The lunch briefing.
Mid-day check: Trump signs a voluntary AI oversight order, Alphabet seeks $80B in AI funding, and Microsoft unveils a new Surface Dev Box for local AI tasks.
Regulatory Shifts. President Trump has signed a revised executive order on AI oversight, now requiring only voluntary prerelease government reviews of advanced models after industry objections. This contrasts with Europe's strategy, which continues to diverge from Silicon Valley's approach, seeking more ways for users to opt out of AI training. Meanwhile, Ohio has suspended data center tax breaks after losing $1.5 billion in revenue, highlighting growing local resistance to AI infrastructure.
Capital and Compute. Alphabet is reportedly setting an $80 billion AI funding goal, with Berkshire Hathaway committing $10 billion, signaling massive investment in the sector despite a drop in Alphabet's shares. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated the company has enough CPU and GPU supply for robust growth but remains constrained. This comes as Marvell enters the AI network market with new 102.4 Tbps switch silicon, while Intel may be struggling to supply enough of its new 18A process chips. HPE also surged 25% after blowout earnings, driven by strong demand.
Frontier Model Deployment. OpenAI is significantly expanding its Codex tools, integrating them into the ChatGPT app everywhere and releasing six new business plugins for white-collar work. Concurrently, Anthropic is scaling its Claude Mythos program, Project Glasswing, to 150 organizations across 15 countries, specifically targeting critical infrastructure sectors. This expansion aims to test models for cybersecurity flaws and enhance secure research, with AWS Bedrock AgentCore demonstrating similar agent capabilities. However, security concerns persist, with password manager Dashlane reporting a breach where hackers stole some customer password vaults.
Device Innovation. Microsoft has unveiled a miniature Surface PC, the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, powered by Nvidia's new Arm-based RTX Spark chips and optimized for local AI tasks. Apple's new MacBook Neo is reportedly winning over a new generation of buyers, shipping 1.1 million units in its first weeks. This comes as the broader smartphone industry is predicted to hit its biggest low in 13 years due to a memory crisis, though Apple and Samsung are expected to remain stable.
Alphabet Sets $80B AI Funding Goal
Alphabet is reportedly seeking to raise $80 billion in AI funding, with Berkshire Hathaway committing $10 billion to the capital raise. This significant investment comes despite a recent drop in Alphabet's shares.
Trump signs narrower executive order on AI oversight after industry objections
President Trump signed a revised AI executive order that now requires only voluntary prerelease government reviews of advanced models. This change follows objections from the industry regarding earlier, stricter proposals.
Microsoft created the mini Surface dev box that Qualcomm couldn’t
Microsoft has unveiled the miniature Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a new PC aimed at developers and powered by Nvidia's Arm-based RTX Spark chips. It is optimized for sustained workloads and local AI tasks.
OpenAI launches new Codex tools for white-collar work
OpenAI has released a new set of capabilities for Codex, expanding the agentic tool's uses in the workplace for enterprise users. An internal report found Codex is increasingly used for knowledge work beyond coding.
Anthropic scales Claude Mythos to critical infrastructure in 15+ countries
Anthropic is expanding its Project Glasswing, now called Claude Mythos, to 150 organizations across 15 countries, focusing on critical infrastructure sectors like power and healthcare. The program aims to identify and mitigate cybersecurity vulnerabilities in AI models.
Marvell enters the AI network fray with 102.4 Tbps switch silicon
Marvell has introduced new switch silicon designed for AI datacenters, offering 102.4 Tbps capacity. The chipmaker emphasizes high radix, low latency, and low power consumption for these specialized networks.
Intel may be struggling to supply enough of its new chips
Intel is reportedly facing challenges in supplying sufficient quantities of its new Series 3 chips, which are manufactured using its advanced 18A process. This could impact laptop manufacturers relying on these components.
HPE surges 25% after blowout earnings, pacing for its best day ever
Shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) surged 25% today, marking its best daily gain ever, after the company reported its biggest earnings beat since 2018. The strong performance is attributed to demand for AI and cloud servers.
Password manager Dashlane says hackers stole some customers’ password vaults
Dashlane, a prominent password manager, has disclosed that hackers successfully brute-forced its two-factor authentication system, gaining access to customer accounts. This breach allowed attackers to download some users' password vaults.
Meta Increases Social Media Safety Restrictions for Minors as Legal Backlash Intensifies
Meta is implementing increased social media safety restrictions for minors and expanding Teen Accounts globally. This move comes amid intensifying legal backlash and growing momentum for social media bans abroad.
Ohio suspends data center tax breaks after losing $1.5 billion in revenue
Ohio's Governor has paused data center tax exemptions as lawmakers review significant revenue losses, which exceeded initial projections. However, ongoing projects will still receive the previously approved benefits.
Apple’s MacBook Neo is winning over a new generation of buyers
Apple's MacBook Neo shipped 1.1 million units in its first weeks on sale, indicating it is successfully attracting new buyers. This suggests Apple is making deeper inroads into the mainstream laptop market.
Nintendo Music just got a big update with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Nintendo's music app has received a significant update, adding support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This expansion allows users to access Nintendo Music in a wider range of vehicles.
A New Declaration Warns AI Could Threaten the Foundations of Mathematics
A new declaration from experts warns that AI could pose a threat to the fundamental principles of mathematics. While AI is reshaping mathematical work, experts are calling for clear standards to manage its impact.