kuo) Microsoft Warns Foreign Disinformation Is Hitting the US Election From All Directions (Wired) Roblox to Enact Child-Safety Changes Giving Parents More Control (Bloomberg) What if carmaking went the way of consumer electronics? (The Economist) Kroger and Walmart Deny ‘Surge Pricing’ After Adopting Digital Price Tags (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A huge dispute in the semiconductor space has gone nuclear with implications that are crazy. Anthropic’s new AI app can control your computer for you. Runway’s new model lets you do your own motion capture. And farewell to Foursquare, the OG version at least. Links: Arm to Scrap Qualcomm Chip Design License in Feud Escalation (Bloomberg) Anthropic’s new AI can use computers like a human, redefining automation for enterprises (VentureBeat) Apple Sharply Scales Back Production of Vision Pro (The Information) Runway’s Act-One uses smartphone cameras to replicate facial expression motion capture (Silicon Angle) ‘This is a game changer’: Runway releases new AI facial expression motion capture feature Act-One (VentureBeat) Farewell to Foursquare’s app (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Qualcomm has unveiled its big, next gen Snapdragon SoC which will someday be in all the phones. Except iPhones, of course. Is Netflix pulling back on its gaming strategy? Why a new marketplace from Epic might actually point the way to the metaverse. And how are various people trying to get AI to have a better personality? Links: Snapdragon 8 Elite deep dive: A return to custom CPUs and much more (Android Authority) Scoop: Netflix shuts down 'AAA' Team Blue gaming studio, amid gaming shake-up (Game File) Netflix has closed its AAA gaming studio (Engadget) Hulu and Disney+ No Longer Support Signups and Payment Using App Store (MacRumors) Epic’s ambitious digital asset shop is now open (The Verge) Biden administration proposes new rules governing data transfers to adversarial nations (The Record) How AI groups are infusing their chatbots with personality (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google’s strategy of keeping it in the courts is already going to plan. New AI agents from Microsoft. New Open Source models from IBM. Perplexity is looking to raise again. How far behind Apple thinks it is in AI. And what it’s like to use your AirPods as hearing aids. Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme Miro.com Links: Epic judge lets Google keep its Android app store closed to competitors — for now (The Verge) Microsoft unveils new autonomous AI agents in advance of competing Salesforce rollout (GeekWire) AI Startup Perplexity in Funding Talks to More Than Double Valuation to $8 Billion (WSJ) IBM debuts open source Granite 3.0 LLMs for enterprise AI (VentureBeat) Apple’s New iPad Mini Highlights the Company’s Secret AI Advantage (Bloomberg) Apple’s AirPods Pro hearing health features are as good as they sound (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did Nintendo try to kill GoldenEye 007 before it was completed? Why did Shigeru Miyamoto keep telling the development team to tone down the violence. And why did the famous multiplayer aspect of the game almost didn’t happen? It’s slappers only on Rad History, because we’re diving into the history of THE game of the late 1990s, GoldenEye 007. With Special Guest: John Gruber Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Now Amazon is building some modular nuclear reactors. TSMC’s results cheer up the chips industry. Uber but for buying plane tickets. No, I mean, really, use Uber to buy plane tickets. And the controversial reason Meta is reportedly laying off some folks. Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: Amazon goes nuclear, to invest more than $500 million to develop small modular reactors (CNBC) TSMC Hikes Revenue Outlook in Show of Confidence in AI Boom (Bloomberg) The FTC is finally making it easier to cancel your gym membership (The Verge) Uber explored takeover bid for Expedia (FT) Meta is laying off employees at WhatsApp, Instagram, and more (The Verge) Meta fires staff for abusing $25 meal credits (FT) Analogue’s 4K Nintendo 64 launches next year for $249 (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kindles come roaring back, with significant updates to the Paperwhite and the Scribe, but also, for the first time ever, a Kindle with a color screen. Why has ASML suddenly plunged so much if chips are so hot right now? Android 15 is beginning to roll out. And Sonos is back to releasing new speakers again. Sponsors: Promevo.com/techmeme Links: Amazon’s new seven-inch Kindle Paperwhite is bigger and faster than ever (The Verge) Amazon’s new Kindle Scribe takes another step toward pen and paper (The Verge) Amazon finally has a color Kindle, and it looks pretty good (The Verge) Global Chip Stocks Erase $420 Billion After ASML Sales Warning (Bloomberg) YouTube takes a baby step toward labeling authentic video (The Verge) Android 15 is now available for Pixels (The Verge) Sonos announces ‘breakthrough’ Arc Ultra soundbar and Sub 4 (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Nuclear Energy sector is clearly getting back in business, thanks to big tech and their AI needs. The latest back and forth in the Wordpress brouhaha. The US is considering caps on the chips Nvidia can deliver to a bunch of countries worldwide. And is Tether getting deeper into the global finance game? Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride ArcticWolf.com/register Links: Google Backs New Nuclear Plants to Power AI (WSJ) DHH's Original Post Matt Mullenweg's Original Response Matt's 2nd Response Apple Unveils New iPad Mini With A17 Pro Chip and Apple Intelligence (MacRumors) US Weighs Capping Exports of AI Chips From Nvidia and AMD to Some Countries (Bloomberg) Crypto Company Tether Talking to Commodity Traders About Lending Them Its Billions (Bloomberg) The War on Passwords Is One Step Closer to Being Over (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adobe unleashes its Firefly AI video model broadly. Mark Gurman lays out Apple’s headset strategy going forward. What’s been going on with the Internet Archive. What the heck IS going on with WordPress? VC deals are dropping precipitously. And a review of the Meta Quest 3S. Sponsors: WashingtonPost.com/ride Shopify.com/ride Links: Adobe’s AI video model is here, and it’s already inside Premiere Pro (The Verge) Apple Has a New Smart Home Strategy: Screens Everywhere (Bloomberg) The Internet Archive is back as a read-only service after cyberattacks (The Verge) In latest move against WP Engine, WordPress takes control of ACF plugin (TechCrunch) Venture capital deal activity is slowing down (Axios) Meta Quest 3S review: Impressive VR for $300 (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why was Blockbuster so successful? Was it the DVD that killed Blockbuster? What was the deal with late fees? Is there any way Blockbuster, not Netflix, could have won out in the end? Special guest: Venture Capitalist and Writer MG Siegler! Subscribe to RAD! 80s90s History! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from Tesla’s robotaxi event. AMD unveils the chip it wants to use to go toe to toe with Nvidia. Are people actually making money building GPTs or not so much? And in the longreads, rebuilding Notre Dame as period accurately as possible. Sponsors: Go to Hensonshaving.com/ride and enter RIDE at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase. (Note: you must add both the 100-blade pack and the razor for the discount to apply.) Links: Tesla reveals 20 Cybercabs at We, Robot event, says you’ll be able to buy one for less than $30,000 (TechCrunch) Tesla's Cybercab Is Here (Wired) Tesla Robovan has something the Cybertruck definitely does not (T3) AMD launches AI chip to rival Nvidia’s Blackwell (CNBC) Xbox will sell games directly in the Android app next month (The Verge) OpenAI’s GPT Store Has Left Some Developers in the Lurch (Wired) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Google’s Nobel Haul Puts Spotlight on Changing Focus of Scientific Research (Bloomberg) The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre-Dame (GQ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple TV+ finally comes to Prime Video Channels. OpenAI says they’ve been disrupting AI election influence campaigns. But they won’t be profitable until when? How Google plans to beat the regulation rap. And a review of basically the highest end smartwatch you can buy. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Amazon Adds Apple TV+ to Its Channels Store for Streaming (Bloomberg) OpenAI says bad actors are using its platform to disrupt elections, but with little ‘viral engagement’ (CNBC) OpenAI Projections Imply Losses Tripling to $14 Billion in 2026 (The Information) Apple’s Dan Riccio, Key Executive in Both the Jobs and Cook Eras, to Retire (Bloomberg) Competition and the clock: how Google plans to deflect and delay a historic break-up threat (Financial Times) Garmin Fenix 8 review: only kind of smart (The Verge) RAD! 80s90s History on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe to RAD! 80s90s History in your podcast app! Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast The government says it does, in fact, want to break up Google. The Nobel Prize sure does love AI this year. Could Substack win by becoming the default way for creators to monetize? And listen to the end of the show today for a big announcement from me. Links: US Weighs Google Breakup in Historic Big Tech Antitrust Case (Bloomberg) Unmasking Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto—Again (Wired) Google DeepMind Scientists Share Nobel for AI Protein Work (Bloomberg) X Cleared to Return in Brazil After Musk Bows to Judge’s Demands (Bloomberg) Substack wants to do more than just newsletters (Semafor) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Crack… at least for the Google Play store. Two AI scientists have won the Nobel Prize for physics?! Samsung is in a similar boat to Intel, just not quite as severely. And an unfortunate reminder that government mandated back doors are bad doors. Sponsors: Dell.com/deals Links: Google must crack open Android for third-party stores, rules Epic judge (The Verge) Apple Potentially Facing Worst Leak Since iPhone 4 Was Left in a Bar (MacRumors) ‘Godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton Among Nobel Prize Winners (Bloomberg) Samsung Electronics apologises for disappointing profit as it struggles in AI chips (Reuters) The 30-year-old internet backdoor law that came back to bite (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We finally have a date for Apple Intelligence. Meta has a new text to video AI model. Google could soon drop under 50% in the search ads market. More hope for level three automated driving. And how AI bots could revolutionize online dating. Sponsors: Miro.com Links: Apple Slowly Moves Away From Its Annual Product Release Strategy (Bloomberg) Meta Unveils AI Video Generator, Taking On OpenAI and Google (Bloomberg) Google’s Grip on Search Slips as TikTok and AI Startup Mount Challenge (WSJ) GM is working on an eyes-off, hands-off driving system (TechCrunch) Uber and Lyft drivers use Teslas as makeshift robotaxis, raising safety concerns (Reuters) Grindr Aims to Build the Dating World’s First AI ‘Wingman’ (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google has updated Lens and is taking a page out of Perplexity’s book. OpenAI’s new canvas workspace. Why an upcoming iPhone SE might have some interesting internals. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Google Lens now lets you search with video (The Verge) Google brings ads to AI Overviews as it expands AI’s role in search (TechCrunch) OpenAI launches new ‘Canvas’ ChatGPT interface tailored to writing and coding projects (TechCrunch) iPhone SE 4 to feature Apple’s first 5G modem, A18 chip, same cameras as iPhone 15 (9to5Mac) 159 employees are leaving Automattic as CEO’s fight with WP Engine escalates (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Saving Cyberpunk 2077: How CD Projekt Red recovered from one of video games' most disastrous launches (EuroGamer) The Flying Car Is Finally Here. It’s Slightly Illegal. (Intelligencer) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI raised their round, and it basically broke all the records. The whole Wordpress mess has gotten so crazy that WPEngine is suing. Using Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses to dox people in real time. And you’ll never guess the reason why you’re about to see more ads on streaming video. Hint: you’ll endure it. Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: OpenAI raises $6.6 billion in largest VC round ever (Axios) OpenAI asks investors not to back rival start-ups such as Elon Musk’s xAI (Financial Times) OpenAI feels competitors breathing down its neck (Financial Times) WP Engine sues WordPress co-creator Mullenweg and Automattic, alleging abuse of power (TechCrunch) Someone Put Facial Recognition Tech onto Meta's Smart Glasses to Instantly Dox Strangers (404Media) Spotify adds a new, automatically updating playlist for offline listening (TechCrunch) Amazon to increase number of advertisements on Prime Video (Financial Times) Venture Dealmaking Reflects Selective Tastes of Investors (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Catching you up on a bunch of other Microsoft announcements we missed yesterday. Is Nvidia trying to break open the black box of AI? It’s absolutely wild that there’s still no viable YouTube app for the Vision Pro. And we were worried about disruption to the semiconductor industry if a typhoon hit Taiwan, but it turns out, a hurricane hitting North Carolina can be bad too. Links: Microsoft is using AI to improve Windows search (The Verge) Microsoft starts paying publishers for content surfaced by Copilot (TechCrunch) Telegram CEO Downplays Service Term Changes Amid French Probe (Bloomberg) Nvidia just dropped a bombshell: Its new AI model is open, massive, and ready to rival GPT-4 (VentureBeat) Threads users can now see who follows them from other fediverse servers (TechCrunch) Christian Selig’s unofficial YouTube app for the Vision Pro just got taken down (The Verge) Hurricane Helene Will Send Shockwaves Through the Semiconductor Industry (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Do we have the first IPO of the AI era? Do we have the first AI model beyond the transformer architecture? Microsoft has a bunch of new AI tools inside Windows. We try to explain that whole controversy around PearAI. And what about that NotebookLM feature that lets you create a two-hander podcast out of any text. Links: AI chipmaker Cerebras files for IPO to take on Nvidia (CNBC) MIT spinoff Liquid debuts non-transformer AI models and they’re already state-of-the-art (VentureBeat) Microsoft Copilot can now read your screen, think deeply, and speak aloud to you (TechCrunch) Oura Nears $500 Million in Annual Revenue and Readies New Ring (Bloomberg) Y Combinator is being criticized after it backed an AI startup that admits it basically cloned another AI startup (TechCrunch) NotebookLM’s automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective (Simon Willison's Blog) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
That controversial AI bill in California has been vetoed by Governor Newsom. Is even Apple now thinking that its Vision Pro strategy might need a rethink? What really is OpenAI’s situation right now, and this time I’m talking money-wise? And the strange resurrection of the point and shoot camera. Links: California’s Gavin Newsom Vetoes Controversial AI Safety Bill (WSJ) California Passes Law Protecting Consumer Brain Data (NYTimes) Meta’s New Headsets Show Apple Has Lost Its Way With the Vision Pro (Bloomberg) OpenAI’s Complex Path to Becoming a For-Profit Company (WSJ) Songs by Adele, Bob Dylan, Green Day, Many More Blocked by YouTube in Legal Dispute (Variety) This Camera Went Viral Two Years Ago. You Still Can’t Buy One (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Founder Mode? Not for me, says Sam Altman, but we will see. A few new gadgets from Samsung. Maybe ARM should buy Intel. Are AI startups hitting revenue traction faster than SaaS startups did? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Sam Altman tells OpenAI staff there’s no plan for him to receive a ‘giant equity stake’ in company (CNBC) Samsung Galaxy S24 FE goes official starting at $649 – is it still a ‘Fan Edition?’ (9to5Google) Arm Is Rebuffed by Intel After Inquiring About Buying Product Unit (Bloomberg) Exponential growth brews 1 million AI models on Hugging Face (ArsTechnica) AI start-ups generate money faster than past hyped tech companies (FT) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: McDonald’s touchscreen kiosks were feared as job killers. Instead, something surprising happened (CNN) Apple Rolls Back Its Big Plans to Release Movies in Theaters (Bloomberg) The 27-Year-Old Economic Adviser for Gen Z (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There’s only two stories really. If you can believe it, more executive departures at OpenAI, as it looks like they’re serious about going for profit. And yes, Meta announced a new Quest headset, but the real headlines are the Orion smartglasses, which you can’t actually buy. What? I’ll explain. Sponsors: Thorne.fit/ridehome Links: OpenAI considering restructuring to for-profit, CTO Mira Murati and two top research execs depart (CNBC) Exclusive: OpenAI to remove non-profit control and give Sam Altman equity (Reuters) Meta’s cheaper Quest 3S might just be an upgrade (The Verge) A Few Brief Thoughts on Meta Connect 2024 (Daring Fireball) Meta pitches VR to mobile developers with new support for Android apps on Quest (TechCrunch) Meta’s big tease (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Caroline Ellison benefits from being cooperative. Has your company unknowingly hired remote workers from North Korea? What is going on with this WordPress back and forth? Why OpenAI has to let people look at their training data. And why is everyone upset at Marquess Brownlee? Sponsors: Hims.com/ride Links: Caroline Ellison sentenced to two years in prison for her role in FTX scandal (Axios) Dozens of Fortune 100 companies have unwittingly hired North Korean IT workers, according to report (The Record) The DOJ sues Visa for locking out rival payment platforms (The Verge) Automattic sends WP Engine its own cease-and-desist over WordPress trademark infringement (TechCrunch) OpenAI Training Data to Be Inspected in Authors’ Copyright Cases (The Hollywood Reporter) Marques Brownlee says ‘I hear you’ after fans criticize his new wallpaper app (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Altman has a manifesto. Kinda. Telegram is beginning to walk things back a bit. Cloudflare wants to help you block the AI bots. New streaming device from Roku. And I guess TikTok can’t win at everything. Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: The Intelligence Age (Sam Altman) Sam Altman catapults past founder mode into ‘god mode’ with latest AI post (TechCrunch) OpenAI CEO: We may have AI superintelligence in “a few thousand days” (ArsTechnica) Some Kaspersky customers receive surprise forced-update to new antivirus software (TechCrunch) Telegram CEO Durov Says App to Provide More Data to Governments (Bloomberg) New Cloudflare Tools Let Sites Detect and Block AI Bots for Free (Wired) The new Roku Ultra is faster, has better Wi-Fi, and comes with a backlit remote (The Verge) Spotify’s AI playlist builder is now available in the US (The Verge) TikTok to Shut Down its Music Streaming Business in November (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Qualcomm as a white knight to save Intel? A huge bitcoin heist gets busted for the usual reasons. What if the US bans imports of all cars from China? And why can’t US car makers keep up when it comes, simply, to software? Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride Links: Qualcomm Approached Intel About a Takeover in Recent Days (WSJ) Intel Gets Multibillion-Dollar Apollo Offer as Qualcomm Circles (Bloomberg) Chip Giants TSMC and Samsung Discuss Building Middle Eastern Megafactories (WSJ) Suspects behind $230 million cryptocurrency theft arrested in Miami (BleepingComputer) US proposes banning Chinese software and components in vehicles (FT) Israel’s Pager Attacks Have Changed the World (NYTimes) Toyota and VW fall further behind in the software race (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
You might want to hold off on updating to macOS 15 Sequoia. What, exactly, is Europe trying to get Apple to do? The AI energy crunch means they’re turning Three Mile Island back on. Could AI usage mean we use up all our 5G capacity? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: 1password.com/ride QualiaLife.com/ride and code ride Links: Apple’s new macOS Sequoia update is breaking some cybersecurity tools (TechCrunch) EU to tell Apple how to do interoperability, DMA style (TechCrunch) Microsoft AI Needs So Much Power It's Restarting Site of US Nuclear Meltdown (Bloomberg) AI is stressing networks out - Nvidia thinks AI can help (Fierce Network) Huawei 'super fans' fuming as left empty handed by $2,800 phone launch (Reuters) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: American Vulcan - Palmer Luckey (TabletMag) The Death of the Minivan (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Looks like they finally got around to suing that Palworld game. Google volunteered to break up some of its businesses but the EU said no. AI is coming to YouTube in a big way. A new social media platform that is ENTIRELY AI. And Amazon wants to get into the Shark Tank business. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Nintendo and Pokémon are suing Palworld maker Pocketpair (The Verge) Exclusive: Google offered to sell part of ad tech business, not enough for EU publishers (Reuters) YouTube will use AI to generate ideas, titles, and even full videos (The Verge) Apple Gets EU Warning to Open Up iPhone Operating System (Bloomberg) Musk's satellites 'blocking' view of the universe (BBC) SocialAI offers a Twitter-like diary where AI bots respond to your posts (TechCrunch) Amazon’s New ‘Shark Tank’-Style Show Gives Winners Top Billing in Its Store (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Messages between Android and iOS are about to be encrypted. A new XR headset from HTC and new Spectacles from Snap. A big movie studio has signed up to use AI. Neuralink has implants for blindness. And why I’m kinda NOT gonna do a review roundup of the new iPhones. Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme Links: RCS texts on the iPhone aren’t encrypted now, but that could change (The Verge) Here’s how green bubbles are getting upgraded in iOS (The Verge) HTC Vive's Focus Vision is a $999 stab at high-end VR and mixed reality (Engadget) Snap’s new Spectacles inch closer to compelling AR (The Verge) Instagram, Facing Pressure Over Child Safety Online, Unveils Sweeping Changes (NYTimes) Lionsgate, Studio Behind ‘John Wick,’ Signs Deal With AI Startup Runway (WSJ) Musk's Neuralink gets FDA's breakthrough device tag for 'Blindsight' implant (Reuters) Apple iPhone 16 Pro review: small camera update, big difference (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Intel announces a bunch of ways its hoping to turn its business around sooner rather than later. Is OpenAI about to have its chat bots query you? The whole TikTok divestment case is coming to a head right now. And speaking of turn arounds, darn if Netflix didn’t pull ITS turnaround off perfectly. Hollywood, not so much. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Intel stock jumps on plan to turn foundry business into subsidiary and allow for outside funding (CNBC) Intel to Make Custom AI Chip for Amazon, Delay German Plant (Bloomberg) EssilorLuxottica extends smart glasses partnership with Meta (Reuters) OpenAI Says It's Fixed Issue Where ChatGPT Appeared to Be Messaging Users Unprompted (Futurism) TikTok is about to get its day in court (The Verge) Judges Show Some Skepticism of TikTok’s Fight Against Potential U.S. Ban (NYTimes) How Netflix won the streaming wars (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A bunch of Apple stories today. FDA approval for sleep apnea detection for the watch. Signs of poor pre-order sales for the phone. And a quick review of the new Airpods. Also, how did Intel lose out on making the chips for the next gen Playstation. And are dating apps responsible for income inequality? Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/register Links: Apple Watch sleep apnea detection gets FDA approval (TechCrunch) iPhone 16 first weekend pre-order analysis: estimated total sales of about 37 million units; Pro series demand lower than expected (Ming-Chi Kuo) France picks Sejourne as nominee for EU Commission after Breton clash (Reuters) Slack now lets users add AI agents from Asana, Cohere, Adobe, Workday and more (VentureBeat) Exclusive: How Intel lost the Sony PlayStation business (Reuters) Apple AirPods 4 review: defying expectations (The Verge) Online Dating Caused a Rise in US Income Inequality, Research Paper Shows (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The first of the Strawberry models is here. YC plans to have four cohorts a year, but each one is getting smaller. Waymo is already ready to expand to more pretty big markets. And in the long reads, a deep dive look into the options Intel has at this point in time. Sponsors: HensonShaving.com/ride code ride Links: OpenAI releases o1, its first model with ‘reasoning’ abilities (The Verge) Notes on OpenAI’s new o1 chain-of-thought models (Simon Willison's Weblog) OpenAI's new models 'instrumentally faked alignment' (TransformerNews) Apple AirPods Pro granted FDA approval to serve as hearing aids (TechCrunch) Silicon Valley’s Y Combinator to Double Number of Cohorts Per Year (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Intel Has Only Tough Options After Its Long and Stinging Fall From Grace (Bloomberg) Link to the twitter poll about ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As expected, OpenAI is in talks for a new capital raise at a $150B valuation. More layoffs in Microsoft’s gaming division. More holes poked in our creaking internet infrastructure. The tiny SpaceX competitor who’s stock has been soaring lately. And a look at what Apple’s recent AirPods announcement could do to the hearing aid industry. Links: OpenAI Fundraising Set to Vault Startup’s Valuation to $150 Billion (Bloomberg) The AI Spending Spree, in Charts (WSJ) Microsoft Lays Off Another 650 Staff From Its Video Game Workforce, Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Sends Memo to Staff (IGN) Rogue WHOIS server gives researcher superpowers no one should ever have (ArsTechnica) Adam Neumann’s Climate Company Is Issuing Refunds After Failing To Launch Crypto Token (Forbes) SpaceX’s Tiny Rival Soars 1,300%. Now Comes the Satellite Launch (Bloomberg) Apple turning AirPods into hearing aids underscores effort to crack massive health market (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mistral goes multimodal for the first time. Meta admits to scraping the data of every adult Australian. The details on the new PS5 Pro. Wouldn’t it be wild if, through stablecoins, crypto BECOMES the banking system instead of replacing it. And a weird mystery in AI land. Sponsors: Promevo.com/techmeme Links: Mistral releases Pixtral 12B, its first multimodal model (TechCrunch) Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option (ABC News) The $700 PS5 Pro doesn’t come with a disc drive (The Verge) Exclusive Hands-On: I Played Sony's All-New PS5 Pro (CNET) Americans used record 100 trillion megabytes of wireless data in 2023 (Reuters) Payments in Singapore With Stablecoins Rise to Almost $1 Billion (Bloomberg) Reflection 70B model maker breaks silence amid fraud accusations (VentureBeat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple loses its longest standing regulatory battle in the EU. Some drips and drabs from yesterday’s iPhone event. Would a phone you can fold three times be more enticing than a phone that folds two times? And are we about to see that new Strawberry AI model from OpenAI by the end of the month? Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride Links: Apple must pay 13 billion euros in back taxes, EU’s top court rules (CNBC) iPhone 16 battery life: How much better is it? (9to5Mac) Huawei launches $2,800 trifold phone hours after Apple debuts iPhone 16 (CNBC) Oracle’s Missteps in Cloud Computing Are Paying Dividends in AI (WSJ) New Details on OpenAI’s Strawberry; Apple’s Siri Makeover; Larry Ellison Doubles Down on Data Centers (The Information) Audible to Start Generating AI Voice Replicas of Select Audiobook Narrators (Bloomberg) JPMorgan Plans to Report Customers Who Exploited TikTok ‘Glitch’ to Authorities (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from today’s iPhone event. It IS interesting the degree to which Elon’s various businesses have potential synergy. The Times digs into the content on Telegram and says, it ain’t pretty. And e-bikes seem to be back. In London, at least, anyway. Links: Apple Announces iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with Larger Displays, New Camera Control, and More (MacRumors) Apple announces iPhone 16: camera button, new colors, AI features (9to5Mac) AirPods Pro 2 adds ‘clinical grade’ hearing aid feature (9to5Mac) Musk’s xAI Has Discussed Deal for Share of Future Tesla Revenue (WSJ) How Telegram Became a Playground for Criminals, Extremists and Terrorists (NYTimes) London e-bike boom leads to clashes with councils (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pavel Durov speaks, and Telegram blinks, both for the first time since the French arrest. Are XR glasses tethered to smartphones the next big product category? What if your smartphone could cure your vision problems? And in the longreads, if Waymo is about to scale, what, exactly, is the business model, long-term? Links: Pavel Durov: Telegram founder says France arrest is ‘misguided’ (The Guardian) Exclusive: Qualcomm explores acquiring pieces of Intel chip-design business (Reuters) Qualcomm says it’s working on mixed reality smart glasses with Samsung and Google (CNBC) Review: Honor Magic V3 (Wired) Exclusive: Honor's latest devices use AI to try to reverse nearsightedness (Android Central) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Waymo’s Robot Taxis Are Almost Mainstream. Can They Now Turn a Profit? (NYTimes) When the Bitcoin Scammers Came for Me (The Atlantic) Among the Idlers (Curbed) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The DOJ says it has taken down a big election influence campaign allegedly directed by Russia. The Internet Archive loses a big case. Android 15 is here. And two really interesting new gadgets, one I probably need to buy and one I want to buy but probably won’t. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Biden administration announces major actions to tackle Russian efforts to influence 2024 election (CNN) The Internet Archive Loses Its Appeal of a Major Copyright Case (Wired) Android 15 will be available on supported Pixel devices in the coming weeks (TechCrunch) DJI Neo hands-on: A powerful and lightweight $200 drone (Engadget) The Remarkable Paper Pro is as outrageous as it is luxurious (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SpaceX has agreed to block access to X, in Brazil, on Starlink. Looks like YubiKeys are hackable. Who is the mystery platform looking to expand AI datacenters at an historic scale? And the Catch 22 that Intel is in. They need CHIPS Act money, but can their troubles mean the CHIPS Act money shouldn’t be spent on them? Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme Lumen.me/ride Links: Starlink backtracks, complies with order blocking X in Brazil, says regulator (Reuters) No X in Brazil? No problem, Brazilians say. (Washington Post) Microsoft to announce ‘next phase of Copilot’ on September 16th (The Verge) YubiKeys are vulnerable to cloning attacks thanks to newly discovered side channel (ArsTechnica) Nvidia Gets DOJ Subpoena in Escalating Antitrust Probe (Bloomberg) Two AI Developers Are Plotting $125 Billion Supercomputers (The Information) Exclusive: Intel manufacturing business suffers setback as Broadcom tests disappoint (Reuters) Intel’s Money Woes Throw Biden Team’s Chip Strategy Into Turmoil (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We missed a pretty big story this weekend. X getting banned in Brazil. I’ll try to catch you up on all the contours of this. Canva’s raising prices and it’s pissing people off because, I mean, they are REALLY raising prices. And the two pretty big success stories in crypto this year that we haven’t spoken about yet. Sponsors: DataTribe.com/challenge Hims.com/ride Links: Brazil’s Most Powerful Judge Is in the Spotlight—Again (Americas Quarterly) How Brazil’s Experiment Fighting Fake News Led to a Ban on X (NYTimes) Canva says its AI features are worth the 300 percent price increase (The Verge) HP to Pursue $4 Billion Damages After Mike Lynch Yacht Death (Bloomberg) Pump.fun surpasses $100 million in revenue as Polymarket outshines NFTs in August (The Block) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At this point it would be quicker to name the big tech company that’s NOT investing in OpenAI’s latest round. Amazon’s new Alexa service is just going to be Anthropic’s Claude in drag disguise I guess. I’m starting to get really worried about Intel y’all. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: OpenAI Funding Round Tempts Nvidia as Big Tech Leans on ChatGPT (Bloomberg) Apple, Nvidia Are in Talks to Invest in OpenAI (WSJ) Ask Claude: Amazon turns to Anthropic's AI for Alexa revamp (Reuters) ChatGPT’s weekly users have doubled in less than a year (The Verge) Intel Weighs Options Including Foundry Split to Stem Losses (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Sunk cost (the Open Sea story) (The Verge) The secret inside One Million Checkboxes (eieio.games) I Watched Footage of Jerry Lewis’s Unreleased 1972 Holocaust Film (The New Republic) End of the Road: An AnandTech Farewell (AnandTech) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia’s earnings were huge but because they didn’t manage to beat the biggest expectations out there, it’s kind of a miss? Pavel Durov has been formally charged by France. Does TikTok fall outside of Section 230 protection? And it seems like the effort by the car companies to wean themselves off of smartphone tech is… not going great. Links: Nvidia’s CEO Says New Chip Will Have ‘Lots and Lots’ of Supply (Bloomberg) Telegram CEO Charged in France for Crimes Committed on His App (Bloomberg) TikTok must face lawsuit over 10-year-old girl's death, US court rules (Reuters) OpenAI in Talks for Funding Round Valuing It Above $100 Billion (WSJ) Top Movie Piracy Ring Taken Down, Major Studios’ Enforcement Group Claims (The Hollywood Reporter) GM's 'Google Built-In' Is Glitchy, Requires A Subscription To Use Google Maps (Jalopnik) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I explain why everyone has been posting strawberries in AI circles. It’s cause of a potential new breakthrough at OpenAI. Cerebras launches the first new AI chip competition to Nvidia. China has reportedly burrowed into US ISPs. And continuing interesting details pouring out of that Pavel Durov situation. Sponsors: Timeline.com/ride Links: OpenAI Shows ‘Strawberry’ AI to the Feds and Uses It to Develop ‘Orion’ (The Information) OpenAI Races to Launch ‘Strawberry’ Reasoning AI to Boost Chatbot Business (The Information) Cerebras Systems throws down gauntlet to Nvidia with launch of ‘world’s fastest’ AI inference service (SiliconAngle) Chinese government hackers penetrate U.S. internet providers to spy (Washington Post) Google Meet’s automatic AI note-taking is here (The Verge) Instagram adds what photos have always needed: words (The Verge) Telegram Founder Was Wooed and Targeted by Governments (WSJ) Can Tech Executives Be Held Responsible for What Happens on Their Platforms? (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As more details come out about the arrest of the founder of Telegram, a deeper look at Pavel Durov himself. We have the date of the iPhone event. We have a new record gaming number from Steam. And are Apple’s experiment with big budget Hollywood movies losing them bucket loads of money? Sponsors: DataTribe.com/challenge Thorne.fit/ridehome Links: Telegram Founder’s Arrest Part of Broad Investigation, French Prosecutors Say (NYTimes) Macron loves Telegram. French judges hate it. (Politico) How Telegram’s Founder Went From Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg to Wanted Man (NYTimes) Steam surpasses 37 million concurrent users for the first time ever thanks to Black Myth: Wukong (PC Gamer) Anthropic publishes the ‘system prompts’ that make Claude tick (TechCrunch) Apple Rethinks Its Movie Strategy After a String of Misses (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
French authorities have arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. Chinese tech companies are spending like crazy on AI too, btw. What are the smart glasses and VR gear Meta is poised to give us next month? And Nvidia might make you rich, but it still seems like a bear of a place to work at. Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: Telegram CEO Held Over Alleged Child Protection Failures on App (Bloomberg) Telegram messaging app CEO Durov arrested in France (Reuters) Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app? (Matthew Green) China’s tech giants splash out on AI despite US restrictions (Financial Times) Apple Explores Robotics in Search of Life Beyond the iPhone (Bloomberg) Nvidia Rally Mints Millionaires Too Busy to Bask in New Wealth (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Breaking down the Crowdstrike outage with Overmind.tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft deprecating a feature that it launched back in 1985. There’s a pretty big loophole that is still letting China use H100 chips. The weird saga evolving over at Bolt. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Microsoft finally officially confirms it's killing Windows Control Panel sometime soon (Neowin) Exclusive: Chinese entities turn to Amazon cloud and its rivals to access high-end US chips, AI (Reuters) AI-powered coding pulls in almost $1bn of funding to claim ‘killer app’ status (Financial Times) Bolt investors baffled by massive new deal proposal (Axios) Ryan Breslow’s ‘Lead Investor’ Blindsided By $450 Million Bolt Fundraise: ‘We Were Never In This Deal’ (Forbes) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: New Breed of EV Promises 700 Miles per Charge (Just Add Gas) (Bloomberg) Popping the Bubble of Noise-Cancelling Headphones (The New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Mike Lynch’s body is recovered off Sicily, a deeper look at what was a roller coaster of a life. More cross posting for Meta’s apps. We have a date for the re-release of Recall. Interesting executive shuffle at Apple. And more data showing the degree to which free streaming is upending the Streaming Wars. Sponsors: QualiaLife.com/ride Links: Bodies of Mike Lynch and four yacht guests pulled from Bayesian wreck (Financial Times) Mike Lynch’s journey from tech founder to long legal battle (Financial Times) Meta lets you cross-post from Instagram and Facebook to Threads. Here’s how to do it. (TechCrunch) Microsoft’s Recall AI feature won’t be available for Windows testers until October (The Verge) Neuralink Says Second Brain Device Implant ‘Went Well’ (Bloomberg) Apple’s App Store Head to Leave in Reorganization Amid Global Scrutiny (Bloomberg) Report: “FAST correcting issues that VoD created” (Advanced Television) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI news has been a bit quiet for a little while now, but the headlines came roaring back today. More evidence Waymo might be having some sort of tipping point. Can we really get 3D without the need to wear glasses? And the the interesting raise startup that is actually, literally, going to the moon, not in a figurative sense. Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Gemini in Gmail can now help polish up your drafts (The Verge) Microsoft releases powerful new Phi-3.5 models, beating Google, OpenAI and more (VentureBeat) OpenAI makes fine-tuning for GPT-4o customization generally available (SiliconAngle) Waymo says it has doubled its weekly paid robotaxi trips to 100,000 since May (CNBC) Samsung’s new Odyssey monitor lets you play games in glasses-free 3D (The Verge) Microsoft Teams’ new single app for personal and work is now available (The Verge) Big Tech’s bid to rewrite the rules on net zero (Financial Times) Starpath accelerates moon water mining plans with $12M in funding (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
