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

Five times/week

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.

By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy

Recent Editions

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Photo by Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.

Meta Shows Strong Defense to FTC’s Antitrust Lawsuit

By Martin Peers · Apr 5, 2024 5:00pm PDT · 3 comments

There is something perverse about the Biden administration’s willingness to ban TikTok even as it is arguing that Meta Platforms, whose Instagram is one of TikTok’s biggest rivals, holds “monopoly power” in social media. That contradiction came to mind when we read Meta’s court filing on Friday, asking a court to toss out the Federal Trade... There is something perverse about the Biden administration’s willingness to ban TikTok even as it...

From left: Josh Kushner, Sam Altman, Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs. Collage: Shane Burke. Photos via Getty

Jony Ive and Sam Altman’s AI Device Startup in Funding Talks With Emerson, Thrive

By Jessica E. Lessin, Kate Clark and Cory Weinberg · Apr 5, 2024 2:36pm PDT

A mysterious company started by former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to launch an artificial intelligence-powered personal device has started funding talks with some of the biggest names in venture capital. The startup has discussed deals with Emerson Collective and Thrive Capital, a major investor in OpenAI, whose... A mysterious company started by former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to...

Art by Clark Miller. Doricko and Schiller courtesy of S³.

Rockets, God and Peter Thiel: 36 Hours in the Gundo, Tech’s Latest Startup Haven

By Margaux MacColl · Apr 5, 2024 9:00am PDT · 6 comments

Last Wednesday, the hottest invite in El Segundo, Calif., was to a get-together at El Segundo Brewing on Main Street, which sits in the shadow of a sprawling Chevron refinery. Founders Fund hosted the happy hour, gathering some of the startup founders that have recently flocked to El Segundo to make rockets, portable nuclear reactors and lethal... Last Wednesday, the hottest invite in El Segundo, Calif., was to a get-together at El Segundo...

Rubrik CEO Bipul Sinha. Photo by Bloomberg via Getty.

Pro Weekly: Companies Line Up at the IPO Window

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 5, 2024 8:00am PDT

Rubrik CEO Bipul Sinha. Photo by Bloomberg via Getty.

Pro Weekly: Companies Line Up at the IPO Window

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 5, 2024 8:00am PDT

The market for initial public offerings seems to be heating up, and we’ve been updating and enhancing The Information’s Tech IPO Tracker to keep pace. On Monday, data security software firm Rubrik filed its public IPO prospectus, suggesting it will debut on the stock market later this month or in early May. Shopping rewards company Ibotta... The market for initial public offerings seems to be heating up, and we’ve been updating and...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Saudi Arabia Pushes for AI Power With Megafund, Direct Investments

By Kate Clark · Apr 5, 2024 6:00am PDT · 2 comments

The eyes of Bader Al Mana—deputy chief investment officer at Sanabil, the venture arm of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund—were heavy with jet lag last month as he spoke about his firm’s pursuit of investments in artificial intelligence startups at The Montgomery Summit in Los Angeles. Sanabil is focused on taking... The eyes of Bader Al Mana—deputy chief investment officer at Sanabil, the venture arm of...

The Amazon Fresh store in Pasadena, Calif. Photo by Getty David Crane via Getty Images.

What’s Behind Headlines About Amazon’s 'Just Walk Out' Feature

By Theo Wayt · Apr 4, 2024 5:00pm PDT

We’re at the point in the artificial intelligence hype cycle where online pundits are looking to tear down what they’ve spent much of the past 18 months building up. Exhibit A is the spread this week of a nugget of a story The Information wrote nearly a year ago about the role of human reviewers in India in powering Just Walk Out, Amazon’s... We’re at the point in the artificial intelligence hype cycle where online pundits are looking to...

Diplo at The Information's Creator Economy Summit. Photo: Erin Beach

Creator Economy

Diplo Says He Doesn't Care If TikTok Is Banned

By Kaya Yurieff · Apr 4, 2024 3:30pm PDT

Wow! I’m still buzzing from our Creator Economy Summit on Tuesday. It was amazing to see so many familiar faces, meet new subscribers and learn from our lineup of speakers. Thank you to everyone who traveled from near and far to be there! If you have any feedback on the event, we’d love to hear your thoughts. One of my favorite... Wow! I’m still buzzing from our Creator Economy Summit on Tuesday. It was amazing to see so many...

