The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica E. Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica E. Lessin and the team at The Information

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Art by Shane Burke

Weekend: OpenAI, Meta and Tech’s Copycat Games

By Abram Brown · Apr 19, 2025 7:00am PDT

Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: Unity Software hopes for resurrection after a dramatic implosion• The Top 5: Inside tech’s robot bonanza • Plus, our Recommendations: Spotlight and the snitches; an “ER” for our era; and Jensen Huang, thinking machineHi, It’s Abe Brown, editor of The Information’s Weekend... Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: Unity Software hopes for resurrection...

Clark Miller

Tech’s Wildest Robot Dreams

By Rocket Drew · Apr 19, 2025 6:00am PDT · 5 comments

The robots are coming! Or so it appears. After decades of speculation about the arrival of robots that get closer to the ones envisioned in science fiction, venture funding to robotics companies has shot up in recent years—hitting $7.2 billion in funding last year, a 30% increase from 2020. Robotics mania is closely linked to the dawn of... The robots are coming! Or so it appears. After decades of speculation about the arrival of robots...

Photo via Getty

The AI Hole in Big Tech’s Pockets

By Martin Peers · Apr 18, 2025 1:30pm PDT

There were plenty of surprising revelations about Meta Platforms this week, thanks to its antitrust trial, most obviously that CEO Mark Zuckerberg mused in 2018 whether to spin off Instagram. But even more striking was The Information’s report on Thursday night that Meta for much of the past year was trying to get other big tech companies to... There were plenty of surprising revelations about Meta Platforms this week, thanks to its...

Whatnot CEO Grant LaFontaine. Photo via Getty

Pro Weekly: Big Funding Quarter for Social Commerce

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 18, 2025 9:00am PDT

Whatnot CEO Grant LaFontaine. Photo via Getty

Pro Weekly: Big Funding Quarter for Social Commerce

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 18, 2025 9:00am PDT

It’s starting to feel like the heady days of 2021 again—at least in the creator economy. We reported this week that U.S. creator startup funding had its best quarter in four years, according to our Creator Economy Database. Shopping was the category with the largest funding haul. We recorded just two deals in the quarter, but they were big... It’s starting to feel like the heady days of 2021 again—at least in the creator economy. We...

Art: Clark Miller

After a Dramatic Implosion, Can Unity Software Resurrect Itself?

By Simon Parkin · Apr 18, 2025 8:20am PDT · 5 comments

In mid-September 2023, Rami Ismail was at his home in the Netherlands when his phone began to buzz, buzz and buzz again. Ismail, a videogame developer who’d become well known for a hit iPhone game, Ridiculous Fishing, often received unsolicited messages from other indie designers, but even so, this was an unusually intense flurry of activity. ... In mid-September 2023, Rami Ismail was at his home in the Netherlands when his phone began to...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Photo via Getty.

OpenAI’s User Targets; General Catalyst’s Bigger Seed Bet

By Sri Muppidi · Apr 17, 2025 5:30pm PDT · 2 comments

An earlier version of this column incorrectly stated Thrive Capital has used the option of investing in the latest OpenAI round at the last round’s valuation. While it has that option, Thrive invested in the round with the same terms as the other investors, said a person close to the fundraise. An edited version of the rest of the column... An earlier version of this column incorrectly stated Thrive Capital has used the option of...

Photo via Getty

Google’s Antitrust Dilemma

By Martin Peers · Apr 17, 2025 5:15pm PDT

Before we get to today’s big tech developments, be sure to check out the scoop we just published about Meta Platforms asking companies like Microsoft and Amazon to help fund its Llama AI development. It’s a sign that the enormous costs of AI are straining even the coffers of one of the richest companies in tech… Right now, it’s all tech... Before we get to today’s big tech developments, be sure to check out the scoop we just published...

Photo of Mark Zuckerberg by Getty.

Meta Asked Amazon, Microsoft to Help Fund Llama

By Kalley Huang and Erin Woo · Apr 17, 2025 5:00pm PDT · 1 comment

Photo of Mark Zuckerberg by Getty.

Meta Asked Amazon, Microsoft to Help Fund Llama

By Kalley Huang and Erin Woo · Apr 17, 2025 5:00pm PDT · 1 comment

Meta Platforms over the past year asked Microsoft, Amazon and others to help pay the costs of training Meta’s flagship large language model, Llama, according to four people briefed on the discussions. Meta’s overtures reflected worries about the growing costs of its artificial intelligence development, according to two of the people. In exchange... Meta Platforms over the past year asked Microsoft, Amazon and others to help pay the costs of...

Funding Hits Four-Year High; Another TikTok Exec to Exit

Creator Economy

Funding Hits Four-Year High; Another TikTok Exec to Exit

By Kaya Yurieff · Apr 17, 2025 2:53pm PDT

Funding for U.S. creator economy startups is roaring back—with a caveat. Investors are making bigger bets on fewer companies, mirroring the broader funding environment for startups.As we outlined in a story earlier today, U.S. creator economy startups raised more money in the first three months of the year than in any quarter since 2021, when... Funding for U.S. creator economy startups is roaring back—with a caveat. Investors are making...

Creator Economy Database

Creator Startup Funding Hits Highest Level Since 2021

By Kaya Yurieff and Akash Pasricha · Apr 17, 2025 10:44am PDT

U.S. creator economy startups raised more money in the first three months of the year than in any quarter since 2021 as investors placed bigger bets on companies tied to music, artificial intelligence and shopping. U.S. creator startups raised $928 million during the first quarter, nearly two and a half times the funds raised in the same period... U.S. creator economy startups raised more money in the first three months of the year than in any...