New Raspberry Pi 5. Waymo’s rolling out its new self-driving tech. A major developer draws plaudits for going anti-AI. The tragic and odd story of that tech exec who is missing after his yacht sank. And after six months, how is the Apple Vision Pro evolving? What if it kind of isn’t? Sponsors: TakeThesis.com code RIDE Links: Raspberry Pi 5’s new 2GB model benchmarked: Do you need 2, 4 or 8GB? : We test against the 4 and 8GB versions (Tom's Hardware) Waymo is developing a roomier robotaxi with less-expensive tech (CNBC) Procreate’s anti-AI pledge attracts praise from digital creatives (The Verge) Search continues for British tech magnate and 5 others after luxury superyacht sinks off Sicily (AP) Apple Vision Pro review: six month stasis (Apple Insider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is X closing up shop in Brazil? Remember how Apple is trying to make their own modems? How’s that going? Why is the online dating sector suddenly struggling? And could the next big advertising platform actually be Walmart? Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Links: X says it’s closing operations in Brazil (TechCrunch) AMD Buys AI Equipment Maker for Nearly $5 Billion, Escalating Battle With Nvidia (WSJ) Apple Is Playing the Long Game With Switch From Qualcomm Modems (Bloomberg) ‘Bumble fumble’: online dating apps struggle as people swear off swiping (The Guardian) How Walmart became a force in a $54bn retail advertising industry (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Epic saga has reached a sort of conclusion. Epic saga. See what I did there? That California AI safety bill has been pruned a bit. You can now add you California drivers license to your smartphone wallet. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Fortnite Maker Epic Games Challenges Apple’s Dominance With New iOS App Store (Wired) California weakens bill to prevent AI disasters before final vote, taking advice from Anthropic (TechCrunch) Exclusive: Apple, Google wallets to carry California driver's licenses (Axios) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Inside the Snowflake-Databricks Rivalry, and Why Both Fear Microsoft (Bloomberg) The Little Streamer That Could (NYTimes) Your Air Conditioner Is Lying to You (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The new version of Grok will pretty much let you make an AI image of anything or anyone. More rumors of an iPad/robot/smart home hybrid from Apple. Masa Son wanted Intel to spin up a competitor to Nvidia, but Intel reportedly couldn’t hack it. And is Sonos going to just say, heck with it, and re-release their old app that actually worked? Sponsors: Acorns.com/ride Links: X’s new AI image generator will make anything from Taylor Swift in lingerie to Kamala Harris with a gun (The Verge) Apple Pushes Ahead With Tabletop Robot in Search of New Revenue (Bloomberg) Apple is finally going to open up iPhone tap-to-pay (The Verge) The FTC finalizes its rules clamping down on fake online reviews (Engadget) SoftBank discussed AI chips tie-up with Intel to rival Nvidia (Financial Times) Sonos considers relaunching its old app (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the details from yesterday’s pixel event, but especially the AI features that show how far ahead Google is. At least when it comes to putting AI on phones. We have official post quantum computing cryptography standards. And why they’re using iPhones to make offsides calls in soccer this season. Sponsors: DataTribe.com/challenge Hims.com/ride Links: The Google Pixel 9’s AI Camera Features Let You Reshape Reality (Wired) Google Gemini’s voice chat mode is here (The Verge) Apple relents and approves Spotify app with EU pricing (The Verge) The first post-quantum cryptography standards are here (TechCrunch) The English Premier League Will Ditch Its Hated VAR Offside Tech for a Fleet of iPhones (Wired) Fantasy League Links: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/s5r9c8  Code: s5r9c8 https://fplchallenge.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/8znkcc  Code: 8znkcc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Patreon is forced to change how it does things because Apple finally came to claim their vig. Have basically all our social security numbers been leaked? Crowdstrike owns its mistakes in person. And even if you build it, the chip factories might not come if nobody shows up to work. Sponsors: HensonShaving.com/ride and code ride Shopify.com/ride Links: Apple says Patreon must switch to its billing system or risk removal from App Store (TechCrunch) ‘Apple’s Requirements to Hit Creators and Fans on Patreon’ (Daring Fireball) Hackers leak 2.7 billion data records with Social Security numbers (BleepingComputer) FBI probing alleged Iran hack attempts targeting Trump, Biden camps (Washington Post) CrowdStrike Exec Shows Up to Accept 'Most Epic Fail' Award in Person (PCMag) TikTok comes for messaging apps with the addition of group chats (TechCrunch) Chipmakers face a labour crisis (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hey, want to know the iPhone product road map for the next year or so? I wonder why that’s coming out today? Instagram is copying something it forgot to copy from Snapchat. Celsius wants a ton of bitcoin back from Tether. Flux continues to wow, and is Iran the biggest cyber threat of this election year. Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme WashingtonPost.com/ride Links: Apple’s iPhone 16 Will Keep Sales Stable Until Bigger Changes Arrive (Bloomberg) Instagram is testing its own take on Snap Map (The Verge) Amid Layoffs and CPU Controversy, Intel Postpones Innovation Event (PCMag) Celsius targets Tether, Badger DAO, Compound, and Netanyahu's niece and nephew in lawsuits (The Block) Forget Midjourney — Flux is the new king of AI image generation and here’s how to get access (Tom's Guide) Iran Emerges as the Most Aggressive Foreign Threat to U.S. Election (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple’s new EU rules still aren’t acceptable to Spotify and Epic. Could we be getting a new, smaller Mac Mini this year? Perplexity AI is showing some real numbers in its effort to unseat Google Search. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Links: Apple announces new fee structure for apps in the EU that link out to the web for purchases (9to5Mac) Spotify and Epic Games call Apple’s revised DMA compliance plan ‘confusing,’ ‘illegal’ and ‘unacceptable’ (TechCrunch) Apple’s Mac Mini With M4 Chip Will Be Its Smallest Computer Ever (Bloomberg) ChatGPT now lets free users generate up to two images per day made by DALL-E 3 (The Verge) Perplexity’s popularity surges as AI search start-up takes on Google (Financial Times) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Why are so many car YouTubers quitting? (The Verge) Moscow’s Spies Were Stealing US Tech — Until the FBI Started a Sabotage Campaign (Politico Magazine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TikTok launches Spotlight. Meta’s budget kills a VR studio. Why did everyone think Logitech was going to create a mouse you had to pay a subscription to use? And did you know how big Anime is? I did not. Links: TikTok adds in-app hubs for videos about movies and TV shows (The Verge) Exclusive: Meta is closing a beloved first-party Quest studio (AndroidConnect) UK regulator launches formal probe into Amazon’s $4bn Anthropic deal (Financial Times) Humane’s daily returns are outpacing sales (The Verge) Logitech Insists It’s Not Making a Mouse With a Subscription Fee (Gizmodo) Anduril now valued at $14 billion, set to build autonomous weapons factories (Axios) Crunchyroll Passes 15 Million Monthly Paid Subscribers (The Wrap) Crunchyroll Is Thriving Thanks to Gen Z and Appointment Anime Viewing, COO Says (The Wrap) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google’s new TV streaming appliance, plus lots of lot of Gemini stuff is coming to Google Home and Nest and such. Elon tries to get advertisers to come back to X by… suing them. That time Intel had a chance to invest in OpenAI. And what new products can Airbnb dream up to make more money? Links: The Google TV Streamer might be the Apple TV 4K rival we’ve been waiting for (The Verge) Gemini intelligence is coming to Google Home (The Verge) Scoop: X sues major brands, ad industry group for antitrust (Axios) ‘There’s no price’ Microsoft could pay Apple to use Bing: all the spiciest parts of the Google antitrust ruling (The Verge) How chip giant Intel spurned OpenAI and fell behind the times (Reuters) The limited edition OnePlus Open is the most striking foldable phone yet (The Verge) Airbnb details plans to expand beyond short-term rentals, including co-hosting and relaunching ‘experiences’ (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Three big stories to catch you up on. A federal judge has ruled Google is an illegal monopoly. The Game Of Thrones style drama at OpenAI is just getting weirder. And what if all those weird acquihires in all but name are actually mercy killings? Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: Google Monopolized Search Through Illegal Deals, Judge Rules (Bloomberg) Forget Apple, the biggest loser in the Google search ruling could be Mozilla and its Firefox web browser (Fortune) How the Google Antitrust Ruling May Influence Tech Competition (NYTimes) OpenAI co-founder Schulman leaves for Anthropic, Brockman takes extended leave (TechCrunch) Struggling AI Startups Look for a Bailout from Big Tech (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why is OpenAI sitting on technology that could detect AI cheating? Why is Bitcoin so correlated to the stock market? Why is Elon restarting his lawsuit against OpenAI? Why are the Chinese launching a Starlink competitor? And are the go-go days for music streaming over? Sponsors: Dell.com/deals HelloMood.com code RIDE Links: There’s a Tool to Catch Students Cheating With ChatGPT. OpenAI Hasn’t Released It. (WSJ) Bitcoin tumbles below $50,000 for the first time since February (CNBC) Elon Musk Revives Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Sam Altman (NYTimes) China launches first satellites of constellation to rival Starlink, newspaper reports (Reuters) AI Chip Startup Groq Gets $2.8 Billion Valuation in New Funding Round (Bloomberg) Is the Music Industry Slowdown a Crisis or a Blip? (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So, tech earnings continued to be boring. Apple was fine. Amazon was not quite so fine. And then someone we don’t cover closely really messed the bed. I’ll tell you who. Are we starting to see the first next-generation AI startups? I’ll tell you about an interesting new model. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Amazon Beats On Earnings, Revenue Comes In Light Despite Strong Cloud Performance (Investor's Business Daily) Intel is laying off over 15,000 employees and will stop ‘non-essential work’ (The Verge) 23andMe Board Committee ‘Disappointed’ in CEO Anne Wojcicki’s Take-Private Proposal (Bloomberg) Stable Diffusion creators launch Black Forest Labs, secure $31M for FLUX.1 AI image generator (VentureBeat) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A $500 Open Source Tool Lets Anyone Hack Computer Chips With Lasers (Wired) The AI Keeps Score (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So I guess Zuck has convinced Wall Street that all the capex spending on AI is fine. How good a business is Tether? A gooooood business. The first arrival of Apple Intelligence is sort of a ho-hum for now. And how sports is completely transforming the streaming wars battlefield. Links: Meta’s Lesson in Allaying Wall Street’s A.I. Fears (Dealbook/NYT) Meta’s AI Costs Surge as Digital Advertising Revenue Grows (WSJ) Reddit CEO says Microsoft needs to pay to search the site (The Verge) Tether Nets $5B Profits This Year, Says Its US Debt Holdings Surpassed Germany's (CoinDesk) A first look at Apple Intelligence and its (slightly) smarter Siri (The Verge) Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Sports Streamer Venu to Launch at $42.99 per Month (Variety) How the NBA’s Slam-Dunk Deals Will Reshape TV (The Hollywood Reporter) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Another big pullback of a major AI tool. Microsoft earnings. How CapCut is taking over the creator tools space. Amazon speedy delivery is rolling out to the nooks and crannies of North America. And the startup taking a new run at AI wearable hardware. Links: Meta Scraps Celebrity AI Chatbots That Fell Flat With Users (The Information) The Rise of ByteDance’s CapCut Threatens Adobe and Canva (Bloomberg) Amazon Pushes Fast Delivery Into Rural Areas in Challenge to Post Office (WSJ) Wear This AI Friend Around Your Neck (Wired) Video Announcing the Friend AI device Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Perplexity wants to share ad revenue with publishers. But lots of AI companies are continuing to gamble with scraping. Meta’s new Segment Anything 2 model. AI influencers on Instagram. Canva makes an AI acquisition. And in non-AI news, Meta makes a huge settlement with Texas. Links: Perplexity is cutting checks to publishers following plagiarism accusations (The Verge) Websites are Blocking the Wrong AI Scrapers (Because AI Companies Keep Making New Ones) (404Media) Zuckerberg touts Meta’s latest video vision AI with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (TechCrunch) Instagram creators can now make AI doppelgangers to chat with their followers (Engadget) Canva acquires Leonardo.ai to boost its generative AI efforts (TechCrunch) Meta to pay $1.4 billion to settle Texas facial recognition data lawsuit (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple Intelligence might be coming sooner than we dared hope. Might want to check your settings on X. The universe of alt coins is back. A big tech IPO coming from an unexpected source. And is that Galaxy Ring a thing or no? Links: Apple's AI Features Rollout Will Miss Upcoming iPhone Software Overhaul (Bloomberg) Elon Musk calls Grok 'the most powerful AI by every metric' but 'secretly' trains the new model with your X data by default (WindowsCentral) A Digital Coin Based on Baby Trump? Yup. (NYTimes) Honeywell Weighs Quantinuum IPO at $10 Billion Valuation (Bloomberg) Amazon Paid Almost $1 Billion for Twitch in 2014. It’s Still Losing Money. (WSJ) The Galaxy Ring keeps you in Samsung’s orbit (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI takes on Google search directly. Another Hollywood strike with the same underlying causes. We know absolutely everything about the new Pixel 9 series already. Is WhatsApp finally catching on in the US? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Thorne.fit/ridehome, promocode: ridehome. Links: OpenAI announces SearchGPT, its AI-powered search engine (The Verge) Video game performers will go on strike over artificial intelligence concerns (AP) [Exclusive] Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro Fold promo material reveals design, specs, AI, and other features (91Mobiles) Uber, Lyft, DoorDash Prevail in California Gig-Worker Ruling (Bloomberg) Mark Zuckerberg says WhatsApp has 100M monthly active users in the US (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Airbnb Hosts Want Guests to Come to Them Directly (Bloomberg) Physicists may now have a way to make element 120 – the heaviest ever (New Scientist) He says he invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. He didn’t, said Frito-Lay. Now he’s suing (LATimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Once again, Reddit looks like it’s not worried about upsetting people. New generative search on Bing, new models from Mistral and a new video model from Stability. But did Runway train it’s video models on YouTube videos? We might have a smoking gun. But what if the dream of synthetic data for AI training is a mirage? Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: Google's Exclusive Reddit Access (404Media) Microsoft unveils Bing Generative Search — enhanced with AI, it's a complete overhaul of traditional search (WindowsCentral) Mistral shocks with new open model Mistral Large 2, taking on Llama 3.1 (VentureBeat) Stability AI steps into a new gen AI dimension with Stable Video 4D (VentureBeat) Runway Ripped Off YouTube Creators (404Media) The problem of ‘model collapse’: how a lack of human data limits AI progress (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta’s Llama 3.1 shows that open models can at least go toe to toe with proprietary AI models. Why did the Google-Wiz deal fall apart? Was the CrowdStrike outage a part of it? Kamala Harris, AI czar? And what do the reviews of the recent Samsung foldable phones say to us about those Apple foldable phone rumors? Links: Meta puts open source AI on the podium. (Ben's Bites) The first GPT-4-class AI model anyone can download has arrived: Llama 405B (ArsTechnica) Google’s Aborted Deals Show Antitrust’s Long Shadow Over Tech (Bloomberg) Google’s $23 Billion Snub From Wiz Will Sting Them Both (Bloomberg) A Kamala Harris Presidency Could Mean More of the Same on A.I. Regulation (NYTimes) Apple Moves Forward With Foldable iPhone (The Information) The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a great phone that’s out of ideas (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I try to get my head around the whole Google and third-party cookies thing. Wiz turns down Google’s big money acquisition offer. Spot ether ETFs can begin trading. And why weather prediction might be the first big scientific breakthrough of this AI era. Links: After years of uncertainty, Google says it won’t be ‘deprecating third-party cookies’ in Chrome (Digiday) Wiz walks away from $23 billion deal with Google, will pursue IPO (CNBC) This ‘Google TV Streamer’ set-top box is what comes after Chromecast [Gallery] (9to5Google) Spot Ethereum ETFs get final sign off to begin trading Tuesday (The Block) Delta CEO sees flight disruptions lasting for another couple of days (Reuters) Alexa Is in Millions of Households—and Amazon Is Losing Billions (WSJ) AI helps to produce breakthrough in weather and climate forecasting (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wait, did any news happen this weekend? IT people don’t know about it cause they’re still digging out from the CrowdStrike thing. But why is everybody pointing fingers at Microsoft? Samsung jumps on the Google Messages bandwagon. Japan wants AI startups. And what do you do when you need 22 thousand football player avatars real quick? AI of course! Links: CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor also linked to Linux kernel panics and crashes (The Register) Microsoft’s global sprawl comes under fire after historic outage (Washington Post) Blue Screens Everywhere Are Latest Tech Woe for Microsoft (WSJ) Samsung going all in on Google Messages in US, stops pre-installing Samsung Messages on Galaxy phones (9to5Google) Japan’s copyright rules draw AI groups — and alarm from creators (FT) How AI Brought 11,000 College Football Players to Digital Life in Three Months (WSJ) Review: CMF Phone 1 (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The big tech outage caused by a single software update that even my mom is texting me about. The new mini AI models are bring prices down as we hoped. How Netflix completely righted its ship. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com The Next Wave Podcast Links: Major Windows BSOD issue takes banks, airlines, and broadcasters offline (The Verge) Global IT Collapse Puts Cyber Firm CrowdStrike in Spotlight (Bloomberg) Samsung halts Galaxy Buds 3 Pro shipments over quality issues (The Verge) OpenAI debuts mini version of its most powerful model yet (CNBC) OpenAI's 4o-mini brings big brains on a budget. (Ben's Bites) Netflix Q2 Profits Surge 44% to $2.15 Billion As Streamer Adds 8 Million Subscribers (The Wrap) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A One-Man Telemundo on TikTok (NYTimes) Pooping on the Moon Is a Messy Business (Wired) Interesting Raise Story About San Francisco Compute Co. (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It looks like crypto exchange hacks are back. And so are the North Koreans, I guess. Are the Meta Ray-Bans selling so well Zuck might invest in the Ray-Ban maker? The continuing trend of tech companies withholding products from Europe. And the state of play in terms of whether or not the cops can get into your phone. Links: WazirX Hacked for $230M, Largely in SHIB, as Elliptic Says North Korea Behind Attack (CoinDesk) $235 million lost by WazirX in North Korea-linked breach (Elliptic) Meta explores stake in Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica (FT) Reality Comes to Meta’s Reality Labs (The Information) Scoop: Meta won't offer future multimodal AI models in EU (Axios) Apple says its OpenELM model doesn’t power Apple Intelligence amid YouTube controversy (9to5Mac) Apple, Nvidia, Anthropic Used Thousands of Swiped YouTube Videos to Train AI (Proof) Leaked Docs Show What Phones Cellebrite Can (and Can’t) Unlock (404 Media) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sorry, we gotta do more politics. Can’t avoid it cause now Trump likes TikTok and seemingly hates Mark Zuckerberg. Mistrals two new models. A big Pixel phone leak. And the interesting new “sketch to image” AI tool on the new Galaxy phones. Sponsors: CleanMyMac X with promocode: techmeme Links: Trump on Taxes, Tariffs, Jerome Powell and More (Bloomberg) Exclusive: Google-backed software developer GitLab explores sale, sources say (Reuters) Mistral releases Codestral Mamba for faster, longer code generation (VentureBeat) Giant Pixel 9 leak gives us our first real-world look at the Fold, faster charging specs, and more (AndroidAuthority) Samsung’s new image-generating AI tool is a little too good (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
JD Vance becomes the first Tech industry player, and especially Venture Capitalist, to ever be on a major presidential ticket. It’s never been easier for the cops to break into your phone. Why are the major record labels suing Verizon? And why an AI innovation around spreadsheets could be a big deal. Sponsors: Vanta.com/ride for $1000 off CleanMyMac X with promocode: techmeme Links: J.D. Vance Is Trump’s Pick for Vice President (Wired) It’s never been easier for the cops to break into your phone (The Verge) Microsoft Investigated by UK Over Ex-Inflection Staff Hires (Bloomberg) Record labels sue Verizon for not disconnecting pirates’ Internet service (ArsTechnica) Microsoft’s new AI system ‘SpreadsheetLLM’ unlocks insights from spreadsheets, boosting enterprise productivity (VentureBeat) Apple releases public betas for iOS 18, macOS, and more (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The biggest tech exit in years might be in the offing as Alphabet eyes scooping up Wiz. The weird story of that huge AT&T hack. A new ARM-powered CoPilot+ PC is maybe the most powerful yet. And is India the reason Apple’s stock has been on the rise lately? Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Shopify.com/ride Links: Google Near $23 Billion Deal for Cybersecurity Startup Wiz (WSJ) Zero to Billions: The Startup on the Verge of the Biggest Tech Exit in Years (WSJ) AT&T says criminals stole phone records of ‘nearly all’ customers in new data breach (TechCrunch) AT&T Paid a Hacker $370,000 to Delete Stolen Phone Records (Wired) HP's new OmniBook Ultra beats every single Copilot+ PC on the market in TOPS, and it runs on an AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor (Windows Central) Apple’s India Sales Surge 33% to Record in Shift From China (Bloomberg) India clings to cheap feature phones as brands struggle to tap new smartphone buyers (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More about Josh Wolfe and Lux Capital here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from what was largely a foldable phone event from Samsung yesterday. Apple has settled with the EU. More numbers on Apple Vision Pro sales. Why the sparkle emoji is the defacto symbol of AI. And, of course, the Weekend Longread Suggestions. Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: Galaxy Z Fold 6 goes official with 7 years of updates, wider displays, starting at $1,899 (9to5Google) Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,099 with battery, cover display, and camera upgrades (9to5Google) Apple Avoids EU Antitrust Threat With Tap-and-Pay Probe Settlement (Bloomberg) Apple’s Vision Pro Won’t Cross 500,000 Sales This Year, IDC Says (Bloomberg) Has Artificial Intelligence Co-opted the Sparkle Emoji? (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Defeated by A.I., a Legend in the Board Game Go Warns: Get Ready for What’s Next (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Suddenly nobody wants to be on OpenAI’s board, even as observers. I’ll tell you why. More on how AI has thrown everybody’s carbon neutral plans into chaos. A monster raise in the AI and robotics space. And a16z has found a way to get chips into the hands of their AI startups. Links: Microsoft and Apple drop OpenAI seats amid antitrust scrutiny (FT) Microsoft gives up observer seat on OpenAI board (Axios) Google Is No Longer Claiming to Be Carbon Neutral (Bloomberg) Amazon Says It Reached a Climate Goal Seven Years Early (NYTimes) Microsoft is hiking the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and launching a new ‘Standard’ tier (The Verge) This $1.5 Billion AI Company Is Building A ‘General Purpose Brain’ For Robots (Forbes) Andreessen Horowitz Is Building a Stash of More Than 20,000 GPUs to Win AI Deals (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The new nothing phone costs almost nothing. I’m not punning. Sam Altman has founded yet another AI startup. Is the hype around AI PCs underdelivering? And two other back the future stories about updating Notepad in Windows, and abandoning floppy disks in Japan. Sponsors: Dragon Ball Legends Links: Nothing’s CMF Devices Prove Yet Again Cheap Doesn't Have to Mean Boring (Wired) Amazon announces new $79 Echo Spot alarm clock (CNBC) OpenAI and Arianna Huffington are working together on an ‘AI health coach’ (The Verge) Spotify is going to let you leave comments on podcast episodes (The Verge) Qualcomm, Microsoft Lean on AI Hype to Spur PC Market Revival (Bloomberg) After 41 years Microsoft quietly adds spellchecking and autocorrect to Windows Notepad (Tom Hardware) Japan declares victory in effort to end government use of floppy disks (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ok, fine. Give me a thinner watch if it’ll also somehow have a bigger screen. Apple and Epic are just petty, squabbling children at this point. What if AI as it currently exists, is simply too expensive to be profitable? And a new social network is sort of back to the future. Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme Miro.com Links: What’s Next for the Apple Watch: Bigger Screens But a Similar Look (Bloomberg) Apple okays Epic Games marketplace app in Europe (Reuters) In a major update, Proton adds privacy-safe document collaboration to Drive, its freemium E2EE cloud storage service (TechCrunch) AI industry needs to earn $600 billion per year to pay for massive hardware spend — fears of an AI bubble intensify in wake of Sequoia report (Tom's Hardware) noplace, a mashup of Twitter and Myspace for Gen Z, hits No. 1 on the App Store (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This about the man who invented the modern disc operating system (the OS) and the concept of the software platform. That man was Gary Kildall. And the question we examine in this episode is, why is Bill Gates the richest man in the world, and not Gary Kildall? Could things have turned out differently? In this episode we use audio from the following documentaries: Triumph of the Nerds and Computer Chronicles Special thanks to Justin Schwinghamer for the original score and the voice acting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This about the man who invented the modern disc operating system (the OS) and the concept of the software platform. That man was Gary Kildall. And the question we examine in this episode is, why is Bill Gates the richest man in the world, and not Gary Kildall? Could things have turned out differently? In this episode we use audio from the following documentaries: Triumph of the Nerds and Computer Chronicles Special thanks to Justin Schwinghamer for the original score and the voice acting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The deploying and then walking back of AI products and features is becoming something of a routine at this point. Apple is joining OpenAI’s board, kinda-sorta. Meta outlines 3D Gen. Proof that VC funding is coming back, baby. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: A Better Paradise Podcast Links: Figma Disables AI App Design Tool After It Copied Apple’s Weather App (404 Media) Figma pulls AI tool after criticism that it ripped off Apple’s design (The Verge) Apple Poised to Get OpenAI Board Observer Role as Part of AI Pact (Bloomberg) Meta drops ‘3D Gen’ bomb: AI-powered 3D asset creation at lightning speed (VentureBeat) Investors Pour $27.1 Billion Into A.I. Start-Ups, Defying a Downturn (NYTimes) Weekend Longreads Suggestions Internet Browsers Are Getting a Makeover for the Workplace (WSJ) A.I. Begins Ushering In an Age of Killer Robots (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A recent Evolve Bank and Trust cyberattack might impact a lot of tech customers. Why single points of failure impact cyberattacks. YouTube will soon let you take down videos like you’re a Hollywood studio. And big tech’s playbook for AI acquisitions that the regulators can’t frown at. Sponsors: CleanMyMac X Promocode: techmeme Links: Fintech company Wise says some customers affected by Evolve Bank data breach (TechCrunch) CDK Global Hack Shows Risk of One Software Vendor Dominating an Industry (WSJ) Supreme Court orders new look at social media laws in Texas and Florida (CBSNews) Exclusive: Nvidia set to face French antitrust charges, sources say (Reuters) YouTube now lets you request removal of AI-generated content that simulates your face or voice (TechCrunch) This is Big Tech’s playbook for swallowing the AI industry (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta’s turn to be accused of breaching the DMA. Smarter AirPods as part of an AR/VR strategy. Better AI leaderboards. And is the Surface Laptop finally a true MacBook Air killer? Sponsors: Dragon Ball Legends Links: Meta's pay or consent model in crosshairs for breaching EU tech rules (Reuters) Kuo: Apple to begin mass production of AirPods with cameras by 2026 (9to5Mac) ‘Boring’ Bitcoin Sends Weekend Trading Volume to All-Time Lows (Bloomberg) Amazon’s Bargain Store Would Use Same Trade ‘Loophole’ as Temu, Shein (The Information) Chinese AI models storm Hugging Face's LLM chatbot benchmark leaderboard — Alibaba runs the board as major US competitors have worsened (Tom's Hardware) Surface Laptop review: Microsoft’s best MacBook Air competitor yet (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more about Casemark at Casemark.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The growing backlash over Perplexity is getting interesting. OpenAI possibly exiting China will be interesting in terms of a massive land grab. AI Al Michaels will deliver personalized Olympics updates for you. And in the Longreads: is the real King of All Media… YouTube? Sponsors: ConstantContact.com Links: Amazon Is Investigating Perplexity Over Claims of Scraping Abuse (Wired) OpenAI’s China Block to Reshape AI Scene as Big Players Pounce (Bloomberg) OpenAI Wants AI to Help Humans Train AI (Wired) An AI version of Al Michaels will deliver Olympic recaps on Peacock (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: YouTube dominates streaming, forcing media companies to decide whether it’s friend or foe (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Uncle Sam about to unload a ton of Bitcoin? AI has helped Google Translate almost double the number of languages it supports. No surprise, but Amazon is gonna take a page out of Temu’s book. Figma’s big redesign. And another way the AI era is rhyming with the DotCom era: the consultants are back. Sponsors: Miro.com Links: Bitcoin Falls After U.S. Sends $240M Worth of Silk Road-Related BTC to Coinbase (Coindesk) Google Translate is getting support for more than 110 new languages (The Verge) Amazon To Launch Temu-Like Discount Section With Direct Shipping From China (The Information) Amazon Hits $2 Trillion in Value as AI Frenzy Fuels Rally (Bloomberg) Figma announces big redesign with AI (The Verge) Webtoon Entertainment to debut on Nasdaq as latest Korean cultural export success (Financial Times) The A.I. Boom Has an Unlikely Early Winner: Wonky Consultants (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The ChatGPT macOS app is now available for everybody. Google drops continuous scroll for search. Waymo drops the waitlist in San Francisco. Are the AI characters on Character.ai somehow… changed? And is there an eInk phone that I might actually have to try out? Sponsors: Lumen.me/ride Links: OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Mac app is now available to everyone (9to5Mac) Google dropping continuous scroll in search results (Search Engine Land) Waymo ditches the waitlist and opens up its robotaxis to everyone in San Francisco (The Verge) Tech Investor Sean Parker Leads Rescue of Struggling AI Startup (WSJ) ‘No Bot is Themselves Anymore:’ Character.ai Users Report Sudden Personality Changes to Chatbots (404 Media) The Boox Palma is an amazing gadget I didn’t even know I wanted (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
History is rhyming today as AI music startups get the Napster treatment and Microsoft gets dinged for product bundling. Google wants you to build your own AI celebrity. Amazon wants to go at ChatGPT directly. And two hella-interesting and hella-big AI raises. Sponsors: Miro.com Links: Major record labels sue AI company behind ‘BBL Drizzy’ (The Verge) EU charges Microsoft with antitrust violations over Teams (FT) Apple Spurned Idea of iPhone AI Partnership With Meta Months Ago (Bloomberg) Uber Is Locking Out NYC Drivers Mid-Shift to Lower Minimum Pay (Bloomberg) Google Develops Challenger to Meta’s Chatbots and Character.AI (The Information) Amazon is secretly working on a ChatGPT killer (Business Insider) Etched is building an AI chip that only runs one type of model (TechCrunch) EvolutionaryScale lands $142 mln to advance AI in biology (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Could Apple soon owe Europe a ton of money as they are the first to run afoul of the DMA? Could Meta soon join OpenAI as part of Apple Intelligence. Why food delivery apps are seeing plunging usage in NYC and Seattle. And a big new AI focused bill in California that AI startups are worried about. Sponsors: 1password.com/ride WashingtonPost.com/ride Links: Brussels accuses Apple of breaking EU ‘gatekeeper’ rules (FT) Apple is first company charged with violating EU’s DMA rules (The Verge) Apple Won’t Roll Out AI Tech In EU Market Over Regulatory Concerns (Bloomberg) Apple, Meta Have Discussed an AI Partnership (WSJ) Delivery Drivers Got Higher Wages. Now They’re Getting Fewer Orders. (WSJ) AI Doesn’t Kill Jobs? Tell That to Freelancers (WSJ) ‘Little Tech’ brings a big flex to Sacramento (Politico) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The government has banned Kaspersky antivirus sales in the US. People are losing their minds over Claude 3.5 Sonnet from Anthropic. Soon all devices can pair to your iPhone as easily as AirPods do. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: US bans sale of Kaspersky software citing security risk from Russia (TechCrunch) Anthropic claims its latest model is best-in-class (TechCrunch) Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet wows AI power users: ‘this is wild’ (VentureBeat) New iOS 18 API brings AirPods setup experience to third-party accessories (9to5Mac) SpaceX unveils backpack-sized ‘Starlink Mini’ satellite internet antenna for $599 (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Why are mobile game ads so weird and bad? (Sherwood) From Infocom to 80 Days: An oral history of text games and interactive fiction (ArsTechnica) The song Stevie Nicks wrote to “haunt” Lindsey Buckingham (Far Out) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ilya Sutskever wants to go straight to Safe Superintelligence, do not pass go, but do probably collect hundreds of millions of dollars. Is Perplexity ignoring robots.txt files? Xreal’s hybrid AR glasses play. And how many apps did Apple sherlock at WWDC last week? Links: Ilya Sutskever Has a New Plan for Safe Superintelligence (Bloomberg) Perplexity Is a Bullshit Machine (Wired) For Apple’s AI Push, China Is a Missing Piece (WSJ) Xreal’s new gadget is a phone-sized Android tablet just for your AR glasses (The Verge) iOS 18 could ‘sherlock’ $400M in app revenue (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Does Apple pumping the breaks on the Vision Pro indicate problems for the category, or was this always the plan? What if AI means bots do the social media-ing for you? Actual RISC-V PCs coming to market. And a review of the new slate of CoPilot+ PCs that are available now. Links: Apple Suspends Work on Next Vision Pro, Focused on Releasing Cheaper Model in Late 2025 (The Information) Former Snap engineer launches Butterflies, a social network where AIs and humans coexist (TechCrunch) The Framework Laptop 13 is about to become one of the world’s first RISC-V laptops (The Verge) Here are all of the Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X chips that were released today (Engadget) ASUS VivoBook S 15 Copilot+ PC Review: Is the Snapdragon X Elite hype real? (Windows Central) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The regulators have come for adobe and their alleged subscription shenanigans. Apple might settle with the EU. But it’s also shutting down its BNPL service. The Threads API is here. Tether is making bank. Uber might be having a breakthrough moment. And back to using Reddit for search. Sponsors: A Better Paradise Podcast Links: US sues Adobe for ‘deceiving’ subscriptions that are too hard to cancel (The Verge) Apple to settle ‘tap-and-go’ payments probe with EU (FT) Apple discontinuing Apple Pay Later, ahead of new features launching this fall (9to5Mac) Threads finally launches its API for developers (TechCrunch) Tether Announces a New Synthetic Dollar That Is Backed by Gold (Bloomberg) A Robotaxi Business Is A Dream For Elon Musk–But Already A Reality For Waymo (Forbes) Can You Replace Google Search With Reddit? I Tried It for a Week (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark Gurman says Apple is going to go all in on making the thinnest and lightest devices in the industry. Though the Apple Watch is probably going to get a bigger screen. McDonalds pumps the breaks on AI in the drive through. And two contradictory anecdotal stories about what happens when AI comes for your job. Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Miro.com Links: Apple’s Slow Rollout of Intelligence Features Will Stretch Into 2025 (Bloomberg) Kuo: Apple Watch Series 10 to Get Larger Screen and Thinner Design (MacRumors) Privacy app maker Proton transitions to non-profit foundation structure (TechCrunch) McDonald's is ending its drive-thru AI test (Restaurant Business Online) AI took their jobs. Now they get paid to make it sound human (BBC) AI in finance is like ‘moving from typewriters to word processors’ (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The recall of some Microsoft AI products continues as literally Recall gets delayed. Another deep dive into how Apple’s AI actually works. Dream Machine is an open source AI video generator you can use this weekend. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, the people who have found everyday use cases for the Apple Vision Pro. Links: Microsoft’s all-knowing Recall AI feature is being delayed (The Verge) Here’s how Apple’s AI model tries to keep your data private (The Verge) Luma AI debuts ‘Dream Machine’ for realistic video generation, heating up AI media race (VentureBeat) As streaming becomes more expensive, Tubi cashes in on the value of free (Los Angeles Times) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: I Know What the Apple Vision Pro Is For (Intelligencer) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple isn’t paying OpenAI anything for their partnership. Guess they’ll make it up on volume. More details on how much money OpenAI IS making. The surprise Galaxy Watch FE. And do you think you’d have the skills to compete in the Excel World Championships? Links: Apple to ‘Pay’ OpenAI for ChatGPT Through Distribution, Not Cash (Bloomberg) OpenAI’s Annualized Revenue Doubles to $3.4 Billion Since Late 2023 (The Information) Perplexity was planning revenue-sharing deals with publishers when it came under media fire (Semafor) You’ll soon be able to join Discord calls directly from your PS5 (The Verge) Nintendo Switch Update 18.1.0 Pulls X/Twitter Support, Bringing It In-Line With PlayStation and Xbox (IGN) Samsung’s Galaxy Watch FE is its new entry-level smartwatch (The Verge) Spreadsheet Superstars (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon Musk has withdrawn his lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI. I guess Wall Street likes Apple’s AI strategy. But why is Microsoft already putting the brakes on some of its AI features? BeReal gets acquired. What does the word “slop” mean when it comes to AI? And what happens when you add modern technology to the humble walkie talkie? Links: Elon Musk drops suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman (CNBC) X is officially making likes (mostly) private for everyone (Engadget) Apple quietly improves Mac virtualization in macOS 15 Sequoia (ArsTechnica) Microsoft is killing off GPT Builder in Copilot Pro for consumers, just three months after broad availability (XDA Developers) OpenAI ex-employees worry about company’s control over their millions of dollars in shares (CNBC) Photo-sharing app BeReal acquired by Voodoo for €500mn (FT) First Came ‘Spam.’ Now, With A.I., We’ve Got ‘Slop’ (NYTimes) Raleigh smart walkie-talkie startup Relay raises $35M from investors (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All of the drips and drabs details from yesterday’s WWDC keynote. Spotify is about to announce a higher tier of membership with some perks. Mistral raises a big new round. The Raspberry Pi IPO is a success. And what if AI could actually make every stoplight in the country more intelligent in real time? Sponsors: Vanta.com/ride Lumen.me/ride Links: Apple’s AI promise: “Your data is never stored or made accessible to Apple” (ArsTechnica) How will Apple’s new AI change your phone? I asked Tim Cook. (Washington Post) Thoughts on #WWDC24 (Chris Messina) Apple’s Push to Infuse Devices With AI Will Take Years to Pay Off (Bloomberg) Spotify to Introduce More Expensive Subscription Tier for Music Lovers (Bloomberg) Mistral secures €600mn funding as valuation soars to almost €6bn (Financial Times) Raspberry Pi shares jump more than a third on first day of trading (Financial Times) The Smart, Cheap Fix for Slow, Dumb Traffic Lights (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from WWDC. All the AI goodness, even if Apple spent half the time not even mentioning the words Artificial Intelligence. Also, what if the audio quality of cell phones didn’t have to suck? And what if AI could actually make every stoplight in the country more intelligent in real time? Sponsors: Miro.com Shopify.com/ride Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Get observability for your LLM application at TraceLoop.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we prep for WWDC on Monday, word of a completely new Passwords app from Apple. Also, it’s a day of backlashes. The backlash against Adobe’s terms of service. The backlash against Windows Recall. The new social media app that is riding the backlash against AI. And, of course, the Weekend Longread Suggestions. Sponsors: get.StoryBlok.com/ridehome Links: Here’s Everything Apple Plans to Show at Its AI-Focused WWDC Event (Bloomberg) Apple to Debut Passwords App in Challenge to 1Password, LastPass (Bloomberg) Adobe responds to vocal uproar over new Terms of Service language (VentureBeat) Adobe terms clarified: Will never own your work, or use it for AI training (9to5Mac) A PR disaster: Microsoft has lost trust with its users, and Windows Recall is the straw that broke the camel's back (WindowsCentral) A social app for creatives, Cara grew from 40k to 650k users in a week because artists are fed up with Meta’s AI policies (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Behind ‘Suicide Squad,’ the Year’s Biggest Video-Game Flop (Bloomberg) The Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope made me question what stargazing means (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia hits $3T. US regulators aren’t sleeping on the AI market, including Nvidia itself. Humane tells users of the AI Pin to stop using the charging case “immediately.” Google is gonna store your Maps data on device. And would you take a job at Ikea... but in the Metaverse? Sponsors: get.StoryBlok.com/ridehome Kolide.com/ride Links: U.S. Clears Way for Antitrust Inquiries of Nvidia, Microsoft and OpenAI (NYTimes) FTC Opens Antitrust Probe of Microsoft AI Deal (WSJ) US antitrust enforcer says ‘urgent’ scrutiny needed over Big Tech’s control of AI (Financial Times) Humane warns AI Pin owners to ‘immediately’ stop using its charging case (The Verge) ‘This Is Going to Be Painful’: How a Bold A.I. Device Flopped (NYTimes) Google Maps is making a big privacy change to protect your location history (The Verge) Stability AI releases a sound generator (TechCrunch) Ikea Is Hiring Roblox Players To Run Its Virtual Store (The Gamer) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As I said on that bonus episode with Alex Kantrowitz, the research side of OpenAI isn’t happy, and they’re starting to speak out. More details on AI at WWDC next week. More price hikes in digital media. Palmer Luckey can’t stop; won’t stop. And how CoreWeave became one of the biggest winners of the AI era. Links: OpenAI Insiders Warn of a ‘Reckless’ Race for Dominance (NYTimes) Apple Made Once-Unlikely Deal With Sam Altman to Catch Up in AI (Bloomberg) Twitch is raising US subscription prices for the first time (Engadget) Quest v66 Update "Significantly" Reduces Quest 3 Passthrough Distortion & Warping (UploadVR) How an upstart is using its Nvidia ties to challenge cloud computing giants (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More headlines from Computex. More layoffs at Microsoft, but why? Instagram is copying YouTube’s unskippable ads. Why Samsung is pre-emptively suing Oura. And Palmer Lucky is personally bankrolling a modern-day Gameboy. Sponsors: CrunchLabs.com/ride Links: Intel CEO Takes Aim at Nvidia in Fight for AI Chip Dominance (Bloomberg) E*Trade Considers Kicking Meme-Stock Leader Keith Gill Off Platform (WSJ) Microsoft is laying off hundreds in its Azure cloud business, sources say (BusinessInsider) Microsoft cuts jobs in Azure, HoloLens, and other units in latest move to control costs (GeekWire) Instagram confirms test of ‘unskippable’ ads (TechCrunch) Samsung sues Oura preemptively to block smart ring patent claims (The Verge) Palmer Luckey is now selling pixel-perfect ultrabright magnesium Game Boys for $199 (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Computex brings a slew of announcements from AMD and Nvidia, including an AI bot to help you with your gaming. Another price hike from Spotify. Perplexity launches Pages. X is now officially NSFW. And a look at Sam Altman’s investment portfolio. Sponsors: WashingtonPost.com/ride MackWeldon.com code: BRIAN Links: Nvidia’s G-Assist is an AI chatbot that guides you through games and optimizes your PC (The Verge) Spotify is increasing US prices again (The Verge) Perplexity will research and write reports (The Verge) X tweaks rules to formally allow adult content (TechCrunch) The Opaque Investment Empire Making OpenAI’s Sam Altman Rich (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI Teases GPT-5, Musk Raises $6B for xAI, Loneliness in Remote Work Era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has a new “affordable” version of ChatGPT for universities and schools. They also are planning to get back into robotics in a big way. Behind the scenes, TikTok is forking its algorithm just in case. Why doesn’t Apple just euthanize the Siri brand? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: OpenAI has a has a new version of ChatGPT just for universities (Engadget) OpenAI Is Rebooting Its Robotics Team (Forbes) OpenAI finds Russian and Chinese groups used its tech for propaganda campaigns (Washington Post) Apple Plans AI-Based Siri Overhaul to Control Individual App Functions (Bloomberg) Exclusive: TikTok preparing a US copy of the app’s core algorithm, sources say (Reuters) Spotify offers Car Thing refunds as it faces lawsuit over bricking the streaming device (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Disney Is Banking On Sequels to Help Get Pixar Back on Track (Bloomberg Businessweek) They Built a $100 Million Watch Empire. Then the Market Tanked. (WSJ) The Creator Of ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Knows Exactly Where It All Went Wrong (Defector) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Global authorities take down what they say is the biggest botnet of all time. More big AI deals for big media. More on the delicate dance between OpenAI and Microsoft. Why aren’t there more smartwatches for tweens? And the AR laptop that might give the Apple Vision Pro a run for its money. Links: US dismantles 911 S5 botnet used for cyberattacks, arrests admin (BleepingComputer) Exclusive: The Atlantic, Vox Media ink licensing, product deals with OpenAI (Axios) OpenAI CEO Cements Control as He Secures Apple Deal (The Information) Internal divisions linger at OpenAI after November’s attempted coup (Financial Times) Amazon to Expand US Drone Service After Getting Regulator’s Nod (Bloomberg) Apple Signals That It’s Working on TV+ App for Android Phones (Bloomberg) Google announces Fitbit Ace LTE for kids with Wear OS, Pixel Watch 2 specs (9to5Google) The Spacetop G1 Arrives This Fall. We Try the AR Laptop With No Screen (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A big leak at Google might be the tech equivalent of the secret formula for Coca-Cola being revealed for the first time. The ex-OpenAI board members are starting to explain why they tried to fire Sam Altman. Did the Biden administration pass on TikTok’s concessions to avoid a ban? And remember delivery apps? How they doin’ these days? Sponsors: Lumen.me code: RIDE Links: An Anonymous Source Shared Thousands of Leaked Google Search API Documents with Me; Everyone in SEO Should See Them (SparkToro.com) Ex-OpenAI Director Says Board Learned of ChatGPT Launch on Twitter (Bloomberg) Anthropic hires former OpenAI safety lead to head up new team (TechCrunch) YouTube’s free games catalog ‘Playables’ rolls out to all users (TechCrunch) How the U.S. ignored a chance to make TikTok safer (Washington Post) Food delivery apps rack up $20bn in losses in fierce battle for diners (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have a rough timeline of when we can expect GPT5 and it looks like it won’t be this summer. xAI has a big raise. Another in-depth look at Apple’s AI strategy. The surprising old school companies getting boosted by the AI boom. And more data on how popular ad-supported streaming is becoming. Sponsors: YahooFinance.com 1Password.com/ride Links: OpenAI Says It Has Begun Training a New Flagship A.I. Model (NYTimes) Elon Musk’s xAI raises $6 billion to fund its race against ChatGPT and all the rest (The Verge) Apple Bets That Its Giant User Base Will Help It Win in AI (Bloomberg) Google adds AI-powered features to Chromebook (TechCrunch) The future of financial analysis: How GPT-4 is disrupting the industry, according to new research (VentureBeat) AI Is Driving ‘the Next Industrial Revolution.’ Wall Street Is Cashing In. (WSJ) What Happened to Our Ad-Free TV? (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Out of nowhere, the SEC has approved spot ETFs for ether. Spotify is killing its Car Thing. Google’s AI Overview is giving crazy answers all over the place. But Meta already wants to charge more for their AI bots. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com Links: US SEC approves exchange applications to list spot ether ETFs (Reuters) Spotify is going to break every Car Thing gadget it ever sold (The Verge) Google's AI search feature suggested using glue to keep cheese sticking to a pizza (Business Insider) Save $200+ on your upgrade to The Information Pro (The Information) The Daylight DC1 is a $729 attempt to build a calmer computer (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: VCs and the military are fueling self-driving startups that don’t need roads (TechCrunch) Two students find security bug that could let millions do laundry for free (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia’s earnings are still historic, but what could upset their apple cart? A few things, actually. I think we know the truth or at least the timeline of JohanssonGate. Big new media deal for OpenAI. Likes are going private on X. And would you clone your voice to answer the phone on your behalf? Sponsors: Vanta.com/ride Links: Nvidia shares pass $1,000 for first time on AI-driven sales surge (CNBC) Nvidia’s Business Is Booming. Here’s What Could Slow It Down. (WSJ) OpenAI didn’t copy Scarlett Johansson’s voice for ChatGPT, records show (Washington Post) OpenAI, WSJ Owner News Corp Strike Content Deal Valued at Over $250 Million (WSJ) Crypto Lobby Wins: House Passes FIT21 as Democrats Deride Historic Regulatory Framework (Decrypt) Elon Musk Wants to Make X's Likes Private to Hide Your Favorite 'Edgy' Content (Gizmodo) Truecaller and Microsoft will let users make an AI voice to answer calls (The Verge) The story about my wife's theater project (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the AI announcements from Microsoft Build. I know it’s only been a minute, but is Humane already circling the Deadpool? They’re supposedly shopping themselves, but at a valuation that seems… shall we say, on brand for them? Don’t forget Alexa needs an AI upgrade. And the efforts to peek inside the black box that is the Large Language Model. Links: Microsoft’s new Copilot AI agents act like virtual employees to automate tasks (The Verge) Microsoft is bringing ‘Windows Volumetric Apps’ to Meta Quest headsets (The Verge) Wearable AI Startup Humane Explores Potential Sale, Sources Say (Bloomberg) Google Search’s New AI Overviews Will Soon Have Ads (Wired) Amazon plans to give Alexa an AI overhaul — and a monthly subscription price (CNBC) AI Is a Black Box. Anthropic Figured Out a Way to Look Inside (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There are only 2 stories today, but they’re big ones. First, at an event yesterday, Microsoft showed off what they want the PC to look like in the AI era. Plus, this Recall app is super interesting. Then, look, it’s the Scarlett Johansson/OpenAI thing. It’s gotten weird. And more importantly, it’s continuing to highlight how OpenAI itself is… weird. Sponsors: Miro.com for 3 free boards! Links: The new, faster Surface Pro is Microsoft’s all-purpose AI PC (The Verge) Microsoft announces an Arm-powered Surface Laptop (The Verge) Microsoft unveils Copilot+ PCs with generative AI capabilities baked in (Engadget) Recall is Microsoft’s key to unlocking the future of PCs (The Verge) Scarlett Johansson says she was 'shocked, angered' when she heard OpenAI's voice that sounded like her (NBCNews) Midler v. Ford Motor Co. (Wikipedia) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No, that ChatGPT voice is not Scarlett Johansson, stop asking. In fact, that voice is going away. What does it mean if OpenAI’s entire superalignment team has gone away? Is Apple News+ the partner publishers have been waiting for? And if you want to be a digital nomad, you’ve got a lot of options these days. Sponsors: Pivotal Podcast To access The Washington Post for just 50 cents per week, head to WashingtonPost.com/ride Links: OpenAI to Pull Johansson Soundalike Sky’s Voice From ChatGPT (Bloomberg) What We Lose When ChatGPT Sounds Like Scarlett Johansson (NYTimes) Apple Needs to Evolve to Compete in the Artificial Intelligence Era (Bloomberg) OpenAI’s Long-Term AI Risk Team Has Disbanded (Wired) As clicks dry up for news sites, could Apple’s news app be a lifeline? (Semafor) Countries wooing corporate digital nomads hope to make them stay (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As telegraphed for the last year, Reddit is going all in on being an all you can eat buffet for AI companies. Will new batteries give iPhones longer battery life like I want, or will they just make the phones thinner? A subtle but important improvement to ChatGPT and in the Longreads, a deep dive into what happened at Cruise. Links: OpenAI strikes deal to bring Reddit content to ChatGPT (Reuters) OpenAI strikes Reddit deal to train its AI on your posts (The Verge) Grand Theft Auto VI is launching in fall 2025 (The Verge) iPhone 16 Pro Max to get new battery that could last longer (AppleInsider) ChatGPT now lets you import files directly from Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive (VentureBeat) Twitter is officially X.com now (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: In a single night, self-driving startup Cruise went from sizzling startup to cautionary tale. Here’s what really happened—and how GM is scrambling to save its $10B bet (Fortune) How cuddly robots could change dementia care (MIT Technology Review) Where Did All The Stocks Go? (Sherwood) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Some AI companies want to go after web search. But by hiring an Instagram founder, is Anthropic going in a social or app direction? Will AI kill the carbon neutral ambitions of the major tech players? Will tech companies now have to onshore EMPLOYEES from China? And Netflix with ads? Definitely working. Links: EU launches probe into Meta over social media addiction in children (Financial Times) Instagram’s co-founder is Anthropic’s new chief product officer (The Verge) Android will be able to detect if your phone has been snatched (The Verge) Microsoft’s AI Push Imperils Climate Goal as Carbon Emissions Jump 30% (Bloomberg) Microsoft Asks Hundreds of China-Based AI Staff to Consider Relocating Amid U.S.-China Tensions (WSJ) Stability AI, Facing Cash Crunch, Discusses Sale (The Information) Netflix ad-supported tier has 40 million monthly users, nearly double previous count (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the announces from Google’s massive I/O event yesterday, including, yes, generative AI summaries are fully coming to Google Search. Plus, the camera-based AI system they teased that looks really cool. Ilya Sutskever officially leaves OpenAI. And is crypto the only place left where you can raise a billion-dollar seed round? Sponsors: Lumen.me code RIDE for $100 off Links: Google rolls out AI Overviews in US with more countries coming soon (SearchEngineLand) Can Google Give A.I. Answers Without Breaking the Web? (NYTimes) Google's Project Astra uses your phone's camera and AI to find noise makers, misplaced items and more. (Engadget) OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever says he will leave the startup (CNBC) TikTok creators sue U.S. government over potential ban (Washington Post) Humanity Protocol Becomes Crypto’s New Digital Identity Unicorn (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI unveils GPT-4o which makes Siri look like the technical cul-de-sac it very much is. But what does it mean that this was NOT GPT-5? What does it mean for the gaming industry that the PS5 might be underperforming? More streaming bundles. And the 2024 iPad refresh reviews. Sponsors: YahooFinance.com ConstantContact.com Links: OpenAI debuts GPT-4o ‘omni’ model now powering ChatGPT (TechCrunch) OpenAI debuts new model with enhanced real-time voice abilities (Axios) Tom Warren's PS5 sales Tweet Comcast to Launch Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ Bundle at a ‘Vastly Reduced Price’ (Variety) The new Apple iPad Air is great — but it’s not the one to get (The Verge) Apple iPad Pro (2024) review: the best kind of overkill (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, looks like my worries about solar weather being a threat to technology wasn’t just in my head. Ask farmers. Squarespace to go private. Raspberry Pi to go public? Waymo is setting some impressive records. And the new type of deal Apple and the other streamers want to offer Hollywood. Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Shopify.com/ride Links: Solar Storm Knocks Out Farmers' Tractor GPS Systems During Peak Planting Season (404Media) Website-design firm Squarespace to go private in $6.9 billion deal with Permira (Reuters) British tech firm Raspberry Pi lines up £500m float (The Times) Microsoft set to face EU competition charges over Teams software (Financial Times) Google’s Waymo Crosses 50,000 Paid Driverless Rides Per Week (The Information) Apple Nears Deal With OpenAI to Put ChatGPT on iPhone (Bloomberg) Apple, Netflix Amazon Want to Change How They Pay Hollywood Stars (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well that was fast. Apple apologized for the “Crush” Ad, saying they missed the mark on that one. Microsoft is launching a mobile game app store. Elevenlabs is getting into the music generating game. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Apple apologizes for iPad ‘Crush’ ad that ‘missed the mark’ (The Verge) Apple doesn’t understand why you use technology (The Verge) Microsoft Plans Mobile-Game Store, Vying With Apple, Google (Bloomberg) Apple to Power AI Tools With In-House Server Chips This Year (Bloomberg) ElevenLabs previews music-generating AI model (VentureBeat) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Tim Cook Can’t Run Apple Forever. Who’s Next? (Bloomberg) World’s Biggest Construction Project Gets a Reality Check (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AlphaFold 3 is a new AI model to predict interactions and structures of proteins, the better to cure diseases and create medicine with. More cuts in Microsoft gaming. The community backlash erupting over at Stack Overflow. And that really weirdly tone deaf Apple commercial that has everyone so upset. Links: Google DeepMind unveils AI model for living cells (FT) Microsoft’s Xbox Is Planning More Cuts After Studio Closings (Bloomberg) Stack Overflow bans users en masse for rebelling against OpenAI partnership — users banned for deleting answers to prevent them being used to train ChatGPT (TomsHardware) Alphabet Progressing in Talks to Buy HubSpot, Sources Say (Bloomberg) That Weird Apple Ad "Crush!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Multiple Bethesda studios are being shut down by Xbox and gamers are worried. The new Pixel phone announcement yesterday that probably nobody heard about. What if OpenAI decides to go after web search? And the surprising fact that FTX investors could be made whole, and then some. With interest! Links: Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesda (IGN) US revokes licences for supply of chips to China’s Huawei (Financial Times) Exclusive: In Tesla Autopilot probe, US prosecutors focus on securities, wire fraud (Reuters) Google’s New $500 Pixel 8A Smartphone Will Get 7 Years of Software Updates (Wired) OpenAI Is Readying a Search Product to Rival Google, Perplexity (Bloomberg) TikTok Sues U.S. Government Over Law Forcing Sale or Ban (NYTimes) FTX Has Billions More Than Needed to Pay Bankruptcy Victims (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from today’s Spring Apple event. New iPads? M4 chip? I don’t actually know cause I’m recording this bit beforehand. I can tell you Apple might make its own server chips tho. Nintendo has outlined plans to replace the Switch. And Microsoft is training its own high-end LLM, separate from OpenAI. Links: Apple Is Developing AI Chips for Data Centers, Seeking Edge in Arms Race (WSJ) Nintendo Teases Long-Awaited Switch Successor as Profit Slides (Bloomberg) Meet MAI-1: Microsoft Readies New AI Model to Compete With Google, OpenAI (The Information) Amazon’s Delivery Drones Won’t Fly in Arizona’s Summer Heat (Wired) China hacked Ministry of Defence, Sky News learns (SkyNews) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jack Dorsey abandoned Twitter and now he’s abandoned Bluesky as well. YouTube rolls out Jump Ahead. Threads launches post quote controls. More than 40 thousand books on Audible are now voiced by AI. The Air Force is planning more than a thousand AI fighter jets by the end of the decade. And if you’re listening to this on Apple Podcasts, please listen to the end for an important announcement. Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride MackWeldon.com promocode: ride Links: Jack Dorsey departs Bluesky board (TechCrunch) YouTube's AI-powered 'Jump Ahead' feature rolling out widely to Premium users (AndroidAuthority) Farewell, dunks? Threads launches quote controls for all users (TechCrunch) AI-Voiced Audiobooks Top 40,000 Titles on Audible (Bloomberg) An AI-controlled fighter jet took the Air Force leader for a historic ride. What that means for war (AP) Hugging Face launches LeRobot open source robotics code library (VentureBeat) Washed Out’s new music video was created with AI. Is it a watershed moment for Sora? (LATimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple earnings are out and revenue was down almost everywhere. Boy, AI can’t come fast enough for them. Did you know you can send Bluetooth signals to satellites in space? The full Rabbit R1 reviews turned out exactly how we expected. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions. Links: Apple Sales Fall as iPhone, China Businesses Remain Sluggish (WSJ) FDA Qualifies Apple’s AFib History feature as an MDDT (MyHealthyApple) Hubble Network makes Bluetooth connection with a satellite for the first time (TechCrunch) Coinbase’s First-Quarter Profit, Revenue Top Forecasts (Bloomberg) Rabbit R1 review: nothing to see here (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Revenge of the Home Page (The New Yorker) Nick Bostrom Made the World Fear AI. Now He Asks: What if It Fixes Everything? (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The music is back on TikTok with a new deal struck. Maybe a third of Americans were affected by that Change Healthcare hack. Why are companies suddenly cutting teams you’d think would be sacred cows? Airbnb wants you to stay in the house from the movie Up. And we finally know just how much Google pays Apple for the search default in iOS. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: TikTok and Universal Music Group Settle Royalty Dispute With New Licensing Agreement (Variety) UnitedHealthcare CEO says ‘maybe a third’ of US citizens were affected by recent hack (TechCrunch) UnitedHealth CEO tells lawmakers the company paid hackers a $22 million ransom (CNBC) Google lays off hundreds of ‘Core’ employees, moves some positions to India and Mexico (CNBC) Amazon-backed Anthropic launches iPhone app and business tier to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT (CNBC) In Latest Stunt, Airbnb Lists the ‘Up’ House. It Floats. (NYTimes) Google’s Payments to Apple Reached $20 Billion in 2022, Antitrust Court Documents Show (Bloomberg) Microsoft Concern Over Google’s Lead Drove OpenAI Investment (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Binance founder CZ looks like he’s heading to jail too, but for way less time than SBF. Is the Rabbit R1 just a fancy device for a glorified Android app? Has OpenAI floated a secret pre-release of GPT5? And finally, so much has happened, I decided we had to do an omnibus catch up with what’s going on in the world of Elon. Links: Binance founder Changpeng Zhao sentenced to four months in prison (The Verge) Rabbit R1, a thing that should just be an app, actually is just an Android app (Updated) (Android Authority) Powerful New Chatbot Disappears as Mysteriously as It Arrived (Gizmodo) Tesla conducting more layoffs, including entire Supercharger team (Electrek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The FCC has fined all the major telecom companies. You’ll never guess why. Why the DMA actions from the EU might be a constant thing. Devs, how about an AI-powered IDE? You’ll never guess why Peacock thinks it can raise prices again. And is Marquess Brownlee right about underbaked hardware releases? Sponsors: ZocDoc.com/techmeme ConstantContact.com Links: FCC fines AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon nearly $200 million for illegally sharing location data (The Verge) Meta Risks EU Fines Over Kremlin Lies on Facebook, Instagram (Bloomberg) How an empty S3 bucket can make your AWS bill explode (Maciej Pocwierz) Copilot Workspace is GitHub’s take on AI-powered software engineering (TechCrunch) Peacock Hikes Subscription Prices Ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics (The Hollywood Reporter) Rabbit R1 Review (MKBHD) Marques Brownlee slams another AI product as “barely reviewable” after Humane AI Pin controversy (Dexerto) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple continues discussions with folks to partner for AI product. Will the upcoming iPad event kick off Apple’s AI strategy? Why does spending on AI seem to work for Google and Microsoft but not for Meta? Why were a bunch of Apple users signed out of their accounts this weekend? And has AI already ruined Meta’s family of apps? Sponsors: CutsClothing.com/RIDE, promocode RIDE for 20% off YahooFinance.com Links: Apple Intensifies Talks With OpenAI for iPhone Generative AI Features (Bloomberg) Apple Rivals Retool to Challenge the iPhone and Vision Pro (Bloomberg) Investors Cheer AI Spending Boom in Big Tech—Just Not at Meta (WSJ) The Financial Times and OpenAI strike content licensing deal (Financial Times) Apple users are being locked out of their Apple IDs with no explanation (9to5Mac) AI is making Meta's apps basically unusable (Fast Company) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Net Neutrality has been voted back into existence. Earnings from Microsoft and Google, but it’s the YouTube numbers that continue to impress me. ByteDance claims it would rather be banned than sell US TikTok. The Onion finds a benevolent billionaire. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: F.C.C. Votes to Restore Net Neutrality Rules (NYTimes) Google parent announces first-ever dividend; beats on sales, profit; shares soar (Reuters) OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Other Tech Leaders to Serve on AI Safety Board (WSJ) Exclusive: ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in US if legal options fail, sources say (Reuters) The Onion Is Sold by G/O Media (NYTimes) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Chips Act has been surprisingly successful so far (Financial Times) Why You Can’t Get a Restaurant Reservation (The New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta’s earnings were fine, but it’s what Zuck warned about spending that has Wall Street nervous. Sub 2nm chips are on their way. An AI startup has a big new raise after its big raise just a month ago. Google Meet lets you jump devices. And the first reviews of the Rabbit R1 are out. Links: Zuckerberg Asks for Patience as Meta’s AI Push Spooks Market (Bloomberg) Zuckerberg says it will take Meta years to make money from generative AI (The Verge) TSMC aims to produce ultra-advanced 1.6-nm chips by 2026 (NikkeiAsia) Six-Month-Old AI Coding Startup Valued at $2 Billion by Founders Fund (The Information) Google Meet will let you transfer calls between web and phone with ‘Switch here’ (9to5Google) A morning with the Rabbit R1: a fun, funky, unfinished AI gadget (The Verge) Rabbit R1 hands-on: Already more fun and accessible than the Humane AI Pin (Engadget) Rabbit’s R1 is a little AI gadget that grows on you (TechCrunch) First Ones videos on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The TikTok divestment bill has probably already been signed into law. What happens now? What are the legal arguments that this thing can stick? What about things like, you know, the First Amendment? Also, ads in Windows? Time to take Meta’s RayBan smartglasses seriously? And what it’s like to use AI inside of Instagram. Links: Senate passes TikTok ban bill, sending it to President Biden’s desk (The Verge) TikTok Ban Looms With Biden Poised to Start 270-Day Countdown (Bloomberg) How the TikTok ban could survive a court challenge (Platformer) Windows 11 Start menu ads are now rolling out to everyone (The Verge) The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses get video calling, Apple Music, and a new style (The Verge) Meta’s A.I. Assistant Is Fun to Use, but It Can’t Be Trusted (NYTimes) "First Ones" YouTube Videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft has launched new lightweight AI models. Perplexity has a big new raise. Meta wants other people to build Quest headsets. Another reason Apple needs to find new revenue. And if Congress really is going to ban TikTok, are they ever going to tell us exactly why? Links: Microsoft launches Phi-3, its smallest AI model yet (The Verge) Meta Expands Its Mixed Reality Beyond the Quest Headsets (CNET) Meta wants to be the Microsoft of headsets (The Verge) China Smartphone Sales Remain in Black on Huawei, HONOR, Xiaomi Outperformance (Counterpoint) AI Search Startup Perplexity Valued at $1 Billion in Funding Round (Bloomberg) Adobe’s new Firefly model makes it easier to use Photoshop’s AI tools (The Verge) If TikTok Is Such a Threat, Show Us the Receipts (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I know we’ve said this before, but TikTok really seems on the brink this time. What the heck is going on with Tesla? Tinder wants you to share your date. Streamers want you to stop dating around and playing the field. An open-source smarthome standard. And again, do we really need standalone AI devices when we already have smartphones? Links: TikTok ‘ban’ passes in the House again, moving to the Senate in foreign aid package (The Verge) Tesla lowers price of ‘Full Self-Driving’ to $8,000, down from $12,000 (Electrek) Tinder gets a ‘Share My Date’ feature for users to send date plans to their curious friends (TechCrunch) Americans’ New TV Habit: Subscribe. Watch. Cancel. Repeat. (NYTimes) The little smart home platform that could (The Verge) The future of AI gadgets is just phones (The Verge) Space Ghost Coast To Coast Marathon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta released Llama 3 yesterday, and some of the moves they made have made be consider if Zuck could win these first AI wars. Is Zuck also getting aggressive in VR? Why Apple had to take down the WhatsApp and Threads apps in China. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Links: Meta’s battle with ChatGPT begins now (The Verge) Meta, in Its Biggest A.I. Push, Places Smart Assistants Across Its Apps (NYTimes) Meta gives the Quest 2 its second permanent price cut in four months (Engadget) Cool or creepy? Microsoft's VASA-1 is a new AI model that turns photos into 'talking faces' (Tom's Guide) China Orders Apple to Remove Popular Messaging Apps (WSJ) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How Perfectly Can Reality Be Simulated? (The New Yorker) The Life and Death of Hollywood (Harper's Magazine) How Neopets’ nostalgic revival tripled users in six months (The Guardian) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google has fired 28 employees for political protests yesterday. A well-known coding school has been fined by the CFPB. Game emulators come to the iPhone. TikTok’s Instagram clone is rolling out. Has Sony perfecting Mini LED TVs? And the Atlas robot has been reborn in a new body! Links: Google fires 28 employees after sit-in protest over Israel cloud contract (The Verge) Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fines BloomTech for false claims (TechCrunch) Third-party iPhone app store AltStore PAL is now live in Europe (The Verge) TikTok Notes starts rolling out as a new rival to Instagram (The Verge) US Air Force confirms first successful AI dogfight (The Verge) Sony might have perfected Mini LED TVs with its new 2024 lineup (The Verge) Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot goes electric (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
T-Mobile and Verizon employees are being offered bribes for SIM swaps. How much coding copilots have taken over. How much would you value Mistral or Cohere in the LLM race? How popular has Airchat gotten? How big has Amazon Prime gotten? And one of the original modern robots is being retired. Links: T-Mobile, Verizon workers get texts offering $300 for SIM swaps (BleepingComputer) Microsoft’s AI Copilot Is Starting to Automate the Coding Industry (Bloomberg) Mistral, an OpenAI Rival in Europe, in Talks to Raise Capital at a $5 Billion Valuation (The Information) Invitation-Only Audio Social Network Is the Hot New App in Tech Circles (Bloomberg) Musk’s Starlink Cracks Down on Growing Black Market (WSJ) Amazon Prime Memberships in US Gain 8% to New High After Lull (Bloomberg) Atlas shrugged: Boston Dynamics retires its hydraulic humanoid robot (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft continues to spread its AI bets. Disney wants to bring back tv channels. YouTube is not gonna let you block ads. What did Humane get wrong with the AI Pin? And can Limitless do any better with its AI Pendant? Sponsors: MackWeldon.com, promocode ride YahooFinance.com Links: Microsoft to invest $1.5bn in Abu Dhabi AI group G42 (Financial Times) To Keep Viewers, Disney Plans a New Streaming Concept: Old-Style TV Channels (The Information) YouTube cracking down on third-party apps that block ads (9to5Google) YouTube Accounted for Nearly 10% of All TV Viewing in March, Nielsen Says (TheWrap) Oh the Humanity (Sandofsky.com) Limitless is a new AI tool for your meetings — and an all-hearing wearable gadget (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Really looks like high-end re-shoring of chip tech is happening, and happening soon. What if satellite telephony becomes a table-stakes smartphone feature? Get ready for the bitcoin halving. Does anyone have invites to Airchat? And get ready for 4TB, yes, TB, SD cards. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Links: Samsung boosts Joe Biden’s chipmaking ambitions with Texas plant upgrade (Financial Times) Exclusive: Google Pixel 9 series to get emergency satellite connectivity, new modem (Android Authority) Bitcoin ‘Halving’ Will Deal a $10 Billion Blow to Crypto Miners (Bloomberg) ChatGPT essay cheats are a menace to us all (Financial Times) Naval Ravikant’s Airchat is a social app built around talk, not text (TechCrunch) 4TB SD cards are arriving in 2025 for your cameras and laptops (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Now a big business intelligence company has been breached. Do you get the sense that people are laying the groundwork for something? Google discontinues a product, but this time, its probably our fault. M4 chips are coming from Apple. OpenAI continues to be the drama queen of Silicon Valley. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: US government urges Sisense customers to reset credentials after hack (TechCrunch) Google One VPN will be discontinued, Pixel VPN remains with upgrade coming (9to5Google) X’s Premium users can no longer hide their blue checks (The Verge) Apple Plans to Overhaul Entire Mac Line With AI-Focused M4 Chips (Bloomberg) OpenAI Researchers, Including Ally of Sutskever, Fired for Alleged Leaking (The Information) Is Google's AI Actually Discovering 'Millions of New Materials?' (404 Media) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: AI-Music Arms Race: Meet Udio, the Other ChatGPT for Music (RollingStone) How Bluey Became a $2 Billion Smash Hit—With an Uncertain Future (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple is notifying people their iPhones may have been compromised. Spotify wants you to mix up your music. Adobe is paying handsomely for videos. And the biggest new gadget review event in a long time. Link: Apple alerts users in 92 nations to mercenary spyware attacks (TechCrunch) Spotify Plans New Remixing Tools for the TikTok Generation (WSJ) Adobe Is Buying Videos for $3 Per Minute to Build AI Model (Bloomberg) Humane AI Pin review: not even close (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More AI announces from Google. More hints on how Apple will bring AI to iPhones. And a bunch of interesting datapoints: how much Apple has moved away from manufacturing in China, how much money TikTok’s parent company is making, are kids warming up to VR and are alternative browsers benefitting from the DMA? Links: Google Launches Coding AIs That Could Rival Microsoft's Github Copilot (PCMag) Apple's new AI model could help Siri see how iOS apps work (AppleInsider) Apple’s India iPhone Output Hits $14 Billion in China Shift (Bloomberg) ByteDance Profit Jumps 60%, Taking It Past Archrival Tencent (Bloomberg) Exclusive: EU's new tech laws are working; small browsers gain market share (Reuters) Survey shows that teenagers are using more VR devices in the US (9to5Mac) Kobo announces its first color e-readers (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google has a ton of AI announces, including new Arm-based AI chips, utilizing Google search in Gemini, and more. They also released their own Find My network. Microsoft is confident they can release chips that can best Apple Silicon. And maybe OpenAI DID train on YouTube videos after all. Everybody is desperate for data right now. Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Google Expands In-House Chip Efforts in Costly AI Battle (WSJ) Google Shows AI Model Is Enterprise-Ready After Gemini Mishaps (Bloomberg) Gmail adding voice input, Gemini for Google Chat, Meet ‘Translate for me,’ & more (9to5Google) Google rolling out Find My Device network for Android (9to5Google) Microsoft is confident Windows on Arm could finally beat Apple (The Verge) Spotify launches personalized AI playlists that you can build using prompts (TechCrunch) How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David Marcus comes on the pod to discuss what he's been working on since leaving Meta. Specificially: Lightspark, and efforts to expand the Lighting Network and bitcoin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple joins the tech layoff club. Microsoft warns China is planning to disrupt elections using AI. Disney+ is joining Netflix in cracking down on password sharing. How much is the going rate to buy pictures or videos to train AI models on? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions. Links: Apple Cut at Least 600 Workers When Car, Screen Projects Stopped (Bloomberg) China will use AI to disrupt elections in the US, South Korea and India, Microsoft warns (The Guardian) Disney+ will crack down on password sharing in June (CNN) Inside Big Tech's underground race to buy AI training data (Reuters) YouTube Says OpenAI Training Sora With Its Videos Would Break Rules (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How One Tech Skeptic Decided A.I. Might Benefit the Middle Class (NYTimes) How WhatsApp became the world’s default communication app (Engadget) The 18 most interesting startups from YC’s Demo Day show we’re in an AI bubble (TechCrunch) YC’s latest Demo Day shows fascinating wagers on healthcare, chip design, AI and more (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Apple pivoting to home robotics now that the Apple Car project is dead? Is Google about to pivot to subscription based search? Why is X handing back blue checkmarks whether people want them or not? Why Amazon merchants are upset over return scams. And why the band Kiss might live forever. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Apple Explores Home Robotics as Potential ‘Next Big Thing’ After Car Fizzles (Bloomberg) Google considers charging for AI-powered search in big change to business model (FT) X’s ‘complimentary’ Premium push gives people blue checks they didn’t ask for (The Verge) Washington state judge blocks use of AI-enhanced video as evidence in possible first-of-its-kind ruling (NBCNews) Amazon Sellers Plagued by Surge in Scam Returns (WSJ) Business Schools Are Going All In on AI (WSJ) Rock band Kiss sells rights for $300mn to firm behind Abba hologram show (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have we just had a major breakthrough in Quantum Computing? The earthquake in Taiwan might lead to some chip issues. We don’t quite know yet. Amazon is retooling it’s Just Walk Out technology. Venture capitalists are having a hard time raising money. And in the last segment of the show, I actually break some news about Coinbase. Links: Microsoft and Quantinuum say they’ve ushered in the next era of quantum computing (TechCrunch) AI-generated songs are getting longer, not necessarily better (The Verge) Top musicians among hundreds warning against replacing human artists with AI (Axios) TSMC Facilities to Resume Production Overnight After Quake (Bloomberg) Amazon’s Grocery Stores to Drop Just Walk Out Checkout Tech (The Information) Venture capital reckons with the end of ‘megafund’ era (Financial Times) YouTube Of Our Interview With David Marcus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big trove of AT&T customer data dumped online. Microsoft is unbundling Teams. Amazon is readying its own big LLM. We should probably assume Section 230 does not cover AI. And what do you name an AI supercomputer? Stargate, apparently. Links: AT&T resets account passcodes after millions of customer records leak online (TechCrunch) Exclusive: Microsoft to separate Teams and Office globally amid antitrust scrutiny (Reuters) Amazon scrambles for its place in the AI race (The Verge) Gen-AI Search Engine Perplexity Has a Plan to Sell Ads (Adweek) The AI Industry Is Steaming Toward A Legal Iceberg (WSJ) Microsoft and OpenAI Plot $100 Billion Stargate AI Supercomputer (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What prolific AI investor Nat Friedman expects from GPT-5, Microsoft's general strategy in AI, how he invests in startups, and his background an philosophy when it comes to investing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SBF gets 25 years. X is maybe about to NSFW. Apple’s new OLED iPads should be coming in May. I can’t cram another acronym in here to tell you about Apple suing an employee for leaking. And, of course, the WLS… Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years for multi-billion dollar FTX fraud (Reuters) Elon Musk’s X Is Testing ‘Adult Content’ Groups for Users (Bloomberg) Apple Sues Former Employee for Leaking iPhone's Journal App and More (MacRumors) Apple Plans New iPad Pro for May as Production Ramps Up Overseas (Bloomberg) Reddit shares plunge almost 25% in two days, finish the week below first day close (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How We’ll Reach a 1 Trillion Transistor GPU (IEEE Spectrum) How Jesse Plemons Came to Star in, Well, Pretty Much Everything (Texas Monthly) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There’s a new king of the AI hill as Anthropic bests OpenAI for the first time. Amazon invests more in Anthropic and is investing a TON more in datacenters. Is that GPT sort of App Store not exactly catching fire? A big acquisition in gaming. And the tiny Caribbean island nation that is one of the biggest winners of the AI moment so far. Links: “The king is dead”—Claude 3 surpasses GPT-4 on Chatbot Arena for the first time (ArsTechnica) Amazon spends $2.75 billion on AI startup Anthropic in its largest venture investment yet (CNBC) Amazon Bets $150 Billion on Data Centers Required for AI Boom (Bloomberg) OpenAI’s app store draws investors and students seeking artificial aids (FT) Oregon’s governor signs right-to-repair law that bans ‘parts pairing’ (The Verge) Take-Two Buys Gearbox From Embracer, Confirms Development on New Borderlands Game (IGN) The A.I. Boom Makes Millions for an Unlikely Industry Player: Anguilla (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Disney launches Hulu on Disney+. Apple schedules WWDC. Some Apple users report being victims of MFA bombing attacks. What it will mean to be certified as an AI PC. And more crazy data on the hunt for talent in the AI Wars. Links: Hulu on Disney+ Launches Out of Beta With Marketing Push to Grow Subscribers (The Hollywood Reporter) The Disney Plus-Hulu merger is way more than a streaming bundle (The Verge) Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14 (MacRumors) Recent ‘MFA Bombing’ Attacks Targeting Apple Users (KrebsonSecurity) Databricks launches DBRX, challenging Big Tech in the open source AI race (VentureBeat) Databricks open-sources its own large language model, DBRX (SiliconAngle) Databricks spent $10M on new DBRX generative AI model, but it can’t beat GPT-4 (TechCrunch) Intel shares Microsoft's new AI PC definition, launches AI PC Acceleration Programs and Core Ultra Meteor Lake NUC developer kits at AI conference (Tom's Hardware) The Fight for AI Talent: Pay Million-Dollar Packages and Buy Whole Teams (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Executive shuffling indicates that Microsoft is serious about reorganizing itself around AI. The US and UK move against those alleged Chinese infrastructure hackers. OpenAI seems to be courting Hollywood for its Sora tool. And is the IPO window finally open for tech companies? Links: Microsoft has a new Windows and Surface chief (The Verge) Canva Strikes Biggest Acquisition Yet in Chase to Take on Adobe (Bloomberg) US sanctions APT31 hackers behind critical infrastructure attacks (BleepingComputer) OpenAI shows off first examples of third-party creators using Sora (VentureBeat) OpenAI Courts Hollywood in Meetings With Film Studios, Directors (Bloomberg) Reddit options launch draws bulls, as shares soar (Reuters) IPO Window Cracks Open and Silicon Valley Sees Some Daylight (Bloomberg) Meta’s new opt-out setting limits visibility of politics on Instagram and Threads (The Verge) Elon Musk’s Starlink Terminals Are Falling Into the Wrong Hands (Bloomberg) Nat Friedman YouTube Video Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
