Podcast appearances and mentions of meta platforms

The Federal Reserve holds rates steady for now, but an ever-evolving trade and tariff picture raises questions about for how long. Also, Meta Platforms and Microsoft earnings suggest no slowdown in AI spending.  Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren, and Jon Quast discuss: - The Federal Reserve's decision to keep rates steady - A shift in smartphone production - Microsoft and Meta Platforms commit to continued elevated capex spending - Who will be the next $4 trillion company? Companies discussed:  Meta Platforms (META), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA)  Host: Rachel Warren Guests: Lou Whiteman, Jon Quast Engineer: Bart Shannon   Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Scott Becker covers today’s market upswing, highlighting strong earnings reports from Microsoft and Meta Platforms.

US equity-index futures climbed as strong earnings from megacap tech firms bolstered optimism that corporate profits remain resilient. The dollar steadied after gaining on Federal Reserve holding interest rates. Contracts for the Nasdaq 100 rose 1.2% and those for the S&P 500 advanced 0.8% as Microsoft and Meta Platforms surged in after-hours trading. We break down the day's market headlines with Dean Smith, Chief Strategist at FolioBeyond. Plus - US President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday that he had reached a trade deal with South Korea that would impose a 15% tariff on its exports to the US, and see Seoul agree to $350 billion in US investments. We get reaction from Naomi Fink, Chief Global Strategist at Nikko Asset Management. She speaks with Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Haidi Stroud-Watts on The Asia Trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech mega bull, Dan Ives, returns to the Watch List and breaks down the latest developments on all things Big Tech. Ives calls his $600 price target on Microsoft (MSFT) "conservative," believing the company is just entering a "golden era" as A.I. evolves. He expects Tesla (TSLA) to rebound and hit $500 within the next year, even after CEO Elon Musk warned of a rough few quarters ahead for the company. Turning to next week's earnings, he'll be focused on Meta Platforms' (META) advertising and A.I. growth, as well as Amazon's (AMZN) AWS cloud profitability.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

12 Articles With Great ESG Stock Picks. Includes the terrific Humankind ranking, top infrastructure, lithium mining, and AI stock picks. By Ron Robins, MBA Transcript & Links, Episode 157, July 25, 2025 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 157, published on July 25, 2025, titled “12 Articles With Great ESG Stock Picks.” Before I begin, I want to let you know that my next podcast will be on August 22nd as I'm taking some time off. So, this podcast is presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your go-to site for vital global, ethical, and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content, including stock symbols and bonus material, on this episode's podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don't receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, please visit this podcast's webpage for links to the articles and additional company and stock information. I have a great crop of 12 articles for you in this podcast! Note that some companies are mentioned more than once! ------------------------------------------------------------- Humankind 100 rankings I'm beginning this episode with another of my favourite company rankings whose annual list has just been released. It's the Humankind 100 rankings. Here is an overview of them from their website. “The Humankind 100 celebrates the one hundred U.S. public companies with the highest Humankind Values. We believe these companies consistently work to create large amounts of value, not just for their investors, but for humanity at large. The Humankind 100 companies are ranked based on Humankind Value, a proprietary metric that provides an estimate of the overall dollar amount a company creates for investors, consumers, employees, and society at large, and are therefore among the most ethical companies in the United States, according to our research.” End quotes. Their top 5 companies are Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL), Eli Lilly & Company (1LLY.MI), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), AbbVie Inc. (ABBV), and Pfizer Inc. (PFE). ------------------------------------------------------------- Infrastructure Stocks To Consider - July 12th This second article features a sector favoured by many ethical and sustainable investors. The article is titled Infrastructure Stocks To Consider - July 12th. It's by MarketBeat and seen on marketbeat.com. Here are some quotes from the article. “1. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. 2. Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) provides financial infrastructure and technology for the crypto economy in the United States and internationally. The company offers the primary financial account in the crypto economy for consumers; and a marketplace with a pool of liquidity for transacting in crypto assets for institutions. Read Our Latest Research Report on COIN 3. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) offers various products and platforms in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The Google Services segment provides products and services, including ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. Read Our Latest Research Report on GOOGL 4. Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) designs, develops, and supplies various semiconductor devices with a focus on complex digital and mixed signal complementary metal oxide semiconductor based devices and analog III-V based products worldwide. Read Our Latest Research Report on AVGO 5. Oracle (ORCL) offers products and services that address enterprise information technology environments worldwide. Its Oracle cloud software as a service offering include various cloud software applications, including Oracle Fusion cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP), Oracle Fusion cloud enterprise performance management, Oracle Fusion cloud supply chain and manufacturing management, Oracle Fusion cloud human capital management, Oracle Cerner healthcare, Oracle Advertising, and NetSuite applications suite, as well as Oracle Fusion Sales, Service, and Marketing.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Best Lithium Mining Stocks 2025: Buy Top Mining Stocks Now Every investor knows that lithium is a basic mineral for electric batteries. So, this next article will interest many investors. It's titled Best Lithium Mining Stocks 2025: Buy Top Mining Stocks Now. It's by Farmonaut and found on farmonaut.com. Here are some quotes by Farmonaut on each of their picks. “1. Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) headquartered in the USA, is the world's largest lithium producer… With operations spanning North America, South America, and Australia, Albemarle boasts: Diversified extraction & processing operations, including high-margin lithium brine and hard rock mining projects Ongoing investments to expand production capacity in Nevada (USA), Chile, and Australia A resilient supply chain and ability to scale output to meet global demand Strategic partnerships with leading EV battery makers Strong commitment to sustainable mining and ESG practices Albemarle's scale, geographic diversification, and innovation position it as one of the best performing mining stocks of 2025. 2. Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (or SQM) (NYSE: SQM) is South America's lithium market leader. Based in Santiago, Chile, SQM boasts some of the world's largest and lowest-cost lithium brine operations situated in the renowned Lithium Triangle (Chile, Argentina, Bolivia): Extensive lithium reserves & robust extraction technology, delivering high efficiency Geopolitical stability—Chile enjoys a relatively favorable mining regulatory environment compared to other regions Cost-effective production enables SQM to remain highly profitable even as competition heats up Continuous expansion to satisfy increasing global lithium demand for EV batteries and storage solutions Environmental sustainability programs, making SQM attractive for ESG-focused investors SQM competitive positioning ensures it remains a top choice in the best lithium mining stocks to buy for 2025. 3. Livent Corporation (NYSE: LTHM) distinguishes itself by focusing on high-purity lithium chemicals for next-generation battery technologies. With operations in the United States, Argentina, and China, Livent stands out for: Supplying premium lithium hydroxide and carbonate solutions for advanced battery manufacturers Strong partnerships with key players in the EV battery chain, including Tesla Expansion projects in Argentina and the U.S., boosting 2025 production capacity and flexibility ESG and sustainability initiatives for responsible lithium extraction Livent is uniquely positioned for specialty market growth, making it one of the best lithium mining stocks for investors eyeing niche applications and supply chain integration. 4. Piedmont Lithium (NASDAQ: PLL) though a smaller player, it has become a rising star by focusing on high-quality spodumene reserves in the United States—especially in North Carolina's Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt. Piedmont brings: Strategic U.S. supply source—critical for domestic battery manufacturers and government-led supply chain diversification Fast-tracked expansion projects supported by U.S. regulatory incentives and EV adoption targets Potential to benefit from blockchain-based traceability in mining—enhancing transparency for institutional investors Growing interest from global automakers and battery companies seeking secure lithium supply Piedmont's agility and domestic positioning could mean outsized growth as U.S. policy emphasizes onshoring critical battery mineral chains.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Infrastructure Stocks Powering the Next Wave of Innovations Now, like most investors, you probably are invested in AI stocks, either directly or via funds. Hence, this next article 5 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Infrastructure Stocks Powering the Next Wave of Innovations, should interest you. It's by Justin Pope and found on fool.com. Here is some of what Mr. Pope says about his picks. “1. Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) The company has maintained its winning position as it progressed from its previous Hopper architecture to its current Blackwell chips, and it expects to launch its next-generation architecture, with a CPU called Vera and a GPU called Rubin, next year. Analysts expect Nvidia's revenue to grow to $200 billion this year and $251 billion in 2026.  2. Amazon (AMZN) Web Services (AWS) has long been the world's leading cloud platform, with about 30% of the cloud infrastructure market today. Through the cloud, companies can access and deploy AI agents, models, and other software throughout their businesses. 3. Microsoft (MSFT) Its Azure is the world's second-largest cloud platform, with a market share of approximately 21%. Microsoft stands out from the pack for its deep ties with millions of corporate clients. 4. Arista Networks (ANET) sells high-end networking switches and software that help accomplish this. The company has already thrived in this golden age of data centers, with top clients including Microsoft and Meta Platforms, which happen to also be among the highest spenders on AI infrastructure. 5. Broadcom (AVGO) which specializes in designing semiconductors used for networking applications. For example, Arista Networks utilizes Broadcom's Tomahawk and Jericho silicon in the networking switches it builds for data centers. Broadcom's AI-related semiconductor sales increased by 46% year-over-year in the second quarter.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ethical Companies To Invest In 2025 (ECL, MSFT, UNFI) The final reviewed article for this podcast episode is titled Ethical Companies To Invest In 2025 (ECL, MSFT, UNFI) and was written by the Analyst Team and seen on asktraders.com. Now a few quotes from the article by the Team. “1. Ecolab (ECL) a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions, presents a straightforward ethical narrative. Its products and services help businesses reduce water consumption, improve hygiene standards, and prevent infections, contributing directly to public health and environmental protection… Analyst ratings remain in line with current pricing, with Wells Fargo & Company reiterating a price target of $260.00 in May 2025. With the Ecolab stock price having gained 14% since the start of the year, the company has managed to outperform the market on the period whilst holding true to it's ethical standing. While its dividend yield of approximately 1.1% is slightly higher than others on the list, its P/E ratio of around 38x indicates a similar valuation based on future earnings potential. 2. Microsoft (MSFT) presents a complex ethical profile. On one hand, its commitment to carbon neutrality, investments in renewable energy, and initiatives to bridge the digital divide are commendable… The stock's impressive 20% YTD return and a consensus analyst price target of $475 reflect market confidence in its financial stability and future growth, primarily driven by its cloud and AI segments, making it one to keep on shortlists… While Microsoft offers a modest dividend yield of around 0.7%, its high P/E ratio of approximately 36x suggests a premium valuation reflecting its growth potential rather than a focus on immediate shareholder returns. The company's low debt-to-equity ratio underscores its financial strength, allowing it to invest heavily in research and development and pursue ambitious sustainability goals. 3. United Natural Foods (UNFI) stock has pulled back ~15% this year, although remains firmly higher over the past 12 months, with a gain of more than 70%. The company, a leading distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods, presents the most challenging investment case with the recent cyber incident causing a sharp pullback in the stock. This could in fact be an opportunity… Unlike Microsoft and Ecolab, United Natural Foods does not offer a dividend, reflecting its current financial constraints. Its low P/E ratio of around 8x suggests a deeply discounted valuation, reflecting the market's skepticism about its turnaround prospects. Recent earnings on July 16 beat expectations, however, and the stock is on the move with an 8% gain immediately off the back.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- More articles of interest from around the world for ethical and sustainable investors 1. Title: Top 10: Wind Power Companies on energydigital.com. By Jasmin Jessen. 2. Title: Ethical Companies To Invest In 2025 (ECL, MSFT, UNFI) on AskTraders.com. By Analyst Team. 3. Title: The Green Gold Rush: Why Techem's $6.7B Sale Signals a Buying Opportunity on ainvest.com. By Wesley Park. 4. Title: AJ Bell adds Rathbone Ethical Bond to buy list on portfolio-advisor.com. By Christian Mayes. 5. Title: Procter & Gamble Named Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock on ainvest.com. By Ainvest. 6. Title: 11 Best Halal Dividend Stocks to Buy Now on insidermonkey.com. By Vardah Gill. 7. Title: JPMorgan Picks 3 Top Stocks In Alternative Energy On Heels Of Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' - First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR), Brookfield Renewable (NYSE:BEPC), and HASI (NYSE:HASI) on benzinga.com. By Priya Nigam. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast, “12 Articles With Great ESG Stock Picks.” Please click the like and subscribe buttons wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these deeply troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. As I mentioned earlier, I'm taking some time off, so I'll talk to you next on August 22nd. Bye for now.   © 2025 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Today's episode covers fresh news regarding Meta Platforms, highlighting Meta AI's developments and Mark Zuckerberg's announcements. We analyze how these updates affect the stock market, especially for NVDA stock, AMD Stock, and other related tech companies. Stay informed with these key finance and tech news updates.A portion of this video is sponsored by The Motley Fool. Visit https://fool.com/jose to get access to my special offer. The Motley Fool Stock Advisor returns are 872% as of 4/28/2025 and measured against the S&P 500 returns of 160% as of 4/28/2025. Past performance is not an indicator of future results. All investing involves a risk of loss. Individual investment results may vary, not all Motley Fool Stock Advisor picks have performed as well.https://fiscal.ai/jose -- 15% OFF + 2 FREE WEEKS (NO CC NEEDED) | https://fool.com/jose | https://whatthechiphappened.comI have a position on $NVDA $AMD DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial advisor.  All content provided on this channel, and my other social media channels/videos/podcasts/posts, is for entertainment purposes only and reflects my personal opinions.  Please do your own research and talk with a financial advisor before making any investing decisions.Support the show

