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

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica 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

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Creator Economy

Google Hosts Website Creators as Search Complaints Grow

By Catherine Perloff and Kaya Yurieff · Nov 14, 2024 2:20pm PST · 1 comment

Any creator who relies on Google search to drive readers to their websites is used to changes in the search engine’s powerful algorithm. But some recent updates have been so disruptive that Google made a rare overture to these small publishers: In late October, it invited several to its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters to hear their... Any creator who relies on Google search to drive readers to their websites is used to changes in...

Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli. Photo via Getty.

Recent Venture Deals Show AI Valuations May Be Cooling

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Natasha Mascarenhas · Nov 14, 2024 11:58am PST

Valuations of generative artificial intelligence startups appear to be coming down—slightly. The latest example is Synthesia, which helps companies create AI videos. It’s raising $150 million in funding at a valuation of $2.1 billion after the investment, double its valuation from 17 months ago, according to a person involved in the... Valuations of generative artificial intelligence startups appear to be coming...

Photo via Getty

How AI Researchers Are Rising Above Scaling Limits

By Kalley Huang, Rocket Drew and Jon Victor · Nov 14, 2024 7:00am PST

Now that we know OpenAI isn’t the only artificial intelligence developer seeing a slowdown in improvements using traditional “scaling” methods, it’s worth looking at all the ways companies are trying to make up for that.There are tried and true methods to make large language models perform better, such as tweaking the parameters—settings that... Now that we know OpenAI isn’t the only artificial intelligence developer seeing a slowdown in...

Art by Clark Miller

The Enterprise Search App That Got Google and OpenAI’s Attention

By Kevin McLaughlin · Nov 14, 2024 6:00am PST · 1 comment

Art by Clark Miller

The Enterprise Search App That Got Google and OpenAI’s Attention

By Kevin McLaughlin · Nov 14, 2024 6:00am PST · 1 comment

ChatGPT changed how people search for information online, sparking a battle among tech giants. Now Glean, a five-year-old startup led by a former Google search engineer, is attracting big rivals in a related market: search chatbots for businesses. These products, which are powered by the same technology that’s behind ChatGPT, help... ChatGPT changed how people search for information online, sparking a battle among tech giants....

Novonix's new graphite factory in Chattanooga, Tenn. Photo: Courtesy Novonix.

The Electric: A Stellantis Contract With a Startup Shows Rare Confidence in EVs

By Steve LeVine · Nov 14, 2024 4:30am PST

In a rare sign of confidence in the future of electric vehicles under President-elect Donald Trump, Stellantis has agreed to buy a six-year supply of battery-grade graphite from a new Chattanooga, Tenn., plant, enough to make roughly 300,000 EVs. In a rare sign of confidence in the future of electric vehicles under President-elect Donald...

Matt Gaetz. Photo via Getty.

What Matt Gaetz’s Attorney General Nomination Means for Tech

By Martin Peers · Nov 13, 2024 5:00pm PST · 2 comments

All those techies and bankers hoping the new Trump administration will relax Joe Biden’s tough antitrust approach might want to think again. Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would nominate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general, putting forward someone who has appeared supportive of Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan and has called... All those techies and bankers hoping the new Trump administration will relax Joe Biden’s tough...

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. Photo via Getty.

Creator Economy

Trump’s AG Pick Is a Hail Mary for TikTok

By Kaya Yurieff · Nov 13, 2024 2:49pm PST

The new Trump administration is shaping up to be quite friendly to TikTok and its hopes of survival in the U.S. The latest development: President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced he wants to appoint Republican representative Matt Gaetz from Florida as his attorney general. The new Trump administration is shaping up to be quite friendly to TikTok and its hopes of...

Art by Clark Miller

Following OpenAI, Google Changes Tack to Overcome AI Slowdown

By Jon Victor · Nov 13, 2024 9:31am PST · 2 comments

Art by Clark Miller

Following OpenAI, Google Changes Tack to Overcome AI Slowdown

By Jon Victor · Nov 13, 2024 9:31am PST · 2 comments

Google has recently struggled to achieve performance gains in its Gemini conversational artificial intelligence at the same rate it did last year, prompting researchers to focus on other ways to eke out gains, according to an employee who has been involved in the effort. The situation appears similar to the slowdown in AI advances that rival... Google has recently struggled to achieve performance gains in its Gemini conversational...

Photo by Getty

Meta to Launch Ads on Threads in Early 2025

By Sylvia Varnham O'Regan and Kalley Huang · Nov 13, 2024 9:22am PST

Meta Platforms plans to introduce advertisements to its text app, Threads, early next year, hoping to cash in on the app’s rapid growth, according to three people with direct knowledge of the company’s plans. A team inside Instagram’s advertising division is leading the effort, which is still in the early stages, the people... Meta Platforms plans to introduce advertisements to its text app, Threads, early next year,...

Inside xAI's facility. Photo via YouTube/ServeTheHome.

Why Elon Musk’s AI Rivals Will Face Delays with Supercomputers

By Anissa Gardizy · Nov 13, 2024 7:00am PST · 2 comments

OpenAI and other artificial intelligence developers are scrambling to keep up with Elon Musk’s xAI startup in setting up data centers to develop new AI models. Among their tactics: flying a plane over his brand new Memphis AI datacenter so they can scrutinize how it was developed and powered, as I reported this morning. Now I’m hearing... OpenAI and other artificial intelligence developers are scrambling to keep up with Elon Musk’s...