They said this law would be one that was capable of moving fast. The EU has already opened formal DMA investigations into Apple and Google. Stability AI seems to be circling the Deadpool. Checking in on the health of X. Greater homescreen control coming to iPhones? And what should we make of tech insiders selling massive amounts of shares? Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode RIDE Links: EU probes Apple, Meta and Alphabet under landmark new law (Financial Times) Stability AI Founder Emad Mostaque Plans To Resign As CEO, Sources Say (Forbes) Fewer people are using Elon Musk’s X as the platform struggles to attract and keep users, according to analysts (NBCNews) Spotify adds video learning courses in latest experiment (The Verge) Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid (MacRumors) Justice Department Risks Picking the Wrong Fight With Apple (Bloomberg) Thiel, Bezos and Zuckerberg join parade of insiders selling tech stocks (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Everyone is analyzing the DOJ’s case against Apple. An unpatchable vulnerability in Apple Silicon has been uncovered. Threads joins the Fediverse. How that whole Microsoft hiring the Inflection AI team actually maths out. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Apple CarPlay is anticompetitive, too, US lawsuit alleges (The Verge) U.S. versus Apple: A first reaction (Six Colors) Unpatchable vulnerability in Apple chip leaks secret encryption keys (ArsTechnica) Threads’ fediverse beta opens to share your posts on Mastodon, too (The Verge) Microsoft Agreed to Pay Inflection $650 Million While Hiring Its Staff (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: 8 Google Employees Invented Modern AI. Here’s the Inside Story (Wired) China’s Super-Cheap EVs Offer Hope for Average American Buyers (Bloomberg Businessweek) Indie, rocked (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The DOJ opened a lawsuit against Apple. Reddit’s IPO should be happening today. An Epic Games Store on iOS should be coming later this year. Carvana is a Covid-times high-flier that has actually recovered. And Neuralink’s first human patient reveals himself to the world. Links: U.S. Sues Apple, Alleges Tech Giant Exploits Illegal Monopoly (WSJ) Reddit prices IPO at $34 per share in first major social media offering since 2019 (CNBC) The Epic Games Store is coming to Android (9to5Google) Apple Faces Legal Protest From Meta, Microsoft, X, Spotify and Match (WSJ) Carvana makes U-turn away from financial abyss (Financial Times) Amazon’s New Focus: Fending Off Rivals Temu and Shein (WSJ) Watch Neuralink’s First Human Subject Demonstrate His Brain-Computer Interface (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft hiring DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman to run their new AI division might sound like boring c-suite musical chairs, but it’s actually super interesting. Intel gets the first huge check from the CHIPS Act. Stardew Valley is breaking gaming records. And the interesting startup that does AI music. Links: Microsoft Hires DeepMind Co-Founder Suleyman to Run Consumer AI (Bloomberg) Microsoft bets on start-ups to extend AI lead with hiring of Inflection chief (Financial Times) Intel to receive $8.5bn in US funding for high-end chip manufacturing (Financial Times) Stardew Valley’s 1.6 update smashes its Steam player record (The Verge) A ChatGPT for Music Is Here. Inside Suno, the Startup Changing Everything (Rolling Stone) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia announced… well, a ton of things. Two new AI tools show that video is having an AI moment. An update on how TikTok is faring in the Senate. And an interesting raise from a startup that wants to become a major new platform player in Gaming. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50 and code ride50 Links: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announces new AI chips: ‘We need bigger GPUs’ (CNBC) Nvidia launches NIM to make it smoother to deploy AI models into production (TechCrunch) Nvidia enlists humanoid robotics’ biggest names for new AI platform, GR00T (TechCrunch) Nvidia announces Earth-2 digital twin to forecast planet’s climate change (VentureBeat) Google researchers unveil ‘VLOGGER’, an AI that can bring still photos to life (VentureBeat) Stability AI brings a new dimension to video with Stable Video 3D (VentureBeat) DOJ to Push for TikTok Divestiture in Senate Briefings (Bloomberg) Playtron: the startup hoping to Steam Deck-ify the world (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I did NOT have on my bingo card Apple turning to Google to power its first big foray into modern AI on its hardware. Even while a new Apple AI model might be pointing to breakthroughs in AI reasoning. One of the biggest e-sports competitions in the world has been hacked by cheaters. And some pretty bearish news for the VR industry. Links: Apple Is in Talks to Let Google Gemini Power iPhone AI Features (Bloomberg) Apple researchers achieve breakthroughs in multimodal AI as company ramps up investments (VentureBeat) xAI open-sources base model of Grok, but without any training code (TechCrunch) Musk’s Grok AI goes open source (VentureBeat) Massive ‘Apex Legends’ Hack Disrupts NA Finals, Raises Serious Security Concerns (Forbes) Sony Hits Pause on PSVR2 Production as Unsold Inventory Piles Up (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas tell Chris and I to expect more partnerships like the recent one with Yelp; how Perplexity thinks of search differently than Google does; and the competition Perplexity fears beyond Google. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Remember that Apple has quietly made more AI acquisitions than anyone else? They quietly made another one. The FCC has a new definition for broadband. Looks like everybody knows the EU is a stick they can beat Apple with now. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/boost Links: Apple Buys Canadian AI Startup as It Races to Add Features (Bloomberg) FCC scraps old speed benchmark, says broadband should be at least 100Mbps (ArsTechnica) Spotify says its iPhone app updates in the EU are getting held up by Apple (The Verge) Pornhub Disables Website in Texas Over Age-Verification Law (Variety) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Can Reddit Survive Its Own IPO? (Wired) One Big Reason Gen Z Is Still on Facebook: To Save Money (NYTimes) How Nvidia beat everyone else in the AI race (Vox) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If this TikTok bill is actually going to become law, who would actually be in the running to take it over? A bunch of announcements from Microsoft. Hard data on how we listen to music these days. And estimates for how much AI could cut into the traditional web search business. Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme Links: House passes TikTok bill that could ban app in the U.S., spawning Senate support (The Washington Post) Microsoft has added the GPT-4 Turbo LLM to the free version of Copilot (Neowin) Microsoft says new AI security chatbot pricing model lets customers ‘buy what they need’ (CNBC) Microsoft Teams is finally moving to a single app for personal and work (The Verge) Anthropic releases Claude 3 Haiku, an AI model built for speed and affordability (VentureBeat) MusicWatch Reports Results of 2023 Annual Music Study: Record Numbers of Music Streamers and Paid Subscribers (Music Watch) Google's Gen AI Search Threatens Publishers With $2B Annual Ad Revenue Loss (AdWeek) YouTube Video Of The Perplexity CEO Interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The TikTok legislation has passed the House, but it’s path through the Senate is uncertain to say the least. The first real AI regulation has passed, in Europe, of course. Arm’s new chips for self-driving cars. Did Cerebras just break Moore’s Law with its new AI chips? Spotify has music videos. And Perplexity continues to try to become Google Search faster than Google search can become them. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Nutrafol.com/men code: RIDEHOME Links: TikTok bill, racing toward House passage, faces a minefield in the Senate (Washington Post) How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It (WSJ) World’s first major act to regulate AI passed by European lawmakers (CNBC) Stripe in ‘no rush’ to go public as cash flow turns positive (FT) Arm unveils first chip design to power self-driving cars (FT) AI startup Cerebras unveils the WSE-3, the largest chip yet for generative AI (ZDNet) Spotify adds music videos in some countries (TechCrunch) Perplexity brings Yelp data to its chatbot (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More App Store changes from Apple will allow developers to offer apps via their website. In Europe only, of course. Some of you can file your taxes online, for free, starting today. Why bitcoin has been breaking records. An interesting AI raise. Is TikTok about to launch an Instagram competitor? Though maybe the reason they need to is their user numbers are flatlining. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Apple will allow users to download apps directly from a developer’s website, in latest EU App Store rule change (9to5Mac) The IRS launches Direct File, a pilot program for free online tax filing available in 12 states (AP) Crypto Product Inflows Soar to Record High, CoinShares Says (Bloomberg) Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras (The Verge) Gold-Medalist Coders Build an AI That Can Do Their Job for Them (Bloomberg) Exclusive: Tiktok is working on a new Photo Sharing platform to compete with Instagram (The SpAndroid) TikTok's growth rate has collapsed. 'Life' may be getting in the way for its younger users. (Business Insider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Epic got Apple to blink! Sam Altman got back on OpenAI’s board of directors. Reddit finally gets to IPO. Elon Musk says X.ai is going open source. And once again, you won’t believe the degree to which your car and your driving is the new data treasure trove for companies to monetize. Sponsors: 1password.com/ride ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Links: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account, clearing path for Epic Games Store on iPhone (9to5Mac) Sam Altman returns to OpenAI's board (Axios) Sam Altman rejoins OpenAI’s board after investigation into sudden firing (The Verge) OpenAI’s Sam Altman Returns to Board After Probe Clears Him (Bloomberg) Elon Musk says xAI will open-source Grok this week (TechCrunch) Reddit to raise nearly $750 million in upcoming IPO (CNBC) Telegram hits 900mn users and nears profitability as founder considers IPO (Financial Times) Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Guy Kawasaki shares key insights on how to have a successful career, found in his new book: Think Remarkable. Also, some fun Apple and Steve Jobs story, such as: what kind of a***ole boss WAS Steve Jobs, exactly. The kind you want, Guy says. Buy the book: Think Remarkable Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did TikTok overplay its hand yesterday? The potential legislation against them is suddenly moving quickly. How Temu might be single handedly responsible for the tech advertising turnaround. More drama behind the whole Sam Altman ouster business. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Links: Furious Congress plows forward with TikTok bill after user revolt (Axios) China Readies $27 Billion Chip Fund to Counter Growing US Curbs (Bloomberg) Temu’s Push Into America Pays Off Big Time for Meta and Google (WSJ) Key OpenAI Executive Played a Pivotal Role in Sam Altman’s Ouster (NYTimes) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Nvidia Chips Inside Powerful AI Supercomputers (WSJ) Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power (Washington Post) How Netflix’s Massive Paydays, COVID and TikTok Caused ‘Explosion of Comedians’ (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the first day of the DMA regime, the whole battle between Apple and Epic Games has gotten hella weird. Rumors of the US government going after TikTok again are swirling, again. What if we see a foldable Macbook before a foldable iPhone? And why the job of AI Prompt Engineer might be made redundant by… AI. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Apple kills Epic’s iOS game store plans over App Store criticism (The Verge) Apple Set to Be Quizzed by EU Over ‘Fortnite’ Maker Shutout (Bloomberg) Big Tech howled over E.U. antitrust law. The White House declined a rescue. (The Washington Post) W.H. works with Hill to ban TikTok (Punchbowl News) Kuo: Apple actively working on 20.3-inch foldable MacBook (9to5Mac) AI Prompt Engineering Is Dead Long live AI prompt engineering (IEEE Spectrum) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple shows how it is complying with the DMA. We’ve got a Microsoft hardware event coming up. I wonder if they’ll mention AI? Has BlackCat been defeated, or is this a clever ruse to rebrand? And OpenAI has clapped back at Elon’s lawsuit. Links: Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 17.4 with Major Safari and App Store Changes in the EU, Transcripts for Podcasts, New Emoji, and More (MacStories) EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft will unveil OLED Surface Pro 10 and Arm Surface Laptop 6 this spring ahead of major Windows 11 AI update (Windows Central) 'Exit scam' - hackers that hit UnitedHealth pull disappearing act (Reuters) OpenAI Fires Back at Musk Allegations With Trove of Emails (Bloomberg) Sam Altman tells staff OpenAI investigation will 'soon' close, as employees brace for more surprises (Business Insider) YouTube Video Of The Guy Kawasaki Interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The big DMA deadline is mere hours away. A big Twitter related lawsuit has arrived that I kind of can’t believe took this long. Nothing releases a pretty compelling cheap phone. Waymo is bringing its driverless taxi service to Los Angeles. And is Linux quietly having a moment? Links: Google rolls out changes for users, apps developers as EU tech rules loom (Reuters) Instagram now lets you edit DMs up to 15 mins after sending them (TechCrunch) M3 MacBook Pro will gain multi-display support in software update (9to5Mac) Former Twitter Executives Sue Musk Over Unpaid Severance (WSJ) The Nothing Phone 2A proves thoughtful design can come at a budget price (The Verge) Waymo can now charge for robotaxi rides in LA and on San Francisco freeways (TechCrunch) Linux Crosses 4% Market Share Worldwide (Linuxiac) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The EU Commission has fined Apple for stifling music streaming competition. New Macbook Airs with the M3 chip. Why the Apple Car was doomed from day one. Anthropic releases Claude 3 in three different flavors. And if 5G isn’t floating your boat, can I interest you in 5G Advanced? Links: Apple hit with €1.8bn fine for breaking EU law over music streaming (Financial Times) Apple launches new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip, support for two external displays, faster Wi-Fi (9to5Mac) Apple’s Car Was Doomed by Its Lofty Ambitions to Outdo Tesla (Bloomberg) Anthropic unveils Claude 3, surpassing GPT-4 and Gemini Ultra in benchmark tests (VentureBeat) Google-backed Anthropic debuts its most powerful chatbot yet, as generative AI battle heats up (CNBC) Telcos are barely done rolling out 5G networks — and they’re already talking about ‘5.5G’ (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon is suing Sam Altman and OpenAI. Meta continues to get out of the news business, especially when it’s being pushed. A new AI deepfake supertool. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Elon Musk sues OpenAI over AI threat (Courthouse News Service) Meta to Wind Down Its News Feature in the US and Australia (Bloomberg) Microsoft introduces Copilot AI chatbot for finance workers in Excel and Outlook (CNBC) Alibaba’s new AI system ‘EMO’ creates realistic talking and singing videos from photos (VentureBeat) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Wait. Why is Reddit losing so much money? (Business Insider) The 9-Month-Old AI Startup Challenging Silicon Valley’s Giants (WSJ) What a Major Solar Storm Could Do to Our Planet (The New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The SEC has subpoenaed OpenAI. What if the Vision Pro is selling better than even Apple thought? Beware of the repo attack affecting GitHub. Beware of the video doorbells that are ridiculously easy to take over. And is robotics the next big tech industry we need to be paying attention to? Links: SEC Investigating Whether OpenAI Investors Were Misled (WSJ) EA to lay off 5% of workforce, or about 670 employees (CNBC) Vision Pro demand higher than expected; returns down to 1% – Kuo (9to5Mac) Kuo: Apple Vision Pro on Track to Launch in More Countries Before WWDC in June (MacRumors) Apple Vision Pro return rate is about the same as the iPhone 15 Pro (Apple Insider) StarCoder 2 is a code-generating AI that runs on most GPUs (TechCrunch) GitHub besieged by millions of malicious repositories in ongoing attack (ArsTechnica) These Video Doorbells Have Terrible Security. Amazon Sells Them Anyway. (Consumer Reports) Humanoid robot startup Figure AI valued at $2.6 billion as Bezos, OpenAI, Nvidia join funding (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Apple car project is dead. Really, this time. We think. Google is working to fix Gemini. If you’re using Tumblr, your posts might soon be training OpenAI’s models. Klarna’s AI is doing the work of hundreds of humans. And another fever dream of the most recent boom years might be over. Links: Apple to Wind Down Electric Car Effort After Decadelong Odyssey (Bloomberg) Apple's Scrapped Car Project Means AI and Headset Bets Are More Urgent (Bloomberg) Google CEO calls AI tool’s controversial responses ‘completely unacceptable’ (Semafor) Tumblr and WordPress to Sell Users’ Data to Train AI Tools (404 Media) Klarna says its AI assistant does the work of 700 people after it laid off 700 people (FastCompany) Thrasio, once king of e-commerce aggregation, files for Ch.11 (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you can believe it, MOAR layoffs in gaming. Big layoffs at Sony. We might see Meta’s first AR glasses later this year. The big hack affecting US pharmacies. Hopin enters the Deadpool. And yet another startup takes at swing at the delayed gratification gimmick for social media. Sponsors: Hims.com/ride Links: Sony is laying off 900 PlayStation employees (The Verge) Microsoft’s Mistral AI Investment to Be Examined by EU Watchdog (Bloomberg) Meta aims to reveal and demo Orion, its first true AR glasses, during its fall developer conference (Business Insider) US pharmacy outage triggered by 'Blackcat' ransomware at UnitedHealth unit, sources say (Reuters) Netflix confirms it’s cutting off Apple billing for legacy subscribers (The Verge) Hopin's UK business enters liquidation as it transfers HQ to the US (Sifted) The Supreme Court is about to decide the future of online speech (The Verge) Supreme Court Fears ‘Land Mines’ in Social Media Debate Over Free Speech (Bloomberg) Lapse, the app turning your phone into an old-school camera, snaps up $30M (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mobile World Congress kicks off this week, and I bet you can guess what the big theme this year is. All the hardware that is being announced to allow you to do AI on your existing devices. Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Ring, but Apple wants you to know it could do a ring too if it wanted to. And Lenovo’s see-through laptop is cool looking, but also, looking for a use case. Links: Samsung unveils the Galaxy Ring as a way to 'simplify everyday wellness' (Engadget) Apple Ponders Whether to Develop Smart Glasses, Fitness Ring (Bloomberg) Here’s why the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro headset is so expensive (CNBC) Au Large (Mistral.ai) Nvidia launches RTX 500 and 1000 Ada Generation laptop GPUs for AI on the go (VentureBeat) Lenovo’s laptop concept is fully transparent, but the point isn’t entirely clear (TechCrunch) Peering through Lenovo’s transparent laptop into a sci-fi future (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Catching you up on the great Substack controversy and who is winning the race to be the new Twitter? Ed's new podcast is called Better Offline, which you can find wherever fine podcasts are found. And his newsletter is called: Where's Your Ed At? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have all the details of the Reddit IPO. And Sam Altman of all people makes an appearance in the S1! What that big cell phone outage yesterday was all about. Can Mark Zuckerberg be held personally liable in some of these Meta lawsuits? And given this weeks’ news, in the longreads, a long interview with Nvidia’s CEO predicting the future of computing. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/boost Links: Reddit files to list IPO on NYSE under the ticker RDDT (CNBC) Reddit is going public and inviting power users to invest (The Verge) AT&T outage caused by software update, company says (ABCNews) Meta’s Zuckerberg Seeks Out of Lawsuits Blaming Him for Instagram Addiction (Bloomberg) Bluesky opens up federation, letting anyone run their own server (TechCrunch) OnlyFans is the most lucrative side hustle, tax service shows (Mashable) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Tech Job Interviews Are Out of Control (Wired) Nvidia Hardware Is Eating the World (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The most important tech company in the world right now reported earnings yesterday, and they were historic. Stability AI is previewing Stable Diffusion 3.0. Google has to fix some if its AI image generation details. Amazon is getting aggressive about bringing sports to streaming. And has a startup we’ve never mentioned made a big AI breakthrough? Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men and promocode RIDEHOME Links: Nvidia posts revenue up 265% on booming AI business (CNBC) Stable Diffusion 3.0 debuts new diffusion transformation architecture to reinvent text-to-image gen AI (VentureBeat) Google Pauses Gemini's Image Generation of People to Fix Historical Inaccuracies (PC Mag) Google pauses Gemini’s ability to generate AI images of people after diversity errors (The Verge) Tuned In: Amazon Said To Be Paying Record $120M To Stream NFL Playoff Game (Front Office Sports) Exclusive: Reddit in AI content licensing deal with Google (Reuters) The ‘Magic’ Breakthrough That Got Friedman and Gross to Bet $100 Million on a Coding Startup (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Signal finally rolls out usernames, but Apple goes one better security-wise, by quantum encrypting iMessage. Weirdly, Apple also launched a standalone sports scores app. Gemma is an open-source flavor of Gemini from Google. And Reddit wants to reserve some IPO shares for its users. Links: Signal Finally Rolls Out Usernames, So You Can Keep Your Phone Number Private (Wired) Apple is hardening iMessage encryption now to protect it from a threat that doesn't exist yet (Apple Insider) Apple’s iMessage Is Getting Post-Quantum Encryption (Wired) Apple Sports: New Free App Provides Real-Time Scores and Stats, Designed to Drive Apple TV Tune-In (Variety) Apple launches Apple Sports app with scores and betting odds (The Verge) Apple says iPhone 15 batteries have a longer lifespan than initially thought (9to5Mac) Apple retroactively doubles the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro’s battery lifespan (Macworld) Google Gemma: because Google doesn’t want to give away Gemini yet (The Verge) Meet 'Groq,' the AI Chip That Leaves Elon Musk’s Grok in the Dust (Gizmodo) Reddit Plans to Sell Stock to Loyal Users in Unusual IPO Wager (WSJ) Ed Zitron YouTube Bonus Episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Perhaps the biggest law enforcement action against a ransomware gang ever. Once again, you could view other people’s cameras on your Wyze camera. How Anthropic is raising to do battle with OpenAI. Are the VCs flocking back to San Francisco? And comprehensive proof that defense tech is the new VC hotness. Links: FBI Seizes LockBit Hacking Websites in Ransomware Disruption (Bloomberg) Wyze outage led to the cameras of 13,000 customers being shown to other users (9to5Google) Reddit Signs AI Content Licensing Deal Ahead of IPO (Bloomberg) Inside the Funding Frenzy at Anthropic, One of A.I.’s Hottest Start-Ups (NYTimes) Tech Leaders Fled San Francisco During the Pandemic. Now, They’re Coming Back. (WSJ) UK, Allies Look to Arm Ukraine With AI-Enabled Swarm Drones (Bloomberg) How Silicon Valley learned to love America, drones and glory (Washington Post) Pursuing ‘American Dynamism,’ Andreessen Horowitz Ups Its Game in DC (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An interview with Bluesky CEO Jay Graber about the future of social media. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50 and code ride50 for 50% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Huge watershed reveal of OpenAI’s Sora, its first text-to-video model, which can create up to a minute of 1080p video. We used to have a Today In Elon segment. We’re close to needing a Today In Sam Altman one. Increasing signs the Crypto winter is ending. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: OpenAI introduces Sora, its text-to-video AI model (The Verge) OpenAI’s Sora Turns AI Prompts Into Photorealistic Videos (Wired) OpenAI’s newest model Sora can generate videos — and they look decent (TechCrunch) OpenAI’s Sam Altman Seeks US Blessing to Raise Billions for AI Chips (Bloomberg) Sam Altman owns OpenAI's venture capital fund (Axios) Crypto exits remain low but investors remain unfazed (TechCrunch) Crypto venture funding climbs for first time in nearly 2 years after bitcoin’s stellar run (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The fediverse, explained (The Verge) How an African streaming service dethroned Netflix (RestOfWorld) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google’s moving fast. They’ve already launched Gemini 1.5. An EU court rules breaking encryption violates human rights. Why social media is flooded with posts of users returning their Apple Vision Pros. And more proof that the AI moment is making Nvidia one of the most powerful tech companies in the world. Links: Gemini 1.5 is Google’s next-gen AI model — and it’s already almost ready (The Verge) Google’s new Gemini model can analyze an hour-long video — but few people can use it (TechCrunch) Backdoors that let cops decrypt messages violate human rights, EU court says (Ars Technica) People are returning Vision Pro in droves … or are they? (Cult of Mac) OpenAI Develops Web Search Product in Challenge to Google (The Information) ChatGPT is getting ‘memory’ to remember who you are and what you like (The Verge) What comes after Stable Diffusion? Stable Cascade could be Stability AI’s future text-to-image generative AI model (VentureBeat) Nvidia Overtakes Alphabet, One Day After Eclipsing Amazon (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Even Mark Zuckerberg is posting about the Apple Vision Pro. In short: he’s not impressed. Walmart might buy a smart TV maker for the ads. Y Combinator has a new list of the type of startups it wants to see. Maybe don’t give all your secrets to those AI “girlfriend” bots. And why you might have a hard time getting an Uber after your Valentine’s Day dinner tonight. Links: After trying the Vision Pro, Mark Zuckerberg says Quest 3 ‘is the better product, period’ (The Verge) Walmart in Talks to Buy TV Maker Vizio (WSJ) Walmart Eyeing Deal to Buy Vizio for More Than $2 Billion: Report (Variety) Y Combinator Seeks Startups in Robotics, Space and Defense (Bloomberg) OpenAI Researcher Andrej Karpathy Departs (The Information) Apple’s Longest-Serving Designer to Depart Company, Adding to Exodus (Bloomberg) Your AI Girlfriend Is a Data-Harvesting Horror Show (Gizmodo) Uber, Lyft drivers to strike on Valentine’s Day over pay (Washington Post) YouTube Of Bluesky CEO Interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Threads gets “today’s topics.” iMessage and Bing dodge EU DMA regulation. Why Temu bought a bunch of SuperBowl ads. Nvidia’s Chat with RTX lets you run your own ChatGPT right on your Windows machine. And why Microsoft’s forthcoming Xbox strategy shift is potentially such a big deal. Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Shopify.com/ride Links: In battle with X, Threads gets trending topics where politics will be allowed (TechCrunch) Apple iMessage, Microsoft Bing Dodge EU’s Big Tech Crackdown (Bloomberg) Temu Spent Millions on Six Super Bowl Ads as It Tries to Win Back US Shoppers (Bloomberg) The unsettling scourge of obituary spam (The Verge) Chat With RTX brings custom local chatbots to Nvidia AI PCs (VentureBeat) NVIDIA's New AI Chatbot Relies On Local Files, Not the Cloud (HowToGeek) Nvidia’s Chat with RTX is a promising AI chatbot that runs locally on your PC (The Verge) Microsoft prepares to take Xbox everywhere (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is actual neo-ludditeism going to become a thing, as some people have predicted? Google reveals the strength of its subscription businesses. A review of Google’s Gemini. Bluesky is open and doing some interesting things. And what about the strategic position Snap suddenly finds itself in? Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Links: A crowd destroyed a driverless Waymo car in San Francisco (The Verge) Google One hits 100 million subscribers (The Verge) Google’s Gemini assistant is a fantastic and frustrating glimpse of the AI future (The Verge) ASML's next chip challenge: rollout of its new $350 mln 'High NA EUV' machine (Reuters) Meta turns its back on politics again, angering some news creators (Washington Post) Bluesky Opens Up (TechDirt) It’s Snap versus the world (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Altman wants to raise more money for his chip ambitions than the entire semiconductor industry. The Feds might put the breaks on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision… again. Is Ring raising its subscription doorbell prices too much? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/boost Links: Sam Altman Seeks Trillions of Dollars to Reshape Business of Chips and AI (WSJ) Exclusive: Nvidia chases $30 billion custom chip market with new unit -sources (Reuters) Disney’s Epic Deal Values Fortnite Maker at $22.5 Billion, a Sharp Cut (The Information) Activision Had Planned Layoffs Before Merger, Microsoft Says (Bloomberg) Ring video doorbell customers angry at 43% price hike (BBC) Ring is raising the price of its cheapest subscription plan by 25 percent (The Verge) Arm shares surge 48% after SoftBank-controlled chip designer issues strong forecast (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Can AI Unlock the Secrets of the Ancient World? (Bloomberg Businessweek) AI Just Discovered 'Unreadable' Ancient Scrolls (National Geographic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google has released Gemini Ultra 1.0, renamed Bard as Gemini and looks to be replacing Google Assistant with Gemini. Disney has invested in a big stake of Epic Games to get at Fortnite IP. Leaked images of the Pixel Fold 2. And what if OpenAI is facing the same strategic dilemma that Mark Zuckerberg was never able to overcome? Sponsors: Robinhood.com/boost Links: Google’s AI now goes by a new name: Gemini (The Verge) Google Assistant Just Got Supercharged With AI. It Might Be the Biggest Update in Google's History. (Gizmodo) Google Prepares for a Future Where Search Isn’t King (Wired) Google Joins Effort to Help Spot Content Made With A.I. (NYTimes) Disney to take $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games, work with Fortnite maker on new content (CNBC) China had "persistent" access to U.S. critical infrastructure (Axios) Exclusive: This could be the Google Pixel Fold 2 (Android Authority) OpenAI Shifts AI Battleground to Software That Operates Devices, Automates Tasks (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI is adding watermarks to Dall-E 3 images. A new AI model from Apple. A new open source model that is king of the LLM hill. More rumors of a foldable iPhone. A new streaming service that will be like Hulu but for sports. And the specific words and phrases that will get your college application essay flagged as being AI-generated. Sponsors: TryFum.com/ride to save 10% off the Journey Pack today. Links: OpenAI is adding new watermarks to DALL-E 3 (The Verge) Apple Develops a Foldable Clamshell iPhone (The Information) ESPN, Fox and Warner Team Up to Create Sports Streaming Platform (WSJ) Apple releases ‘MGIE’, a revolutionary AI model for instruction-based image editing (VentureBeat) Meet ‘Smaug-72B’: The new king of open-source AI (VentureBeat) Did You Use ChatGPT On Your School Applications? These Words May Tip Off Admissions (Forbes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Don’t forget your Vision Pro password, or else you’re going to have to return it to the Apple Store to use it again. Why are the gaming platforms willing to play nice all of the sudden? The AI that can spit out fake IDs in seconds. Does Google owe you yet more money? And more signs the tech recession is over. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Hims.com/ride Links: Forgot Your Apple Vision Pro’s Passcode? You May Have to Take It Back to Store (Bloomberg) YouTube says a Vision Pro app is ‘on the roadmap’ (The Verge) Microsoft to share details on bringing Xbox games to PlayStation next week (The Verge) Roblox rolls out real-time AI translation for all users — is this the start of true global multiplayer? (Tom's Guide) Inside the Underground Site Where ‘Neural Networks’ Churn Out Fake IDs (404Media) Google agrees to pay $350 million settlement in data privacy case (Washington Post) Digital ad market shows signs of sharp rebound as Meta, Amazon point to growth (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Let me tell you the story of the most shocking AI deepfake scam we’ve heard yet, because it’s a warning to all of us going forward. An Apple Vision Pro teardown explains why EyeSight looks so blurry. Another sign that Google is losing interest in the web. And an interesting peek behind the curtain revealing the economics and motivation of tech media. Sponsors: ShipStation.com/ride code: ride Links: Finance worker pays out $25 million after video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’ (CNN) Vision Pro Teardown—Why Those Fake Eyes Look So Weird (iFixIt) Google Search’s cache links are officially being retired (The Verge) TECHCRUNCH+ TERMINATION ("Securities") YouTube Video Of Vision Pro Demos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our friend Chris Dixon is back to talk about his new book: Read Write Own! How Web3 and the blockchain can save the web as we know it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A run down of some interesting details from Tech’s big earnings day yesterday. Rufus is Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant. The Browser Company continues to be the catalyst for me thinking about how AI is going to change the web. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code: RIDEHOME Links: Amazon debuts ‘Rufus,’ an AI shopping assistant in its mobile app (TechCrunch) Cloudflare hacked using auth tokens stolen in Okta attack (BleepingComputer) The Browser Company Announces Act II for Arc: ‘The Browser That Browses For You’ (MacStories) The Arc browser is getting better bookmarks and search results, all thanks to AI (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: AI Can Speed Drug Discovery. But Is It Really Better Than a Human? (Bloomberg) The scariest sound on TikTok (The Verge) The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Movies of All Time (Rolling Stone) LATE BLOOMER (Vanity Fair) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why I think yesterday’s Congressional hearings might actually be a tipping point for tech regulation. What would a Kids Online Safety Act actually mean? More proof of YouTube’s dominance. Celsius and FTX customers are about to get some money back. And Google’s new text to image AI processor. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids online safety bill (TechCrunch) Americans’ Social Media Use (Pew Research Center) Celsius to Distribute $3B Crypto to Creditors as Firm Emerges From Bankruptcy (CoinDesk) Google launches an AI-powered image generator (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The tech execs have been called before Congress once again. Universal Music Group pulls its songs from TikTok. Is 23andMe in danger of going out of business? Figure is an AI robotics company that Microsoft and OpenAI might be about to invest in. And say hello to the Chief AI Officer job title. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Social media chiefs on defensive at US online child protection hearing (FT) TikTok CEO Pledges $2 Billion to Protect 170 Million US Users (Bloomberg) Child Safety Hearing (NYTimes) Universal Music Group Warns It Will Pull Songs From TikTok After Deal Expiration (Variety) 23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0 (WSJ) Humanoid Robot Startup Figure AI in Funding Talks With Microsoft, OpenAI (Bloomberg) Figure AI in talks with Microsoft and OpenAI for funding (ReadWrite) Figure-01: AI learns how to make coffee like a human (ReadWrite) Microsoft and OpenAI are in talks to inject $500 million into humanoid robotics startup Figure AI, report says (Business Insider) Hottest Job in Corporate America? The Executive in Charge of A.I. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted its device into a human for the first time. You can search for Taylor Swift X again, but was a Microsoft tool to blame for the deepfakes? Better AI coding from Meta. And I read all the Apple Vision Pro reviews so you don’t have to. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants brain tech in human patient for the first time (CNBC) Microsoft Closes Loophole That Created AI Porn of Taylor Swift (404 Media) Meta releases ‘Code Llama 70B’, an open-source behemoth to rival private AI development (VentureBeat) Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not (The Verge) Apple Vision Pro review: A revolution in progress (Tom's Guide) Apple Vision Pro Review: The Best Headset Yet Is Just a Glimpse of the Future (WSJ) Apple’s Vision Pro is nearly here. But what can you do with it? (Washington Post) Apple Vision Pro Review: A Mind-Blowing Look at an Unfinished Future (CNET) YouTube Video Of My Interview With Chris Dixon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amazon calls off its iRobot acquisition. Is Arc Search the future of search we were talking to Baratunde about this weekend? Why you can’t search for Taylor Swift on X at the moment. How many ads will be in streaming? And who is quietly killing it in subscription gaming? The answer may surprise you. Links: Amazon Drops $1.4 Billion iRobot Deal; Vacuum Maker Cuts Jobs (Bloomberg) Arc Search combines browser, search engine, and AI into something new and different (The Verge) Arc’s new iPhone browser wants to be your search companion (TechCrunch) X Halts Taylor Swift Searches After Explicit AI Images Spread (WSJ) Chinese AR Glasses Maker Raises $60 Million to Compete With Apple (Bloomberg) Amazon Is Now Charging Prime Members Extra for Ad-Free Streaming. For Some, That’s a Deal Breaker. (WSJ) Games are helping the New York Times thrive amid media chaos (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The great Baratunde Thurston join Chris and Brian to talk about his hour-long in-person demo with the Apple Vision Pro. In the second half, we discuss the idea of whether or not Google Search (and maybe the web) is doomed in the era of AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple has announced major changes to the App Store. In the EU, alternative app marketplaces, but does the new Core Technology Fee mean it’s still a shell game? Also in Europe, alternative default browsers. And for everyone, game streaming apps are now permissible. Also, cheaper GPT from OpenAI. And is Cruise in trouble with the Feds? Links: iOS 17.4 Introduces Alternative App Marketplaces With No Commission in EU (MacRumors) Apple will prompt users to set default browsers and allow third-party web engines on iPhone in the EU (9to5Mac) Apple opens App Store to game streaming services (The Verge) Apple's EU Core Technology Fee Could Bankrupt Freemium App Developers (MacRumors) OpenAI drops prices and fixes ‘lazy’ GPT-4 that refused to work (TechCrunch) DOJ and SEC investigate GM-owned self-driving car company Cruise (WashingtonPost) Baratrunde Thurston Bonus Episode Video On YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Palworld surpasses 8 million in sales, The Pokemon Company says it will “investigate and take appropriate measures” with regards to those IP infringement allegations. Layoffs at Activision Blizzard and Xbox. Google’s Lumiere is a text to video AI generator. And how the rising prices of streaming services are fueling a resurgence in piracy. Links: Inquiries Regarding Other Companies’ Games (The Pokemon Company) Microsoft lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees (The Verge) Google’s latest AI video generator can render cute animals in implausible situations (ArsTechnica) Pixel facing new storage issue, likely tied to January Google Play system update (9to5Google) Microsoft Teams now supports 3D and VR meetings (The Verge) Microsoft Closes at Record, Ends Just Shy of $3 Trillion Value (Bloomberg) Streaming Pirates Are Hollywood’s New Villains (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Netflix kicks off Tech Earnings Season, and suggests it’s taking it’s cheapest ad-free plan away. The one chart that shows why Netflix is winning the streaming wars. Spotify demos how it plans to break out of Apple’s App Store. Renders of the Pixel 9 have already leaked. Apple scales back its EV car plans. And an interesting raise to help you pay your rent. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Netflix is going to take away its cheapest ad-free plan (The Verge) The secret to Netflix's total dominance (Business Insider) Spotify plans to launch in-app purchases, if Apple gets out of the way (The Verge) [Exclusive] Pixel 9 Pro 5K Renders and 360 Degree Video Provide First Look At Google’s Flagship Ahead of Launch (MySmartPrice) EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce (CNBC) Apple Dials Back Car’s Self-Driving Features and Delays Launch to 2028 (Bloomberg) Apple boosts plans to bring generative AI to iPhones (FT) Bilt Nabs $3.1 Billion Valuation, Ken Chenault Joins as Chairman (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Netflix is getting into the live event business in a big way by buying the rights to WWE wrestling. We have the first political ad incident of the AI era. Who’s really doing all the buying on apps like Shein and Temu? OpenAI struggles to fend of an army of girlfriend bots. And let me introduce you to Palworld. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride TryFum.com/ride and code ride Links: Netflix Pays $5 Billion for ‘Raw’ in Bet on Live Events (Bloomberg) Fake Joe Biden robocall tells New Hampshire Democrats not to vote Tuesday (NBCNews) iOS 17.3 is out, adding Stolen Device Protection for your iPhone (The Verge) Temu’s Most Loyal Shoppers Are Actually Boomers and Gen Xers (Bloomberg) OPENAI STRUGGLING TO DESTROY ONSLAUGHT OF AI GIRLFRIENDS (The Byte) AI girlfriend bots are already flooding OpenAI’s GPT store (QZ) The Rise of Palworld: How ‘Pokémon With Guns’ Became an Overnight Hit (Wired) Palworld is a hit, and it’s easy to see why (The Verge) Video of me flirting with an AI "girlfriend" bot YouTube of Saturday's Bonus Episode with Baratunde Thurston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Just what the title says. How many Vision Pros do we think Apple sold this weekend? And Mark Gurman has some ideas for why developers are so lukewarm on the product. Eleven Labs is an interesting raise. Sam Altman seems serious about making his own AI chips. And the breakthrough in VR from Disney Imagineers that would allow you to literally walk through the Metaverse. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50 and code ride50 for 50% off MindBloom.com/techmeme and code techmeme for $100 off Links: Vision Pro sales estimated at 160k to 180k over first three days (9to5Mac) Apple’s Testy Developer Relationships Threaten to Hamper Vision Pro (Bloomberg) Meta will let EU users unlink their Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger info ahead of DMA (The Verge) Voice cloning startup ElevenLabs lands $80M, achieves unicorn status (TechCrunch) Altman Seeks to Raise Billions for Network of AI Chip Factories (Bloomberg) Nightshade, the free tool that ‘poisons’ AI models, is now available for artists to use (VentureBeat) YouTube Video Of The Holotiles From Disney Imagineering Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Preorders for the Vision Pro begin, but huge new questions about partner support have arisen. Zuckerberg says he wants to open source AGI. You’re going to have to pay for those Galaxy AI features. Perplexity will power the rabbit r1. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men and promocode Ridehome Links: YouTube and Spotify Won’t Launch Apple Vision Pro Apps, Joining Netflix (Bloomberg) A Survey of Popular Apps Currently Compatible With Apple Vision Pro (MacStories) Mark Zuckerberg’s new goal is creating artificial general intelligence (The Verge) EU Commission Intends to Block Amazon’s iRobot Acquisition (WSJ) Samsung says Galaxy AI features will only be free ‘until the end of 2025’ (9to5Google) The rabbit r1 will use Perplexity AI’s tech to answer your queries (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How Twitch lost its way (Fast Company) Astronomers spotted something perplexing near the beginning of time (Vox) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google signals more layoffs are in the mail, but what’s interesting is what that says about Google specifically. Reddit is probably going to IPO in a few months. How did tying itself to ChatGPT work out for Bing? Why is Netflix not on the Vision Pro? And the fun parlor game that suggests AI spam is a human centipede situation. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/ride Notion.com/ride Links: Google CEO tells employees to expect more job cuts this year (The Verge) YouTube is restructuring creator management teams (TubeFilter) Exclusive: Reddit seeks to launch IPO in March (Reuters) Microsoft’s Bing Market Share Barely Budged With ChatGPT Add-On (Bloomberg) Apple's Vision Pro Won't Launch With Netflix App (Bloomberg) Startup Investors Have Fled The Metaverse (CrunchBaseNews) I’m sorry, but I cannot fulfill this request as it goes against OpenAI use policy (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from the Galaxy Unpacked event earlier today. Apple revises its App Store rules but in a way that seems to a lot of people to be in “bad faith.” The big, and big-money talent war going on between Google and OpenAI. And Tesla and Uber are working together to make Uber completely emissions-free. Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Hims.com/ride Links: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is smarter, pricier, and just as big as ever (The Verge) Apple revises US App Store rules to let developers link to outside payment methods, but it will still charge a commission (9to5Mac) Apple allows devs to promote subscriptions on the web with a 27% cut (TechCrunch) Google updates Chrome Incognito disclaimer amid $5 billion lawsuit settlement (MSPowerUser) Google’s Defense Against OpenAI Talent Grab: Special Stock (The Information) Exclusive: Uber steps up efforts to get drivers into Teslas (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The app that was supposed to be TikTok but for news is shutting down. Apple tops global smartphone sales for the first time ever. Microsoft debuts Copilot Pro. How the Apple Vision Pro demos are actually going to work. And about that weekend streaming NFL playoff game. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Ramp.com/techmeme Links: Instagram co-founders’ news aggregation startup Artifact to shut down (TechCrunch) Apple Grabs the Top Spot in the Smartphone Market in 2023 (IDC) Bringing the full power of Copilot to more people and businesses (Microsoft) Apple readies Apple Watch Series 9 ban workaround by disabling blood oxygen functionality [U] (9to5Mac) Apple Vision Pro’s Lengthy Sales Pitch Will Include 25-Minute Demo (Bloomberg) The NFL and Taylor Swift surprisingly aren’t enough to crash Peacock (The Verge) ‘Peacock Game’: The NFL’s Digital Buttfumble (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Just what the title says. All my faves from CES this year. If you want to SEE what I'm talking about, here's the YouTube playlist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Gruber joins Chris and I to talk about AI Hardware, Apple's AI strategy and Apple's Vision Pro launch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How did bitcoin do on its first day of ETF trading? Where are all these tech layoffs coming from? The weird case of eBay executives allegedly harassing people. A look at the AI company taking direct aim at Google Search. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: US bitcoin ETFs see $4.6 billion in volume in first day of trading (Reuters) Discord is laying off 17 percent of employees (The Verge) U.S. Criminally Charges EBay in Cyberstalking Case (NYTimes) This One-Year-Old Startup Is Hoping to be the Next Google—Can It Succeed? (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How AI Replaced the Metaverse as Zuckerberg’s Top Priority (Bloomberg Businessweek) Avi Schiffmann’s Tab AI necklace has raised $1.9 million to replace God (Fast Company) How much detail is too much? Midjourney v6 attempts to find out (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Bitcoin ETFs are here. For real, this time. OpenAI’s GPT store is here. Surprising new layoffs at Google. Netflix continues to show signs that ads are working for them. The Rabbit R1 continues to be a shocking success. And say hello to an AI George Carlin. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market (Reuters) Gary Gensler's Begrudging Bitcoin ETF Concession: 'We Did Not Approve or Endorse Bitcoin' (CoinDesk) Google lays off hundreds working on its voice-activated assistant (Semafor) Google reorganizing Pixel hardware: Fitbit’s James Park leaving, layoffs hit AR team (9to5Google) Google Cuts Hundreds of Jobs in Engineering and Other Divisions (NYTimes) OpenAI Launches New Store For Users to Share Custom Chatbots (Bloomberg) Netflix’s Ad Tier Now Has More Than 23 Million Monthly Active Users, Advertising Chief Says (Variety) X removes support for NFT profile pictures (TechCrunch) AI-Generated ‘George Carlin’ Comedy Special Blasted by Comedian’s Daughter (RollingStone) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The SEC’s X account was compromised by somebody jumping the gun on that Bitcoin ETF thing. Layoffs are back, even at companies that are about to ship their first, high profile products. The hardware AI device at CES that everybody was talking about yesterday. And what AI could do for medical drug discovery, like, right now. Sponsors: Shipstation.com, Promocode: Ride Miro.com/podcast Links: SEC Has Not Approved Bitcoin ETFs, but Its Hacked X Account Briefly Said Otherwise (CoinDesk) Amazon’s Twitch to Cut 500 Employees, About 35% of Staff (Bloomberg) Humane lays off 4 percent of employees before releasing its AI Pin (The Verge) Rabbit’s Little Walkie-Talkie Learns Tasks That Stump Siri and Alexa (Wired) SAG-AFTRA Signs Deal With Voiceover Studio for AI Use in Video Games (Variety) Quora raised $75M from a16z to grow Poe, its AI chat bot platform (Quora) DeepMind spin-off aims to halve drug discovery times following Big Pharma deals (Financial Times) CES Videos YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI responds to the lawsuit from the NYTimes. Do you need ChatGPT in your car? VW thinks you do. Sony teases a “spatial” VR headset. Apple only wants you to call the Vision Pro “spatial computing.” And how you too can sign up to get a demo of the Vision Pro in a couple of weeks. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: OpenAI and journalism (OpenAI Blog) Amazon Debuts Video-Streaming Feature That Rivals Apple AirPlay (Bloomberg) Volkswagen says it’s putting ChatGPT in its cars for ‘enriching conversations’ (The Verge) Sony teased a ‘spatial’ VR headset with a smart control ring (The Verge) Instagram and Facebook Will Stop Treating Teens Like Adults (WSJ) Apple Vision Pro demos in retail stores will begin on February 2 (9to5Mac) Apple asks developers not to refer to their visionOS apps as ‘AR’ or ‘VR’ (9to5Mac) Luma raises $43M to build AI that crafts 3D models (TechCrunch) Hewlett Packard Enterprise Near Deal to Buy Juniper Networks (WSJ) CES Videos YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We now know when the Vision Pro is coming. February 2nd. But you can pre-order on January 19. Xreal’s new Vision Pro competitor. New Wifi announcements from CES. That big Elon possibly using drugs story from the Journal this weekend. And for the first time ever, Netflix is cutting back on producing new shows. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: The Apple Vision Pro will launch in February (The Verge) Apple’s Biggest Challenges in 2024 Have Little to Do With the iPhone (Bloomberg) Wi-Fi’s next big upgrade is officially here (The Verge) Xreal’s new AR glasses are aimed at the Apple Vision Pro (The Verge) Elon Musk Has Used Illegal Drugs, Worrying Leaders at Tesla and SpaceX (WSJ) Netflix Cuts Over 100 Shows In Major Programming Shift (Bloomberg) The CES YouTube Playlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Another big Tesla recall, this time in China, this time, all of them. Every car they ever sold. BNPL is… not dead? Not if holiday shopping data is to be believed. That Blackberry-style iPhone keyboard case that everybody is talking about. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Tesla Recalls 1.6 Million Cars in China Due to Autopilot Crash Risk (Bloomberg) Adobe: Online Holiday Sales Reached Record $222 Billion in 2023 (PMNTS) Amazon Captured 29% of Online Orders Before Christmas (Bloomberg) Netflix Considers Ways to Make Money From Videogames in Possible Pivot (WSJ) OpenAI Offers Publishers as Little as $1 Million a Year (The Information) Clicks is a BlackBerry-style iPhone keyboard case designed for creators (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People. The Law Is Powerless. (Politico) New Spin on a Revolving Door: Pentagon Officials Turned Venture Capitalists (NYTimes) Boy, 13, Is Believed to Be the First to ‘Beat’ Tetris (NYTimes) Full game of Tetris beaten for the first time by 13-year-old Willis Gibson AKA 'Blue Scuti' (YouTube) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Your Windows keyboard is getting its first new key in 30 years. Elon might offer you a cellular plan someday. Is 23andMe blaming the victims of that big data breach? Roku is going high end. XPS laptops are getting bigger. And yes, 2023 was a bad year for all sides of the Venture Capital game. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Microsoft’s new Copilot key is the first big change to Windows keyboards in 30 years (The Verge) SpaceX Launches First Cell Service Satellites With T-Mobile (Bloomberg) LastPass now requires 12-character master passwords for better security (BleepingComputer) 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached (TechCrunch) Roku Launches First High-End TVs in Search of Revenue Growth (Bloomberg) Dell’s XPS laptop lineup is about to look very different (The Verge) Silicon Valley Startups Had Their Worst Funding Year Since 2019 (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Facebook has a new feature, Link History, but why are they doing this and why now? I’m asking. A look at those jockeying to get ahead of a bitcoin ETF. The next Galaxy event is official. A look at the big AI player we seldom talk about. And a look at the AI influencers who are flooding social media. Links: Meet ‘Link History,’ Facebook’s New Way to Track the Websites You Visit (Gizmodo) Fidelity sets Bitcoin ETF fee at 0.39% ahead of expected SEC approvals (Fortune) Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event Set for Jan. 17 (PCMag) Can Midjourney’s CEO Stop a Storm of Fake Election Images? (Bloomberg) How AI-created fakes are taking business from online influencers (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Telegram has completely redesigned its app. Microsoft has brought Copilot to iOS. Camera makers are remaking their hardware for the age of AI. There’s the premium smartphone market, and then there’s the premium premium market segment, and those are the only parts of the smartphone market you want to be in. And will 2024 be the year the Internet gets weird again? Links: Telegram rolls out revamped voice and video calls, new delete animation on Android (9to5Google) Bitcoin climbs above $45,000 to 21-month peak as new year kicks off (Reuters) Global Premium Smartphone Market Continues to See Record Sales in 2023 (Counterpoint) Smartphone makers bet on foldables to revive lacklustre market (Financial Times) Nikon, Sony and Canon fight AI fakes with new camera tech (Nikkei Asia) Microsoft’s Copilot app is now available on iOS (The Verge) The Internet Is About to Get Weird Again (Rolling Stone) Link to the YouTube version of the smartphone segment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Part three of our epic conversation with Stephan Paternot. Here's what happens when you've been through the wringer. When you've been to the top of the rollercoaster and also down to the bottom. Here's how you take stock of your life, how you reinvent yourself, re-find you entrepreneurial spirit... I feel like there are so many lessons in these three episodes. Lessons for entrepreneurs today. Lesson for... I dunno. People in the crypto space? My thanks to Stephan Paternot for an insanely great conversation.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ok, part 2 of the Stephan Paternot mega-episode right now. This is where we get into the meat of it, the good stuff, the whole crazy roller coaster ride of being the hottest startup of the dotcom era. And I was going to make this the last episode, but as I was editing this, I realized that after we get done with this story, Stephan talks a lot about what happens after... what happens after you've been on a crazy ride like this. How you have to reinvent yourself, and your life, and your career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The story of the quintessential dotcom company. Also, if you squint, you can see the birth of social media. I said in the book, I think TheGlobe.com was the quintessential dot-com company. We spoke to one of the cofounders previously, Todd Krizelman. Todd was great, but he was time constrained and he didn’t quite get as personal about the story as I would have hoped. Well, I finally got to talk to the other founder of TheGlobe, Stephan Paternot. And Stephan was… AMAZING. He shared the whole story, the whole wild ride, from a historical angle, from a business angle, from an entrepreneurial angle and also, from a very personal angle. THIS the dot-com era story I’ve been looking for for years. It’s also the story of probably the most important pioneer of social media before there was even a term for such a thing. And by the way… that TV Show that just came out on NAT GEO, Valley of the Boom? THIS IS THAT STORY. Stephan just re-released his book, A Very Public Offering: The Story of theglobe.com and the First Internet Revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has been talking to everybody in media, it turns out. But how would a partnership turn out for media? Google settles another big lawsuit. The first of the gadget announces for CES season have begun. Can Xiaomi do with cars what it did with cellphones? And the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/ride Links: Inside the News Industry’s Uneasy Negotiations With OpenAI (NYTimes) Google agrees to settle Chrome incognito mode class action lawsuit (ArsTechnica) LG’s new ultra-lightweight Gram laptops include some OLED screens and AI Boost (The Verge) EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft readies 'next-gen' AI-focused Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 with Arm chips and design upgrades for 2024 (Windows Central) Xiaomi Unveils Its First EV, With Ambition to Be China’s Porsche or Tesla (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Most Secretive Longevity Lab Finally Opens Its Doors (Bloomberg Businessweek) Lab-grown diamonds go luxury — and rock the industry (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Researchers have found a gnarly zero-click, zero-day iMessage hack that has been exploited. Apple can sell watches again! What was the best performing tech stock of 2023? Will 2024 be the climax of the streaming wars? And will 2024 be the year Apple finally gets serious about gaming on the Mac? Links: 4-year campaign backdoored iPhones using possibly the most advanced exploit ever (ArsTechnica) Apple can temporarily sell smartwatches after US appeals court win (Reuters) The Late-Night Email to Tim Cook That Set the Apple Watch Saga in Motion (Bloomberg) Seattle’s Zulily will ‘wind down’ its business and liquidate its assets (Seattle Times) Affirm’s stock quintupled this year, beating all tech peers, on buy now, pay later boom (CNBC) ‘Shakeout has begun’ after $5bn streaming loss for Netflix rivals (FT) Inside Apple's Massive Push To Transform The Mac Into A Gaming Paradise (Inverse) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The NYT has broken the seal and sued OpenAI and Microsoft. Ads are coming to Prime Video in mere days. More rumors about Jony Ive founding an AI hardware startup with Sam Altman. Anthropic seems to be provide OpenAI isn’t the only one that can make money in the AI space. And when chips go beyond the 1 kilowatt barrier, you need to liquid cool them. Sponsors: NakedWines.com/ride use code AND password ride Notion.com/ride Links: The Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over A.I. Use of Copyrighted Work (NYTimes) Amazon Prime Video will start showing ads on January 29th (The Verge) Apple’s iPhone Design Chief Enlisted by Jony Ive, Sam Altman to Work on AI Devices (Bloomberg) Big Tech outspends venture capital firms in AI investment frenzy (Financial Times) Anthropic Projects At Least $850 Million in Annualized Revenue Rate Next Year (The Information) Microsoft’s game changer feature reinstalls Windows 11 directly via Windows Update (Windows Latest) GM stops Chevy Blazer EV sales after early software problems (TechCrunch) How thermal management is changing in the age of the kilowatt chip (The Register) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple’s whole AI strategy has been coming into focus these last couple of weeks. Two stories on this, including Apple’s first announced LLM. OpenAI is fundraising again. Hackers are targeting gaming studios again. And as President Biden didn’t deliver the pardon, what is this patent case against the Apple Watch? I’ll explain. Links: Apple quietly released an open source multimodal LLM in October (VentureBeat) Apple Explores A.I. Deals With News Publishers (NYTimes) OpenAI Is in Talks to Raise New Funding at Valuation of $100 Billion or More (Bloomberg) Ubisoft says it's investigating reports of a new security breach (BleepingComputer) GTA 5 source code reportedly leaked online a year after RockStar hack (BleepingComputer) Puzzle game ‘Royal Match’ dethrones ‘Candy Crush’ from top of app store (Financial Times) Apple Watch battle heralds further patent wrangles (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This time we talk about the AOL/Time Warner Merger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The first time I went on the Acquired Podcast, back in March of 2017. We talked about Yahoo's acquisition of Overture. I know you probably haven't heard of either of those names, but in a roundabout way, this is the story of how Google makes so much money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Me on The Newsworthy Podcast talking the tech trends of 2023. Alliterative! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Hyperloop dream is dead. The attempt to bridge the iMessage divide is dead. China’s gaming industry isn’t dead, but it’s pretty wounded. The crazy story of that teenage hacker who leaked the GTA VI stuff. The weekend longreads suggestions, and at the very end, a unique look back at the evolution of the AI moment. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code ridehome Links: The hyperloop is dead for real this time (The Verge) Beeper is giving up on its iMessage dream (The Verge) Apple’s Newest Headache: An App That Upended Its Control Over Messaging (NYTimes) Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear (Bloomberg) Lapsus$: GTA 6 hacker handed indefinite hospital order (BBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Race to Fill Crypto’s FTX-Shaped Hole (Wired) As the AI era begins, Reddit is leaning into its humanity (Fast Company) Tolkien Estate Wins Court Order to Destroy Fan’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ Sequel (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Galaxy S24 lineup had a big spec leak. So what do the new phones have and what is Galaxy AI? Get ready cause the Apple Vision Pro hype tsunami is about to wash over us. A big merger might happen soon to confirm the consolidation phase of the Streaming Wars is upon us. Waymo has data that says its robot drivers are safer. And Apple doesn’t do the little things anymore? How about making a version of Car Play just for two specific car brands? Links: Leaked Samsung S24 spec sheet offers complete picture of the upcoming lineup (The Verge) Apple Ramps Up Vision Pro Production, Aiming for Launch by February (Bloomberg) Apple loses attempt to halt Apple Watch sales ban (The Verge) Scoop: Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount Global (Axios) Waymo has 7.1 million driverless miles — how does its driving compare to humans? (The Verge) Aston Martin, Porsche Preview Bespoke Apple CarPlay Interfaces (Car And Driver) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rite Aid was apparently doing some crazy stuff with facial recognition software. Sony says the PS5 is killing it. ByteDance is definitely killing it. Microsoft CoPilot can now compose songs. And maybe the real reason OpenAI is making deals with publishers. Links: Rite Aid Banned From AI Facial Recognition by FTC After Misuse (Bloomberg) PlayStation sales and blockbuster games propel console market back to growth (FT) ByteDance’s Sales Break $110 Billion to Pass Tencent This Year (ByteDance) SSH protects the world’s most sensitive networks. It just got a lot weaker (ArsTechnica) Microsoft Copilot gets a music creation feature via Suno integration (TechCrunch) Scooter Company Bird Global Files Bankruptcy to Sell Itself (Bloomberg) What Do AI Companies Want With the Media? (NYMag) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google has settled lawsuits from the states, has agreed to offer new billing tools, and may owe YOU some money as they’ve agreed to pay $700 million dollars in restitution. What happens to adobe and Figma now that they’ve got to go their own ways? Why do hackers love targeting game developers? And game preservationist have uncovered a gold mine. Sponsors: EarIn App (Enter code techmeme to give us credit) Links: Google to Pay $700 Million in Play Store Settlement (WSJ) 102 million people eligible for Google’s $630M lawsuit settlement (Washington Post) Figma Grew Fast Even as Executives Failed to Clinch Adobe Deal (The Information) Adobe Has $6 Billion for AI and Buybacks After Figma Deal Collapses (Bloomberg) TikTok rolls out an enhanced app experience for tablets and foldables (TickTok) Xfinity discloses data breach affecting over 35 million people (Bleeping Computer) OpenAI Says Board Can Overrule CEO on Safety of New AI Releases (Bloomberg) Game preservationists dig for lost apps in TestFlight ‘teraleak’ (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big news Monday. Adobe and Figma have called off their wedding. Apple might stop selling its top-of-the-line Apple Watches, in the US, this week. I’ll tell you why. The EU has formally opened an investigation into X. And why are all of the Hollywood studios suddenly willing to sell their content to Netflix again? Sponsors: Shipstation.com, code ride Links: Adobe, Figma shelve $20 bln deal after hitting regulatory roadblocks (Reuters) Apple to halt Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 sales in the US this week (9to5Mac) EU opens formal DSA investigation into X in wake of Israel-Hamas war (The Verge) Adam Mosseri spells out Threads’ plans for the fediverse (The Verge) He’s Wanted for Wirecard’s Missing $2 Billion. He’s Now Suspected of Being a Russian Spy. (WSJ) In Search of Cash, Studios Send Old Shows Back to Netflix (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
You can learn more about AdHawk Microsystems. But especially learn more about the MindLink Air. And the link to the YouTube version of this interview is here if you want to watch the demo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did Google just kill geofence warrants? Intel wants you to know it’s in the AI game. Could we get a foldable iPad before we get a foldable iPhone? Soon, maybe your tv really will be spying on you to deliver ads. The AI stuffed toy that Grimes has partnered with. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Planet Money Podcast Links: Is This the End of Geofence Warrants? (The EFF) Intel unveils new AI chip to compete with Nvidia and AMD (CNBC) Report: Apple has ‘no concrete timeline’ for a foldable iPad, focused on OLED displays instead (9to5Mac) Marketing Company Claims That It Actually Is Listening to Your Phone and Smart Speakers to Target Ads (404Media) Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs (TechCrunch) Grimes is working on an interactive AI toy for kids. Meet Grok. (Washington Post) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: OpenAI’s Ilya Sutskever Has a Plan for Keeping Super-Intelligent AI in Check (Wired) Tesla Autopilot Recall Threatens Its Defense in Lawsuits Over Crashes (Bloomberg) Microsoft’s Digital Crime Unit Goes Deep on How It Disrupts Cybercrime (Wired) https://www.instagram.com/techmemeridehomepod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The gates have been opened for Europeans on Threads, and it looks like Meta’s serious about tying Threads into to Fediverse. I argue that the release of a new charging case for the AirPods Pro is kinda a big deal. Wait until you hear this wild story about hackers versus a train. And maybe ChatGPT DIDN’T turn students into cheaters afterall. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: Meta starts testing Threads integration with ActivityPub (TechCrunch) Threads launches for nearly half a billion more users in Europe (The Verge) Apple now sells the AirPods Pro USB-C case by itself — for $99 (The Verge) Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available on Meta’s Quest VR headsets (The Verge) Etsy Cuts 11% of Headcount as Competition From Shein and Temu Mounts (The Information) Polish Hackers Repaired Trains the Manufacturer Artificially Bricked. Now The Train Company Is Threatening Them (404 Media) Cheating Fears Over Chatbots Were Overblown, New Research Suggests (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple has a new tool to help you if your iPhone gets stolen. There’s a huge Tesla recall related to Autopilot. More AI tools from Google. How is X doing, you know, financially speaking? And Netflix’s first ever What We Watched report. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Mindbloom.com/techmeme100 and code techmeme100 Links: Apple Makes Security Changes to Protect Users From iPhone Thefts (WSJ) Google Offers Enhanced Generative AI Features for Cloud Customers (Bloomberg) Tesla Recalls 2 Million Cars to Fix Autopilot Safety Flaws (Bloomberg) FCC issues final denial of $885M Starlink subsidy (TechCrunch) Musk’s X 2023 Ad Sales Projected to Slump to About $2.5 Billion (Bloomberg) EU Deal to Force Uber, Deliveroo Treat Some Drivers as Employees (Bloomberg) OpenAI to Pay Politico Parent Axel Springer for Using Its Content (WSJ) Netflix reveals how many hours we spent watching The Night Agent and Queen Charlotte (The Verge) Follow the podcast on TikTok: @techmemeridehomepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Epic Games has won its case against Google’s app store, but why was this case different than the one they lost to Apple? The sort of big changes to Apple TV. BeReal is still around and still… being real. But E3 is not. It’s officially over as a conference. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Epic win: Jury decides Google has illegal monopoly in app store fight (The Verge) Google’s Epic Legal Defeat Threatens $200 Billion App Store Industry (Bloomberg) Exclusive: Apple offers to let rivals access tap-and-go tech in EU antitrust case (Reuters) Apple iTunes Will Now Redirect Users to Redesigned Apple TV App for Movies, Series (Variety) BeReal adds private groups and Live Photo-like features; Pew estimates 13% of US teens use app (TechCrunch) E3, once gaming’s biggest expo, is officially dead (Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I told you the open-source AI startups were coming, and a big one is making waves today. Apple’s iPad lineup is hella confusing, but Mark Gurman says Apple is working to streamline that in the coming year. And let me give you the background on that whole Effective Accelerationist movement you might have been hearing about online. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast CrashPlan.com/ridehome Links: Mistral, French A.I. Start-Up, Is Valued at $2 Billion in Funding Round (NYTimes) Nvidia Sees Vietnam as Potential Second Home, Reports Say (Bloomberg) Apple Is Working on Cleaning Up Its Confusing iPad Lineup (Bloomberg) China’s cyber army is invading critical U.S. services (Washington Post) This A.I. Subculture’s Motto: Go, Go, Go (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People across the Internet are accusing Google of faking that Gemini AI video demo that everyone was wowed by. Apple seems to be diversifying out of China for manufacturing at pace now. Might the UK’s CMA have an issue with Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: ShopBeam.com/ride Links: Google’s Gemini Looks Remarkable, But It’s Still Behind OpenAI (Bloomberg) Early impressions of Google’s Gemini aren’t great (TechCrunch) Apple to move key iPad engineering resources to Vietnam (NikkeiAsia) Microsoft, OpenAI Are Facing a Potential Antitrust Probe in UK (Bloomberg) Google launches NotebookLM powered by Gemini Pro, drops waitlist (9to5Google) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The real research behind the wild rumors about OpenAI’s Q* project (ArsTechnica) AI and Mass Spying (Schneier On Security) The race to 5G is over — now it’s time to pay the bill (The Verge) In the Hall v. Oates legal feud, fans don’t want to play favorites (NBCNews) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta has kept a longstanding promise to encrypt Messenger by default. Apple is coming clean about the notifications spying thing. AMD’s answer to Nvidia. We know when the next major version of Windows is coming and, surprise, it’s got AI all over it. And Apple releases its first little AI hint. Sponsor: Dragonball Legends Links: Messenger is finally getting end-to-end encryption by default (The Verge) Federal government is using data from push notifications to track contacts (Washington Post) AMD unveils Instinct MI300X GPU and MI300A APU, claims up to 1.6X lead over Nvidia’s competing GPUs (Tom's Hardware) Meta launches a standalone AI-powered image generator (TechCrunch) PlayStation keeps reminding us why digital ownership sucks (The Verge) EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft readies 'groundbreaking' AI-focused Windows release as new leadership takes the helm (Windows Central) Apple launches MLX machine-learning framework for Apple Silicon (ComputerWorld) Is Elon's AI Copying Me? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Say hello to Gemini, Google’s new AI model designed to go head to head with OpenAI. Governments have been spying on your phone’s notifications, but Apple couldn’t tell you about that until now. Why is Twitch shutting down service in what is one of the biggest markets in the world for esports? And another way to hide your green bubbles in iMessage. Sponsors: CrashPlan.com/ridehome The Traceroute Podcast Links: Meet Gemini, the AI That Google Says Is Way, Way Better Than ChatGPT (Gizmodo) Google’s Gemini AI model is coming to the Pixel 8 Pro — and eventually to Android (The Verge) Google announces the Cloud TPU v5p, its most powerful AI accelerator yet (TechCrunch) Governments spying on Apple, Google users through push notifications - US senator (Reuters) Twitch plans to shut down in South Korea on February 27, 2024 (VentureBeat) There’s a new iMessage for Android app — and it actually works (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The 23andMe hack just keeps getting worse. A new phone! The OnePlus 12. A new AI Alliance. New, upgraded spam filters. And all you need to know about the big Grand Theft Auto VI news. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Nuts.com/ride Links: 23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million users (TechCrunch) A detailed look at the OnePlus 12 ahead of its global launch (The Verge) Instagram and Facebook Messenger chats are being disconnected this month (9to5Google) Meta, IBM Create Industrywide AI Alliance to Share Technology (Bloomberg) Amazon Fails To Renew Live UK Premier League Rights As Sky & TNT Maintain Grip On Games (Deadline) Gmail’s AI-powered spam detection is its biggest security upgrade in years (ArsTechnica) ChatGPT will no longer comply if you ask it to repeat a word 'forever'— after a recent prompt revealed training data and personal info (Business Insider) ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ Coming in 2025, Rockstar Says After Trailer Leak (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I guess Spotify missed the memo about the tech turnaround cause they had monster layoffs today. Google has delayed its big OpenAI competitor. Why does AI have a tendency to do evil unless you really tell it not to? And the band Kiss is retiring from touring, but Kiss the band has the potential to tour forever, thanks to digital avatars. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride Kolide.com/ride Links: Spotify cuts 17% jobs amid rising capital costs (TechCrunch) Google Postpones Big AI Launch as OpenAI Zooms Ahead (The Information) OpenAI Agreed to Buy $51 Million of AI Chips From a Startup Backed by CEO Sam Altman (Wired) The Robots Will Insider Trade (Bloomberg) Kiss say farewell to live touring, become first US band to go virtual and become digital avatars (AP) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Here is how it all went down with the Sam Altman saga, day by day, hour by hour. With @alexkonrad of Forbes. This is the story we talk about toward the end: A Secretive $10 Billion Firm Backed By WhatsApp Billionaire Jan Koum Is Quietly Building A Startup Portfolio (Forbes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The action button is coming to all the iPhones with increased functionality. Reconstituting the cable bundle example #972. Microsoft wants to create a mobile gaming app store sometime soon. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Nutrafol.com/men code ridehome Links: iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup (MacRumors) Apple and Paramount Discuss Bundling Their Streaming Services (WSJ) Apple fixes two new iOS zero-days in emergency updates (Bleeping Computer) US judge blocks Montana from banning TikTok use in state (Reuters) Tiger Global’s Biggest Venture Fund Has 18% Loss After Markdowns (Bloomberg) Xbox Talking to Partners for Mobile Store, CEO Spencer Says (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: ChatGPT is winning the future — but what future is that? (The Verge) This Nvidia Cofounder Could Have Been Worth $70 Billion. Instead He Lives Off The Grid (Forbes) Anduril Builds a Tiny, Reusable Fighter Jet That Blows Up Drones (Bloomberg) The Real Story Behind Shane MacGowan’s ‘Boys of the N.Y.P.D. Choir’ (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Altman is officially back at work as OpenAI CEO. Meta is about to launch Threads in Europe, but their plan to offer ad free subscription tiers for their services has hit a speed bump. You can trick LLMs into revealing their training data. And I warned you before, but if you have any dormant Google accounts, better see to them toot suite. Sponsors: Crashplan.com/ridehome Miro.com/podcast Links: OpenAI Will Add Microsoft as Board Observer, Plans Governance Changes (Bloomberg) Interview: Sam Altman on being fired and rehired by OpenAI (The Verge) Meta’s Threads to Launch in Europe in App’s Biggest Expansion Since Debut (WSJ) Meta Platforms' ad-free service targeted in EU consumer complaint (Reuters) It’s not just electricity — Bitcoin mines burn through a lot of water, too (The Verge) ChatGPT's training data can be exposed via a "divergence attack" (StackDiary) Your Unused Gmail Account May Be Permanently Deleted Friday (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple and Goldman are ending their partnership, so what does that mean for the Apple Credit Card? Stability AI is so unstable, it might be looking to sell itself. GM is pumping the breaks on its Cruise rollout. All the headlines from the big AWS conference yesterday. And it’s that time of year: what won your Spotify Wrapped listening charts? Sponsors: DragonBall Legends Miro.com/podcast Links: Apple Pulls Plug on Goldman Credit-Card Partnership (WSJ) Unity Software with a ‘company reset’ walks away from film VFX and the Wētā Deal. (FXGuide) Stability AI Has Explored Sale as Investor Urges CEO to Resign (Bloomberg) G.M. to Cut Spending on Cruise Self-Driving Unit (NYTimes) Amazon Introduces Q, an A.I. Chatbot for Companies (NYTimes) Inside Spotify Wrapped, an Annual Song of Ourselves (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI foundation models are coming to more AWS products. Why are police departments scaremongering about that NameDrop feature on iPhones? Why is Google Drive losing peoples’ files? And Ikea’s new super cheap smart-home starter devices. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Traceroute Podcast Links: AWS enhances AI services with foundation model capabilities for improved performance (SiliconAngle) Amazon wants businesses to use its palm-scanning tech to let employees into the office (CNBC) US Thanksgiving weekend sales hit record on big discounts, online boost (Reuters) NameDrop is safe. The fearmongering about it is not. (Washington Post) Google investigating missing files on Drive, caused by desktop app (9to5Google) OpenAI Is Still an $86 Billion Nonprofit (Matt Levine/Bloomberg) Ikea debuts a trio of affordable smart home sensors (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A thin client from AWS. More bad news for gaming as ByteDance pulls back from its gaming ambitions in a major way. Governments have more new joint guidelines for AI development. And Amazon now delivers more packages than either FedEx OR UPS. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast NPR Planet Money Links: AWS debuts Amazon WorkSpaces Thin Client device for virtual desktop access (SiliconAngle) Salesforce Inks Deal to Sell on Amazon Web Services’ Marketplace (Bloomberg) TikTok parent ByteDance to cut 1,000 gaming jobs in strategic shift (NikkeiAsia) US, Britain, other countries ink agreement to make AI 'secure by design' (Reuters) Instagram’s Algorithm Delivers Toxic Video Mix to Adults Who Follow Children (WSJ) The Biggest Delivery Business in the U.S. Is No Longer UPS or FedEx (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A lot of people give credit to Justin Hall for being, if not the first, then spiritually, at least, the “first” blogger. Since early 1994, first as Justin’s Homepage and at various points, as Justin’s Links from the Underground and Links.net, Justin Hall has been writing online and sharing online—especially, sharing himself online—longer than almost anyone else on the planet. Hear his story today, and watch his documentary at: http://overshare.links.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This about the man who invented the modern disc operating system (the OS) and the concept of the software platform. That man was Gary Kildall. And the question we examine in this episode is, why is Bill Gates the richest man in the world, and not Gary Kildall? Could things have turned out differently? In this episode we use audio from the following documentaries: Triumph of the Nerds and Computer Chronicles Special thanks to Justin Schwinghamer for the original score and the voice acting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This about the man who invented the modern disc operating system (the OS) and the concept of the software platform. That man was Gary Kildall. And the question we examine in this episode is, why is Bill Gates the richest man in the world, and not Gary Kildall? Could things have turned out differently? In this episode we use audio from the following documentaries: Triumph of the Nerds and Computer Chronicles Special thanks to Justin Schwinghamer for the original score and the voice acting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From the Internet History Podcast, the background, root causes and rough outline of the dotcom bubble. How it happened, why it happened... and why it's unlikely to happen again anytime soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more at SFCompute.com. But also, to cut the line and get your hands on some time with some chips, email: ridehome@sfcompute.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Sam Altman thing is nowhere near resolved, and what does that mean, especially for Microsoft? Elon sues Media Matters. And if your YouTube videos have been behaving strangely of late, I think I can tell you why. Sponsors: Earin App (enter code techmeme) Traceroute Podcast Links: Sam Altman is still trying to return as OpenAI CEO (The Verge) OpenAI’s Board Approached Anthropic About Merger (The Information) @eastdakota's Tweet Thread on Microsoft and OpenAI Elon Musk Sues Media Matters for ‘Knowingly and Maliciously’ Misrepresenting Amount of Antisemitic Content on X (TheWrap) YouTube is reportedly slowing down videos for Firefox users (Update: Statement) (AndroidAuthority) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There’s really only one story today, the whole, Sam Altman got fired by OpenAI’s board but then they tried to get him back, but then Microsoft hired him, and now OpenAI employees are threatening to quit en masse, story. But also, the CEO of Cruise has stepped down. And Linda Yaccarino’s friends are suggesting she should step down as CEO of X. Sponsors: DraftKings code Techmeme DrinkTrade.com/ride Links: Inside the Chaos at OpenAI (The Atlantic) Cruise co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt resigns (TechCrunch) GM boss Mary Barra’s high-tech bet unraveling after Kyle Vogt departs as CEO of embattled Cruise robotaxi unit (Fortune) Yaccarino On Hot Seat As Ad Execs Urge Twitter CEO To Resign (Forbes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more at Freeplay.ai. And find out more about the Ride Home Fund at RideHomeFund.