Art by Clark Miller

The 30 Most and Least Common Uses of AI

By Jon Victor · Apr 17, 2025 10:00am PDT

Executives’ growing willingness to say publicly that they are forgoing hiring in favor of artificial intelligence might be a sign of the times. Businesses are facing more uncertainty than they have in years, with tariff-related disruptions and a broader stock market pullback since the start of this year.As my colleague Aaron Holmes reported... Executives’ growing willingness to say publicly that they are forgoing hiring in favor of...

Photo by Getty

Google’s Breakup More Likely After Second Antitrust Loss

By Catherine Perloff · Apr 17, 2025 8:11am PDT

Photo by Getty

Google’s Breakup More Likely After Second Antitrust Loss

By Catherine Perloff · Apr 17, 2025 8:11am PDT

A court in Virginia ruled that Google violated antitrust law by “wilfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” for the sale of ads on independent websites across the internet. Along with an August ruling that Google has an illegal monopoly in search, the decision increases the likelihood that Google will be drastically reshaped by... A court in Virginia ruled that Google violated antitrust law by “wilfully acquiring and...

Dario Amodei. Photo by Getty

Anthropic Invests in Startup That Decodes AI Models

By Rocket Drew · Apr 17, 2025 7:00am PDT

Anthropic has made its first investment in another startup, putting $1 million into Goodfire, a one-year-old startup that helps AI developers understand the inner workings of their AI models, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.The check is a small slice of the $50 million raised by the San Francisco-based startup in a... Anthropic has made its first investment in another startup, putting $1 million into Goodfire, a...

Art by Clark Miller.

CEOs Choose More AI, Fewer Jobs

By Aaron Holmes · Apr 17, 2025 6:00am PDT · 8 comments

Advances in artificial intelligence are prompting executives at companies such as PayPal, United Wholesale Mortgage, Shopify and others to move in a direction that has long been a taboo: using AI to fill roles people would have held previously. These firms have either instructed staff to avoid hiring for new roles unless they show the roles can’... Advances in artificial intelligence are prompting executives at companies such as PayPal, United...

Tesla's Robotaxi. Photo: Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty

The Electric: Inside Tesla, Analysts Predicted the Robotaxi Could Lose Money

By Steve LeVine · Apr 17, 2025 4:30am PDT · 2 comments

A little over a year ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk killed the mainstream $25,000 crossover SUV for families and pivoted the company to driverless Robotaxis and other artificial intelligence products. That decision has continued relevance for investors who are looking for Tesla—its share price down 36% this year amid declining vehicle sales—to release... A little over a year ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk killed the mainstream $25,000 crossover SUV for...

Michael Beckerman. Photo by Getty.

TikTok Policy Chief Who Fought Ban to Leave Job

By Kaya Yurieff · Apr 16, 2025 6:36pm PDT

Michael Beckerman. Photo by Getty.

TikTok Policy Chief Who Fought Ban to Leave Job

By Kaya Yurieff · Apr 16, 2025 6:36pm PDT

TikTok U.S. public policy chief Michael Beckerman, a key architect of TikTok’s efforts to fight a U.S. government ban, has said he is planning to leave Washington and transition to a global advisory role, according to a memo sent to staff viewed by The Information. “Over the coming months, I’ll continue in my current role while leading... TikTok U.S. public policy chief Michael Beckerman, a key architect of TikTok’s efforts to fight a...

David Risher, CEO of Lyft. Photo via Getty

Does Lyft Need a New Engine?

By Martin Peers · Apr 16, 2025 5:00pm PDT · 3 comments

Does Lyft need a new engine to jump-start its performance? We’re thinking of activist investor Engine Capital, which has taken a stake in the ride-hailing firm and today said it would mount a proxy contest to win seats on Lyft’s board. Lyft’s stock price has been stalled (sorry) for years, trading at roughly 80% below its 2019 IPO price. It’s in... Does Lyft need a new engine to jump-start its performance? We’re thinking of activist investor...

Lukas Ziegler, courtesy of the subject.

Creator Economy

The Robotics Coder Who Became Full-Time Influencer

By Rocket Drew and Kaya Yurieff · Apr 16, 2025 3:03pm PDT

Four years ago, Lukas Ziegler was programming robots at a Polish distributor for Universal Robots, which makes industrial robots that work alongside humans. At night, he started to post about the robotics industry on LinkedIn, eventually traveling around the world to visit robotics companies and give speeches at robotics trade shows.Ziegler’s... Four years ago, Lukas Ziegler was programming robots at a Polish distributor for Universal Robots...

Images via Shutterstock.

Zuckerberg Says Meta’s Share of Time People Spend on Social Media Has Declined

By Kalley Huang · Apr 16, 2025 2:31pm PDT · 1 comment

Facebook’s and Instagram’s share of the amount of time people spend on social media apps has “gone down meaningfully,” Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified on Wednesday, saying that “a lot of the interaction” people have directly with their friends has shifted to messaging apps such as Apple’s iMessage and its own WhatsApp. Zuckerberg’s... Facebook’s and Instagram’s share of the amount of time people spend on social media apps has “...

Photo by Shutterstock

Pinterest Went on Acquisition Hunt To Fulfill Ad Dreams

By Catherine Perloff · Apr 16, 2025 12:42pm PDT · 1 comment

Photo by Shutterstock

Pinterest Went on Acquisition Hunt To Fulfill Ad Dreams

By Catherine Perloff · Apr 16, 2025 12:42pm PDT · 1 comment

Pinterest in January considered spending hundreds of millions on an acquisition to supercharge its ad sales, said a person familiar with its plans, underlining its ambition to compete more effectively with bigger firms like Meta Platforms. The company, which hasn’t bought a business of any size before, contemplated buying one of five ad tech... Pinterest in January considered spending hundreds of millions on an acquisition to supercharge...