The Kuwaiti Fund Promising a Shortcut to Sovereign Wealth

The Kuwaiti Fund Promising a Shortcut to Sovereign Wealth

By Kate Clark · Apr 4, 2024 3:00pm PDT

The Kuwaiti Fund Promising a Shortcut to Sovereign Wealth

The Kuwaiti Fund Promising a Shortcut to Sovereign Wealth

By Kate Clark · Apr 4, 2024 3:00pm PDT

We know that many of Silicon Valley’s investors are desperate to tap into the Middle East’s plentiful capital reserves. Less discussed are the hurdles Middle Eastern investors face while trying to land stakes in Silicon Valley’s best startups.A new fund wants to help both sides. Fahad AlSharekh, vice chair of Kuwaiti asset manager Kamco Invest,... We know that many of Silicon Valley’s investors are desperate to tap into the Middle East’s...

Image by Shane Burke.

Hugging Face Confronts a New Security Flaw; Creators Share Their AI Skepticism

By Aaron Holmes · Apr 4, 2024 7:00am PDT

Worrying about artificial intelligence turning into Skynet—a la the Terminator—should take a back seat to basic cybersecurity concerns, as we’ve written repeatedly. Today we’ve got news to prove our argument.Cloud security firm Wiz discovered a substantial security flaw in Hugging Face, a wildly popular online repository of machine learning... Worrying about artificial intelligence turning into Skynet—a la the Terminator—should take a back...

Introducing The Information’s Tech Sentiment Tracker

By Shane Burke · Apr 4, 2024 6:00am PDT

When The Information began surveying readers about their outlook for 14 big tech companies in February 2023, the tech industry was in turmoil. Stocks were receding from their pandemic highs and layoffs were surging. Today, major stock indices are at all-time highs and tech companies big and small are racing to capitalize on advances in... When The Information began surveying readers about their outlook for 14 big tech companies in...

Photo: Bloomberg/Getty

The Electric: Five Things Tesla Needs to Do—Now

By Steve LeVine · Apr 4, 2024 4:30am PDT

In November, Tesla released its long-promised, Matrix-styled Cybertruck pickup, and two months later a refurbished Model 3 sedan that Motor Trend called “something to get excited about.” Next year, the company aims to release a new version of its high-end Roadster that CEO Elon Musk calls a cross between a car and a rocket ship. And in case... In November, Tesla released its long-promised, Matrix-styled Cybertruck pickup, and two months...

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

DOJ’s Facile Crusade Against ‘Competing’ Company Directors

By Martin Peers · Apr 3, 2024 5:00pm PDT

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

DOJ’s Facile Crusade Against ‘Competing’ Company Directors

By Martin Peers · Apr 3, 2024 5:00pm PDT

We’ve learned this week just how flexible the government’s definitions of “monopolist” and “competition” are. On “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” Monday night, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan declared that a company can be judged monopolist if it mistreats its customers and gets away with it. By that definition, any bank or phone... We’ve learned this week just how flexible the government’s definitions of “monopolist” and “...

Olympian Tobin Heath at The Information's Creator Economy Summit.

Creator Economy

Sports Influencers Are Having a Moment

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 3, 2024 4:48pm PDT

Our Creator Economy Summit in Los Angeles was a success yesterday, with wide ranging discussions about how creators are running startups and how everyone is viewing two of the biggest news stories—a potential TikTok ban and the rise of generative AI. One of the most interesting discussions was around sports. As we’ve written, professional... Our Creator Economy Summit in Los Angeles was a success yesterday, with wide ranging discussions...

Photo by Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images.