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Links: "Securities" newsletter "Securities" podcast Danny's twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Surprising almost everyone, Apple is adopting the Google-led RCS messaging standard. IBM suspends its advertising on X. Amazon is selling new cars on Amazon.com. A rebirth of Quibi? The surprising biggest mobile game of the year? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Nuts.com/ride Links: Apple announces that RCS support is coming to iPhone next year (9to5Mac) What color bubbles will RCS messages be? Apple confirms the answer (9to5Mac) IBM pulls adverts from X after report finding they ran next to Nazi content (Financial Times) Hyundai to Be First Automaker to Sell New Cars on Amazon (WSJ) A Quibi-like app called ReelShort hit record downloads and revenue this month (TechCrunch) 2023's Apparent Biggest Mobile Game Launch Is Not What You Expect (GameSpot) Weekend Longreads Suggestion: Inside Marques Brownlee’s tech review studio: The YouTube star on gadgets, growth, and staying chill (Fast Company) A Coder Considers the Waning Days of the Craft (New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All of the big announcements from Microsoft’s development conference yesterday, including the debut of their own AI chips. YouTube is bringing AI to Shorts. Threads is kinda doing hashtags, though Chris Messina has thoughts. And the new UPS warehouse where the robots way outnumber the humans. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast notion.com/ride Links: Microsoft rebrands Bing Chat to Copilot, to better compete with ChatGPT (The Verge) Microsoft officially launches Loop, its Notion competitor (The Verge) Microsoft Unveils Its First Custom-Designed AI, Cloud Chips (Bloomberg) YouTube Shorts Challenges TikTok With Music-Making AI for Creators (Wired) Threads starts testing hashtags…without the hash (TechCrunch) Robots to Outnumber People at UPS’s Massive New Warehouse (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nothing has come up with the first large scale way to send iMessages even if you’re on Android. Those new OpenAI products are so popular, they’re actually pausing your ability to use them. DeepMind has a model that can predict the weather more accurately than humans. And the Cadillac of web cameras has a new model. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Mindbloom.com/techmeme and code techmeme Links: Coming soon: A fix for the Android green-bubble problem (Washington Post) Intel fixes high-severity CPU bug that causes “very strange behavior” (ArsTechnica) OpenAI Pauses New ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions Due To Surge In Demand (Search Engine Journal) Apple extends free period for iPhone 14 satellite features (9to5Mac) AI outperforms conventional weather forecasting methods for first time (Financial Times) Opal’s second camera is the Tadpole, a tiny webcam for laptops (The Verge) Ride Home AI Fund Syndicate Signup: https://venture.angellist.com/ride-home-ai-fund/syndicate?utm_campaign=syndicate_direct_link Ride Home Fund (Rolling Fund) Syndicate Signup: https://venture.angellist.com/ride-home-fund/syndicate?utm_campaign=syndicate_direct_link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two different trials reveal some details of Google’s various deals with various platforms that they probably wish didn’t become public. Why aren’t the Fed’s arresting those casino hackers? Two interesting new initiatives from Uber. And OpenAI has an independent board that gets to decide when AGI has been achieved (and maybe x’s Microsoft out). Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Apple Gets 36% of Google Revenue in Search Deal, Expert Says (Bloomberg) For Google Play, Dominating Android World Was ‘Existential’ (Bloomberg) Amazon Lays Off 180 Employees In Its Games Division (Aftermath) FBI struggled to disrupt dangerous casino hacking gang, cyber responders say (Reuters) Uber to Test TaskRabbit-Like Service in Florida and Alberta (Bloomberg) Uber takes steps to combat unfair driver deactivations (TechCrunch) OpenAI’s six-member board will decide ‘when we’ve attained AGI’ (VentureBeat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI is probably going to raise a ton more money to attempt to stay at the top of the AI heap. You might get your money back if you get scammed on Zelle all of the sudden. Would you trust ex-FTX executives to launch a new crypto exchange? And why did Apple pause all OS development for a week recently? Sponsors: Collective.com/ride and tell them ride sent you Miro.com/podcast Links: OpenAI chief seeks new Microsoft funds to build ‘superintelligence’ (Financial Times) Exclusive: Google in talks to invest in AI startup Character.AI (Reuters) Payments app Zelle begins refunds for imposter scams after Washington pressure (Reuters) Key Witness at Sam Bankman-Fried Trial to Launch New Crypto Exchange (WSJ) Apple Is Taking Extra Care With ‘Ambitious’ iOS 18 Update (Bloomberg) Sony PlayStation Portal Review (PCMag) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our first Ride Home AI Fund Portfolio Profile Episode: Automated Data Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More details on that whole Humane Ai Pin device cause whatever you think about it, it’s the first radically new take on computing that we’ve seen since the smartphone. The first company to do carbon capture in the US is operational. I’ll tell you how it works. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men and promocode ridehome Links: Humane’s Ai Pin is a $700 Smartphone Alternative You Wear All Day (Wired) Introducing Humane Ai Pin (The Humane Launch Video) In a U.S. First, a Commercial Plant Starts Pulling Carbon From the Air (NYTimes) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: AI is about to completely change how you use computers (GatesNotes) Elon Musk’s Brain Implant Startup Is Ready to Start Surgery (Bloomberg) Inside an OnlyFans empire: Sex, influence and the new American Dream (Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re getting our first look at the first ever AI hardware product from Humane today. Once Disney swallows Hulu it’s going to create one app to stream them all. Samsung joins the AI race. The Esports world continues to blow up. And a judge has ruled that your car can continue reading your text messages legally. Sponsors: Nutrisense.com/ride and code ride Links: Exclusive leak: all the details about Humane’s AI Pin, which costs $699 and has OpenAI integration (The Verge) Disney+, Hulu Merged App to Launch Next Month for Bundle Subscribers, Bob Iger Says (Variety) No More Phone Number Swaps: Signal Messaging App Now Testing Usernames (PCMag) The Overwatch League is officially dead: Activision Blizzard is 'transitioning' away from its groundbreaking esports league as teams reportedly vote to withdraw (PC Gamer) Court rules automakers can record and intercept owner text messages (The Record) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big tech platforms are preparing for the first big election of the AI era. Why even Microsoft is so desperate to get its hands on AI chips. Some incredibly bearish signs from crypto. But could we actually see a crypto IPO happen soon? Don’t sleep on Amazon’s healthcare ambitions. And never underestimate the power of timing nostalgia correctly. Links: Meta to Require Campaigns to Disclose AI-Altered Political Ads (WSJ) Microsoft Is Offering to Help US Politicians Crack Down on Deepfakes (Bloomberg) Bing Chat so hungry for GPUs, Microsoft will rent them from Oracle (The Register) Coatue Cuts Value of OpenSea Stake by 90% as Fund’s Returns Sag (The Information) Stablecoin Issuer Circle Internet Considering 2024 IPO (Bloomberg) Amazon links One Medical primary care to Prime memberships (Washington Post) Fortnite just had its biggest day ever, 6 years in (Polygon) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI wants to open an App Store where everyone can build their own GPTs. There’s also a new GPT-4 that has gotten significantly cheaper. Did Cruise know its cars were underperforming even before the DMV shut them down? WeWork is officially dead, but are we seeing green shoots… evidence that the tech recession might be ending? Links: OpenAI Launches GPT-4 Turbo (TechCrunch) OpenAI is letting anyone create their own version of ChatGPT (The Verge) CRUISE KNEW ITS SELF-DRIVING CARS HAD PROBLEMS RECOGNIZING CHILDREN — AND KEPT THEM ON THE STREETS (The Intercept) WeWork, once valued at $47 billion, files for bankruptcy (CNBC) Shein Targets Up to $90 Billion Valuation in US IPO, Sources Say (Bloomberg) Klarna’s financial glow-up is my favorite story in tech right now (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon releases his AI model. The Chinese AI startup that has hit unicorn status in just 8 months by going the open source route. The reviews of the new Mac with M3 chips are out, and they’re generally good. But if you’ve been pining for a new 27 inch iMac, I’ve got some very bad news for you. Sponsors: Traceroute Podcast Kolide.com/ride ipn.ibotta.com/ride Links: Elon Musk debuts ‘Grok’ AI bot to rival ChatGPT, others (CNBC) AI Pioneer Kai-Fu Lee Builds $1 Billion Startup in Eight Months (Bloomberg) Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd Steps Down (WSJ) Review: Apple’s 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro crams Ultra-level speed into a laptop (ArsTechnica) Apple has no plans to make a 27-inch iMac with Apple Silicon (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Bankman Fried has been found guilty. The FTC alleges Jeff Bezos ordered Amazon to boost junk ads. Elon Musk says Starlink is almost profitable. He also says he’s about to release his own AI model. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, is Elon about to give Joe Rogan a new lily pad to take his podcast to? Sponsors: Traceroute Podcast ShopBeam.com/ride and code ride for up to 40% off Links: Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty of fraud (The Verge) Sam Bankman-Fried Was a Grown Up Criminal, Not an Impulsive Man-Child (NYTimes) Starlink achieves cash-flow breakeven, says SpaceX CEO Musk (Reuters) Musk's xAI set to launch first AI model to select group (Reuters) Amazon Boosted Junk Ads, Deleted Messages to Thwart Antitrust Probe, FTC Says (Bloomberg) Google AdSense moving to per-impression payments in 2024 (9to5Google) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The EV transition trips over its own cord (The Verge) Joe Rogan’s big decision (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Looks like Disney is finally going to swallow Hulu. One more time we’re going to look at the AI regulation debate, this time noting that governments are regulating tech ahead of time for the first time in a while. You might want to tip your DoorDasher ahead of time. And can I coin a term? Arizona is becoming Silicon Mesa? Sponsors: Nutrisense.com/ride and code ride Links: Disney Says It Will Take Full Control of Hulu (NYTimes) Joe Biden Wants US Government Algorithms Tested for Potential Harm Against Citizens (Wired) Attenuating Innovation (AI) (Stratechery) DoorDash now warns you that your food might get cold if you don’t tip (The Verge) ‘Our secret weapon’: how a university bolstered Phoenix’s rise as US chip capital (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
LinkedIn has an AI job coach for you. Netflix’s ad tier is doing well. But is it doing well enough. You might have thought this already happened, but WeWork seems to be seriously circling the deadpool. A potentially big breakthrough for medicinal discovery via AI. And more on the evolving AI debate around open source and regulatory capture. Links: LinkedIn’s new AI chatbot wants to help you get a job (CNBC) Netflix, Pushing Into AVOD Fray, Plans New Ad Formats, ‘Crown’ Sponsorship Deals (Variety) WeWork Plans to File for Bankruptcy as Early as Next Week (WSJ) DeepMind’s latest AlphaFold model is more useful for drug discovery (TechCrunch) Google DeepMind boss hits back at Meta AI chief over ‘fearmongering’ claim (CNBC) What the executive order means for openness in AI (AI Snake Oil) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines for last night’s Apple event, including interesting details about the new M3 chips. One year on from Elon purchasing it, what is X worth now? Is Nvidia gonna have to cancel all those chip orders from China? And are people crying chicken little about the threat of AI in order to do some regulatory capture? Links: Apple ‘Scary Fast’ Mac launch event: the 4 biggest announcements (The Verge) Apple officially unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max: 3 nanometer, Dynamic Caching GPU, more (9to5Mac) Apple M3 Pro Chip Has 25% Less Memory Bandwidth Than M1/M2 Pro (MacRumors) Nvidia’s $5 Billion of China Orders in Limbo After Latest U.S. Curbs (WSJ) X Says It Is Worth $19 Billion, Down From $44 Billion Last Year (NYTimes) Artists Lose First Round of Copyright Infringement Case Against AI Art Generators (TRH) Google Brain cofounder says Big Tech companies are lying about the risks of AI wiping out humanity because they want to dominate the market (Insider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Governments around the world announce guardrails for AI… or, at least, suggest some. OpenAI takes steps to keep you from going to plugins. Meta seems serious about offering a subscription option to Europeans. Your earbuds are about to get smarter. And how AI might finally give us useful robots. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride NPR's Planet Money Links: Biden releases AI executive order directing agencies to develop safety guidelines (The Verge) Exclusive: G7 to agree AI code of conduct for companies (Reuters) New Version Of ChatGPT Gives Access To All GPT-4 Tools At Once (Search Engine Journal) Google Commits $2 Billion in Funding to AI Startup Anthropic (WSJ) Meta to Offer Ad-Free Facebook, Instagram Subscriptions in Europe (Bloomberg) Google can turn ANC earbuds into a heart rate monitor with no extra hardware (9to5Google) Stacking Boxes? Treating Cancer? AI Needs to Learn Physics First (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We started this year with layoffs and the whole "Tech Recession" narrative. So, as we wind up the year, did tech recover this year, and if so, how? Also, self-driving cars and speculation on Monday's Apple event. Check out Big Technology here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amazon wraps up tech earnings week. Microsoft raises the alarm about a really sophisticate new hacking group. SBF actually takes the stand. OpenAI sets up a system to keep their AI from, you know, blowing up the world. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast ShopBeam.com/ride and use code ride for 40% off Links: Microsoft: Octo Tempest is one of the most dangerous financial hacking groups (BleepingComputer) FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried previews legal defence at fraud trial (FT) Cruise pauses all driverless robotaxi operations to ‘rebuild public trust’ (TechCrunch) OpenAI forms team to study ‘catastrophic’ AI risks, including nuclear threats (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: They Cracked the Code to a Locked USB Drive Worth $235 Million in Bitcoin. Then It Got Weird (Wired) “Math is hard” — if you are an LLM – and why that matters (Gary Marcus Blog) The poster’s guide to the internet of the future (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta earnings from yesterday. Apple seems to be planning a complete revamp of the AirPods lineup. Spotify plans major changes to how it does royalties. X rolls out video and audio calls. And a look at how those new gesture controls work on the Apple Watch. Sponsors: Masterworks.art/techmeme Miro.com/podcast Links: Zuckerberg says Threads has almost 100 million monthly users (The Verge) Apple Plans AirPods Overhaul With New Low- and High-End Models, USB-C Headphones (Bloomberg) Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+ Receiving Price Increases (MacRumors) SPOTIFY IS CHANGING ITS ROYALTY MODEL TO CRUSH STREAMING FRAUD AND INTRODUCE A MINIMUM PAYMENT THRESHOLD. ITS PLAN? TO SHIFT $1 BILLION IN PAYOUTS TOWARDS ‘WORKING ARTISTS’ OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS. (MusicBusinessWorldwide) X is officially rolling out audio and video calls (The Verge) The Apple Watch’s double tap gesture points at a new way to use wearables (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta got sued by most the States. California has forced Cruise to stop its autonomous vehicle testing. Will earbuds be key in any AI future? Tech earnings season snuck up on me at least. And is Sam Bankman Fried going to have to take the stand in order to keep himself out of prison? Sponsors: Nuts.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Meta sued by 42 attorneys general alleging Facebook, Instagram features are addictive and target kids (CNBC) California DMV immediately suspends Cruise’s robotaxi permit (TechCrunch) Qualcomm turns to Wi-Fi to take wireless earbuds and headphones to the next level (The Verge) Controversial Chip in Huawei Phone Produced on ASML Machine (Bloomberg) Can Sam Bankman-Fried argue his way out of trouble? (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia wants to get into the ARM CPU game. Somebody is taking a run at some high value targets via Okta. A new version of maybe the most advanced smart glasses out there. Are you seeing ads when you press pause on streaming? And what is it like to have a robot lawnmower that actually works? Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Exclusive: Nvidia to make Arm-based PC chips in major new challenge to Intel (Reuters) 1Password detects “suspicious activity” in its internal Okta account (ArsTechnica) Xreal’s Air 2 glasses put a big screen on your face and ship in the US next month (The Verge) ‘Pause Ads’ Creep Onto Hulu, Peacock and Max as Streamers Seek New Revenue (Variety) Matter 1.2 is a big move for the smart home standard (The Verge) I tested a $6,000 automower for four months. Here's why I'm fully invested (ZDNet) Life360 Sued for Selling Location Data (The Markup) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark Gurman suggests Apple is scrambling to go all in on Generative AI. Also, will there be a mini Mac event by the end of this month? Okta had a breach. Worldcoin is dogfooding its own token. Would you let your family pick your Tinder matches? And do your kids like telling you where they are at all times? Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: Inside Apple’s Big Plan to Bring Generative AI to All Its Devices (Bloomberg) Okta shares fall 11% after company says client files were accessed by hackers via its support system (CNBC) Web Summit CEO Cosgrave Quits After Israel Controversy (Bloomberg) China launches investigation into iPhone maker Foxconn, says state media (Financial Times) Worldcoin to pay orb operators in WLD rather than USDC (The Block) Worldcoin to cease paying Orb operators in USDC as early as November (CoinTelegraph) Tinder now lets mom pick your next date (The Verge) Teens Want Parents to Track Their Phones and Monitor Their Every Move (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Remember, the order of the languages is Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and German. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More on the crypto/terrorism allegations. The FCC is freeing up spectrum for use by AR and VR devices. They’re also laying the groundwork to bring net neutrality back. AMD’s latest chips designed to rival Nvidia. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: TryFum.com and code ride Links: U.S. Treasury Seeks to Name Crypto Mixers as 'Money Laundering Concern' (CoinDesk) SEC Drops Charges Against Ripple CEO Garlinghouse, Chairman Larsen (CoinDesk) FCC greenlights superfast Wi-Fi tethering for AR and VR headsets (The Verge) FCC begins second quest for net neutrality (TechCrunch) AMD challenges Nvidia’s RTX 4080 with its new RX 7900M laptop GPU (PCWorld) FaZe Clan acquired by GameSquare (Digiday) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: An Industry Insider Drives an Open Alternative to Big Tech’s A.I. (NYTimes) ‘Oof’: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Trial Reveals Inside Details of How FTX Died (NYTimes) Computers Are Learning to Smell (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is crypto being used for terrorism in the current war? Netflix has good earnings and raises prices. Again. Again I ask why tech layoffs have returned. What does it mean if OpenAI had to completely scrap a new AI model? And if those FaceTime video reactions are annoying you, I’ll tell you how to turn them off. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men promocode: ridehome Links: Chainalysis says some reports might be overestimating crypto's role in terrorist financing (The Block) NY Attorney General sues Gemini, Genesis and DCG for allegedly defrauding crypto investors of over $1B (TechCrunch) WhatsApp will soon let you stay logged in to two accounts at once (The Verge) Netflix Plans Price Increase as Password-Sharing Crackdown Boosts Subscriber Growth (WSJ) Nokia to cut up to 14,000 jobs after 69% profit plunge (CNBC) Authors sue Meta, Microsoft, Bloomberg in latest AI copyright clash (Reuters) OpenAI Dropped Work on New ‘Arrakis’ AI Model in Rare Setback (The Information) How to turn off FaceTime video reactions in iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma (AppleInsider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon has a fresh idea for fighting bots and maybe making some money. The IRS is finally moving ahead of cheap online tax filing. What are the odds Netflix can muscle its way into the gaming industry. And should I release this podcast in different languages? Sponsors: Earnin App Links: X will start charging new users in two countries $1 per year (The Verge) Xbox chief says Activision Blizzard games aren’t coming to Xbox Game Pass until 2024 (The Verge) IRS Will Offer Free (But Limited) Direct E-Filing Next Year (PCMag) Microsoft is preparing to bring on Amazon as a customer of its 365 cloud tools in a $1 billion megadeal, according to an internal document (Insider) Amazon says it has 10,000 Rivian electric vans in its delivery fleet (Reuters) ‘Wait, Netflix Has Games?’ Streaming Giant Plans New Videogames Based on Its Hit Shows (WSJ) Tongue Twisted: Adams Taps AI to Make City Robocalls in Languages He Doesn’t Speak (The City) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A new “affordable” Apple Pencil. Several “fog of war” stories surrounding major tech players. Why are tech layoffs suddenly back? Are Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses good? And is LinkedIn actually the social network you should be investing more energy in? Sponsors: Hatch.co/ride Mindbloom.com/techmeme, promocode Techmeme Links: Apple unveils brand new 'affordable' Apple Pencil that costs $79 and has a USB-C port (iMore) Actively exploited Cisco 0-day with maximum 10 severity gives full network control (ArsTechnica) Social Media Users Accuse Facebook and Instagram of Suppressing Pro-Palestinian Posts (NyTimes) Israel orders freeze on crypto accounts in bid to block funding for Hamas (FinancialTimes) Web Summit derailed by founder’s public fight with those supporting Israel in Hamas war (TechCrunch) Microsoft-owned LinkedIn lays off nearly 700 employees — read the memo here (CNBC) Twitch launches stories for streamers (TechCrunch) Influencers and CEOs take their brands to LinkedIn (FT) Meta's $299 Ray-Ban smart glasses may be the most useful gadget I've tested all year (ZDNet) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark Gurman already has details on a cheaper Vision Pro. Minecraft passes 300 million units sold. Why prompt injection is THE security issue of the AI era. And what if Nikola Tesla’s dream of sending electrical energy over distance without any wires is slowly becoming a thing? Sponsors: Collective.com/ride CrucibleMoments.com Links: Apple Renews Top Ranks With Wave of Executive Promotions (Bloomberg) A New Protocol Vulnerability Will Haunt the Web for Years (Wired) Goldman Sachs Wants Out of Consumer Lending. Employees Say It Can’t Happen Fast Enough. (WSJ) Multi-modal prompt injection image attacks against GPT-4V (Simon Willison's Blog) Minecraft has sold over 300 million copies (The Verge) Microsoft’s Activision Buy Extends Nadella’s Decade of Deals (WSJ) I’m Charging My Toothbrush With Wireless Power Over Distance—and It’s a Trip (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If my reviews don't float your boat, here are some more detailed ones: Pixel 8 and 8 Pro review: in Google we trust? (The Verge) Google Pixel Watch 2 review: better battery, better watch (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft wins its big prize. The EU officially opens and X investigation. VC investment activity has reached its lowest level in years. Netflix dips its toe into the IRL experience business. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Links: Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard for Xbox has been fully APPROVED by the UK regulator (Windows Central) EU opens probe into Elon Musk’s X over Israel-Hamas war misinformation (Financial Times) U.S. VC funding hit lowest level in 6 years in Q3 | A story told in charts (VentureBeat) Netflix to Open Stores Where Fans Can Play, Shop and Eat in 2025 (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Adobe Is Focused on AI Rather Than Figma With Acquisition in Limbo (Bloomberg) Can EA’s FIFA-Free Soccer Game Win Fans? (Bloomberg) Has Bob Iger Lost the Magic? (Bloomberg) Why Dizziness Is Still a Mystery (The New Yorker) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
That thing where the IRS says you’ve underpaid your taxes to the tune of almost $30 billion dollars. Adam Mosseri says Threads is NOT coming for the breaking news crown. Those kids today, they love YouTube and they REALLY love iPhones. And forget social chat with your friends. How about social chat with your friends, and your AI bot, and their AI bots? Sponsors: DrinkTrade.com/ride Links: IRS says Microsoft owes an additional $29 billion in back taxes (CNBC) Linda Yaccarino responds to EU: 700 Community Notes, 5K+ images shared on Israel-Hamas war, ‘thousands’ of pieces of content removed (TechCrunch) Instagram head says Threads is ‘not going to amplify news on the platform’ (TechCrunch) Google pays Apple $18B to $20B a year to keep its search in iPhone (The Register) PlayStation 5 cloud streaming launches this month (VGC) YouTube passes Netflix as top video source for teens (CNBC) iPhone Continues to Be Most Popular Smartphone Among Teens, Apple Watch Ownership Growing (MacRumors) Character.AI introduces group chats where people and multiple AIs can talk to each other (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The EU is warning Elon Musk over X content related to the Israel-Hamas war. The biggest DDoS attack of all time, by, like, 8x. New image models from Adobe. New PS5s from Sony. New rules from the FTC to help you avoid hidden fees. And checking in with the Sam Bankman Fried trial. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: EU warns Elon Musk of ‘penalties’ for disinformation circulating on X amid Israel-Hamas war (CNN) New technique leads to largest DDoS attacks ever, Google and Amazon say (The Record) Adobe Firefly can now generate more realistic images (TechCrunch) Sony’s new PS5 with a removable disc drive launches in November (The Verge) The End of Junk Fees? FTC Proposes New Rule (The Hollywood Reporter) Caroline Ellison, Adviser to Sam Bankman-Fried, Says He ‘Directed’ Her to Commit Crimes (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
That whole bungled pricing thing has cost the Unity CEO his job. The big 23andMe breach is a different kind of hack. And it turns out if you fall victim to a scam, it’s probably because you were online. Can you charge enough to cover the costs of AI products? And is the Pixel brand finally having a moment. Sponsors: ipn.ibotta.com/ride TryFum.com code ride Links: John Riccitiello steps down as CEO of Unity after pricing battle (GamesBeat) 23andMe says private user data is up for sale after being scraped (ArsTechnica) Social media scams are costing Americans more than ever (TechRadar) Big Tech Struggles to Turn AI Hype Into Profits (WSJ) Google has shipped almost 40 million Pixel phones since 2016, 10 million last year (9to5Google) Elon Musk’s X Cut Disinformation-Fighting Tool Ahead of Israel-Hamas Conflict (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Holy crap! Anyone coming to the listener meetup tonight, I hope you see this! Turns out Johnny Foley's is closed on Mondays! We will instead try to meet at the Kan Pai lounge in the Hotel Nikko! It's on the 2nd floor. Go up the escalators! Sorry for my error and this late notice! 222 Mason St. Right across the st! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more at Mimoto.ai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Looks like Microsoft is inches away from getting the Activision acquisition over the line. Hardware ambitions are one thing, but OpenAI might also design its own silicon. Microsoft’s new version of Teams is finally not the most resource hungry piece of software on your computer. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Microsoft eyes closing its giant Activision Blizzard deal next week (The Verge) Exclusive: ChatGPT-owner OpenAI is exploring making its own AI chips (Reuters) Microsoft’s faster and redesigned Teams app now available for Windows and Mac (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How Will A.I. Learn Next? (The New Yorker) How Bandcamp makes more money than Spotify (Fast Company) Long gone, DEC is still powering the world of computing (ArsTechnica) The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets (NYTimes Magazine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A new front in the regulation battle is opening up for major cloud platforms. What is the point of removing article headlines in X posts? Amazon’s Project Kuiper is launching… literally. And is the new camera on the iPhone 15 Max the biggest smartphone camera upgrade ever? Sponsors: Netsuite.com/ride Links: Microsoft and Amazon face UK regulator investigation over cloud services (The Verge) Elon Musk Starts Stripping Headlines From Links Shared to X (The Wrap) Galaxy SmartTag 2 launches next week for $30, still only works with Samsung devices (9to5Google) Android 14 is now available for Pixel phones (The Verge) Amazon Prepares to Challenge SpaceX’s Starlink With Maiden Satellite Launch (Gizmodo) Apple Considered, Rejected Switch to DuckDuckGo From Google (Bloomberg) iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Review: Depth and Reach (Lux) Vera wants to use AI to cull generative models’ worst behaviors (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from the Made By Google event this morning. Samsung also announced their low end lineup of phones. Gmail is taking some big new steps to combat spam. And what if I told you Netflix is about to raise prices. Again. Sponsors: DomainMoney.com Links: Google’s Pixel Watch 2 brings new sensors for improved health tracking (TechCrunch) Google’s Pixel 8 brings new camera tricks, better display and a thermometer (TechCrunch) The Pixel 8 Pro has better cameras, a brighter screen, and a lot of new AI tricks (The Verge) Google announces AI-powered photo-editing features for new Pixel phones (TechCrunch) The Galaxy S23 FE, Tab S9 FE, and Buds FE get you flagship specs at way lower prices (XDADevelopers) Google is making big changes to prevent Gmail spam (CNBC) Anthropic in Talks to Raise $2 Billion From Google and Others Just Days After Amazon Investment (The Information) Netflix Plans to Raise Prices After Actors Strike Ends (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Snapchat has led the way, but are we going to see everybody in social media offering subscription plans? An interesting raise for AI investing. Satya Nadella was on the stand yesterday at the Google trial. And what’s up with Threads? Has it missed its moment? Sponsors: Nutrisense.com/ride code ride Links: Meta Plans to Charge $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook (WSJ) TikTok Confirms It Is Testing an Ad-Free Subscription Tier (Variety) Frec steps out of stealth with $26M in funding, aiming to democratize sophisticated investing with AI (VentureBeat) Microsoft CEO Says Google’s Agreements With Apple Unfairly Harmed Bing (WSJ) US issues first ever fine for space junk to Dish Network (BBCNews) Instagram Looks for Ways to Revive Interest in Threads (The Information) The official podcast development partner! Uptech.team! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple says your iPhone might be heating up because of… Instagram? Rumors suggest Apple has a search engine in its back pocket if it ever wants one. Chromebook Plus is the moniker for high end Chromebooks. And we have our first glimpse of that Humane wearable AI device. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride Kolide.com/ride Links: Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Due to iOS 17 Bug, Not Hardware Design (CNET) Apple Has What It Needs to Launch Its Own Google Replacement (Bloomberg) Chromebook Plus is Google’s new certification for premium Chromebooks (The Verge) The synthetic social network is coming (Platformer) Humane shows off its wearable AI pin at Paris Fashion Week (Apple Insider) The official podcast development partner! Uptech.team! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Check out what we came up with at ResumeWriting.com. And check out Uptech.team. They can help you with any project! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if Apple had bought Bing and turned it into its own search engine? Why did France’s competition authority raid, we believe, Nvidia’s offices? Big layoffs and peel offs from Epic shows that the gaming industry is still hurting. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: EarnIn App, enter Techmeme under podcast Nutrafol.com/men enter code ridehome Links: Microsoft Discussed Selling Bing to Apple as Google Replacement (Bloomberg) Google adds a switch for publishers to opt out of becoming AI training data (The Verge) Nvidia’s French Offices Raided in Cloud-Computing Antitrust Inquiry (WSJ) Epic Games cuts around 830 jobs (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions The new phone call etiquette: Text first and never leave a voice mail (Washington Post) Can FTX Be Revived—Without Sam Bankman-Fried? (Wired) Could ‘The Terminator’ really happen? Experts assess Hollywood’s visions of AI. (Washington Post) ‘Nerfball’ introduces Nerf’s smartest foam yet — it detects dart impacts (The Verge) Netflix Prepares to Send Its Final Red Envelope (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Meta Connect keynote was yesterday and they announced a bunch of stuff including AI chatbots, a new Quest 3, and the continuation of those Ray-Ban smart glasses that are actually getting kind of interesting. Looks like OpenAI is serious about working with Jony Ive. A big new open-source LLM available to download now. And the new Raspberry Pi 5. Sponsors: ShopBeam.com/ride and code RIDE for up to 40% off TryFum.com and use code ride for 10% off Links: Facebook and Instagram will soon get a slew of AI-powered creator tools (The Verge) Meta is putting AI chatbots everywhere (The Verge) Meta Rolls Out Higher-Priced Quest 3 Headset, Just Ahead of Apple’s Vision Pro (Bloomberg) Meta’s smart glasses can take calls, play music, and livestream from your face (The Verge) OpenAI and Jony Ive in talks to raise $1bn from SoftBank for AI device venture (FT) Mistral AI makes its first large language model free for everyone (TechCrunch) Elon Musk Wins US Space Force Contract for Starshield (Bloomberg) The Raspberry Pi 5 is finally here (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The big FTC-led lawsuit against Amazon is live. Is Jony Ive working with OpenAI to create an AI hardware product? OpenAI might soon be 3x-ing its private valuation. What the writers won from Hollywood. And what it’s actually like to ride in the only street-legal Level 3 autonomous car. Sponsors: Mindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme CrucibleMoments.com Links: FTC and 17 states sue Amazon on antitrust charges (CNBC) Designer Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Sam Altman Discuss AI Hardware Project (The Information) OpenAI Seeks New Valuation of Up to $90 Billion in Sale of Existing Shares (WSJ) The iPhone 15 Pro series overheating issues are unrelated to TSMC’s advanced 3nm node / iPhone 15 Pro (Ming-Chi Kuo) The new WGA contract will change how Hollywood works (The Verge) Hollywood Studios Can Train AI Models on Writers’ Work Under Tentative Deal (WSJ) We put our blind faith in Mercedes-Benz’s first-of-its-kind autonomous Drive Pilot feature (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spotify’s new Jam product is kind of the coolest new feature I’ve heard in a while. Looks like the FCC is bringing net neutrality back. Google discontinues some products. New drone reviews and a new drone that either will eliminate police chases… or bring on the panopticon. Sponsors: Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/techmeme .Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more. See important Masterworks disclosures: https://www.masterworks.com/cd Hatch.co/ride Links: Spotify launches Jam, a real-time collaborative playlist controlled by up to 32 people (TechCrunch) Coinbase Role in Crypto Firm Celsius’s Bankruptcy Plan Questioned by SEC (Bloomberg) FCC Aims to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules After US Democrats Gain Control of Panel (Bloomberg) Google killing Basic HTML version of Gmail In January 2024 (The Register) Not just a Pixel thing: iPhone 15 series users are also reporting heating issues (Android Authority) DJI Mini 4 Pro review: The best lightweight drone gains more power and smarts (Engadget) This New Autonomous Drone for Cops Can Track You in the Dark (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amazon makes a big bet on Anthropic. A big DeFi hack. The US government is weighing a sort of “know your customer” rule for big cloud providers. OpenAI has rolled out some cool new ways to interact with their AI. And why the number of smartphone brands around the world has basically collapsed. Sponsored: NPR Planet Money Zbiotics.com/ride and code: ride Links: Amazon to invest up to $4bn in AI start-up Anthropic (Financial Times) Defi Project Mixin Network Suspends Services After $200 Million Crypto Hack (Bloomberg) Booking to appeal after EU vetoes $1.7 bln ETraveli deal (Reuters) White House could force cloud companies to disclose AI customers (Semafor) You can now prompt ChatGPT with pictures and voice commands (The Verge) WGA and the studios reach tentative deal to end writers’ strike (Los Angeles Times) Nearly 500 Brands Exited Smartphone Market During 2017-2023 (Counterpoint) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more about Play at CreateWithPlay.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The UK CMA looks like it’s folding, so the Microsoft/Activision acquisition can go through now? YouTube unveils some cool AI tools. Amazon is adding ads to Prime Video and raising the price. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Nutrisense.com/ride and code ride Links: Microsoft’s Activision Deal Set to Clear Final UK Hurdle (Bloomberg) Apple emergency updates fix 3 new zero-days exploited in attacks (BleepingComputer) YouTube to add AI creator tools to find music for videos, add dubs (TechCrunch) YouTube Shorts to gain a generative AI feature called Dream Screen (TechCrunch) Amazon to Run Ads on Prime Video in Key Markets Starting in 2024 (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Amazon’s rumored home projector can turn anything into a screen (The Verge) The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI (Quanta) Unraveling The AI-Generated Spiral Art Phenomenon (NFTNow) The Early Days of American English (Lapham's Quarterly) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from the Microsoft Fall event. The Amazon Fall event. OpenAI teasing DALL-E 3. And one more review of a recent Apple product, and for the first time in a long time, the consensus seems to be it’s hot garbage. Sponsors: Rocketcard.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Microsoft unveils unified Copilot that extends across Bing, Edge, and Windows (Windows Central) The Surface Laptop Go 3 starts at $799 and arrives on October 3 (Engadget) Microsoft announces the Surface Laptop Studio 2 with upgraded chips and ports (The Verge) The Surface Go 4 comes with a much-needed performance boost (The Verge) All the biggest announcements from Amazon’s September 2023 product launch event (The Verge) Amazon brings generative AI to Alexa (TechCrunch) OpenAI releases third version of DALL-E (The Verge) The new FineWoven iPhone cases are very bad (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The UK looks like it’s going to make that Online Safety Bill into law. Instacart closed up, but Arm has been trending down on the markets. Could Apple really have considered getting into the stock trading game? Is the iPad finally getting a WhatsApp app? And what if you could get AI to perform better simply by giving it gentle words of encouragement. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: UK opens new chapter in digital regulation as parliament passes Online Safety Bill (TechCrunch) Instacart closes up 12% in Nasdaq debut, after first-day rally sputters (CNBC) Apple and Goldman were planning stock-trading feature for iPhones until markets turned last year (CNBC) WhatsApp appears to be about to launch its long-overdue iPad app (The Verge) Musk's Neuralink to start human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients (Reuters) Telling AI model to “take a deep breath” causes math scores to soar in study (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bunch of internal Microsoft documents have leaked, so now we know the new Xbox that is coming next year, and their full gaming roadmap which includes “convergence” by 2028. Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer looks like he might take over Alexa. Google sets Bard loose on your Gmail. And what’s new in those new OS releases from Apple. Sponsors: IPN.Ibotta.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Microsoft's Xbox plans revealed in emails tied to FTC case (NBCNews) Microsoft’s next Xbox, coming 2028, envisions hybrid computing (The Verge) Amazon Is Poised to Hire Departing Microsoft Product Chief (Bloomberg) Google’s Bard chatbot can now find answers in your Gmail, Docs, Drive (The Verge) iOS 17 is a lot of little updates that make a big impact (The Verge) watchOS 10 preview: widgets all the way down (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google won’t support screen repairs on your watch but will extend support of Chromebooks. How Spotify and other streamers have changed the way music sounds. And the software update coming to AirPods that might change the way you listen. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Collective.com/ride Links: Google won’t repair cracked Pixel Watch screens (The Verge) Google Extends Lifespan of Chromebooks With 10-Year Update Policy (WSJ) How the Lazarus Group is stepping up crypto hacks and changing its tactics (Elliptic) AI Startup Writer Raises $100 Million to Pen Corporate Content (Bloomberg) Streaming Is Changing the Sound of Music (WSJ) Apple’s AirPods Pro just got much better — no matter what port is on the case (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big fine in Europe of TikTok. Apple thinks it can fix that iPhone radiation issue with a software update. The whole Unity controversy has gotten crazy. Maybe it’s a bad idea to have AI write obituaries. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: TikTok fined $379M in EU for failing to keep kids’ data safe (TechCrunch) Apple moves to defuse French iPhone 12 dispute as EU scrutiny steps up (Reuters) MGM hack followed failed bid to rig slot machines, ‘Scattered Spider’ group claims (Financial Times) Video-Game Company Unity Closes Offices Following Death Threat (Bloomberg) Microsoft Publishes Garbled AI Article Calling Tragically Deceased NBA Player "Useless" (Futurism) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Startup That Lets You Instantly Talk in Foreign Language Targets a Nasdaq IPO at $1 Billion Value (Bloomberg) From $1 Billion to Almost Worthless: FaZe Clan Runs Out of Hype (Bloomberg) The Pumpkin Spice Latte just turned 20. This is how we got here. (Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Arm’s IPO is happening as I record these words. Vegas and the casino industry in general seem to be the target of some widescale cyberattacks. Unity acknowledges people’s ire about their proposed pricing change. And the wildest new laptop design you can buy, but you’re gonna need a bigger wallet. Links: Chip giant Arm raises nearly $5 billion in year's largest IPO (Axios) Inside The Ransomware Attack That Shut Down MGM Resorts (Forbes) Caesars Entertainment Paid Millions to Hackers in Attack (Bloomberg) Judge Allows Bankrupt FTX to Sell Its Crypto Holdings, Including BTC and SOL (CoinDesk) Unity Acknowledges 'Confusion and Frustration' Among Developers But Won't Walk Back Install Fee Plan (IGN) The HP Spectre Fold is the world’s thinnest 17-inch foldable PC (The Verge) HP's $5,000 Spectre Fold might be the best flexible-screen laptop yet (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Unity has upset game developers across the world with new pricing changes. France has ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12 over radiation concerns. Lots of extra drips and drabs from yesterday’s iPhone event. And Stability AI gets into the generative music generation game. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Unity has introduced new fees that could have dire effects on the entire game industry, from indies to Xbox Game Pass (UPDATE) (Windows Central) Sony has launched a major PlayStation 5 system update (VGC) Apple disputes French findings, says iPhone 12 meets radiation rules (Reuters) Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max Pushes Up the Price (WSJ) iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max hands-on (The Verge) Adobe’s Firefly generative AI models are now generally available, get pricing plans (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from the iPhone event today at Apple HQ. Why is Meta blocking some basic terms on their new Threads search feature? TikTok Shop is rolling out broadly. And the US Copyright Office keeps knocking down copyright claims for AI generated Art. Sponsors: TryNom.com/ride Links: Apple Watch Series 9 Unveiled With S9 Chip, 'Double Tap' Gesture, and More (MacRumors) Apple announces new Apple Watch Ultra 2 (9to5Mac) Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island (The Verge) Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max announced with titanium bodies and an Action Button (The Verge) Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 3x the speed over Thunderbolt 4 (VideoCardz) Threads blocks searches related to covid and vaccines as cases rise (Washington Post) TikTok Popularizes Products. Can It Sell Them, Too? (NYTimes) US Copyright Office denies protection for another AI-created image (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Instacart IPO is coming with a helluva haircut. Meta is planning a big new LLM trained on its own stuff. Some eye-watering details on how much water ChatGPT uses. If you don’t do that AI tech, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t. And what tomorrow’s iPhone event says as about Apple’s high-end strategy. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride DraftKings Sportsbook with code TECHMEME for $200 in bonus bets Links: Instacart targets up to $9.3 bln valuation for much-awaited US IPO (Reuters) Meta Is Developing a New, More Powerful AI System as Technology Race Escalates (WSJ) Roblox’s new AI chatbot will help you build virtual worlds (The Verge) Artificial intelligence technology behind ChatGPT was built in Iowa — with a lot of water (AP) The Technology Facebook and Google Didn’t Dare Release (NYTimes) Apple Renews Qualcomm Deal in Sign Its Own Modem Chip Isn’t Ready (Bloomberg) Apple Bets on Titanium and Cameras to Nudge Buyers Toward Pricier iPhones (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