Photo of Donald Trump by Getty. Art by Mike Sullivan

Online Retailers Roll the Dice on Trump’s China Tariffs

By Theo Wayt and Ann Gehan · Nov 13, 2024 7:00am PST · 2 comments

Andy Gossett, the owner of surfing accessories and apparel brand Cor Surf, is planning an unusual strategy this holiday season: dialing back on discounts ahead of the key Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period. Cor, which makes most of its products in China and sells on Amazon, its own site and through retailers, is trying to keep... Andy Gossett, the owner of surfing accessories and apparel brand Cor Surf, is planning an unusual...

An xAI facility in Memphis. Photos via Google Earth and Getty

How Elon Musk’s Supercomputer Freaked Out AI Rivals

By Anissa Gardizy · Nov 13, 2024 6:00am PST · 6 comments

An xAI facility in Memphis. Photos via Google Earth and Getty

How Elon Musk’s Supercomputer Freaked Out AI Rivals

By Anissa Gardizy · Nov 13, 2024 6:00am PST · 6 comments

On a sunny day last month, a propeller plane made multiple passes in the air over a large industrial building surrounded by grassy fields near downtown Memphis, Tenn., as its passengers snapped photographs and videos of the facility. It was a secret reconnaissance mission. Elon Musk had recently converted the building from a former manufacturing... On a sunny day last month, a propeller plane made multiple passes in the air over a large...

Adrian Aoun, founder and chief executive officer of GoForward Inc., Photo by David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Forward, Startup Behind ‘Doctor in Box’ Healthcare Modules, to Shut Down

By Sri Muppidi · Nov 12, 2024 5:58pm PST · 11 comments

Forward, a startup that raised $400 million to operate artificial intelligence-powered “doctor in a box” healthcare stations, is shutting down effective Tuesday, according to a person close to the company. All of its nearly 200 employees will lose their jobs, the person said. The San Francisco startup, started in 2017 by former... Forward, a startup that raised $400 million to operate artificial intelligence-powered...

Wonder CEO Marc Lore. Photo via Getty

What a Wonder-Grubhub Deal Would Mean

By Martin Peers · Nov 12, 2024 5:00pm PST · 1 comment

Wonderful news! Deals are happening. Exhibit A: Marc Lore’s food startup Wonder is close to a deal to buy Grubhub, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday afternoon. That’s an intriguing acquisition for Lore, a veteran e-commerce entrepreneur, as it’s something of a change in direction.Those with long memories of Wonder will recall that the... Wonderful news! Deals are happening. Exhibit A: Marc Lore’s food startup Wonder is close to a...

Photo via Getty

An Inside Round for Accel; What's Next for Databricks

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 12, 2024 3:21pm PST

Venture capital firms have a lot of money to invest but relatively few maturing startups have proven their worth. So firms are doubling down on the startups they see as winners—which is sending valuations soaring, sometimes in just a few months.The latest example: Cyera, a cloud cybersecurity firm, is finalizing a deal to raise new funding from... Venture capital firms have a lot of money to invest but relatively few maturing startups have...

Photo via Getty.

Inside TikTok’s Misinformation Battles

By Sri Muppidi and Kaya Yurieff · Nov 12, 2024 2:37pm PST · 1 comment

Photo via Getty.

Creator Economy

Inside TikTok’s Misinformation Battles

By Sri Muppidi and Kaya Yurieff · Nov 12, 2024 2:37pm PST · 1 comment

On Monday, we reported on how TikTok courted conservative users, including President-elect Donald Trump, in the months before last week’s Trump victory. These efforts, led by TikTok Policy Chief Michael Beckerman and overseen by CEO Shou Zi Chew, included an overhaul of its trust and safety staff and content policies that made it more... On Monday, we reported on how TikTok courted conservative users, including President-elect Donald...

The People in Charge at Klarna as It Nears a Possible IPO

By Akash Pasricha · Nov 12, 2024 10:37am PST · 2 comments

Klarna is marching with significant momentum toward a possible initial public offering next year. Apple recently added the “buy now, pay later” service as an option on its own payment platform, and some shareholders have reportedly raised their valuation of the company. Plus, Klarna’s revenue growth is accelerating. The... Klarna is marching with significant momentum toward a possible initial public offering next year....

Databricks CEO, Ali Ghodsi. Photo via Getty.

Databricks Considers Raising Cash to Resolve Employee Stock Squeeze

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 12, 2024 9:45am PST · 3 comments

Enterprise software firm Databricks, one of the world’s most valuable private tech companies, is considering raising several billion dollars in the coming months to allow employees to cash out stock grants that begin to expire in early 2026. Such a move would signal that the firm, whose business of data management software has gotten a... Enterprise software firm Databricks, one of the world’s most valuable private tech...

Ex-CTO of OpenAI, Mira Murati. Photo via Getty

Ex-OpenAI CTO Murati’s New Team Takes Shape

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Erin Woo · Nov 12, 2024 7:30am PST

A month ago, we reported that former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati had begun to pitch current OpenAI staffers on joining her new venture. It seems like at least one OpenAI researcher has taken her up on her offer.Mianna Chen, a research program manager at OpenAI responsible for preparing AI models for release, has recently... A month ago, we reported that former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati had begun...

Spyglass vessels by Saronic Technologies. Photo via Saronic Technologies.

Trump’s Win Stokes Defense Tech Bulls, Despite Talk of a Bubble

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 12, 2024 6:00am PST · 6 comments

Spyglass vessels by Saronic Technologies. Photo via Saronic Technologies.

Trump’s Win Stokes Defense Tech Bulls, Despite Talk of a Bubble

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 12, 2024 6:00am PST · 6 comments

Count defense tech bulls among the investor groups buoyed by last week’s election of Donald Trump as president. Some investors and executives are hopeful enough in what the Trump administration will do that they’re downplaying talk of a financial bubble forming among defense and aerospace startups. One bellwether may be Saronic... Count defense tech bulls among the investor groups buoyed by last week’s election of Donald...