WhatsApp said that users will start seeing ads in parts of the app, as owner Meta Platforms moves to cultivate a new revenue stream by tapping the billions of people who use the messaging service. Advertisements will be shown only in the app's Updates tab, which is used by as many as 1.5 billion people each day. However, they won't appear where personal chats are located, developers said. "The personal messaging experience on WhatsApp isn't changing, and personal messages, calls and statuses are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be used to show ads," WhatsApp said in a blog post. It's a big change for the company, whose founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, vowed to keep the platform free of ads when they created it in 2009. Facebook purchased WhatsApp in 2014, and the pair left a few years later. Parent company Meta Platforms Inc. has long been trying to generate revenue from WhatsApp. WhatsApp said ads will be targeted at users based on information like their age, the country or city where they're located, the language they're using, the channels they're following in the app, and how they're interacting with the ads they see. WhatsApp said it won't use personal messages, calls and groups that a user is a member of to target ads to the user. It's one of three advertising features that WhatsApp unveiled as it tries to monetize the app's user base. Channels will also be able to charge users a monthly fee for subscriptions, so they can get exclusive updates. And business owners will be able to pay to promote their channel's visibility to new users. Most of Meta's revenue comes from ads. In 2024, the Menlo Park, California-based company's revenue totaled $164.5 billion, and $160.6 billion of it came from advertising. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Oh yes, we're talking all kinds of stocks! (00:21) Jason Hall and Matt Frankel discuss: - AI stocks in the data center space (including CoreWeave) - Winners and losers in energy and solar from the Big Beautiful Bill. - With Superman coming out, we rank the intellectual property of Warner Bros. Discovery, Comcast, Disney, and Netflix (19:11) Dave Schaeffer, founder and CEO of Cogent Communications, talks with Asit Sharma and Sanmeet Deo about how Cogent's deals with customers like Netflix and Meta Platforms work and what keeps him up at night. (32:39) Jason and Matt talk about Prime Day and other made up holidays and give us the stocks on their radar. Stocks discussed: CRWV, DLR, EQIX, AMZN, MSFT, BEP, BEPC, NVDA, CRM, CSIQ, RUN, FSLR, ENPH, TSLA, GEV, J, CEG, FLNC, WBD, CMCSA, DIS, NFLX, SOFI, CHD Host: Anand Chokkavelu Guests: Jason Hall, Matt Frankel, Asit Sharma, Sanmeet Deo, Dave Schaeffer Engineer: Dan Boyd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta Platforms is unlikely to alter its “pay-or-consent” model further, which could lead to new EU antitrust charges, Goldman Sachs is integrating an autonomous AI software engineer named Devin, and a new study found that using AI coding assistants actually slowed down developers by 19%. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS LiveContinue reading "Goldman Sachs Is Integrating An Autonomous AI Software Engineer Named Devin – DTH"

In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Daniel Eckert und Holger Zschäpitz über den neuen Drohnen-Liebling, einen Bitcoin-Rekord und die Rückkehr des Wasserstoff-Hypes. Außerdem geht es um Volatus Aerospace, WK Kellog, EssilorLuxottica, Meta Platforms, Plug Power, Bloom Energy, Ballard Power, L&G Hydrogen Economy ETF (WKN: A2QMAL), Hershey, Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Standard Oil/ExxonMobil, General Electric, NTT, Intel, Texas Instruments, Micron Technology, Eli Lilly, Merck, Air Products, Freeport-McMoran, Keysight, Hess, Williams, EQT, Amundi MDax ETF (WKN: LYX0R1), RWE, National Grid, Rio Tinto, Antofagasta, Infineon, ASML, SAP, Leonardo, Astrazeneca, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Almonty Industries. Wir freuen uns über Feedback an aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter.[ Hier bei WELT.](https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html.) [Hier] (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6zxjyJpTMunyYCY6F7vHK1?si=8f6cTnkEQnmSrlMU8Vo6uQ) findest Du die Samstagsfolgen Klassiker-Playlist auf Spotify! Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? [**Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte!**](https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien) Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