You really need to update your Apple devices. Today. Here come the AI generated misinformation campaigns. Microsoft will defend you from lawsuits if you use their AI. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, might AI finally give us a real life Doctor Dolittle? Sponsors: CrucibleMoments.com Nutrafol.com/men promocode: ridehome Links: Apple discloses zero-days linked to NSO Group spyware (The Record) Ex-FTX Executive Ryan Salame Could Forfeit $1.5B as Part of Guilty Plea (CoinDesk) China turns to AI in hopes of creating viral online propaganda, Microsoft researchers say (Cyberscoop) Microsoft Says It Will Protect Customers from AI Copyright Lawsuits (Bloomberg) Exclusive: ChatGPT traffic slips again for third month in a row (Reuters) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes (Vulture) What OpenAI Really Wants (Wired) How artificial intelligence could help us talk to animals (ScienceNewsExplores) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chrome is getting a new coat of paint. China is increasingly banning iPhones. Are drones about to have a breakthrough moment just like self-driving cars? Apple is increasingly serious about AI. And in a way, are we seeing the first major musical artist of the AI era emerging? Sponsors: Netsuite.com/ride Links: Chrome is about to look a bit different (The Verge) China Seeks to Broaden iPhone Ban to State Firms, Agencies (Bloomberg) FAA Clears Drones for Longer Flights, Opening Door to Deliveries (Bloomberg) Apple Boosts Spending to Develop Conversational AI (The Information) Vitalik Buterin co-authors paper on regulation-friendly Tornado Cash alternative (The Block) OpenAI to Host First Developer Conference in San Francisco (Bloomberg) Ghostwriter Returns With an A.I. Travis Scott Song, and Industry Allies (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The EU has listed 22 services falling under its Digital Markets Act. Britain pulls back from an encryption law. And if that’s not enough, the Google antitrust trial begins next week so the modern antitrust era is officially here. Which cars are spying on us? Maybe all of them. Who has all the money in crypto? And the new law here in NYC that could change Airbnb forever. Sponsors: Hatch.co/ride Links: EU Challenges Apple, Microsoft in New Push to Rein in Big Tech Dominance (Bloomberg) UK pulls back from clash with Big Tech over private messaging (Financial Times) In Its First Monopoly Trial of Modern Internet Era, U.S. Sets Sights on Google (NYTimes) There are just six bitcoin billionaires in the world, new crypto super-rich report says (CNBC) If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare (Gizmodo) The End of Airbnb in New York (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Some more controversies surrounding Elon Musk and X. China looks like it is managing its chip situation better than the US might have hoped. Is Spotify’s podcasting bet officially a failure? Is Apple’s Lionel Messi bet already a winner? And will getting rid of Books 3 only help the AI incumbents? Sponsors: DraftKings.com code techmeme Kolide.com/ride Links: Elon Musk to sue ADL for accusing him, X of antisemitism (TechCrunch) Huawei Teardown Shows Chip Breakthrough in Blow to US Sanctions (Bloomberg) Meta Reportedly Partnering With LG For 2025 Quest Pro Successor (UploadVR) Exclusive: Arm signs up big tech firms for IPO at $50 billion-$55 billion valuation (Reuters) Spotify’s $1 Billion Podcast Bet Turns Into a Serial Drama (WSJ) Messi Drives Jump in Apple TV+ and MLS Subscriptions (WSJ) The Battle Over Books3 Could Change AI Forever (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft unbundles Teams to stay ahead of EU antitrust action. But is that actually good for European consumers? Elon wants to collect your biometric data. Can AI police online smack talking in games? Lessons from the grocery delivery bubble. And, surprise, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Microsoft Fends Off EU Antitrust Probe With Teams Deal (Bloomberg) Microsoft is unbundling Teams from Office in Europe to address regulator concerns (The Verge) X Plans to Collect Biometric Data, Job and School History (Bloomberg) Call of Duty enlists AI to eavesdrop on voice chat and help ban toxic players starting today (PCGamer) Bonfire of the groceries (FT) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Despite Cheating Fears, Schools Repeal ChatGPT Bans (NYTimes) A Startup in the New Jersey Suburbs Is Battling the Giants of Silicon Valley (WSJ) Where do fonts come from? This one business, mostly (The Hustle) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The FBI took down a huge botnet. OpenAI is apparently ahead of schedule in terms of making a ton of revenue. Why Samsung wants to apply AI to your refrigerator. Why OnStar is doubling down on AI. And we officially have the deets on the iPhone event scheduled for next month. Links: Qakbot botnet dismantled after infecting over 700,000 computers (BleepingComputer) UAE launches Arabic large language model in Gulf push into generative AI (FT) OpenAI Passes $1 Billion Revenue Pace as Big Companies Boost AI Spending (The Information) Samsung debuts its own 'AI-powered' smart recipe app (Engadget) GM is using Google’s AI chatbot to handle simple OnStar calls (The Verge) Apple Announces 'Wonderlust' Event Expected to Feature iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9 and More (MacRumors) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google’s Cloud Next conference drops a ton of AI announces. OpenAI releases a business-oriented version of ChatGPT. The regulators have come for NFTs and now the question is, are all NFTs securities, or just the ones they just fined? And let me introduce you to Twitch’s big new competitor. But are they really eating their lunch or just a front for gambling related streaming? Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Google to Add AI Models from Meta, Anthropic to Its Cloud Platform (Bloomberg) The new Google Chat borrows from Slack, Teams, Discord, and even ChatGPT (The Verge) Google Meet’s new AI will be able to go to meetings for you (The Verge) OpenAI launches a ChatGPT plan for enterprise customers (TechCrunch) Musk, tech CEOs to attend Schumer’s AI Senate forum (The Hill) SEC takes first action against an NFT project as an unregistered security (The Verge) Twitch competitor Kick is dividing the internet's top streamers (NBCNews) Robotaxis hit the accelerator in growing list of cities nationwide (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple looks to refresh the iPad to reinvigorate sales. Huge network crash is grounding planes in the UK. Some tentative sign that the Tech IPO window might be creaking open. Do you need a 100 year domain renewal? And the Silicon Valley bigwigs who are investing big money to build a new Bay Area city from scratch. Links: Apple Bets on Revamped iPad Pro to Reignite Sluggish Tablet Sales (Bloomberg) China’s BYD to Pay $2.2B to Expand Business With Apple (The Information) UK air traffic control hit by network-wide failure (The Guardian) Klaviyo files to go public in latest sign of life for IPO market (CNBC) WordPress Announces 100-Year Domain Name Registrations (Search Engine Journal) The Silicon Valley Elite Who Want to Build a City From Scratch (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amazon has apparently held talks with Disney about maybe teaming up for a streaming ESPN partnership. Dropbox ends its unlimited storage option. Shein takes over Forever21. A product release so star-crossed, it’s being recalled after just 3 months. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Amazon in Talks With Disney About ESPN Streaming Partnership (The Information) Dropbox Ends Unlimited Cloud Storage Following Google Change (Bloomberg) Shein Strikes Deal With Forever 21 (WSJ) Citizen Is Suspending Sales of Its New Wear OS Smartwatch (Wired) Threads on the web widely rolling out (9to5Google) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: What Happened to Wirecutter? (The Atlantic) Michael Mann Fulfills a 30-Year Journey Directing the Operatic, Thrilling ‘Ferrari’ — And Teases ‘Heat 2’: ‘I Don’t Think About Mortality. I’m Busy’ (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nvidia gives new meaning to the words “earnings beat.” Meta announces Code Llama. TikTok might start banning links to Amazon. SpaceX wants Starlink to be viable in cities too. And turning thoughts into speech via an AI interface becomes real. Links: Nvidia tops estimates and says sales will jump 170% this quarter, driven by demand for AI chips (CNBC) Meta launches own AI code-writing tool: Code Llama (The Verge) TikTok Shop on Track to Lose More Than $500 Million in U.S. This Year (The Information) Epic offers devs 100 percent of net revenue for six months of EGS exclusivity (Engadget) SpaceX Working with Cloudflare to Speed Up Starlink Service (The Information) Brain implants give a voice to people who cannot speak (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sony announces the PlayStation Portal handheld device. IBM announces an AI model to translate code from one type to another. OpenAI lets anyone fine tune. Is LinkedIn the big winner in social media right now? And what happens when you 3d printer comes alive like a zombie in the middle of the night. Sponsors: Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/techmeme Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more. See important Masterworks disclosures: https://www.masterworks.com/cd Links: Sony’s portable PlayStation Portal launches later this year for $199.99 (The Verge) PlayStation Portal: Hands On With Sony's New Remote Play Handheld (IGN) IBM taps AI to translate COBOL code to Java (TechCrunch) OpenAI brings fine-tuning to GPT-3.5 Turbo (TechCrunch) Sorry, But LinkedIn Is Cool Now (Bloomberg) Salesforce Leads Financing of AI Startup at More Than $4 Billion Valuation (The Information) Tiger Global Nears Deal to Sell Slice of Cohere Stake at $3 Billion Valuation (The Information) 3D printers printing without consent is a cautionary tale on cloud reliance (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft tries to appease His Majesty’s Regulators. The Arm IPO is a go. Why Nvidia continues to be huge even in China. A new AI translation model from Meta. I continue to wonder if Elon is tanking things on purpose. And a new social media platform built on top of X? Links: Microsoft to sell off Activision cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in bid for UK approval (The Verge) Arm files for Nasdaq listing, as SoftBank aims to sell shares in chip designer it bought for $32 billion (CNBC) Why China remains hungry for AI chips despite US restrictions (FT) Meta releases an AI model that can transcribe and translate close to 100 languages (TechCrunch) X is planning to hide headlines from news links for ‘improved aesthetics’ (TechCrunch) Social Platform Friend.tech Gains 100K Users in Days Even in Depths of a Bear Market (CoinDesk) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More X shenanigans over the weekend. Some solid evidence that some major LLMs have in fact been trained on copyrighted material. A ton of it, in fact. As Arm prepares to IPO, who might join them, depending on how things go? Bad news for Adyen is probably bad news for Stripe. And the rise of high tech sailing ships. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride TryNom.com/ride Links: Twitter Deletes All User Photos And Links From 2011-2014 (Forbes) REVEALED: THE AUTHORS WHOSE PIRATED BOOKS ARE POWERING GENERATIVE AI (The Atlantic) Silicon Valley start-ups revive listing plans as Arm reignites IPO market (Financial Times) Europe’s Stripe rival Adyen saw $20 billion wiped off its value in a single day. Here’s what’s going on (CNBC) UK to spend £100m in global race to produce AI chips (The Guardian) A cargo ship that harnesses wind power has set sail on its maiden journey (Quartz) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More drips and drabs Threads feature releases. Meta is readying a “Code Llama.” Throwback Friday with Uber and Lyft threatening to leave a major municipality. Our first fall hardware event is on the calendar. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code ridehome Links: Threads gets retweets — sorry, reposts — in the reverse-chronological feed (The Verge) Meta’s Next AI Attack on OpenAI: Free Code-Generating Software (The Information) Lyft and Uber say they will leave Minneapolis if the mayor signs a minimum wage bill for drivers (CNN) Microsoft to hold ‘special event’ in New York City on September 21st (The Verge) Spotify Looked to Ban White Noise Podcasts to Become More Profitable (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A Rare Look Into the Finances of Elon Musk’s Secretive SpaceX (WSJ) How the iMac saved Apple (The Verge) A Living History of The Humble Paper Airplane (Popular Mechanics) A New Role for Werner Herzog: The Voice of A.I. Poetry (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI makes its first acquisition. Has AI really done anything for Bing marketshare? A really cool looking new gaming handheld. The most recent tally of tech industry layoff numbers. And Eric Schmidt says he wants to pull a Sam Altman. Sponsors: Zbiotics.com/ride code ride Links: OpenAI acquires AI design studio Global Illumination (TechCrunch) Microsoft Struggles to Gain on Google Despite Its Head Start in AI Search (WSJ) Exclusive Images: This is the Lenovo Legion Go Gaming Handheld (WindowsReport) Cyber security researchers become target of criminal hackers (FT) Tech Firms Are Slowing Layoffs But Still Not Yet Resuming Hiring (Bloomberg) Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt to launch AI-science moonshot (Semafor) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
By the time you hear these words, I guess I’ll be a blue subscriber cause I’m locked out of Tweetdeck otherwise. Coinbase gets regulatory approval from one agency, while another is suing them. Generative AI in Google search, while Google DeepMind is contemplating doing it for everything. And I guess we’ve entered the true first self-driving car test phase. Hold on to your hats. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Mindbloom.com/techmeme code techmeme Links: TweetDeck is officially becoming a paid service (The Verge) Elon Musk’s X is throttling traffic to websites he dislikes (The Washington Post) Coinbase obtains regulatory approval to offer crypto futures trading to eligible clients (The Block) Google’s AI search experience adds AI-powered summaries, definitions and coding improvements (TechCrunch) Google Tests an A.I. Assistant That Offers Life Advice (NYTimes) Robotaxis are driving on thin ice (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Very interesting executive departure at Amazon. A popular Mac service is gonna launch an alternative iOS app store. Now nation states are trying to stockpile Nvidia chips, not just tech companies. And what is the maximum capacity of your iPhone’s battery, and should you check on it? Links: Amazon’s Leader on Alexa, Echo and Other Devices Plans to Leave (WSJ) Scoop: X shuts down $100M promoted accounts ad business (Axios) Setapp plans to launch EU-only alternative iOS App Store (Apple Insider) Saudi Arabia and UAE race to buy Nvidia chips to power AI ambitions (FT) Linear TV Falls Below 50 Percent of Viewing for First Time (The Hollywood Reporter) iPhone 14 Pro users complain of major drops in battery health and capacity after less than a year (9to5Mac) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple is planning a huge revamp for the Apple Watch in honor of it’s 10th birthday. Amazon is using generative AI to summarize product reviews. It’s finally official. Paying for all the big streaming services is now more expensive than just paying for cable. And if that self driving car is rocking, maybe don’t go a-knocking. Sponsors: Hillsdale.edu/ride Links: Apple Plans Major ‘Watch X’ Overhaul for Device’s 10-Year Anniversary (Bloomberg) Amazon taps generative AI to enhance product reviews (TechCrunch) Google-backed Anthropic raises $100 mln from South Korea's SK Telecom (Reuters) Hollywood calls time on golden era of cheap streaming (FT) Could a True Streaming Bundle Be Upon Us? (Vulture) San Franciscans Are Having Sex in Robotaxis, and Nobody Is Talking About It (The San Francisco Standard) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A major regulatory breakthrough is going to open the floodgates for self-driving taxis in California. Two different stories about dealing with the China restrictions, including one US company that is directly benefiting, and Meta’s AR ambitions, which are not. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Robotaxis score a huge victory in California with approval to operate 24/7 (The Verge) Skydio closing consumer drone business (TechCrunch) Behind Meta’s ‘Made in USA’ AR Glasses: a Military-Grade Material (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Where have all the fitness bands gone? (The Verge) 4 Actual Use Cases for Blockchain and AI That Are More Than Just Hype (CoinDesk) The Looming Catalog Crisis (Vulture) Paul F. Tompkins Is Getting Back Into It (Vulture) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oh why not? Disney+ is raising prices too. A new executive order targeting Chinese tech. New features in Threads, but not the ones they need. Are the robot card shufflers in Vegas easily hackable? And we did the Flip. Now the Galaxy Z Fold 5 review. Links: Prices of Disney+, Hulu Premium Plans to Get Jacked Up but New Duo Bundle Will Offer Deep Discount (Variety) Biden Restricts U.S. Investment in China (WSJ) You can now verify your Threads profile on Mastodon (The Verge) Apple Can Keep App Store Rules for Now as Top Court Spurns Epic (Bloomberg) Hackers Rig Casino Card-Shuffling Machines for ‘Full Control’ Cheating (Wired) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review: a little better is just good enough (The Verge) Messina joins Ride Home Fund’s new $15M AI vehicle, backed by Andreessen, Dixon, Crowley (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slack announces its biggest ever redesign. Sony signals that the smartphone recession is real and is not getting better anytime soon. Is WeWork circling the drain? Why a Gizmodo editor is suing Apple over Tetris. And guess what? The bots are better at solving CAPTCHAs than you are. Something something, Turing Test. Sponsors: Zbiotics.com/ride and code ride for 15% off Links: Slack’s biggest redesign ever tries to tame the chaos of your workday (The Verge) Netflix launches a game controller app for playing games on your TV (TechCrunch) Sony Expects Smartphone Rebound Only in 2024 After China Fizzles (Bloomberg) WeWork Tumbles After Raising ‘Substantial Doubt’ About Future (Bloomberg) Apple's 'Tetris' movie ripped off tech writer's book, lawsuit says (Reuters) New ‘Downfall’ Flaw Exposes Valuable Data in Generations of Intel Chips (Wired) Bots are better than humans at cracking ‘Are you a robot?’ Captcha tests, study finds (The Independent) Podcast fantasy league: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/9jpcof Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hackers accessed the UK Electoral Commission, so how worried should we be? Apple, Samsung and others can’t wait to buy Arm stock. OpenAI explains how its bot is crawling the web. More details on the new M3 chips Apple is testing. And Apple Music finally edges closer to the one thing Spotify still does so much better. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Millions of UK voters’ data accessible in cyber-attack, says Electoral Commission (The Guardian) Apple, Samsung to invest in Arm as it eyes September IPO (NikkeiAsia) OpenAI Launches GPTBot With Details On How To Restrict Access (SearchEngineJournal) Zoom can now train its A.I. using some customer data, according to updated terms (CNBC) Even Zoom Is Making People Return to the Office (NYTimes) Apple Tests M3 Max Chip, Setting Stage for Most Powerful MacBook Pro Yet (Bloomberg) Apple Music debuts new algorithmic Discovery Station radio (AppleInsider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In earnings last week, Apple was forced to admit softness in iPhone sales. But the big question is, will the iPhone 15 be enough to turn things around? A stablecoin from PayPal. What the world being flooded with cheap AI-produced content already means in the real world. And a review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Collective.com/ride Links: Apple Admits There Is a Smartphone Slowdown Ahead of iPhone 15 Debut (Bloomberg) PayPal Launches a Stablecoin in Latest Crypto Payments Push (Bloomberg) New acoustic attack steals data from keystrokes with 95% accuracy (BleepingComputer) A New Frontier for Travel Scammers: A.I.-Generated Guidebooks (NyTimes) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: the flip phone we’ve been waiting for (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Check out more about the Ride Home AI Fund at RideHomeFund.com. And subscribe to the Big Technology Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple and Amazon earnings make me wonder if the law of large numbers is dead. Coinbase is willing to argue over what the definition of is is. Threads continues its precipitous decline. The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. And be sure to listen to the end of the show for some big, big show news. Biggest news in a while. Among other things, why haven’t there been bonus episodes for a while? Where has Chris been? Listen to the end! All will be revealed. Links: Apple reports third quarter results (BusinessWire) Amazon.com Announces Second Quarter Results (BusinessWire) Coinbase argues it doesn’t trade securities, so the SEC’s lawsuit should be dismissed (The Verge) Bitcoin launderer pleads guilty, admits to massive Bitfinex hack (CNBC) Threads user count falls to new lows, highlighting retention challenges (CNN) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Chip Titan Whose Life’s Work Is at the Center of a Tech Cold War (NYTimes) When AI Is Trained on AI-Generated Data, Strange Things Start to Happen (Futurism) How “windfall profits” from AI companies could fund a universal basic income (Vox) How Modelo became America’s new favorite beer (Vox) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two stories today of startups who flew high during the pandemic, but have crashed down to earth in meaningful ways. NFT trading volumes might be sinking, but developers continue to flood into the space. And does Goldman Sachs want out of the whole Apple Card partnership? Links: Johnny Boufarhat steps down as CEO of Hopin (Sifted) ‘A Nice Bike, When It Works’: Riders Fret After E-Bike Maker Goes Bust (NYTimes) IRS expects faster refunds in 2024 for people who stop using paper (Washington Post) NFT Trading Volume Is Sinking, But It’s Not Stopping Developers From Entering Web3 (Coindesk) Kenya suspends Worldcoin's crypto project over safety concerns (Reuters) Why are people lining up for Worldcoin eyeball scans? “Easy $50” (Rest of World) How the Partnership Between Apple and Goldman Sachs Soured (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Seems like I’ll have to be paying up for an X Blue subscription any day now. Meta releases a new AI music generator. We might actually be getting a big tech IPO in a matter of weeks. Amazon is readying an aggressive new push into groceries. And what happens when an online creator replaces themselves with an AI bot? Links: X, formerly Twitter, now lets paid users hide their checkmarks (TechCrunch) TweetDeck is now called ‘XPro’ (9to5Google) Meta’s AI music generator could be the new synthesizer — or just muzak (The Verge) SoftBank’s Arm Targets $60 Billion Value in September IPO (Bloomberg) Microsoft Teams adds spatial audio for more immersive conference calls (The Verge) Amazon Unveils Biggest Grocery Overhaul Since Buying Whole Foods (Bloomberg) One of Gaming’s Biggest YouTubers Wants to Replace Himself With AI (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Uber reports meaningful, not gimmicky profitability for the first time ever. Meta’s gonna give you AI chatbots with personality. Google is overhauling Assistant with AI stuff. Even Pierson is getting ahead of the whole, let AI tutor you on stuff, stuff. Nintendo is probably giving us a new console next year. And the prisoner’s dilemma that is fueling quantum computing development, but heck, let’s be honest, fueling AI development as well. Links: Uber Delivers First-Ever Operating Profit in Drive to Curb Losses (WSJ) Meta prepares chatbots with personas to try to retain users (FT) Scoop: Google Assistant to get an AI makeover (Axios) Amazon wants Alexa to bring AI into the home (Axios) Pearson Offers New AI Study Tools in Time for Back-to-School (Bloomberg) Sources: Nintendo targets 2024 with next-gen console (VCG) Quantum Tech Will Transform National Security. It’s Testing U.S. Alliances Now. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brian Armstrong strongly hints that US regulators believe only Bitcoin is legal. A deep dive into what we can expect from this year’s iPhones. Is the US crackdown on tech to China having a real impact? And the artist that tried to take his art out of Stable Diffusion, only to have the community pull him back in. Sponsors: TryNom.com/ride CalderaLab.com code ride for 20% off Links: SEC asked Coinbase to halt trading in everything except bitcoin, CEO says (FT) The iPhone 15 Pro Will Have Thinner Bezels in Step Toward Apple’s Dream (Bloomberg) U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations (NYTimes) China’s Tech Distress Grows as U.S. Chip Sanctions Bite (WSJ) An Internet Veteran’s Guide to Not Being Scared of Technology (NYTimes) Greg Rutkowski Was Removed From Stable Diffusion, But AI Artists Brought Him Back (Decrypt) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The whole Threads saga has been a whirlwind. At the beginning of the month I asked if Threads had already won. At the end of the month, I’m wondering if the clock is ticking in terms of their chances of survival. Generative AI but for robots. Again. Real robots. Are VCs pulling back from the crypto space? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code ridehome Crashplan.com code techmeme Links: Meta plans retention 'hooks' for Threads as more than half of users leave app (Reuters) Aided by A.I. Language Models, Google’s Robots Are Getting Smart (NYTimes) App Store to require developers to describe why their apps use certain APIs (9to5Mac) Sequoia Capital Slashes Crypto Fund as It Downsizes Amid Startup Crunch (WSJ) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Large language models, explained with a minimum of math and jargon (UnderstandingAI.org) The making of ‘Acquired,’ the No. 1 tech podcast sensation (Fast Company) Internet cafes introduced Uganda to the internet (Rest of World) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta’s earnings say, hey, let’s just forget the last two years even happened. Is the next iPhone about to get an “action” button? What does it mean if Waymo is basically hitting pause on self driving trucks? Checking in on SBF. And a super fast new version of 5G. Sponsors: Crashplan.com code techmeme Links: Meta’s Improved Ad Sales Buy Time for Zuckerberg’s Metaverse (Bloomberg) Microsoft Faces European Antitrust Investigation Over Bundling of Teams Software (WSJ) iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Options Potentially Revealed in iOS 17 Code: Flashlight, Shortcuts, Voice Memos, and More (MacRumors) Alphabet’s Waymo Self-Driving Unit Slows Autonomous Trucking (Bloomberg) Sony has sold 40 million PS5s (The Verge) Prosecutors want Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail after witness-tampering allegations. Judge issues gag order (CNN) T-Mobile says its ultrafast 5G capable of up to 3.3Gbps is rolling out now (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from the big Galaxy Unpacked event today. This was the foldable event, but there were interesting watch announces too. Quick earnings roundup. Threads gets a follower tab. And the group that wants to battle Apple and Google in maps dominance has released their first product. Sponsors: Crashplan.com code techmeme Mindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme Links: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 gets a big little screen upgrade (The Verge) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hands-on: Is Samsung squandering its head start? (Engadget) The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series is all about the bezels (The Verge) Meta’s Threads app is rolling out a Following feed (TechCrunch) OpenAI Quietly Shuts Down Its AI Detection Tool (Decrypt) Meta, Microsoft and Amazon team up on maps project to crack Apple-Google duopoly (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big potential vulnerability in AMD chips. Fallout from the whole X re-branding continues. Now TikTok is cloning Twitter. The Arc Browser is now available for anyone to try out. And if you think Elon likes to have his hand in a lot of pies, a look at the increasing, and increasingly ambitious portfolio of Sam Altman-related companies. Links: AMD 'Zenbleed' Bug Leaks Data From Ryzen, EPYC CPUs: Most Patches Coming Q4 (Updated) (TomsHardware) Musk Explains Why He’s Axing Twitter Name, Iconic Bird Logo (Bloomberg) TikTok is adding support for text posts (TechCrunch) The excellent Arc browser is now available for anyone to download (The Verge) Spotify now has 220 million paying subscribers (The Verge) Sam Altman’s vision for AI puts him on collision course with regulators (Financial Times) Sam Altman explains why he’s helping to take nuclear microreactor company Oklo public via SPAC (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon makes good on his promise to rebrand Twitter as… X. Moar price hikes in streaming! Worldcoin has officially rolled out its token, so long as you’ve scanned your eyeball. Let me introduce you to the Flipper Zero. And should it be titled: Hollywood Strike: Rise Of The TikTok Stars? Sponsors: Collective.com/ride startups.tech/techmeme Links: Twitter is being rebranded as X (The Verge) Twitter has officially changed its logo to ‘X’ (TechCrunch) It’s Spotify’s turn to increase prices (The Verge) Peer-to-Peer Crypto Exchanges Lose Ground in Shrunken Market (Bloomberg) Sam Altman’s Worldcoin crypto project begins international rollout (FT) The Flipper Zero is a Swiss Army knife of antennas (The Verge) The Flipper Zero has an app store now (The Verge) The creator economy was already exploding. Then Hollywood went on strike. (Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reddit is choosing violence with their biggest holdouts. More data on the ebbing of Threads usage. AI seems to be bringing Sergey Brin back into the office. Why you should be getting your paycheck quicker. And an Oppenheimer-themed Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: ZBiotics.com/ride and code ride for 15% off Links: Reddit takes over one of the biggest protesting subreddits (The Verge) Threads Is Already Losing Its Allure for Users, Adding Urgency for New Features (WSJ) Meta, Google, and OpenAI promise the White House they’ll develop AI responsibly (The Verge) The Federal Reserve’s 24/7 payment system could deposit your paycheck instantly (The Verge) Sergey Brin Is Back in the Trenches at Google (WSJ) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A $25,000 Prize Still Sits in the Maine Woods. Meteorite Hunters Aren’t Giving Up. (WSJ) Fable unveils Showrunner AI to create South Park-like TV shows with you as the star (VentureBeat) The Airstocracy: Six things to know about flying with the superrich. (NYMag) THE REAL LESSON FROM THE MAKING OF THE ATOMIC BOMB (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rumors that Apple already has an LLM framework and their own generative chatbot. Google is shopping an AI bot that can write news stories to various journalism outlets. Has GPT-4 actually gotten dumber of late? More streaming price raises. And it’s the last chance saloon for Microsoft’s AR headset for the US Military. Sponsors: BirdDogs.com/ride notion.com/ride Links: Apple Tests ‘Apple GPT,’ Develops Generative AI Tools to Catch OpenAI (Bloomberg) Google Tests A.I. Tool That Is Able to Write News Articles (NYTimes) Study claims ChatGPT is losing capability, but some experts aren’t convinced (ArsTechnica) Meta open-sources Llama 2, but with strings attached (MoneyControl) Apple slams UK surveillance-bill proposals (BBC News) Google raising price of YouTube Premium to $13.99 per month (9to5Google) Microsoft Poised to Deliver Improved Combat Goggles, US Army Says (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Microsoft announced aggressive pricing for their AI products and got rewarded with an all-time high stock market valuation. More price aggression in the streaming wars. Meta released Llama 2. Google is asking for employees to voluntarily work on air gapped machines. And let me introduce you to the concept of “synthetic data” for LLMs. Links: Microsoft and Activision Blizzard extend merger agreement to October (The Verge) Microsoft will charge businesses $30 per user for its 365 AI Copilot (Engadget) Microsoft closes at record after revealing pricing for new A.I. subscription (CNBC) Netflix Shakes Up Pricing: ‘Basic’ Tier Axed in UK, US (Cord Busters) Meta launches Llama 2, an open source AI model that allows commercial applications (Ars Technica) Google restricting internet access to some employees to reduce cyberattack risk (CNBC) Why computer-made data is being used to train AI models (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s been… two weeks. Let’s check in on how Threads is doing. Streaming players continue to raise prices. Microsoft still plans on fighting for its prize. Are the incumbents winning the AI race? And the interesting startup that wants to use light instead of electricity in computer chips. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: The spam bots have now found Threads, as company announces its own ‘rate limits’ (TechCrunch) Five reasons Threads could still go the distance (Platformer) Peacock to raise its subscription prices on August 17 (TechCrunch) Microsoft-Activision Deal Poised to Close Later Than Planned (Bloomberg) Wix’s new tool can create entire websites from prompts (TechCrunch) UK chip designer raises millions from Agnelli fund (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sony and Microsoft have made nice. Bitcoin ETFs continue to look like a possibility. How the Vision Pro is shaking up Apple’s org structure in a meaningful way for the first time since the Steve Jobs Era. And why Netflix’s recent turnaround have rekindled those perpetual rumors that Apple is gonna end up buying Disney some day. Sponsors: CalderaLab.com code RIDE for 20% off Hillsdale.edu/ride Links: Sony agrees to 10-year Call of Duty deal with Microsoft (The Verge) SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application, signaling regulatory review (CoinTelegraph) The shady world of Brave selling copyrighted data for AI training (StackDiary) Hacker News Thread On The Brave Thing Typo leaks millions of US military emails to Mali web operator (Financial Times) Apple’s New Vision Group Reflects Shift Away From Steve Jobs Approach (Bloomberg) Bob Iger Shifts From Building an Empire to a Disney Yard Sale (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon has made good on his promise to share ad revenue with some big Tweeters. The fact that you can’t use Threads in Europe continues to be weird. Meta unveils a new AI image generator that they say is significantly smaller and better. Why AI is at the center of the Hollywood strike part eleven. And one choice Weekend Longreads Suggestion. Links: Twitter starts sharing ad revenue with verified creators (TechCrunch) Musk's Twitter sues four Texas entities for data scraping, seeks damages (Reuters) Meta confirms it is blocking EU-based users from accessing Threads via VPN (TechCrunch) Meta claims its new art-generating model is best-in-class (TechCrunch) Exclusive: AP strikes news-sharing and tech deal with OpenAI (Axios) Actors say Hollywood studios want their AI replicas — for free, forever (The Verge) Here’s the new default font for Microsoft Outlook and Word: Aptos (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Apple, Lionel Messi and the $2.5bn question: What’s next? (The Athletic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon has launched his own AI company with some pretty big names involved. The FTC will appeal! Roblox is coming to Zuckerberg’s metaverse. Meta does plan to commercialize LLaMA. And a cool new “do a napkin sketch and have AI turn it into an actual work of art” tool. Links: Musk Unveils xAI in New Bid to Rival Startup OpenAI (Bloomberg) FTC appeals its loss to Microsoft in Activision Blizzard case (The Verge) Ex-Celsius CEO Mashinsky Charged in Latest DOJ Crypto Case (Bloomberg) Roblox is coming to Meta’s Quest VR headsets (The Verge) macOS Sonoma Brings Apple Password Manager to Third-Party Browsers (MacRumors) Meta to release commercial AI model in effort to catch rivals (FT) Stability AI releases Stable Doodle, a sketch-to-image tool (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A big win for Microsoft leads critics of FTC chair Lina Khan to come out of the woodwork. Anthropic has released its Claude 2 chatbot. Say hello to the Nothing Phone (2). And while the market caps of the big players might have been boosted by AI, might the need for on premises AI lead to a unique opening for the likes of Dell and Hewlett Packard Enterprise? Links: Microsoft-Activision deal moves closer as judge denies FTC injunction request (CNBC) Microsoft and UK regulators agree to pause their Activision battle to negotiate (The Verge) FTC would face tough appeal of Microsoft-Activision order, experts say (Reuters) F.T.C.’s Court Loss Raises Fresh Questions About Its Chair’s Strategy (NYTimes) AI Startup Anthropic Releases a New Version of Its ChatGPT Rival, Claude (Bloomberg) Why SUSE is forking Red Hat Enterprise Linux (TechCrunch) Bigger, Brighter, More Expensive: Nothing Reveals the Phone (2) (Gizmodo) The AI Boom Is Here. The Cloud May Not Be Ready. (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Could Massachusetts pass the first meaningful anti-tracking law in the country? With social media in transition, what’s the lane for someone like Tumblr? Instagram is going after Twitter, but is someone coming for Instagram at the exact same time? And the sad state of affairs for video game history. Sponsors: https://www.birddogs.com/RIDE SwissAmerica.com/ride Links: Selling Your Cellphone Location Data Might Soon Be Banned in U.S. for First Time (WSJ) Tumblr says it’s going to ‘fix’ its ‘core experience’ to appeal to new users (The Verge) HCA Healthcare patient data stolen and for sale by hackers (CNBC) A New VC-Beloved Startup Rips a Page From Meta’s Playbook (The Information) THE GAME AVAILABILITY STUDY, EXPLAINED (Video Game History Foundation) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Time to get worried about your Evernote files. Looks like Meta won’t have to leave the EU. OpenAI has a new product that people are raving about. More analysis of if AI can be useful to doctors. And I’ll tell you the one simple reason Threads has hit 100 million users so fast. The answer is right in front of us. Sponsors: startups.tech/techmeme ZocDoc.com/techmeme Links: Bay Area tech company Evernote lays off most staff, relocating to Europe (SFGate) EU Seals New Transatlantic Data-Transfer Pact With US in Third Attempt (Bloomberg) Code Interpreter comes to all ChatGPT Plus users — ‘anyone can be a data analyst now’ (VentureBeat) Sarah Silverman is suing OpenAI and Meta for copyright infringement (The Verge) In Battle With Microsoft, Google Bets on Medical AI Program to Crack Healthcare Industry (WSJ) Snap’s Push to Tempt Creators Seems to Be Working (WSJ) Instagram’s Threads app reaches 100 million users within just five days (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s been my job for over a decade now to analyze the competitive landscape of the tech industry, and I’ve simply never seen anything like what Threads has achieved in less than 48 hours. Though, Elon is threatening to sue. Uber, DoorDash and GrubHub are suing NYC. Volkswagen is rolling out its self-driving cars. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Earnin App (type in Techmeme under PODCAST when you sign up) Links: Threads Becomes Most Rapidly Downloaded App, Raising Twitter’s Ire (NYTimes) Zuck's Threads halo (Axios) Twitter is threatening to sue Meta over Threads (Semafor) OpenAI makes GPT-4 generally available (TechCrunch) Food-Delivery Companies Sue New York City Over Minimum Pay Law (NYTimes) Volkswagen's Self-Driving Cars Begin Testing In Texas (Jalopnik) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: What Did People Do Before Smartphones? (The Atlantic) The Man Who Broke Bowling (GQ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There’s only one story today. Threads. Threads. Threads. Has Threads already won? Links: Meta launches Instagram Threads in a direct challenge to Twitter (CNBC) Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting Instagram account, Meta says (TechCrunch) Instagram Threads works, but it’s sterile, dull and worst of all – it’s still run by Mark Zuckerberg (iNews) Meta unspools Threads (Platformer) So where are we all supposed to go now? (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chaos at Twitter emphatically did NOT take the 4th of July weekend off. Instagram’s Twitter clone looks like it’s going to take advantage of this chaos to launch now. The Reddit app apocalypse has happened. Oh, and the mods for Reddit AMA’s have downed tools. And how drone technology is disrupting the traditional Fireworks industry. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Notion.com/ride Links: Instagram’s Twitter competitor, Threads, briefly went live on the web (The Verge) The Reddit app-pocalyse is here: Apollo, Sync, and BaconReader go dark (The Verge) The Reddit moderators who coordinate many celebrity AMAs will no longer do so (The Verge) Fireworks Have a New Competitor: Drones (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Originally published April 2015 It’s part two of our Amazon founding story. How did Amazon come to completely dominate e-commerce? How did Jeff Bezos’ “Get Big Fast” strategy evolve? How and why did Amazon become the quintessential “dot com” and dot-com-era stock? The answers are within.  Bibliography:  The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon  The Playboy Interview: Moguls  Amazon.com: Get Big Fast  One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com  http://jimromenesko.com/2013/08/11/i-interviewed-jeff-bezos-when-amazon-was-an-insignificant-speck-in-the-book-selling-universe/#more-49306  http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html  http://www.fastcompany.com/50541/inside-mind-jeff-bezos  http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB832204437381952500  http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303339904576405922077032468  http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-corporateTimeline_pf&c=176060  http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,992927-2,00.html  http://www.vox.com/2015/1/4/7490013/ecommerce-shopping-mall  http://mashable.com/2014/05/08/amazon-sales-chart/  http://www.statista.com/statistics/185283/total-and-e-commerce-us-retail-trade-sales-since-2000/  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-01-07/amazon-surges-to-record-high-on-global-e-commerce-growth  http://www.thewire.com/business/2014/05/amazon-has-basically-no-competition-among-online-booksellers/371917/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Originally published February 2015. Finally, the long-promised foray into e-commerce, starting with… not the first… but practically the first… player in the space… and ironically enough, the 800 pound gorilla in the space to this day. Amazon. Dot com. We examine Jeff Bezos, the man. We consider Amazon, the idea. We look at e-commerce, the concept. It’s interesting. It’s groundbreaking. It’s available with free 2-day shipping for Prime members. Just kidding. Bibliography:  The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon  The Playboy Interview: Moguls  Amazon.com: Get Big Fast  One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com  http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html  http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/01/11/253770/index.htm  http://partners.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/03/biztech/articles/14amazon.html  http://www.retireat21.com/blog/10-companies-started-garages  http://davidsheff.com/article/jeff-bezos/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Second time the charm for Apple to close above $3 trillion? Google says it will remove news links in Canada. Meta will allow you to download apps directly from Ads. Self driving cars are giving cops more surveillance tape. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Apple’s market cap tops $3 trillion (CNBC) Canada’s ‘link tax’ law could break how the web works, says Google (Android Police) Meta is planning to let people in the EU download apps through Facebook (The Verge) Fidelity Joins Spot-Bitcoin ETF Race With Fresh SEC Filing (Bloomberg) Police Are Requesting Self-Driving Car Footage For Video Evidence (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: When Will AI Generate a Hollywood Blockbuster? “Give It About Three Years.” (Inverse) These Tech Companies Think They Can ‘Solve’ the Wildfire Crisis (Motherboard) Who killed Google Reader? (The Verge) Mixtape Sites Like DatPiff Propelled Rap. Can They Be Preserved? (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Satya Nadella had his day in court. Looks like the FTC is finalizing its big case against Amazon. YouTube has advertisers asking for refunds. Big new interesting raises in the AI space. And ahead of the Fourth of July travel weekend, we may not have the autonomous driving we want, but maybe we can get the autonomous rental car delivery we deserve. Links: Microsoft and Activision Chiefs Testify Merger Will Benefit Consumers (NYTimes) Lina Khan Is Coming for Amazon, Armed With an FTC Antitrust Suit (Bloomberg) Advertising industry seeks refunds over YouTube skippable ads (FT) ChatGPT maker OpenAI faces a lawsuit over how it used people’s data (Washington Post) Inflection AI Raises $1 Billion (Forbes) Halo Car launches remotely piloted rental car deliveries in Las Vegas (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Even in bankruptcy, even FTX is like, maybe we’ll hold on to these AI investments. Could Windows itself become a fully cloud product? Has Google canceled its AR project? How AI is making even Billy Bean look like old school baseball. And who needs a Mac Pro when you’ve got a perfectly good Mac Studio or even Mac Book? Links: FTX Halts Sale of Its $500 Million Stake in AI Startup Anthropic (Bloomberg) AI Frenzy Draws Hordes to Private Markets in Industry Gold Rush (Bloomberg) Microsoft wants to move Windows fully to the cloud (The Verge) Google killed its Iris augmented-reality smart glasses as it shifts attention to building AR software (Insider) DoorDash launches hourly rates and location sharing for couriers (The Verge) Baseball Scouts Call In Artificial Intelligence Help From the Bullpen (WSJ) The Mac Pro’s biggest problem is the MacBook (The Verge) Eat Your Heart Out, Tesla. Mercedes-Benz May Have the Fastest EV Yet. (Barron's) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Checking in with the FTC vs. Microsoft case. Checking in with the effort to recover funds from FTX. What if OpenAI did its own Copilot? Would Microsoft be pissed? And reviews of the Pixel Fold include one reviewer’s unit dying after a mere few days. Sponsors: stpp.co/techmeme ZocDoc.com/techmeme Links: Microsoft exec was ready to ‘go spend Sony out of business’ to strengthen Xbox (The Verge) FTX Bankruptcy Team Says the Exchange Owed Customers $8.7B (CoinDesk) Thomson Reuters buys Casetext, an AI legal tech startup, for $650M in cash (TechCrunch) OpenAI Plans ChatGPT ‘Personal Assistant for Work,’ Setting Up Microsoft Rivalry (The Information) RIP to my Pixel Fold: Dead after four days (ArsTechnica) Google Pixel Fold review: closing the gap (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, this AI moment is only about 6 months old, but it looks like the mergers and acquisitions are beginning in earnest. Wait, we’re still worried about 5G interfering with airplanes? Amazon wants your local florist to deliver your packages. An Amazon/FTC kerfuffle we missed. And what are the OTHER Apple products we can expect in the next year or so? Sponsors: JoinDeleteMe.com/techmeme The Traceroute Podcast Links: Databricks Strikes $1.3 Billion Deal for Generative AI Startup MosaicML (WSJ) Pete Buttigieg Warns of Flight Delays as 5G Deadline Looms (WSJ) Exclusive: Amazon launches local business delivery network (Axios) FTC sues Amazon over ‘deceptive’ Prime sign-up and cancellation process (CNBC) Amazon, Friction, and the FTC (Stratechery) Apple Has Finally Unveiled the Vision Pro. Here’s What It’s Launching Next (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Find out more at ThePlayerslounge.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are Canadians about to lose their access to news on Instagram and maybe Google too? More details about what that Apple headset will actually be like to use. The newest claimant to the supercomputer crown is about to come online. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/go Collective.com Links: Meta says it's blocking news on Facebook, Instagram after government passes online news bill (National Post) Apple Vision Pro has a speed limit, Travel Mode required for use on flights (9to5Mac) The Aurora Supercomputer Is Installed (AnandTech) Randomly received a smartwatch? Don’t turn it on, investigators warn. (ArmyTimes) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Dolby Atmos Wants You to Listen Up. (And Down. And Sideways.) (NYTimes) The hottest new perk in tech is freedom (Vox) This Bay Area woman is on a crusade to prove Yelp reviews can’t be trusted (SFGate) Meet the Vocal Coach Who’s Helping Timothée Chalamet Sound Like Bob Dylan (GQ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, I guess Elon and Zuck are gonna fight? Literally? New Stability AI. Xbox prices are going up. The visionOS SDK is out. A Motorola Razr Plus review. And why celebrities are racing to duplicate themselves using AI. Sponsors: JoinDeleteMe.com/techmeme Grammarly.com/go Links: Mark Zuckerberg is ready to fight Elon Musk in a cage match (The Verge) Startup Stability Debuts a New AI Model For Stable Diffusion (Bloomberg) Microsoft is hiking the price of Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass (The Verge) Apple releases visionOS SDK for creating Vision Pro apps, dev kit applications opening soon (9to5Mac) Motorola Razr Plus review: the right moves (The Verge) Celebrities Use AI to Take Control of Their Own Images (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dropbox joins the AI bandwagon. Lots of news from Twitch. Netflix changes how it calculates its top 10. Mark your calendars for Prime Day. And what all the things Apple DIDN’T demo for their new headset might reveal about the directions in which the product could evolve. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/go NewtonX.com/techmeme Links: Dropbox’s AI tools can help you find your stuff — from everywhere on the internet (The Verge) Twitch will require new labels for streams with sexual themes, gambling and M-rated games (TechCrunch) Netflix Tweaks Its Top 10 Rankings, Adds View Count (THR) Amazon will hold Prime Day 2023 on July 11-12, adding invite-only deals and ‘Buy with Prime’ sites (GeekWire) What Apple Didn’t Reveal About the Vision Pro (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spotify is thinking of bucking the “max” and “ultra” naming convention and might introduce “supremium.” What if FTX, the exchange, makes a comeback? One of the hottest sectors in VC right now is defense. And the story of how Meta is playing catchup when it comes to AI. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/go go.tech/tm Links: Spotify Plans New Premium Tier, Expected to Include HiFi Audio (Bloomberg) FTX paid over $120 million in advisor fees between February 1 and April 30 (The Block) Masayoshi Son Ends Seven-Month Silence to Make Case for SoftBank’s Future (Bloomberg) Silicon Valley VCs rush into defence technology start-ups (FT) Mark Zuckerberg Was Early in AI. Now Meta Is Trying to Catch Up. (WSJ) When AI Overrules the Nurses Caring for You (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No joke, this is one of my favorite episodes we've ever done. Eugene Wei was an early employee at Hulu, so we get some details on that company for the first time, and he also worked at Flipboard and Oculus, so we get some important context especially on the future of VR and the like. But the most fascinating stories you'll hear will be about Amazon, where Eugene was the first analyst in the strategic planning department. As you'll hear, Eugene had a unique perspective on Amazon's early strategy and business structure, almost a historically unique perspective... he could see month to month, how Amazon was built, what Amazon was trying to do, and why. This is such an amazing perspective on such an important company. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/go Hillsdale.edu/ride Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google does it again. For like the 10th time just since I’ve been doing this podcast. What is “it?” You’ll hear in a second. The whole Reddit thing is simultaneously seeming to calm down, AND heat up, largely thanks to Reddit’s CEO. Will we finally get a bitcoin ETF this time? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: TryNom.com/ride CrashPlan.com Links: Alphabet Selling Google Domains Assets to Squarespace (Bloomberg) Reddit says it won’t force subreddits back open (but will it?) (The Verge) Reddit CEO slams protest leaders, saying he'll change rules that favor ‘landed gentry’ (NCBNews) AI and media companies negotiate landmark deals over news content (Financial Times) BlackRock files for bitcoin ETF in push into crypto (Reuters) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Microsoft’s Sudden AI Dominance Is Scrambling Silicon Valley’s Power Structure (Bloomberg Businessweek) How Nvidia Became ChatGPT’s Brain and Joined the $1 Trillion Club (Bloomberg Businessweek) How MrBeast Became the Willy Wonka of YouTube (NYTimes Magazine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The every platform can be an ad platform too march continues. This time, it’s Uber. Intel drops the “I.” Google lens can check your skin condition. Another breakthrough in quantum computing. And why Apple bringing back the answering machine is a feature lots of folks, including me, are actually happy about. Sponsors: CrashPlan.com Links: Video Ads Are Coming to All Your Uber Apps (The Wall Street Journal) Intel To Launch New Core Processor Branding: Drop the i, Add Ultra Tier (AnandTech) Google Lens can now identify rashes and other skin conditions (9to5Google) Mechanical Turk workers are using AI to automate being human (TechCrunch) Fake zero-day PoC exploits on GitHub push Windows, Linux malware (BleepingComputer) Quantum Computing Advance Begins New Era, IBM Says (NYTimes) iOS 17 Live Voicemail will return the glory of the answering machine to your iPhone (TechRadar) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The European Commission might have just taken the first steps toward separating Google from its cash cow. Reddit’s CEO keeps saying not so soothing things. New Open AI and Meta releases for… AI stuff. Cybersecurity premiums are skyrocketing. Spotify has fully shifted its podcast strategy. And a look at the tech job market as AI takes over. Sponsors: NewtonX.com/techmeme CrashPlan.com Links: EU suggests breaking up Google’s ad business in preliminary antitrust ruling (The Verge) Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass' (The Verge) Google is getting a lot worse because of the Reddit blackouts (The Verge) OpenAI intros new generative text features while reducing pricing (TechCrunch) Cyber Insurance Premiums Surge by 50% as Ransomware Attacks Increase (Bloomberg) Spotify Takes a Sharp Turn With Its $1 Billion Podcast Division (Bloomberg) Meta AI researchers unveil I-JEPA, a computer vision model that learns more like humans do (SiliconAngle) Layoffs and AI Are Changing Tech’s Once-Invincible Job Market (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The FTC has filed an injunction to block the Microsoft/Activision tie-up. Netflix is dipping its toe into live sports. Why Larry Ellison is thankful AI showed up on the scene. The whole Reddit situation came to a head partially cause of AI. And one guess why we’re about to get a new Beatles song. Sponsors: CrashPlan.com notion.com/ride Links: FTC files to block Microsoft-Activision as deadline approaches (CNBC) Netflix to Enter Live-Streamed Sports With Celebrity Golf Event (WSJ) Reddit goes dark (Platformer) Larry Ellison Rides AI Boom to Highest Wealth Ranking Ever (Bloomberg)\ Sir Paul McCartney says artificial intelligence has enabled a 'final' Beatles song (BBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why your favorite subreddit might be going dark. Why a16z opened an office in the UK. Why AI seems to be recycling the same few dozen jokes when you ask it to be funny. A new AI music generation tool. And the first reviews of the 15-inch Macbook Air. Sponsors: CrashPlan.com go.tech/tm Links: Thousands of subreddits pledge to go dark after the Reddit CEO’s recent remarks (The Verge) Andreessen Horowitz believes that crypto's future may be in the U.K. (Axios) Meta's open source AI MusicGen turns text and melody into new songs (The Decoder) Researchers discover that ChatGPT prefers repeating 25 jokes over and over (ArsTechnica) How AI art killed an indie book cover contest (The Verge) Apple MacBook Air 15-inch review: exactly what was asked for (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kevin Scott is the current Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft. We talk about his entire career, how being an academic seemed to be his path before he transformed the ads system at Google. Then he revolutionized the entire advertising industry at AdMob; is credited by some people by saving LinkedIn from technical rot; and now, today, oversees Microsoft's efforts in AI, VR/AR all the future things. Fantastic conversation. Kevin's podcast is: Behind the Tech Originally Aired: May 2019 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lots of juicy nuggets from a recent all hands over at Meta. Binance.US looks like it’s on the road to shutting down. The first trials of AI tutors for kids are happening. The self-driving revolution I’ve been waiting for seems to be happening. And the Weekend Longreads are happening. As always. Links: Here’s what Mark Zuckerberg thinks about Apple’s Vision Pro (The Verge) This is what Instagram’s upcoming Twitter competitor looks like (The Verge) Meta plans to put AI everywhere on its platforms (Axios) Binance.US Set to Be Cut Off From Banking System After SEC Lawsuit (Bloomberg) Spotify says it’s testing an ‘offline mix’ for when your connection’s patchy (The Verge) New A.I. Chatbot Tutors Could Upend Student Learning (NYTimes) Netflix Subscriptions Jump as U.S. Password-Sharing Crackdown Begins (WSJ) Mercedes first to sell vehicles in California with hands-free, eyes-off automated driving (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Binge Purge TV’s streaming model is broken. It’s also not going away. For Hollywood, figuring that out will be a horror show. (Vulture) The Simpsons Is Good Again After 34 seasons, 750 episodes, and a decades-long funk, the show innovated its way back to popularity and relevance. (Vulture) First Impressions of Vision Pro and VisionOS (Daring Fireball) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So, the Binance case is already getting testy with some wild accusations flying in both directions. Twitch walks back some ad guidelines after only two days. WhatsApp is adding channels. Prime Video is probably about to add ads. Adobe will protect you from lawsuits if you use their AI tools. And how AI might have just extended Moore’s Law a bit. Sponsors: EarnIn App (type in techmeme under PODCAST when you sign up) Links: Binance lawyers allege SEC Chair Gensler offered to serve as advisor to crypto company in 2019 (CNBC) SEC says Binance and US affiliate redirected billions in customer assets to Zhao's funds (The Block) Twitch walks back controversial ad rules policy (The Verge) WhatsApp’s new Channels feature brings social media to your messaging app (The Verge) Amazon Plans Ad Tier for Prime Video Streaming Service (WSJ) Adobe is so confident its Firefly generative AI won’t breach copyright that it’ll cover your legal bills (Fast Company) Google claims that Bard is improving at math and programming (TechCrunch) Google DeepMind’s game-playing AI just found another way to make code faster (MIT Technology Review) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Apple does want to get serious about gaming on the Mac after all. Maybe I was right. Sequoia splitting in three IS about China after all. Samsung is holding an event at home for the first time in forever. And Matt Levine answers my questions about what now for Coinbase? Back to just trading bitcoin and ether? Sponsors: NewtonX.com/techmeme Links: macOS Sonoma lets developers port Windows games to the Mac; here’s how it works (9to5Mac) Apple makes iOS 17 developer beta free for registered developers (9to5Mac) Sequoia’s Split Sends Warning to US Companies Doing Business in China (Bloomberg) Samsung officially confirms first Unpacked event in Korea for new foldables (9to5Google) The SEC Comes for Crypto (Matt Levine/Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The SEC has officially sued Coinbase. Sequoia plans to split into 3 separate VC firms. Why did Apple announce a bunch of AI features yesterday but shy away from name dropping AI? And all anyone really cares about right now: two different hands on experiences with the Apple Vision Pro. What is this thing like to actually use? Sponsors: Collective.com Links: US Crypto Crackdown Reaches Fever Pitch as SEC Sues Coinbase (Bloomberg) Sequoia Is Splitting Into Three VC Firms (Forbes) Apple avoids “AI” hype at WWDC keynote by baking ML into products (ArsTechnica) First impressions: Yes, Apple Vision Pro works and yes, it’s good (TechCrunch) I wore the Apple Vision Pro. It’s the best headset demo ever. (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Apple headset is called the Apple Vision Pro. It’s more expensive than people thought, but it was maybe more impressive than I expected. Oh, also, a new 15-inch MacBook Air. New OS versions and features. And the SEC is officially suing CZ and Binance. Sponsors: Ramp.com/techmeme Links: Apple Vision Pro is Apple’s new $3,499 AR headset (The Verge) The Apple Vision Pro features an M2 chip, a ton of sensors and a new R1 chip (TechCrunch) Apple announces visionOS, the operating system for its Vision Pro headset (The Verge) Apple announces iOS 17 with Journal, Standby, FaceTime voicemail, more (9to5Mac) Apple Announces iOS 17 With 'Standby' View, Journal App, Siri Changes, and More (MacRumors) Apple unveils new Mac Studio and brings Apple silicon to Mac Pro (Apple Newsroom) Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Air is the ‘world’s thinnest’ (The Verge) Mac Studio gets its first hardware update with M2 Max and the new M2 Ultra chip (9to5Mac) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Originally published August 2014 Jan Brandt is a legend in the world of marketing. She singlehandedly led the famous AOL "carpet-bombing" campaign that put millions of AOL trial discs and CDs in everything from magazines to popcorn boxes to banks. AOL was able to leap to the front of the online pack, over competitors like CompuServe and Prodigy largely on the success of this campaign. Jan tells us how this strategy developed, the thinking that went into it and goes into great detail about what worked and what didn't. But she was also a very early AOL executive, so she is able to give us some fantastic background about AOL the company: its culture, its people and its visionaries–people like Steve Case. She takes us from AOL's beginnings, through its considerable growing pains (remember "America On Hold?") its rise to dominance in the dot-com era, and even gives us her perspective on the legacy of the AOL/Time Warner merger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A check-in with Elon and Twitter sees things pretty much as they’ve been for about a year now. Is Amazon about to release a low-cost cell phone plan for Prime members? Airbnb is suing New York City over a new law it sees as an existential threat. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: The Traceroute Podcast Links: Twitter's head of trust and safety says she has resigned (Reuters) Elon 'The Dogefather' Musk Accused of Insider Trading (Gizmodo) Russia accuses US of hacking thousands of Apple devices to spy on diplomats (The Record) Amazon Is in Talks to Offer Free Mobile Service to US Prime Members (Bloomberg) Airbnb sues NYC over new rules requiring hosts to register their homes as short-term rentals (Gothamist) Planned Layoffs Have Quadrupled So Far This Year in the US (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How a $13 Billion Fintech That Angered Jamie Dimon Won Over Banks (Bloomberg) A Week With the Wild Children of the A.I. Boom (NYTimes Magazine) China Is Drilling a 10,000-Meter-Deep Hole Into the Earth (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Zuck tried to front-run the Apple headset announcement this morning. Amazon pays some fines. Apple is testing two new high-end Macs. Microsoft actually seems to be struggling when it comes to game development. And what happens to your crypto project, if you can’t get in touch with the one person in the project who has control of the keys? Sponsors: SwissAmerica.com/ride Links: Zuck's Meta Quest 3 Announce Amazon to Pay $25 Million to Settle Children’s Privacy Charges (NYTimes) Amazon to Pay $30.8 Million to Settle FTC Privacy Claims (Bloomberg) Apple Tests New High-End Macs With M2 Max and M2 Ultra Chips Ahead of WWDC (Bloomberg) Instagram tests new user control for recommended posts, transparency tool for creators (TechCrunch) Inside the Making of Redfall, Xbox’s Latest Misfire (Bloomberg) Multichain team says it can't contact CEO amid protocol problems (The Block) Wall Street Banks Are Using AI to Rewire the World of Finance (Bloomberg) Apple touts $1.1 trillion in App Store commerce in 2022, with $104B in digital sales (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big names in the AI industry are basically begging governments to regulate AI. But some people are wondering about their motives. The considerations the Biden administration is taking into account vis-à-vis AI regulation. New Garmin smartwatches. And why the Lovecraftian Shoggoth is the meme of the AI moment. Sponsors: NewtonX.com/techmeme Links: A.I. Poses ‘Risk of Extinction,’ Industry Leaders Warn (NYTimes) ChatGPT Risks Divide Biden Administration Over EU’s AI Rules (Bloomberg) Garmin’s Epix 2 and Fenix 7 lineups go ‘Pro’ (The Verge) The Race to Make A.I. Smaller (and Smarter) (NYTimes) Why an Octopus-like Creature Has Come to Symbolize the State of A.I. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Nvidia joins the rarified trillion dollar market cap club, their recent announcements highlight why they’re truly the center of the current AI moment. ARM transitions to a comprehensive 64-bit platform. Hands-on with Meta's Quest 3 prototype. And those weird new CAPTCHA’s you’ve been seeing? Yes, AI is responsible. Sponsors: SwissAmerica.com/ride Bloomberg.com/careers Links: How Nvidia created the chip powering the generative AI boom (Financial Times) World’s Most Valuable Chipmaker Nvidia Unveils More AI Products After $184 Billion Rally (Bloomberg) Video of the NPC character demo Arm Unveils 2023 Mobile CPU Core Designs (AnandTech) A First Look at the Headset That Could Be Apple’s Biggest Competition (Bloomberg) Captcha Is Asking Users to Identify Objects That Don't Exist (Motherboard) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
(Originally aired February 2017) Gary Flake has been involved with search technology ever since he got turned on to this particular field in college. In this wide-ranging discussion, Gary lays out for us, basically, the history of search technology before Google, the impact of Google, and then, since he lived it, the notion of competing with Google. The reason why Gary can talk so in depth about all of this is that he was Yahoo’s Chief Science Officer in the early 2000s, when Yahoo, via the infamous project Panama, and other initiatives, attempted to keep Google from taking over the entire search market. And because, prior to that, Gary was at Goto/Overture, he gives us basically the entire story of the birth of paid search as an industry. The story of Google is about two miracles. The first miracle is the Google algorithm that essentially solved search. And the second miracle is paid search… AdWords, AdSense, all of that… which is essentially the greatest advertising machine ever invented. But, not a lot of people remember: paid search was actually invented, not by Google, but by Goto/Overture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When Larry and Sergey first met, they didn’t like each other much... (Originally aired April 2017 in two parts) BIBLIOGRAPHY: In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives The Google Story How Google Works The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture Googled: The End of the World As We Know It The Google Guys: Inside the Brilliant Minds of Google Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin I’m Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59 http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/05/29/search-and-deploy http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/11/08/268521/index.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
(Originally published 01/04/2015) So, I ran across this quote from Star Trek television producer Rick Berman. He said, “Without porn and Star Trek, there would be no Internet.” That’s a notion that I have to say really kind of rang true to me, in a tonge and cheek sort of way. I mean, it’s something you hear all the time. The idea that pornography leads the way with any new technological innovation. That Porn is some x-large percentage of the overall internet Do you ever wonder how much of the internet is actually porn? If it’s such a large amount then wouldn’t it be worth investigating how porn has shaped the web and the internet generally? That’s sort of the thinking that led me to begin thinking about this episode. Bibliography:  The Erotic Engine: How Pornography has Powered Mass Communication, from Gutenberg to Google  Obscene Profits: The Entrepreneurs of Pornography in the Cyber Age  EroticaBiz: How Sex Shaped the Internet  The Unsexpected Story  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat  https://tidbits.com/article/5833  http://internetlaw.uslegal.com/pornography/  http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm  http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm  http://www.itworld.com/article/2729780/enterprise-software/10-fascinating-facts-about-internet-porn.html  http://blog.cytalk.com/2010/01/web-porn-revenue/  http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/21/david-cameron-online-porn-will-be-blocked-by-default-3891620/  http://nymag.com/news/features/70985/  http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/features-issue-sections/10471/siri-piracy-pay-for-your-porn/  http://www.thewrap.com/media/article/internet-piracy-killing-porns-profits-1394/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We get our first look at how Google is integrating AI into search. You heard me warn you, but the most concrete example yet that Crypto VCs might be turning their attention to AI. WhatsApp is probably moving to usernames. The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. And, for this long weekend, Brian’s Book Recommendations. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Bloomberg.com/careers Links: Google starts rolling out Search Generative Experience (SGE) in preview (9to5Google) Paradigm broadening crypto-only focus to areas including AI (The Block) WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.11.15: what’s new? (WABetaInfo) The FDA will apparently let Elon Musk put a computer in a human’s brain (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Meta's ‘Efficiency’ Layoffs Take a Toll on Employee Productivity (Bloomberg) Sergey Brin Has a Secret Plan to Put Airships Back in the Skies (BusinessWeek) Some Neural Networks Learn Language Like Humans (QuantaMagazine) A husband hid $500,000 in bitcoin during a divorce — and got busted by a crypto hunter (CNBC) Going for a walk with Shift’s Moonwalker electric shoe-skates (TechCrunch) Brian's Summer Book Recommendations: The Making of the Atomic Bomb: 25th Anniversary Edition Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 Americana: A 400-Year History of American Capitalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The whole Twitter Space presidential announce did not go well. Microsoft says Chinese hackers have burrowed into critical US infrastructure. Sony has a handheld gaming device, but a true descendent of the PlayStation Vita it is not. Quite. Has AI allowed a paralyzed man to walk again? And the world’s newest unicorn is maybe the most delightful interesting raise of the year. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: Twitter glitches plague Ron DeSantis’ much-hyped presidential announcement with Elon Musk (CNBC) Microsoft warns that China hackers attacked U.S. infrastructure (CNBC) Chinese Malware Hits Systems on Guam. Is Taiwan the Real Target? (NYTimes) OpenAI warns over split with Europe as regulation advances (Financial Times) Sony’s new Q handheld is official: 8-inch screen, streams PS5 games (The Verge) Apple Plans to Turn Locked iPhones Into Smart Displays With iOS 17 (Bloomberg) A Paralyzed Man Can Walk Naturally Again With Brain and Spine Implants (NYTimes) Indonesian agritech firm eFishery hits unicorn status with $108m series D (TechInAsia) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the headlines from yesterday’s Build conference. The big Netflix password crackdown has begun. Did Elon buy Twitter to dethrone Fox News? Is an Uber/Waymo partnership the start of a beautiful relationship? And is Final Cut Pro on the iPad actually what everyone wanted? Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast OregonState.edu Links: Microsoft’s Azure AI Studio lets developers build their own AI ‘copilots’ (TechCrunch) Microsoft’s Copilot and Bing AI plug-ins will be interoperable with ChatGPT (The Verge) Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown is here — and it costs $7.99 per month (The Verge) Elon Musk’s right-wing media venture scores another big win (WashingtonPost) Uber teams up with Waymo to add robotaxis to its app (The Verge) PSVR2’s early sales beat the original, Sony claims (VideoGamesChronicle) That podcast ad you're listening to may soon be AI. Spotify is reportedly developing bots to mimic your favorite hosts. (Insider) Final Cut Pro for the iPad is slick but limited (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple continues to play nice with Broadcom despite hoping to drop them someday. The thing people warned about with these bluechecks happened yesterday. HBOMax isn’t cool. You know what is cool, according to David Zaslov? Max. And how Shareit became the world’s favorite file sharing app. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast ZocDoc.com/techmeme Links: Apple expands US investment with new multibillion-dollar Broadcom deal for 5G tech (9to5Mac) Verified Twitter Accounts Spread AI-Generated Hoax of Pentagon Explosion (Motherboard) Following UK antitrust order, Meta sells Giphy to Shutterstock for $53M after buying it for $400M (TechCrunch) Max will stream over 1,000 movies and TV episodes in 4K at launch (The Verge) Meta’s new AI models can recognize and produce speech for more than 1,000 languages (MIT Technology Review) Adobe is adding AI image generator Firefly to Photoshop (The Verge) Anthropic raises $450M to build next-gen AI assistants (TechCrunch) How China’s ShareIt became the world’s go-to file-transfer app (Rest of World) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meta got hit by the biggest ever GDPR fine in Europe. A crypto project got taken over by hackers who voted themselves into power. The startup that wanted to dethrone Google is shutting down. The E-sports bubble seems to be popping. And what is it actually like to try to use Google’s new AI tools? Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men promocode ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Meta Fined $1.3 Billion Over Data Transfers to U.S. (WSJ) Sanctioned Crypto Mixer Tornado Cash Hijacked by Hackers (Bloomberg) Neeva, the would-be Google competitor, is shutting down its search engine (The Verge) The E-Sports World Is Starting to Teeter (NYTimes) Facebook parent in talks with Magic Leap over augmented reality deal (Financial Times) We Put Google’s New AI Writing Assistant to the Test (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Re-releasing this one, hopefully with improved sound quality! The earliest days of Amazon with its earliest hire: Shel Kaphan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I didn't know the whole story of Sam Bankman-Fried. This book will do that for you. From our very good friend of the show Brady Dale: SBF: How the FTX Bankruptcy Unwound Crypto's Very Bad Good Guy  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI has launched an official ChatGPT app for iPhones and iPads. Android coming soon. The Supreme Court actually propped up Section 230, allowing it to live another day. Apple as an example of why companies are looking to keep the AI in house. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Mimecast.com TryNom.com/ride Links: AI in your pocket: ChatGPT officially comes to iPhone with new app (ArsTechnica) Link to the official ChatGPT App in the App Store Supreme Court shields Twitter from liability for terror-related content and leaves Section 230 untouched (CNN) Supreme Court Leaves 230 Alone For Now, But Justice Thomas Gives A Pretty Good Explanation For Why It Exists In The First Place (TechDirt) Apple Restricts Employee Use of ChatGPT, Joining Other Companies Wary of Leaks (WSJ) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: In Battle Over A.I., Meta Decides to Give Away Its Crown Jewels (NYTimes) This Is Catfishing on an Industrial Scale (Wired) Cheesier, Saucier, and Drowning in Caviar; How TikTok took over the menu. (GrubStreet) Japan’s sleepy tech scene is ready for a comeback (Rest of World) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The first official ban of TikTok by a US state is here. Unskippable tv-like ads are coming to YouTube when you’re watching on your TV. How much can be recovered when a crypto project blows up? Why is Amazon so far behind in drone delivery? And how Apple’s forthcoming headset got developed. Sponsors: Traceroute Podcast Bloomberg.com/careers Links: TikTok Ban Signed in Montana, Paving Way for First Amendment Legal Battle (WSJ) YouTube 2023 Upfront: Platform to Launch Unskippable 30-Second Ads on TVs, Roger Goodell on Hand to Tout NFL Sunday Ticket Pact (Variety) Netflix Advertising Tier Now Has “Nearly Five Million” Monthly Active Users (The Hollywood Reporter) Bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital predicts 35% customer payout (Reuters) Amazon’s 100 drone deliveries puts Prime Air far behind Alphabet’s Wing and Walmart partner Zipline (CNBC) Apple’s New Headset Meets Reality (Bloomberg Businessweek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you’ve been letting some of your Google accounts sit fallow, you better look into that cause Google is gonna start deleting things. Why some new top level domains have people concerned. Why tech companies are racing to put generative AI on your phone. And part two of the open source vs. centralized AI debate. Sponsors: OregonState.edu Links: Google will delete accounts, including Gmail & Photos, that haven’t logged on in 2 years (9to5Google) New ZIP domains spark debate among cybersecurity experts (BleepingComputer) StableStudio is Stability AI’s latest commitment to open-source AI (The Verge) The race to bring generative AI to mobile devices (Financial Times) Google I/O and the Coming AI Battles (Stratechery) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The EU actually approved the Microsoft Activision acquisition so… what now? The IRS might finally allow us to file our taxes online for free. The EU passes the first crypto regulatory regime, but questions are being asked of their forthcoming digital Euro experiment. And an interesting raise allows us to take our first look at the Open Source vs. Centralized debate when it comes to AI. Sponsors: Collective.com Links: E.U. Approves Microsoft’s $69 Billion Deal for Activision (NYTimes) IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax-prep giants (Washington Post) Windows 11 users can now link their iPhones and use iMessage from a PC (The Verge) Ransomware gang steals data of 5.8 million PharMerica patients (BleepingComputer) Twitter makes its first acquisition with a recruiting startup (Axios) EU’s Crypto Legal Framework Inches Towards Law With Finance Ministers’ Sign-Off (CoinDesk) The digital euro: a solution seeking a problem? (Financial Times) AI startup Together raises funding for open-source AI and cloud platform (VentureBeat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices