TechCheck

Traffic to ChatGPT is booming, now ranked the 8th most-visited website worldwide, according to Similarweb. But its incredible rise comes right as concerns in Silicon Valley grow over whether the advancement of AI models is slowing down due to the data wall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The next phase of AI development involves inference, the stage in which the models that have been trained are applied and generate responses. There, specialized chips developed Amazon and Google are designed to be more cost-effective and efficient than GPUs – and could be an opening for big tech firms to break into Nvidia’s stronghold. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The incoming Trump administration and Elon Musk’s role in it could be a new catalyst in the equation of how robotaxis will impact ridesharing. Lyft and Uber over the last few months have been on a dealmaking frenzy, most of them centered around autonomous driving. But now that Elon Musk’s influence is growing, that push could become more urgent – and tie-ups could go from partnerships to all-out consolidation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The impact of a second Trump administration on the AI trade: less regulation, potentially more volatility, and the China threat could all mean faster, unfettered development of the industry -- plus how Elon Musk's influence on AI policy could boost xAI against startup rivals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The focus for big tech this earnings season has been finding ways to monetize AI – and one use that’s emerged is the military. Shares of Palantir surged after the company cited a boom in demand for its AI software from the U.S. government. And it’s not alone as other AI giants including Meta and OpenAI also look to expand their work with defense agencies. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As users search for election and voting information in new ways, generative AI startups may have the solution -- proving nimbler with less to lose than big tech firms. The startup Perplexity just unveiled a new dedicated election hub, promising answers to questions ranging from polling locations to election results, while for big tech names like Meta and Google, the lessons from 2016 may still be fresh. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI is the next catalyst for growth for the hyperscalers Amazon, Microsoft and Google – but whether it can offset spending is still unsettled. Alphabet’s quarter shows GCP is gaining on the other two, growing at a blowout 35% and changing the cloud landscape. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The market still hasn’t seen any examples of huge success in AI monetization for consumer-facing products, but Apple is differentiated in that its AI is free with a new Iphone or recent product. We dive into whether or not that will work out. Plus, OpenAI is rolling out a search function for ChatGPT, able to provide realtime access to things like sports, weather, and stock data, in a major challenge to Google and startup Perplexity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Come Election Day, the future of big tech won’t be decided by either presidential candidate. Instead, OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman has emerged as one of the most powerful people shaping AI policy. He’s put on a masterclass in wooing Washington, learning from Mark Zuckerberg and social media’s missteps on the Hill. And he’s turned OpenAI into a lobbying powerhouse, bringing on staff with deep ties to DC like its head of Global Affairs Chris Lehane. But just like when social media was in its early stages, lawmakers don’t have a handle on AI yet as the stakes only grow larger. Can we trust the people behind the curtain? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shares of Alphabet jumped after reporting a big Q3 beat, reporting strong growth in cloud, search and YouTube. But one number you might not have seen yet: over 25% of all new code at Google is generated by AI. We dive into what that could mean for big tech earnings ahead and their push to be more efficient. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A big check on AI demand and spending is coming after the bell when Alphabet and AMD both report third-quarter results. Investors are looking to AMD’s print to see how it’s faring in its uphill climb to compete against Nvidia. Alphabet’s capex spending could also be a bellwether for how the rest of big tech earnings will shape up Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As power-hungry tech companies work to fuel AI data centers, the race for nuclear energy is on. Amazon led a $500 million investment into X-Energy, which develops small modular reactors. We spoke with CEO Clay Sell on what’s behind the nuclear craze. Plus, AI startup Sierra just raised a new $175 million in capital, quadrupling its valuation from January to $4.5 billion. We sit down with co-founder Bret Taylor on the age of the AI agents. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alphabet -owned Waymo just announcing a new $5.6B funding round led by its parent company with participation from investors including Fidelity, a16z, Silver Lake and Tiger Global. The robotaxi service has seen daily rides grow ten-fold in the past year, to more than 100,000 weekly paid trips. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As AI becomes more mainstream, the debate on how to regulate it is starting to take center stage. Recently OpenAI hired Chris Lehane as its head of global affairs with the goal of having a say in how these policies and regulations are formed. He sat down with Deirdre Bosa for a wide ranging interview about the company’s goals and why we need to think big and act fast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in China for the second time this year, meeting with officials and pledging increased investment as the iPhone-maker faces growing competition and pressure in the world’s largest smartphone market. Local rival Huawei front ran the latest iPhone announcement and is again ahead of the release of Apple Intelligence by releasing upgrades to its Harmony OS system. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Would you give AI permission to take over your computer? The startup Anthropic hopes so, unveiling a new "Computer Use" tool that would let its Claude chatbot analyze your computer screen and even act on your behalf, getting control over the cursor, keyboard, browser, calendar and more. It’s the latest move in an escalating battle between megacaps and startups over AI-powered agents, which can help automate tasks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google shares fell on news of an AI reorganization, announcing it’s moving the Gemini Apps team under DeepMind and shifting a search and ads executive to a Chief Technologist role. But investors might be missing the bigger picture – instead of viewing it as an example that Google is increasingly willing to sacrifice some of its search advantages for an edge in AI. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shares of Uber and Expedia were on the move today’s session after reports that Uber had explored a takeover bid for Expedia. Plus, Google’s realistic AI-generated podcast tool as gone viral, and the company is now unveiling new features to make the product even more customizable. Google Labs Vice president Josh Woodward joined us for a closer look at the technology. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The mad dash to develop and deploy AI chips is intensifying, with Amazon now inking a new deal with the startup Databricks in which it’ll use Amazon’s custom chips to train its AI model. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A big step this weekend for SpaceX's bid to develop reusable rockets, successfully catching a descending rocket booster on the launch pad with mechanical "chopstick" arms. But officials in California are putting up some hurdles to even more expansion for the startup. Plus, as Florida residents recover from Hurricane Milton, one platform they’re turning to for news and updates is Nextdoor. The social media network says activity has shot up 50% in affected areas. We speak to CEO Nirav Tolia on the platform’s emergency response usage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After Tesla’s Robotaxi day, the focus has been on Uber with shares up 8%. But the biggest winner is with the widest lead is actually Alphabet’s Waymo, already delivering 100k+ driverless rides a week. We spoke to riders in San Francisco and skeptics in New York City on their robotaxi hopes and fears. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new report from OpenAI on cyber operations and dangerous actors' use of AI could be a signal that companies are feeling the pressure to take AI-generated misinformation seriously. The 54-page report analyzes more than 20 covert influence operations that used its models to launch deceptive campaigns on social media and other platforms. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google’s regulatory headaches continue. A judge, yesterday, ordered the Alphabet-subsidiary to open up its Google Play app store as part of the Epic Games antitrust suit, and today it could face potential remedies in the DOJ's search monopoly trial. Plus, shares of the video game platform Roblox are falling today after the short-seller Hindenburg Research announced a short position, claiming that Roblox is lying about the number of people on the platform and failing to protect underage users against predators. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The presidential election is continuing to sow divisions in Silicon Valley. Two giants of the tech industry are now coming out on opposite sides, after Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz back-pedaled on his support for Trump while Elon Musk hits the campaign trail. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Google recently released a new AI-generated podcast-making tool called NotebookLM – and it’s gone viral on X and in the tech world. We tested it out using CNBC and Wall Street’s favorite study tool: an analyst note. Powered by Google’s most advanced AI model, Gemini 1.5 Pro, could this be the next killer app for generative AI? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nvidia and Accenture announced a partnership today, aiming to set the blueprint for how to begin integrating AI into the workplace and drive productivity gains. But it's not the first time Nvidia has signed a deal like this - and investors are still looking for those gains. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A controversial AI safety bill died on California governor Gavin Newsom’s desk over the weekend -- a sweeping bill would have been one of the first moves toward real oversight of the nation’s dynamic new technology. But is it already too late for regulation to catch up? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google has filed a complaint in the EU against its rival Microsoft, accusing it of unfairly locking clients into using its cloud product. But the suit could be just the latest in recently renewed scrutiny against Microsoft after enjoying a more under-the-radar status relative to its big tech counterparts for the last two decades. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a new threat to Google’s ad dominance, AI search startup Perplexity is in talks with major brands on a new advertising model for sponsored questions. We spoke with the CEO of AI search optimization startup Profound on why it represents a new pillar in marketing: AI visibility. Plus, Sam Altman could be on his way to becoming the biggest power player in Silicon Valley, with new reporting giving a glimpse into the web of tech titans he’s now tied to. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shares of Facebook parent company Meta are still hitting fresh all-time highs today. But one potential headwind could be a slowdown in growth at one of its biggest customers, Temu. The Chinese e-commerce app has seen new customer activations stall, according to new data, which could also put Alphabet under pressure. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

23andMe could get delisted from the Nasdaq after all 7 members of its board resigned this week. CEO Anne Wojcicki is a big name in Silicon Valley but has struggled to find a sustainable business model and shares are 99% off its peak valuation post-SPAC merger. Wojcicki is now hoping to pivot and take the company private by buying back all outstanding shares in what could be seen as a “founders mode” leadership move. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The AI boom is putting a big strain on America’s energy grid, as big tech companies scramble for more energy capacity by buying up nuclear-powered data centers or investing in renewable energy sources. White House officials convened the leaders of top AI companies to discuss how to move forward, including Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang who spoke exclusively to CNBC on the opportunity ahead for public and private collaboration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The race to perfect the robotaxi is on. Tesla is prepping for its October 10 self-driving event as Waymo raises industry standards with a brand new safety dashboard, making the case that its vehicles are actually safety than human drivers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Funding for AI startups is still white hot. The search startup Glean just announced a new funding round that would double its valuation in just six months, raising $260 million at a $4.6 billion valuation. Plus, shares of Oracle are hitting all-time highs today after posting an earnings beat along with a slew of data center announcements and cloud computing partnerships. Keeping the edge though, could prove difficult for its chaiman Larry Ellison. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apple’s biggest competition in China, Huawei, is trying to upstage the company with a smartphone event showdown. Its triple-folding phone is unveiling tonight, just a few hours after Apple’s iPhone reveal, and has already racked up more than 3 million pre-orders. Plus, the trial for the Department of Justice’s new case against Google around its advertising technology kicked off today, with potentially big implications for how users browse the internet. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shares of Tesla are sinking today, giving back its gains for the week but still outperforming the rest of the megacaps as investors bank on its proposition around full self-driving launches and AI. Plus, Apple is gearing up for its highly-anticipated “Glowtime” event on Monday, where it’s expected to unveil the iPhone 16 with AI features. But will it be enough to help the tech giant stake its place in the AI race? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Valuations for AI startups are continuing to skyrocket. This time, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever raising a whopping $1 billion as a seed round for his AI startup Safe Superintelligence Inc, with just around 10 employees and nowhere close to having a product. It's the epitome of a growing trend of a breakneck gen AI race for top talent. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Antitrust pressure against Google is ramping up this week, with a joint filing today from Google and the DOJ outlining their timeline for remedies from the Search case, followed quickly by the beginning of an ad tech trial. Plus, the post Labor Day-period is typically a busy one for IPOs, but not the case this year. We discuss the outlook for IPOs, market trends, and big tech’s antitrust concerns with Notable Capital Managing Partner Jeff Richards. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Megacaps including Microsoft, Google and Amazon have been getting creative with how they’re poaching talent from top AI startups. Google with Character.ai, Microsoft with Inflection and Amazon’s faux-acquisition of Adept. They hire away prominent founders and talent and cut a deal to license technology… without actually buying the startups. It’s a playbook that skirts the regulatory crackdown on big tech dominance, provides an exit for AI startups struggling to make money and allows megacaps to pick up the expertise needed in the AI arms race. But while big tech might think they’re outsmarting antitrust enforcers, they could be playing with fire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Salesforce earnings tonight a major test of AI's impact on the software winter, especially after the CEO of Buy Now Pay Later giant Klarna said he aims to use AI to cut his workforce in half, and that he's shutting down a lot of SaaS providers, including Salesforce and Workday. Plus, Box shares are jumping after beating on the top and bottom lines and hiking their revenue outlook. We speak to CEO Aaron Levie on its partnership with Nvidia, AI strategy around utilizing data, the debate around regulating AI development and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Elon Musk has now come out in support of a California bill to regulate AI safety, in stark contrast to big names including Google, Meta, OpenaAI and Andreessen Horowitz, which are all opposed. It represents a larger divide within big tech, which is split on whether AI should be regulated and who should be the ones doing it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Telegram CEO Arrest Sparks Free Speech Debate Description: The founder of the Dubai-based app Telegram was arrested in France this weekend as part of an investigation into criminal activity on the encrypted messaging platform. It has broader implications for U.S. social apps as they gear up for an unprecedented election, the first with easily-accessible AI-generated content, and it's sparked a debate in tech circles over free speech. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There were more headwinds today for China’s already-slumping consumer and e-commerce demand, after Walmart announced it was completely offloading its stake in JD.com and bargain retail giant Shein hit Temu with a lawsuit. Plus, the AI startup darling Anthropic is now facing a new class-action lawsuit, accusing it of copyright infringement and stealing the work of hundreds of thousands of books. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some of the world’s biggest banks loaned Elon Musk $13 billion to secure the social platform Twitter, now X. But according to new data from Pitchbook, the Twitter takeover now represents the worst buyout for banks since the Great Financial Crisis, as the platform struggles to retain advertisers and has been marked down by more than 70% from one of the acquisition financers, Fidelity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

20 years ago today, Google debuted on the Nasdaq with a $23 billion market cap as a mere search engine company. Today, it’s now ballooned to a $2 trillion megcap with its hands in cloud, chips, AI and more. It also used an unconventional listing method: a Dutch auction, which let employees and retail investors participate more in the IPO. We spoke to Michael Grimes, the investment banker known as the Silicon Valley IPO whisperer and led the listing, on the anniversary. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After losing a landmark antitrust case over its dominance in the search market, Google is now facing the real threat of a court-mandated breakup of the search giant. But on the heels of a flashy ‘Made by Google’ event showcasing new phones and AI features, Google is now more deeply integrated than ever – an ecosystem within search, cloud, streaming, hardware… and generative artificial intelligence is the thread tying it tightly together. It all means a potential breakup would be nearly impossible technically – and could hold true for other megacaps including Apple, Amazon and Meta, all of which are facing their own antitrust suits. This week on TechCheck, is big tech too big to split? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Waymo’s self-driving cars are all over San Francisco roads. But at night, they park themselves and recently have been honking and keeping one neighborhood’s residents up at night. Waymo tells us they’ve fixed the issue through a software update, but the rollout over the last few years has been bumpy, with safety concerns and backlash. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google’s hardware event, Made by Google, kicked off today where the megacap unveiled new AI-focused features including Gemini Live, a conversational voice chatbot that will be integrated into all its devices. As investors try to balance the growing concern of surging AI spending and little actual revenue and profits, the event is a key moment for Google to try to justify its AI investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As election campaigning heats up, tech has been playing an outsized role in the elections. For Vice President Harris, who has deep roots to San Francisco, tech donors are front and center, especially after she made a campaign stop in the Bay Area this weekend and raised more than $12 million. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is dealing with a different sort of tech issue – disclosing that it was the victim of an email cyberattack by an Iranian group. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.