Latham & Watkins took the perch as Big Law's leading M&A dealmaker in the first half of the year, surging past rival Kirkland & Ellis as things started to look up for firms whose fortunes are closely tied to corporate transactions. Many law firms were expecting a spike in M&A deals in the first quarter of this year, but that largely failed to materialize. Now, with 2025 half over, we're starting to see a lot more activity on this front and firms are reaping the financial benefits. Global deal volume for the first half of the year is up nearly 20% compared to the same time last year, and that includes Meta Platforms' $14 billion investment in Scale AI. In fact, deals involving AI, either directly or indirectly, have been driving a lot of the activity of the past few months, according to reporter Mahira Dayal, who crunched the numbers for Bloomberg Law's quarterly league tables. On this episode of our podcast, On The Merits, Mahira speaks to host Mike Leonard about this and other reasons why the deals market is rebounding after a slow start to the year why it's probably a little too early to start betting against Kirkland. Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

Victor is a Senior Research Scientist at Nexus Laboratories. He received his PhD in Mathematics from Harvard University in 1975, and was an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston from 1973 to 1978. Victor has since worked for the IBM Research Center, The Institute for Defence Analyses in Princeton, Meta Platforms and SRI International. For his research, Victor has focused on areas of computational number theory, data compression and cryptography.  Along with Neal Koblitz, he was the co-creator of Elliptic Curve Cryptography, the inventor of Miller's algorithm and was a co-inventor of the LZW data compression method.  For the LZW invention, he was awarded the IEEE Millennium medal, and for his work on elliptic curve cryptography, he received the RSA Award for Excellence in Mathematics the Levchin Prize, and the Eduard Rhein Foundation Technology Award, along with being a member of the Information Systems Security Association Hall of Fame.

Plus: Apple's COO to step down. And, Meta Platforms buys a minority-stake in EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban glasses. Julie Chang hosts. Programming note: Starting this week, Tech News Briefing episodes will be released on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the TNB Tech Minute will be released twice on weekdays, in the morning and afternoon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Scott Becker discusses Meta’s aggressive strategy of recruiting top AI talent like a pro sports team, stock trends from companies like Walmart and Tesla, and more.

In this episode, Scott Becker discusses Meta’s aggressive strategy of recruiting top AI talent like a pro sports team, stock trends from companies like Walmart and Tesla, and more.

US equity futures are lower with S&P pointing down. Bonds mixed. US 10-year yields holding at 4.3%, and 2-year down to 3.9%. Asian markets are trading mostly lower, European equity markets narrowly mixed. Dollar firmer. Oil down after OPEC+ producers announced agreement to boost crude output by larger-than-expected 548Kbpd in August. Gold lower. Industrial metals weaker. Tariff deadline nears as US warns it will begin imposing "take it or leave it" trade terms. Treasury Secretary Bessent warned tariffs to revert to Liberation Day/steeper levels though also signaled some leeway by adding that new tariffs to take effect on 1-Aug. Still there's some uncertainty whether Asian countries can secure trade agreements with US by the deadline. Companies Mentioned: Capgemini, WNS Holdings, META Platforms, NFDG, ByteDance

Samsung, which sells Android smartphones, also indirectly described the issue in a small area at the bottom of a press release last month. Samsung said about RCS, “Encryption only available for Android-to-Android communication.”出售Android智能手机的三星也间接地描述了上个月新闻稿底部的小区域中的问题。 三星谈到RCS时说：“加密仅用于Android到Android通信。”To avoid getting caught out when exchanging texts, experts recommend using encrypted messaging apps.为了避免在交换文本时被抓住，专家建议使用加密的消息传递应用程序。Privacy supporters are big fans of Signal, which uses end-to-end encryption on all messages and voice calls. Signal is an app that is run by an independent nonprofit group based in Mountainview, California. It promises never to sell customer data. The group has also made its source code publicly available so that it can be examined by anyone “for security and correctness.”隐私支持者是信号的忠实拥护者，它在所有消息和语音呼叫上使用端到端加密。 Signal是一个由位于加利福尼亚州MountainView的独立非营利组织运行的应用程序。 它承诺永远不会出售客户数据。 该小组还公开提供了其源代码，以便任何人“为了安全性和正确性”对其进行检查。Signal's encryption method is so respected that it has been included into competitor WhatsApp.信号的加密方法非常受尊重，以至于已将其包括在竞争对手WhatsApp中。End-to-end encryption is also the normal mode for Facebook Messenger, which like WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms.端到端加密也是Facebook Messenger的正常模式，就像WhatsApp一样，它归META平台拥有。Telegram is an app that can be used for one-on-one discussions, group chats and broadcast “channels.” But Telegram does not use end-to-end encryption normally. Users have to turn on end-to-end encryption. And Telegram's end-to-end encryption does not work with group chats.电报是一个应用程序，可用于一对一的讨论，小组聊天和广播“频道”。 但是电报不正常使用端到端加密。 用户必须打开端到端加密。 Telegram的端到端加密与小组聊天不起作用。Cybersecurity experts have warned people against using Telegram for private communications.网络安全专家警告人们不要将电报用于私人通信。Instead of using your phone to make calls through a wireless cellular network, you can make voice calls with Signal and WhatsApp. Both apps encrypt calls with the same technology that they use to encrypt messages.您无需使用手机通过无线蜂窝网络拨打呼叫，而是用信号和WhatsApp进行语音呼叫。 这两个应用程序都使用与它们用于加密消息的技术相同的技术加密调用。There are other choices. If you have an iPhone, you can use Facetime for calls, while Android owners can use the Google Fi service. Both are end-to-end encrypted.还有其他选择。 如果您有iPhone，则可以将FaceTime用于呼叫，而Android所有者可以使用Google FI服务。 两者都是端到端加密的。However, with all these choices, the person on the other end will also have to have the app.但是，有了所有这些选择，另一端的人也必须拥有该应用程序。WhatsApp and Signal users can choose the privacy setting they want in the settings. Such choices include hiding an IP address during calls to prevent your general location from being guessed.WhatsApp和信号用户可以在设置中选择所需的隐私设置。 这样的选择包括在通话过程中隐藏一个IP地址，以防止您的一般位置被猜测。