Musk’s xAI is Poaching Engineers From Tesla

By Becky Peterson · Apr 3, 2024 10:38am PDT

As Elon Musk builds his xAI artificial intelligence startup, he’s having to compete with big tech giants and a slew of other startups for talent. One place he’s managed to snare several promising engineers from, though, is close to home—Tesla. Last month, Tesla machine-learning scientist Ethan Knight became the third Tesla... As Elon Musk builds his xAI artificial intelligence startup, he’s having to compete with...

Michelle Khare, Adam Rose and Diplo. Photos by Getty

Creator Economy Summit

Diplo, YouTubers: Going Direct to Fans on Social Media Has Shifted Control

By Laura Mandaro · Apr 3, 2024 9:40am PDT

Online influencers drawing consumer attention and ad dollars from traditional media have made one thing very clear: They only want to ink deals with Hollywood on their own terms. “We’ve been really fortunate to have cool conversations with various studios and production companies—but honestly, at this time, no one has really... Online influencers drawing consumer attention and ad dollars from traditional media have made one...

Art by Clark Miller

How to Regain Control Over Your Data

By Frank H. McCourt Jr. and Michael Casey · Apr 3, 2024 9:00am PDT · 3 comments

Art by Clark Miller

How to Regain Control Over Your Data

By Frank H. McCourt Jr. and Michael Casey · Apr 3, 2024 9:00am PDT · 3 comments

The Telecommunications Act of 1996, which compelled the “Baby Bell” telephone networks to allow competing services to operate over their lines, included a less well-known provision that has proved transformative: that customers be allowed to keep their telephone numbers when changing providers. This modest clause helped break the... The Telecommunications Act of 1996, which compelled the “Baby Bell” telephone...

Nvidia H100 chips. Photo by Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Startups That Bought Too Many Nvidia Chips May Have to Rent Them Out

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Apr 3, 2024 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

Throughout last year, some venture capitalists raised concerns about artificial intelligence startups that used much of the capital they raised to buy or rent specialized servers powered by Nvidia chips. While spending gobs of money on those servers was all well and good for major cloud providers like Google—which also funded many of these... Throughout last year, some venture capitalists raised concerns about artificial intelligence...

Why YouTube Decided to Take Over Cable Television

By Sahil Patel · Apr 3, 2024 6:00am PDT · 3 comments

It might be the bleakest chart in the media business: the severe loss of subscribers in recent years among cable and satellite companies, which for decades were the primary way people subscribed to old-fashioned television channels such as CBS and ESPN. Amid the gloom, though, one company has stood out: YouTube TV, which has grown from zero... It might be the bleakest chart in the media business: the severe loss of subscribers in...

Ibotta advertising at an NBA game in 2022. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images.

Judging the Rubrik and Ibotta IPO Beauty Pageant

By Cory Weinberg · Apr 2, 2024 5:00pm PDT

In the beauty pageant of initial public offerings, the latest tech companies to step to the stage, Ibotta and Rubrik, are trying to showcase the “glow-up” transformations they’ve undergone in the past two years.In early 2022, couponing startup Ibotta was struggling for relevance, barely growing and burning cash, looking more like a candidate for... In the beauty pageant of initial public offerings, the latest tech companies to step to the...

Marni Levine, Head of TikTok Shop’s U.S. Operations, Small and Medium Businesses (right), with The Information's Kaya Yurieff

TikTok Shop, Twitch + AI, Ty Haney: Summit Highlights

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 2, 2024 4:16pm PDT

Marni Levine, Head of TikTok Shop’s U.S. Operations, Small and Medium Businesses (right), with The Information's Kaya Yurieff

Creator Economy

TikTok Shop, Twitch + AI, Ty Haney: Summit Highlights

By Akash Pasricha · Apr 2, 2024 4:16pm PDT

We’re hosting hundreds of attendees at The Information’s Creator Economy Summit and the conversations are flying. Here are some of the highlights so far.Marni Levine, who leads TikTok Shop’s U.S. operations for small and medium businesses, said the app doesn’t plan to reduce e-commerce content in its powerful For You tab, despite complaints... We’re hosting hundreds of attendees at The Information’s Creator Economy Summit and the...