Techmeme Ride Home

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more about Calmwave at Calmwave.ai.The case study we mention is here: https://catalyst.wellstar.org/casestudies/calmwave/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 RIDELinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 techmemeLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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 TrailerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.orgQualialife.com/ride and code rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who wins? Jobs? Gates? Musk? Bezos? Collison, even? The grand finale of our #WorldCupOfEntreprenurs.(Originally aired October of 2021)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 RIDE50OFFLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.ORGShopify.com/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 RIDELinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.comMackWeldon.com promocode BRIANLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/ridehomeLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/techmemeLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 rideAcorns.com/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Omnibus Week Of 04/28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.comLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 RIDELinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 RIDELinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 ride50offLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 BRIANLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.comLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/techmemeLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/brianLinkedIn.com/rideLinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/goldQualialife.com/ride and code RIDELinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 RIDELinks: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)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.