Microsoft is facing significant challenges in promoting its Copilot AI assistant within enterprises, as many employees show a preference for OpenAI's ChatGPT. This trend highlights a competitive shift in the corporate sector, where companies are increasingly recognizing the advantages of generative AI solutions. Despite Microsoft's efforts, including a notable implementation plan by Amgen Inc. for 20,000 employees, the growing strength of OpenAI suggests a changing landscape in AI adoption. The struggle to sell Copilot internally reflects broader issues of product-market fit, as users often favor consumer-grade options over sanctioned tools.The impact of AI on managed service providers (MSPs) is also noteworthy, as a recent report indicates that AI-driven platforms are beginning to replace traditional tools. This shift is expected to reduce the number of product categories from 13 to 7, leading to increased interoperability among services. While AI-powered automation can lower operational costs, it poses market challenges, particularly for MSPs that may need to pivot from troubleshooting to delivering strategic insights. The caution expressed by Kaseya's CEO underscores the importance of integrating fragmented customer data for effective AI solutions.Legal developments surrounding AI training data are reshaping the copyright landscape. A federal judge ruled in favor of Anthropic, allowing the company to train its AI models on legally purchased books without needing permission from authors, classifying this practice as fair use. However, the ruling is limited to physical books and does not absolve Anthropic from a separate trial regarding the alleged piracy of millions of books. Similarly, Meta Platforms secured a legal victory, but the court's decision does not confirm that its use of copyrighted materials qualifies as fair use, indicating a complex and evolving legal environment for AI training.The podcast also highlights ongoing disparities in the IT leadership pipeline, particularly regarding diversity. Recent data shows little change in the demographic makeup of IT leadership, with a significant majority being white and male. The challenges faced by women and people of color in securing leadership roles are exacerbated by rigid criteria in executive searches. As larger companies scale back diversity efforts, there is an opportunity for smaller firms to differentiate themselves by fostering inclusive cultures, as exemplified by OIT VoIP, which received recognition for its commitment to diversity in technology. Four things to know today 00:00 AI Reality Check: Fragmented Data, Poor UX, and Platform Consolidation Derail Enterprise and MSP Hype04:42 Fair Use but Not Free Reign: Courts Back AI Training on Books—with Major Caveats07:28 Smaller Tech Firms Like OITVOIP Show How Inclusion Can Be a Competitive Advantage10:32 Collaboration Reimagined: OpenAI, Anthropic, and Rewst Redefine the Future of Work with AI-First Tools This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by:  https://syncromsp.com/ All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Australia is holding firm on its defence spending strategy; A former Western Sydney University student is facing a slew of hacking and fraud charges after allegedly compromising the institution’s systems; A US judge has delivered a partial victory to Meta Platforms in a lawsuit brought by authors over the use of their copyrighted books to train its artificial intelligence system; Prince Joachim of Denmark has opened up about his family's new life in the United States; and Pop superstar Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom have reportedly split. The Quicky is the easiest and most enjoyable way to get across the news every day. And it’s delivered straight to your ears in a daily podcast so you can listen whenever you want, wherever you want...at the gym, on the train, in the playground or at night while you're making dinner. Support independent women's media CREDITS Host/Producer: Gemma Donahoe Audio Production: Lu HillBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Day in Legal History: United States v. VirginiaOn this day in legal history, June 26, 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in United States v. Virginia, striking down the Virginia Military Institute's (VMI) male-only admissions policy. The 7–1 ruling held that the exclusion of women violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Writing for the majority, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg emphasized that gender-based government action must demonstrate an “exceedingly persuasive justification” to be constitutional.VMI had long argued that its adversative, military-style education would be compromised by the inclusion of women. In response to the lawsuit, Virginia created a separate program for women at Mary Baldwin College, which the Court found to be inherently unequal. The Court concluded that Virginia failed to show that its gender-based admissions policy was substantially related to an important governmental objective.Justice Ginsburg's opinion stressed that generalizations about gender roles cannot justify the denial of opportunity. The ruling did not require VMI to change its core program but made clear that women must be given equal access to it. This decision marked a significant moment in the legal evolution of gender equality and helped to dismantle one of the most visible public institutions that had resisted coeducation.Justice Scalia dissented, arguing that the decision imposed a rigid standard of gender equality that went beyond the Constitution's text and history. Nevertheless, the ruling reflected the Court's growing skepticism of laws that enforce traditional gender roles. United States v. Virginia remains one of the most cited gender discrimination cases and is considered a hallmark of Ginsburg's judicial legacy.A federal judge has extended a block on the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle Job Corps, a longstanding job training program for low-income youth. U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter ruled that the Department of Labor's plan to abruptly end the program without congressional approval likely violates federal law. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Job Corps Association and several of its contractors.Job Corps, established in 1964, provides educational and vocational training for disadvantaged individuals aged 16 to 24. It currently serves about 25,000 participants at 120 centers nationwide, with an annual budget of $1.7 billion. The administration argued the program was inefficient, citing low graduation rates, poor job placement, and issues with violence and security at centers.However, plaintiffs maintain that only Congress can terminate a federally funded program and that the Labor Department failed to follow statutory procedures for closing individual centers. Judge Carter agreed, stating that once Congress mandates and funds a program, the executive branch cannot unilaterally terminate it.US judge extends block on Trump's bid to eliminate Job Corps program | ReutersA federal judge in San Francisco ruled in favor of Meta Platforms, dismissing a copyright lawsuit brought by authors who accused the company of using their books without permission to train its AI system, Llama. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria found the authors failed to show sufficient evidence that Meta's AI training harmed the market for their work—an essential element in proving copyright infringement under U.S. law.While Chhabria emphasized that unauthorized use of copyrighted works for AI training could be illegal in many scenarios, he clarified that his ruling was limited to the plaintiffs' failure to present the right arguments or evidence. This position diverges from another recent ruling in which Judge William Alsup found that Anthropic's AI use of copyrighted content qualified as fair use.The authors' legal team criticized the decision, calling Meta's actions a form of “historically unprecedented pirating,” while Meta praised the outcome and defended fair use as essential for developing transformative AI technologies.This case is part of a broader legal wave in which creators are challenging companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic over AI systems trained on copyrighted materials. At the heart of the dispute is whether using such content without payment or permission to create AI-generated works constitutes fair use or undermines creative incentives.Meta fends off authors' US copyright lawsuit over AI | ReutersAnd in a piece I wrote for Forbes yesterday, I note the IRS managed an objectively successful 2025 filing season—processing nearly 138 million returns, most of them electronically—but also that success masks deeper structural weaknesses. While headline numbers are strong, the IRS suspended over 13 million returns, largely due to fraud checks or errors, delaying refunds and spotlighting operational vulnerabilities. One of the most glaring issues is the average 20-month wait time for identity theft victims to resolve their cases, many of whom are low-income taxpayers urgently awaiting those refunds.Staffing levels are at crisis lows: the IRS workforce shrank by 26% in the first half of 2025, casting doubt on its ability to maintain performance as the temporary funding from the Inflation Reduction Act winds down. Looking ahead, the 2026 expiration of key provisions from the 2017 tax law will require major administrative overhauls—updates to forms, guidance, and withholding tables—that the current IRS may be too under-resourced to handle.The agency has promising plans, including digitization of paper returns and case system integration, but even the best-designed systems require trained staff to implement and maintain them. Moreover, modernization must be inclusive: 17% of Americans still lack internet access, and an effective IRS must serve them too. Ultimately, tax administration is not just a technical task—it's a distributive justice issue, and how we fund and staff it determines who bears the burden when the system falters.What The IRS' 2025 Filing Season Tells Us About The Future Of Taxes This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

This episode of the Option Block kicks off with the hosts Mark Longo, Uncle Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management, and Andrew ‘the Rock Lobster' Giovinazzi from The Option Pit discuss the impact of the recent Middle East conflict on the market. They note that markets are rallying despite the conflict, suggesting a 'fade the spike' approach might have been profitable. The show then delves into unusual options activities, including large trades in BEKE, ADM, and BILI, indicating bullish sentiments in Chinese equities. Uncle Mike provides a strategy segment focused on 'box spreads' and teases further exploration in the next episode. The episode concludes with the hosts sharing what they will be watching in the markets until the next show.   01:07 Meet the Hosts and Show Overview 03:05 The 80s Trivia Challenge 04:20 Trivia Challenge Results and Market Analysis 06:54 The Trading Block: Market Trends and Insights 10:07 Middle East Conflict and Market Reactions 14:04 Listener Interaction and Market Updates 27:35 GameStop's Struggles and Tech Bro Jokes 28:15 Top 10 Stocks: Intel, Amazon, and More 29:21 Meta Platforms and the AI Buzz 30:50 Tesla's Surprising Drop in Rankings 31:39 AMD's Surge and AI Optimism 32:34 Nvidia vs. Palantir: The Ratio Battle 34:00 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity 34:39 China's Real Estate and Tech Stocks 47:52 Strategy Block: Understanding Box Spreads 52:21 Around the Block: Market Watch and Predictions  

This episode of the Option Block kicks off with the hosts Mark Longo, Uncle Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management, and Andrew ‘the Rock Lobster' Giovinazzi from The Option Pit discuss the impact of the recent Middle East conflict on the market. They note that markets are rallying despite the conflict, suggesting a 'fade the spike' approach might have been profitable. The show then delves into unusual options activities, including large trades in BEKE, ADM, and BILI, indicating bullish sentiments in Chinese equities. Uncle Mike provides a strategy segment focused on 'box spreads' and teases further exploration in the next episode. The episode concludes with the hosts sharing what they will be watching in the markets until the next show.   01:07 Meet the Hosts and Show Overview 03:05 The 80s Trivia Challenge 04:20 Trivia Challenge Results and Market Analysis 06:54 The Trading Block: Market Trends and Insights 10:07 Middle East Conflict and Market Reactions 14:04 Listener Interaction and Market Updates 27:35 GameStop's Struggles and Tech Bro Jokes 28:15 Top 10 Stocks: Intel, Amazon, and More 29:21 Meta Platforms and the AI Buzz 30:50 Tesla's Surprising Drop in Rankings 31:39 AMD's Surge and AI Optimism 32:34 Nvidia vs. Palantir: The Ratio Battle 34:00 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity 34:39 China's Real Estate and Tech Stocks 47:52 Strategy Block: Understanding Box Spreads 52:21 Around the Block: Market Watch and Predictions  

Global markets recovered overnight as investors responded to easing tensions in the Middle East. Defensive stocks retreated as concerns eased, while risk appetite returned across sectors. Tech led the charge, with AMD shares surging on expectations of a sharp rebound for the chipmaker. Meta Platforms also rallied, buoyed by news it will finally introduce ads on WhatsApp. In the consumer space, Estee Lauder and Coty jumped amid takeover speculation. Meanwhile, oil prices fell on signs the Middle East conflict may not impact crude production as initially feared and gold slipped 1%, with investors taking profits after recent gains. Closer to home, Aussie shares are set to open higher on Tuesday, as traders look ahead to the Bank of Japan’s policy decision. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta Platforms (META) finalized a lofty investment into Scale AI that now values it at $29 billion. Not only will Scale AI aid in Meta's A.I. ambitions, but CEO Alexandr Wang will join the Mag 7 giant's "superintelligence" team. J.D. Durkin talks about how the investment means much more than meets the eye for Meta Platforms. Dan Deming offers an example options trade for Meta.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

S&P futures slightly pointing down. European equity markets pared early loss. Asian equity markets mostly higher, with Nikkei seeing decent gains. Taiwan a notable outperformer on TSMC gains. China markets underperform. For treasuries, 10-year yields down 4bps to 4.5%. Dollar firmer. Oil up, gold down, industrial metals lower. Cryptocurrencies consolidating overnight gains. For latest update on trade talks, US and China meetings in London to extend through Tuesday after representatives from both sides met for more than six hours. Nothing substantive emerged from first day of talks with US officials describing them as fruitful. President Trump said he has received good reports from meeting though China's not easy to deal with. Export controls were a focus of talks after China and US traded criticisms of each other's curbs on rare earths and technology.Companies Mentioned: GFL Environmental, EchoStar, Meta Platforms

US equity futures are pointing slightly up. European markets are narrowly mixed, while Asia go broadly higher, with decent gains for Nikkei and Hang Seng. Kospi extended recent post-election outperformance. For treasuries, 10-year yields stay steady at 4.5% after backing up sharply in prior session. Dollar softer, oil down, gold softer, industrial metals mixed. Attention on trade developments with US and China resuming talks in London with export licenses a key topic of discussion. NEC Director Hassett confirmed US is seeking agreement on rare earths from London talks. For its part China has taken issue with US principally over tech export controls and Huawei crackdown, which were attributed in part for Beijing maintaining its rare earths export curbs. Unclear whether the latest talks will lead to resolution of divisions between US and China, leaving fate of tariffs unknown.Companies Mentioned: Qualcomm Inc, Alphawave IP Group, Quartzsea Acquisition Corp, Meta Platforms

This is a warning for all avid gym-goers. Fitness enthusiast Hillary Nguyen recently shared a video on TikTok describing the health crisis she dealt with after interacting with dirty gym equipment.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, Pope Francis, history's first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change, died today. He was 88.Locally, Three men were killed and four others were injured in an early-morning Queens blaze that forced some residents to jump through windows to escape the flames, police and neighbors said. And Instagram is beginning to test the use of artificial intelligence to determine if kids are lying about their ages on the app, parent company Meta Platforms says.

Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon.com and Meta Platforms are set to spend $320 bln this year on data centres and other kit to power advanced chatbots. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain why investors are willing to support a long game that will yield a return. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt-out of targeted advertising. 

Plus: Dollar General raised its full year sales outlook. And Israeli troops shot at Palestinians in southern Gaza on their way to an aid distribution site. Anthony Bansie hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Chambers led Cisco through the rise of the internet—transforming it into the world's most valuable company at its peak.On this week's Grit, the former Cisco CEO unpacks how he scaled the business from $70M to $50B+, pioneered M&A as a growth strategy with 180 acquisitions, and built what many called the best sales force in tech.Now leading his own venture firm, Chambers shares how he's backing the next generation of AI-native startups.Guest: John T. Chambers, Former Cisco Executive Chairman & CEO, JC2 Ventures Founder & CEOChapters: 00:00 Trailer00:45 Introduction01:45 Track record, relationships, trust13:21 Acquisitions every year17:32 Product-focused24:40 Family, dyslexia, and without shame30:46 Wang Laboratories35:59 Ready being CEO40:17 Reinventing your business50:08 Numbers don't lie54:09 Sales calls and making mistakes56:20 Adapting leadership style1:06:32 Best leadership year ever1:13:35 A busy, exhausting schedule1:22:07 Candid with me1:25:21 What “grit” means to John1:26:43 OutroMentioned in this episode: John Doerr, OpenAI, Wang Laboratories, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple Inc., Meta Platforms, FMC Corporation, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., John Mortgage, Don Valentine, Sequoia Capital, Alcatel Mobile, Lucent Technologies, Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc., Rick Justice, Pankage Patel, Larry Carter, CNBC, Jim Cramer, George Kurtz, CrowdStrike, Randy Pond, Rebecca Jacoby, Mel SelcherLinks:Connect with JohnXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

US equity futures are slightly weaker. European markets are firmer, while most Asian markets ended mixed. Markets continue to digest this week's US-China tariff de-escalation, with investor focus shifting toward the potential for new trade deals. Press reports suggest progress toward a US-Japan agreement, while Indian trade officials prepare to visit the US following comments from Trump about a potential zero-tariff offer from Delhi. April retail sales and core PPI both came in below expectations, while the Empire State and Philly Fed indices pointed to mixed regional activity. Fed Chair Powell avoided current policy commentary but reaffirmed the 2% inflation goal and flagged more frequent supply shocks going forward.Companies mentioned: Live Nation Entertainment, Meta Platforms, NVIDIA

Matt Murphy transformed Marvell from a broad-based chip supplier into a $100B data infrastructure leader—powering the rise of AI, cloud, 5G, and custom silicon.On this week's Grit, the Marvell CEO shares how he refocused the company's strategy, led major acquisitions like Inphi ($10B) and Cavium ($6B), and positioned Marvell at the center of the next era of compute.He also reflects on lessons from his father, a longtime CEO, the discipline of running 90 miles a week, and how staying steady through industry cycles has set him apart.Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:47 Introduction03:00 Huge company, taking the long view10:28 Market cap shift to big tech14:44 The data infrastructure opportunity20:30 Massive economic opportunity31:33 Semiconductor industry and geopolitics40:46 Taiwan and Moore's Law 44:05 Getting hammered down 50%47:05 Silicon Valley51:15 All in despite risks55:37 The CEO checkbox1:01:22 Email from Matt, subject: Grit1:07:35 The higher you go1:15:44 Who Marvell is hiring1:20:14 What “grit” means to Matt1:24:40 OutroMentioned in this episode: Jim Cramer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), Maxim Integrated, Mattel, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc, Juniper Networks, Meta Platforms, Amazon.com, Inc., Cavium, Inc., Inphi Corporation, Aquantia Corporation, Mellanox Technologies, Nvidia Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, OpenAI, Anthropic, John Chambers, Facebook, Spotify, Airbnb, Google, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Intel Corporation, Robert Norton Noyce, Gordon Moore, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Andrew "Andy" Stephen Grove, Bloomberg, Intuit Inc., Lip-Bu Tan, Sehat Sutardja, Whay S. Lee, Starboard Value, Rick Hill, Novellus Systems, Inc., Michael Strachan, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Apple Inc., Steve Jobs, Chris KoopmansLinks:Connect with MattLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

In der heutigen Folge von „Alles auf Aktien“ sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Anja Ettel und Daniel Eckert über die Magie der Mausaktie Disney, Insolvenz einer Diät-Ikone und den stoischen Kurs der Fed. Außerdem geht es um Alphabet, Nvidia, Uber, Charles River Laboratories, Hensoldt, Fresenius, Vonovia, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, WeightWatchers, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Altria, Saudi-Aramco, AppLovin, ConocoPhillips, CNOOC, Investor AB, Arista Networks, Visa, Blackstone, KKR, Pinduoduo, Investor AB, Hermès, Münchener Rück, Allianz, Deutsche Telekom, SAP, MicroStrategy und Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Ab sofort gibt es noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter.[ Hier bei WELT.](https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html) [Hier] (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6zxjyJpTMunyYCY6F7vHK1?si=8f6cTnkEQnmSrlMU8Vo6uQ) findest Du die Samstagsfolgen Klassiker-Playlist auf Spotify! Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. Außerdem bei WELT: Im werktäglichen Podcast „Das bringt der Tag“ geben wir Ihnen im Gespräch mit WELT-Experten die wichtigsten Hintergrundinformationen zu einem politischen Top-Thema des Tages. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? [**Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte!**](https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien) Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

From a 350-square-foot home in South India to leading HubSpot, a $30B CRM powerhouse, Yamini Rangan's journey is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Yamini shares how she's guiding HubSpot through a post-pandemic shift toward product-led growth, the hard-won lessons behind building go-to-market alignment, and why human-centric leadership is her edge in an AI-first world. Plus, her take on why data is the new battleground in tech.Chapters: 00:00 Trailer00:52 Introduction02:22 Fire in my belly10:06 Constraints12:19 Peak performance16:38 Helping while in sheer panic21:43 The general ethos30:14 Customer value36:08 Excited and scared47:25 Becoming CEO54:19 Feeling behind1:01:51 Very lonely1:05:34 Losing credibility1:08:42 Slowing down, sitting still1:12:31 No patience to finish a book1:15:39 Who HubSpot is hiring1:15:54 What “grit” means to Yamini1:16:45 OutroMentioned in this episode: Sequoia Capital, Carl Pieri, Brian Halligan, Zoom Workplace, Meta Platforms, Google, Anthropic, Microsoft, Salesforce, Blockbuster Video, BlackBerry Limited, Axon Enterprise, Netflix, Snapchat, Harvey, Dharmesh Shah, Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid, Sapiens: A Brief History of HumankindLinks:Connect with YaminiXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

Rebecca Walser returns to the NYSE set and recaps the week-long round of Mag 7 earnings. She notes strength in Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms' (META) cloud and ad numbers, though sees Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL) having more trouble down the line if tariff volatility persists. She also notes crude oil's plummeting price action as a sign of "global slowdown." Tom White later joins to offer example options trade in Apple and Amazon.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Ahmed Khan with Morningstar says he "really liked" Meta Platforms' (META) earnings. His firm has a four-star rating on the stock with a $770 fair value estimate. When it comes to the outlook, he believes A.I. optimization in its social media platforms will serve as a primary driver for profitability by driving user and advertiser traffic. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Profits from Microsoft and Meta are lifting Wall Street with stronger-than-expected profts reported at the start of the year.

Tech stocks gave the markets a boost.

This Day in Legal History: “Law Day” is BornOn this day in 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued a proclamation that did more than just slap a new label on the calendar—it attempted to reframe the ideological narrative of the Cold War itself. With Presidential Proclamation 3221, Eisenhower officially designated May 1 as Law Day, a symbolic counterweight to May Day, the international workers' holiday long associated with labor movements, socialist solidarity, and, in the American imagination, the creeping specter of communism.What better way to combat revolutionary fervor than with a celebration of legal order?Pushed by the American Bar Association, Law Day wasn't just a feel-good civics moment; it was a strategic act of Cold War messaging. While the Soviet bloc paraded tanks through Red Square, the U.S. would parade its Constitution and wax poetic about the rule of law. In short, May Day was about the workers; Law Day was about the lawyers—and the system they claimed safeguarded liberty.But this wasn't just symbolic posturing. In 1961, Congress gave Law Day teeth by writing it into the U.S. Code (36 U.S.C. § 113), mandating that May 1 be observed with educational programs, bar association events, and a national reaffirmation of the “ideal of equality and justice under law.”Cynics might call it Constitution cosplay. Advocates call it civic literacy.Either way, Law Day has endured. Each year, the President issues a formal proclamation with a new theme—ranging from the judiciary's independence to access to justice. The ABA leads events, schools hold mock trials, and the legal community gets a rare day in the spotlight.In the grand tradition of American holidays, Law Day may not come with a day off or department store sales. But it's a reminder that the U.S. doesn't just celebrate its laws when it's convenient—it does so deliberately, and sometimes, geopolitically.A federal judge ruled that Apple violated a 2021 injunction meant to promote competition in its App Store by improperly restricting developers' payment options. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that Apple defied her prior order in an antitrust case brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite. The judge referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a possible criminal contempt investigation, citing misleading testimony and willful noncompliance. She emphasized that Apple had treated the injunction as a negotiation rather than a binding mandate.Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney praised the ruling as a win for developers and said Fortnite could return to the App Store soon. Apple had previously removed Epic's account after it allowed users to bypass Apple's in-app payment system. Despite the ruling, Apple maintains it made extensive efforts to comply while protecting its business model and plans to appeal. Epic argued that Apple continued to stifle competition by imposing a new 27% fee on external purchases and deterring users through warning messages. The judge rejected Apple's request to delay enforcement of her ruling and barred the company from interfering with developers' ability to communicate with users or imposing the new fee.US judge rules Apple violated order to reform App Store | ReutersPalestinian student Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University graduate student and longtime Vermont resident, was released from U.S. immigration custody after a judge ruled he could remain free while contesting his deportation. The case stems from the Trump administration's efforts to remove non-citizen students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests, arguing such activism threatens U.S. foreign policy. Mahdawi, who was arrested during a citizenship interview, has not been charged with any crime. Judge Geoffrey Crawford found he posed no danger or flight risk and compared the political environment to McCarthy-era crackdowns on dissent.Crawford emphasized that Mahdawi's peaceful activism was protected by the First Amendment, even as a non-citizen. Mahdawi was greeted by supporters waving Palestinian flags as he denounced his detention and vowed not to be intimidated. The Department of Homeland Security criticized the decision, accusing Mahdawi of glorifying violence and supporting terrorism, although no evidence or charges of such conduct were presented in court.Members of Vermont's congressional delegation condemned the administration's actions as a violation of due process and free speech. Mahdawi's release was seen as a symbolic blow to broader efforts targeting pro-Palestinian foreign students, while others in similar situations remain jailed. Columbia University reaffirmed that legal protections apply to all residents, regardless of citizenship status.The relevant takeaway here revolves around the First Amendment rights of non-citizens – Judge Crawford's ruling affirmed that lawful non-citizens enjoy constitutional protections, including freedom of speech. This principle was central to Mahdawi's release, reinforcing the legal standard that political expression—even controversial or unpopular—is not grounds for detention or deportation.Palestinian student released on bail as he challenges deportation from US | ReutersA federal judge in San Francisco is set to consider a critical legal question in ongoing copyright disputes involving artificial intelligence: whether Meta Platforms made "fair use" of copyrighted books when training its Llama language model. The case, brought by authors including Junot Díaz and Sarah Silverman, accuses Meta of using pirated copies of their work without permission or payment. Meta argues that its use was transformative, enabling Llama to perform diverse tasks like tutoring, translation, coding, and creative writing—without replicating or replacing the original works.The outcome could significantly impact similar lawsuits filed against other AI developers like OpenAI and Anthropic, all hinging on how courts interpret fair use in the context of AI training. Meta contends that its LLM's use of copyrighted material is covered under fair use because it generates new and transformative outputs, rather than duplicating the authors' content. Plaintiffs argue that this type of use violates copyright protections by extracting and repurposing the expressive value of their works for commercial AI systems.Technology firms warn that requiring licenses for such training could impede AI innovation and economic growth. Authors and content creators, on the other hand, view the unlicensed use as a threat to their financial and creative interests.Judge in Meta case weighs key question for AI copyright lawsuits | ReutersThe U.S. Supreme Court appears sharply divided over whether states can prohibit religious charter schools from receiving public funding, in a case that could significantly alter the legal landscape for church-state separation in education. The case centers on Oklahoma's rejection of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School's bid to become the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country. Conservative justices, including Brett Kavanaugh, expressed concerns that excluding religious schools constitutes unconstitutional discrimination, while liberal justices emphasized the importance of maintaining a secular public education system.Chief Justice John Roberts is seen as a crucial swing vote. He questioned both sides, at times referencing prior rulings favoring religious institutions, but also signaling discomfort with the broader implications of authorizing religious charter schools. Justice Sotomayor raised hypothetical concerns about curriculum control, such as schools refusing to teach evolution or U.S. history topics like slavery.The case could affect charter school laws in up to 46 states and has implications for federal charter school funding, which mandates nonsectarian instruction. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, increasing the possibility of a 4-4 split, which would leave Oklahoma's decision to block St. Isidore intact without setting a national precedent.This case hinges on the constitutional balance between prohibiting government endorsement of religion (Establishment Clause) and ensuring equal treatment of religious institutions (Free Exercise Clause). The justices' interpretations of these principles will guide whether public funds can support explicitly religious charter schools.Supreme Court Signals Divide on Religious Charter Schools - Bloomberg This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

The last day of April brings Microsoft and Meta Platforms results, PCE prices, and first quarter GDP. The SPX is up six days in a row on trade optimism and yields hit 3-week lows.Important DisclosuresThe information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed.Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.All names and market data shown above are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation, offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.Past performance is no guarantee of future results, and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.Diversification strategies do not ensure a profit and do not protect against losses in declining markets.Indexes are unmanaged, do not incur management fees, costs, and expenses and cannot be invested in directly. For more information on indexes, please see schwab.com/indexdefinitions.The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.Fixed income securities are subject to increased loss of principal during periods of rising interest rates. Fixed income investments are subject to various other risks including changes in credit quality, market valuations, liquidity, prepayments, early redemption, corporate events, tax ramifications, and other factors.The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.(0130-0425)

The S and P 500 was relatively unchanged ahead of a packed week for earnings and economic data, Wall Street is also awaiting any progress on trade deal negotiations, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft will all release their quarterly reports as will Visa, Coca-Cola, and Eli Lilly

Charles Moon with Prosper Trading Academy turns to companies he expects to move with upcoming earnings and key technical levels. He looks into The Trade Desk's (TTD) tie to Meta Platforms' (META) earnings, Dell Technologies' (DELL) push toward its 50-day SMA, and Tesla's (TSLA) critical support point. Rick Ducat shows the technical patterns investors should watch in all three stocks.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

The S and P 500 was relatively unchanged ahead of a packed week for earnings and economic data, Wall Street is also awaiting any progress on trade deal negotiations, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft will all release their quarterly reports as will Visa, Coca-Cola, and Eli LillySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have made a huge leap in a highly technical practice known as coherent quantum communications. The WSJ's Aylin Woodward breaks down what that is and the effects it could have on everyday life. Plus, our Brussels-based reporter Kim Mackrael takes us through the trade implications of the European Union's fines on Apple and Meta Platforms. Katie Deighton hosts. We want to hear from you! Our recent series “Chatbot Confidential” looked into privacy risks when using generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude. Do you have a question about using these chatbots and your privacy? Record a voice memo and send it to tnb@wsj.com or leave us a voicemail at (212) 416-2236. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech Bro NonsenseFormer Google CEO Tells Congress That 99 Percent of All Electricity Will Be Used to Power Superintelligent AIbillionaire tech tycoon and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt comments to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce: "What we need from you is we need the energy in all forms, renewable, non-renewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.""Many people project demand for our industry will go from 3 percent to 99 percent of total generation... an additional 29 gigawatts by 2027 and 67 more gigawatts by 2030. If [China] comes to superintelligence first, it changes the dynamic of power globally, in ways that we have no way of understanding or predicting.”Meta Says It's Okay to Feed Copyrighted Books Into Its AI Model Because They Have No "Economic Value"In the ongoing suit Richard Kadrey et al v. Meta Platforms, led by a group of authors including Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer and National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company has argued that its alleged scraping of over seven million books from the pirated library LibGen constituted "fair use" of the material, and was therefore not illegal.Meta's attorneys are also arguing that the countless books that the company used to train its multibillion-dollar language models and springboard itself into the headspinningly buzzy AI race are actually worthless. Meta cited an expert witness who downplayed the books' individual importance, averring that a single book adjusted its LLM's performance "by less than 0.06 percent on industry standard benchmarks, a meaningless change no different from noise." Thus there's no market in paying authors to use their copyrighted works, Meta says, because "for there to be a market, there must be something of value to exchange," as quoted by Vanity Fair — "but none of [the authors'] works has economic value, individually, as training data." Other communications showed that Meta employees stripped the copyright pages from the downloaded books.Tellingly, the unofficial policy seems to be to not speak about it at all: "In no case would we disclose publicly that we had trained on LibGen, however there is practical risk external parties could deduce our use of this dataset," an internal Meta slide deck read. The deck noted that "if there is media coverage suggesting we have used a dataset we know to be pirated, such as LibGen, this may undermine our negotiating position with regulators on these issues."Lauren Sánchez in Space Was Marie Antoinette in a Penis-Shaped RocketKaty Perry Boasts About Ridiculous Rocket Launch While NASA Is Scrubbing History of Women in Space“It's about a collective energy and making space for future women. It's about this wonderful world that we see right out there and appreciating it. This is all for the benefit of Earth.”Last month, the Orlando Sentinel first reported, NASA scrubbed language from a webpage about the agency's Artemis missions declaring that a goal of the mission was to put the first woman and first person of color on the Moon; just a few days later, NASA Watch reported that comic books imagining the first woman on the Moon had been deleted from NASA's website.A webpage for "Women at NASA" is still standing, but pictures of women and people of color — astronauts, engineers, scientists — have reportedly been removed from NASA's real-world hallways amid the so-called "DEI" purge. Per Scientific American, the word "inclusion" has been removed as one of NASA's core pillars. And as 404 Media reported in February, NASA personnel were directed to remove mentions of women in leadership positions from its website.OpenAI NonsenseOpenAI Is Secretly Building a Social NetworkOpenAI has been secretly building its own social media platform, which The Verge reports is intended to resemble X-formerly-Twitter — the social media middleweight owned by CEO Sam Altman's arch-nemesis, Elon MuskOpenAI updated its safety framework—but no longer sees mass manipulation and disinformation as a critical riskOpenAI said it will stop assessing its AI models prior to releasing them for the risk that they could persuade or manipulate people, possibly helping to swing elections or create highly effective propaganda campaigns.The company said it would now address those risks through its terms of service, restricting the use of its AI models in political campaigns and lobbying, and monitoring how people are using the models once they are released for signs of violations.OpenAI also said it would consider releasing AI models that it judged to be “high risk” as long as it has taken appropriate steps to reduce those dangers—and would even consider releasing a model that presented what it called “critical risk” if a rival AI lab had already released a similar model. Previously, OpenAI had said it would not release any AI model that presented more than a “medium risk.”Saying 'please' and 'thank you' to ChatGPT costs OpenAI millions, Sam Altman saysBeing nice to your AI chatbot requires computational power that raises electricity and water costsAltman responded to a user on X (formerly Twitter) who asked how much the company has lost in electricity costs from people being polite to their models: “Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know,” the CEO wrote.AI models rely heavily on energy stored in global data centers — which already accounts for about 2% of the global electricity consumption. Polite responses also add to OpenAI's water bill. AI uses water to cool the servers that generate the data. A study from the University of California, Riverside, said that using GPT-4 to generate 100 words consumes up to three bottles of water — and even a three-word response such as “You are welcome” uses about 1.5 ounces of water.Antitrust NonsenseTrump DOJ's plan to restructure Google hurts consumers, national security, says exec: 'Wildly overbroad'Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs: "We're very concerned about DOJ's proposal. We think it would hurt American consumers, our economy, our tech leadership, even national security. The proposed reform from DOJ "would result in unprecedented government overreach that would harm American consumers, developers, and small businesses — and jeopardize America's global economic and technological leadership at precisely the moment it's needed most."8 revelations from Mark Zuckerberg's 3 days on the witness stand in Meta's antitrust trialThe FTC alleges Meta "helped cement" its illegal monopoly in the social media market with its acquisition of Instagram and the messaging app WhatsApp more than a decade ago.8 revelations:Antitrust worries surfaced years agoTwo years before the FTC initially sued Meta over allegations that it violated US competition laws, Zuckerberg considered breaking Instagram out into its own company to avoid potential antitrust scrutiny, according to a 2018 internal email revealed by the government at trial."I wonder if we should consider the extreme step of spinning Instagram out as a separate company," Zuckerberg wrote in the email to company executives. "As calls to break up the big tech companies grow, there is a non-trivial chance that we will be forced to spin out Instagram and perhaps WhatsApp in the next 5-10 years anyway." If a break up were to happen, Zuckerberg wrote, history showed that companies could end up better off.Asked about this view at trial, Zuckerberg said, "I'm not sure exactly what I had in mind then."A 'crazy idea' to boost Facebook's relevanceZuckerberg's "crazy idea" for Facebook in 2022 involved purging all users' friends. The CEO — fearful that Facebook was losing cultural relevance — made the proposal in a 2022 email to the social network's top brass."Option 1. Double down on Friending," Zuckerberg wrote in the message. "One potentially crazy idea is to consider wiping everyone's graphs and having them start again."Sheryl Sandberg wanted to play Settlers of CatanZuckerberg once offered to give Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta, a tutorial in the board game Settlers of Catan.The lesson offer came up in 2012 messages in which the two discussed the fresh $1 billion purchase of Instagram, partially redacted missives presented by the FTC during Zuckerberg's testimony showed."We would love it. I want to learn Settlers of Catan too so we can play," Sandberg told Zuckerberg in the message. He responded: "I can definitely teach you Settlers of Catan. It's very easy to learn."Meta's rivalry with TikTok has only just begunDuring his testimony, Zuckerberg hammered home Meta's argument that the tech giant faces massive competition from other apps, especially TikTok."TikTok is still bigger than either Facebook or Instagram," Zuckerberg testified. "I don't like it when our competitors do better than us. You can sort of bet that I'm not going to rest until we are doing quite a bit better than we are doing now.”Facebook Camera app struggles were a source of worryInstagram's early rise shook Zuckerberg. As his company struggled to mount its response with the Facebook Camera app, the CEO began to lose his patience."What is going on with our photos team?" Zuckerberg wrote in a 2011 message to top executives, as revealed by the FTC in court. Zuckerberg then described a number of individuals, whose names were redacted, as being "checked out." He added another person didn't want "to work with this team because he thinks this team sucks."In May 2012, Facebook launched a photo-sharing app called Facebook Camera, which aims to make it simpler for the social network's users to upload and browse photos on smartphones. Only weeks after Facebook spent $1 billion on a similar photo-sharing app called Instagram. Zuckerberg tried to buy Snapchat for $6 billionZuckerberg's failed bid to buy Snapchat was highlighted by the government to bolster its argument that Meta sought to maintain its dominance in the social media market through acquisitions rather than competition.Facebook isn't really for friends anymoreWhile under questioning by the FTC, Zuckerberg said that Facebook had greatly evolved since he launched the platform more than 20 years ago and that its main purpose wasn't really to connect with friends anymore.The FTC argues that Meta monopolizes the market for "personal social networking services.""The friend part has gone down quite a bit," Zuckerberg testified. He said the Facebook feed has "turned into more of a broad discovery and entertainment space."Not impressed by WhatsApp cofounderZuckerberg wasn't too impressed with one of WhatsApp's cofounders after a 2012 meeting he had with company leadership."I found him fairly impressive although disappointingly (or maybe positive for us) unambitious," Zuckerberg wrote in an email to colleagues after the meeting, it was revealed at trial.Jan Koum and Brian Acton cofounded WhatsApp in 2009. Zuckerberg said in his testimony that he thinks he was referring to Koum. Asked about his email, Zuckerberg seemed uneasy. He said that Koum was clearly smart but that he and Acton were staunchly opposed to growing their messaging app enough to be a real threat to Facebook. Zuckerberg would go on to buy WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion.Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms adds former Trump advisor to the board days before an antitrust showdown with the FTCMeta Platforms is further boosting its lineup of heavy hitters with the additions of Stripe CEO Patrick Collison and Dina Powell McCormick to the mix. Powell McCormick was the former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump during his first term. Married to Republican Senator Dave McCormick, former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest hedge fundsStakeholder/shareholder activism NonsenseBP suffers investor rebellion at first AGM since climate strategy U-turnBP suffered an investor rebellion on Thursday after facing shareholders for the first time since abandoning its climate strategy at a meeting marred by protest.About a quarter of shareholders (24.3%) voted against the chair, Helge Lund, which marked the first time in at least a decade that more than 10% of BP's shareholders voted against the re-election of the chair.The outgoing chair told shareholders that the company had “pursued too much while looking to build new low-carbon businesses” but that “lessons have been learned”.BP's CEO Murray Auchincloss (2.7% against), repeated his previous claim that BP's optimism in the global green energy transition was “misplaced”, and that the board's “one simple goal” was to “grow the long-term value of your investment”.Mark Van Baal, the founder of the green activist investor group Follow This, said shareholders had “made it clear that weakening climate commitments is unacceptable”. He added: “This historical result serves as a wake-up call to BP's board and emphasises investor expectation for robust governance mechanisms and genuine leadership on ESG issues.”Starbucks CEO faces major backlash after details of his work routine are revealed: 'Ill-conceived decision'A press release from the National Center for Public Policy Research reported on the hypocrisy of Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's transportation practices when considering the company's public commitment to eco-friendly practices.Niccol travels regularly from his home in Newport Beach, California, to Starbucks' headquarters in Seattle, Washington, via private jet. Each 2,000-mile round-trip commute releases nearly nine tons of carbon dioxide.The National Center for Public Policy Research's Free Enterprise Project's director Stefan Padfield pointed out the discrepancy of policy and practice during his presentation of Proposal 8 requesting an annual report on emissions congruency. He noted that each round trip made by Niccol "is roughly the annual energy-consumption footprint of the typical American household."This analogy paints a vivid picture of the hypocrisy between Starbucks' public environmental commitments and the practices of the CEO. Gaps are apparent. Target CEO Cornell meets with Sharpton to discuss DEI rollback as civil rights leader considers boycottCEO Brian Cornell met with the Rev. Al Sharpton in New York on Thursday as the retailer faces calls for a boycott and a slowdown in foot traffic that began after it walked back key diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the civil rights leader told CNBC Wednesday.The meeting, which Target asked for, comes after some civil rights groups urged consumers not to shop at Target in response to the retailer's decision to cut back on DEI. While Sharpton has not yet called for a boycott of Target, he has supported efforts from others to stop shopping at the retailer's stores.“You can't have an election come and all of a sudden, change your old positions,” Sharpton told CNBC in a Wednesday interview ahead of the meeting. “If an election determines your commitment to fairness then fine, you have a right to withdraw from us, but then we have a right to withdraw from you.”IBM Informs Staff of DEI Retreat as Trump-Era Scrutiny GrowsEmployees were told of the changes earlier this week, in a memo that cited “inherent tensions in practicing inclusion.” Legal considerations and shifting attitudes to DEI were among the factors for the company. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna discussed the changes in his monthly video update to employees Thursday.Anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck said he first contacted the company in February to question its policies. IBM confirmed it discussed its changes with Starbuck.The company (-10% gender influence gap) also disbanded a diversity council that represents the views of employee groups as part of its reevaluation.Exxon Faces No Shareholder Proposals for First Time in 25 YearsThe absence of requests in Exxon's proxy statement comes a year after the company sued two climate-focused investors to remove what it described as their “extreme agenda.” It also tracks with the US Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to back guidelines that make it easier for corporations to block votes on shareholder resolutions at their annual meetings.Exxon said in a statement late Monday that it received only one proposal this year and the SEC agreed it should be discarded because “it tried to micromanage the company.”Occidental Petroleum Corp., Valero Energy Corp. and Dow Inc. are other companies with no shareholder proposals up for vote at this year's annual meetings.Exxon said this year marks “the first time in recent history that our proxy includes zero proposals from activists.” It was just four years ago that a small fund scored a victory over Exxon, placing three directors on the company's board.Climate activist shareholder group Follow This pauses big oil campaignClimate activist shareholder group Follow This said on Thursday a lack of investor appetite has forced it to suspend its nearly decade-long campaign seeking stronger commitments from major oil and gas producers to emission cutsHarley-Davidson slams activist investor, saying its campaign is messing up its CEO searchIn early April, H Partners' Jared Dourdeville, who had been a Harley director since 2022, abruptly resigned from the board, saying among other things that Harley had “cultural depletion” because of its work-from-home policies and the exit of several senior leaders. And that was not his only point of contention with the rest of the board.Investment firm H Partners, a major investor with 9.1% of Harley's shares, in an open letter filed on Wednesday, urged fellow shareholders to remove three longtime directors from Harley's eight-member board at its annual meeting in mid-May by withholding votes for them. H Partners said the board had not held Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz accountable for what it called his repeated “strategic execution failures” and “severe underperformance.”CEO/Chair Zeitz (2007, 30%)Lead DIrector Norman Thomas Linebarger (2008, 13%)Sara Levinson (1996, 20%)"We believe Mr. Zeitz, Mr. Linebarger, and Ms. Levinson should be held accountable for the destruction of shareholder value,"Harley's bylaws stipulate that directors who win less than 50% of votes in an election must tender their resignations.Harley announced last week that Zeitz, CEO since 2020 and board member for 18 years, would resign but stay in his role until a successor is found. H Partners wants him out now.That followed a letter issued a day earlier by Harley-Davidson, which accused H Partners of “publicly campaigning” against it and saying that those efforts are also “adversely impacting the CEO search process and ongoing execution of the Hardwire strategic plan,” referring to a turnaround plan it launched in 2021.Harley said that it began a CEO search late last year after Zeitz expressed interest in retiring and has interviewed three potential CEOs, including one supported by Dourdeville, but declined to offer any the job. The company has also said that Dourdeville had cast only one vote against the majority during his time as a director and that as recently as November 2024 he had expressed support for Zeitz.Harley-Davidson faces board fight from H Partners amid calls for CEO to exit soon

P.M. Edition for April 14. The U.S. administration is backing away from cases involving foreign bribery, public corruption, money laundering and crypto markets. WSJ reporter Dave Michaels says the administration is effectively redefining what business conduct constitutes a crime. And WSJ reporter Peter Grant says Trump's appetite for tariffs is threatening a post-Covid bounce for the U.S. office space market. Plus, what's at stake for Meta Platforms—which owns Instagram and WhatsApp—in its antitrust trial brought by the Federal Trade Commission. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Pedro FranceschiPedro Franceschi is the co-founder and CEO of Brex, a fintech company reshaping how businesses manage their finances.Originally from Brazil, Pedro went from teenage hacker to leading one of the most well-known names in modern financial technology—building a platform trusted by startups and enterprises alike.In this episode, Pedro shares what it took to launch “Brex 3.0,” why he moved to a single-CEO model, and how tough structural changes set the stage for leaner, faster growth.Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:46 Introduction01:45 Startup roller coaster05:21 Founders know how to have fun07:12 Belief barrier evolution12:00 Early state of life in Brazil13:23 Controlling variables15:32 Screen time19:23 Making small decisions23:27 Learning raises the bar26:15 People manager38:49 Getting underwater42:05 Growth accelerated47:51 Vision from the top down52:13 Leadership organization54:01 AI software engineering physics54:43 People complain about change59:42 Believers and non-believers1:04:09 Equity and bonus controversy1:08:40 Big swings and going public1:14:15 Control in unpredictability1:18:04 Living in a pixel1:19:52 Meditate, sleep, diet, exercise1:24:36 Mental health and stress1:33:12 Who Brex is hiring1:33:49 What "grit" means to Pedro1:34:39 OutroMentioned in this episode: Silicon Valley, Facebook, Meta Platforms, Inc., Mark Zuckerberg, Mastercard, Rio de Janeiro, iPhone, Bill Gates, Tim Urban, Jony Ive, Apple Inc., LinkedIn, Salesforce, Brian Chesky, Airbnb, Anthropic Claude, Cursor, Codeium Windsurf, Cognition Labs Devin, Vercel, Retool AI, Amplitude, Spenser Skates, Elon Musk, Tesla, Inc.Links:Connect with Pedro:XLinkedInConnect with Joubin:XLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comThis episode was produced by Kleiner Perkins and edited by IQvideo.The trailer and distribution for this episode were handled by Atomik Growth.Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

President Trump is due to unveil sweeping tariffs tomorrow afternoon—but what exactly he will announce is unclear. Plus: executives at Meta Platforms press trade officials to fight an expected European Union fine and cease-and-desist order. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices