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

Art by Mike Sullivan

Anthropic Sounds Alarm on Recursive Self-Improvement

By Rocket Drew · Jun 8, 2026 7:00am PDT

Last week, Anthropic boasted that Claude is now writing 80% of Anthropic’s code, which the company presented as a harbinger of a critical leap in artificial intelligence called recursive self-improvement. That’s when models are so capable that they can create the next generation of AI without human involvement. Excitement about recursive... Last week, Anthropic boasted that Claude is now writing 80% of Anthropic’s code, which the...

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Google and Nvidia Consider Intel as Backup Chip Manufacturer

By Qianer Liu · Jun 8, 2026 6:01am PDT · 3 comments

TSMC’s capacity struggles are turning into a boon for Intel. As the Taiwanese chip making giant struggles to meet overwhelming demand for its chip manufacturing capacity, several major AI chip design companies, including Google and Nvidia, are quietly turning to Intel as a backup manufacturer for their most advanced processors, according to four... TSMC’s capacity struggles are turning into a boon for Intel. As the Taiwanese chip making giant...

WWDC 2025. Photo by Wu Xiaoling/Getty Images

WWDC and SpaceX IPO Headline Big Week

By Martin Peers · Jun 7, 2026 3:01pm PDT

This promises to be an action-packed week. On Monday, Apple kicks off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC for short, where the tech giant is expected to unveil a new operating system for its mobile devices, complete with more advanced AI features. And then later in the week, SpaceX is scheduled to go public.Rather than add to the... This promises to be an action-packed week. On Monday, Apple kicks off its annual Worldwide...

Nikolay Storonsky, chief executive officer of Revolut Ltd. Art by Clark Miller; Getty Images.

Revolut Targets at Least $750 Million Share Sale Amid Strong Demand

By Katie Roof · Jun 7, 2026 12:07pm PDT

Nikolay Storonsky, chief executive officer of Revolut Ltd. Art by Clark Miller; Getty Images.

Revolut Targets at Least $750 Million Share Sale Amid Strong Demand

By Katie Roof · Jun 7, 2026 12:07pm PDT

Revolut, a London-based financial app, is aiming to sell at least $750 million worth of shares in a secondary sale set to kick off next week, with the total potentially pushing far higher amid early signs of strong investor demand, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. There is already enough investment interest to increase... Revolut, a London-based financial app, is aiming to sell at least $750 million worth of shares in...

Getty Images.

Sunday Insights

In Anthropic vs. OpenAI Race to IPO, First Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Best

By Valida Pau · Jun 7, 2026 8:00am PDT · 1 comment

Anthropic’s filing of its initial public offering paperwork last week means the maker of Claude Code has pulled slightly ahead of OpenAI as the two go head-to-head with their planned IPOs. While bankers and lawyers say there are good reasons for a company to beat its rival to the public markets, especially if it fears its rival’s offering will... Anthropic’s filing of its initial public offering paperwork last week means the maker of Claude...

Sriram Krishnan. Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images

White House AI Policy Advisor Sriram Krishnan to Leave Position

By Leo Schwartz · Jun 6, 2026 9:22am PDT

Sriram Krishnan, a top AI policy advisor in the Trump administration, plans to leave his position at the end of June, according to a person with direct knowledge of the move and a statement viewed by The Information. Krishnan has discussed starting a policy institution following his time in the White House, according to two people familiar with... Sriram Krishnan, a top AI policy advisor in the Trump administration, plans to leave his position...

Art: Clark Miller (Photos: Getty Images)

Inside SpaceX’s Strange, Stratospheric IPO

By Abram Brown · Jun 6, 2026 8:01am PDT

Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: The quiet VIP of SpaceX’s wild IPO• SpaceX millionaires mull IPO windfalls: a house, a college fund—or ‘chill on a beach’?• SpaceX mafia see IPO as liftoff opportunity for their startups too • Plus, Recommendations—our weekly pop culture picks: “Where the River Took Us,” “Villa Coco”... Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: The quiet VIP of SpaceX’s wild IPO•...

SpaceX Millionaires Mull IPO Windfall: A Mansion, a College Fund—or ‘Chill on the Beach’?

By Eli Rosenberg · Jun 6, 2026 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

SpaceX Millionaires Mull IPO Windfall: A Mansion, a College Fund—or ‘Chill on the Beach’?

By Eli Rosenberg · Jun 6, 2026 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

SpaceX’s expected IPO next week will mean a banner day for many of Silicon Valley’s biggest names. But given the offering’s stratospheric size—it’s the largest ever stock market debut—it will also create life-altering wealth for a cast of lower-profile overnight billionaires, centimillionaires and millionaires. In some cases, those... SpaceX’s expected IPO next week will mean a banner day for many of Silicon Valley’s biggest...

Art by Clark Miller; Getty Images.

SpaceX Mafia Eagerly Track Mega IPO, Hoping for Industrywide Liftoff

By Theo Wayt · Jun 6, 2026 6:00am PDT

SpaceX’s offices in Texas and California may host the most raucous celebrations when the company’s shares start trading this coming Friday—but an extensive network of companies founded by SpaceX alums will also be popping bottles of bubbly. SpaceX’s offices in Texas and California may host the most raucous celebrations when the company’...

Art: Clark Miller; Getty Images.

SpaceX’s CFO Is the Quiet VIP of a Wild IPO

By Theo Wayt and Valida Pau · Jun 5, 2026 9:36am PDT

Over the last few months, SpaceX’s chief financial officer, Bret Johnsen, has been trying to pull off an intense two-part challenge: Fold xAI into SpaceX—the biggest merger ever—and then take the combined company public at $75 billion in the largest IPO ever. Johnsen, 57, has gotten it done by keeping his customary cool. Inside... Over the last few months, SpaceX’s chief financial officer, Bret Johnsen, has been trying to pull...

Partner Content

Trustworthy AI as a value lever

By The Information Partnerships · Jun 5, 2026 9:17am PDT · 2 comments

Trust is a requirement for the success of AI, an operating condition that enables speed, scale and autonomy. When implementing AI technology, enterprises need to move at the speed of trust. Go faster, and unforeseen risks proliferate; go slower, and you fall behind your competitors. Most executives are aware that trust is key to the success of... Trust is a requirement for the success of AI, an operating condition that enables speed, scale...

Art By Clark Miller.

How xAI Went From Chasing Anthropic to Powering It

By Grace Kay · Jun 5, 2026 6:00am PDT · 4 comments

Art By Clark Miller.

How xAI Went From Chasing Anthropic to Powering It

By Grace Kay · Jun 5, 2026 6:00am PDT · 4 comments

SpaceX’s AI lab has had a chaotic year so far, churning through leaders and staff before bringing in outside help in an effort to catch up to Anthropic in coding. What isn’t widely known, however, is that xAI has played a long-running cat-and-mouse game with Anthropic as it has sought to tap into that lab’s technology to develop its own... SpaceX’s AI lab has had a chaotic year so far, churning through leaders and staff before bringing...

Rob Roy, founder and chief executive officer of Switch Inc. Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images.

Data Center Developer Switch in Talks to Raise Billions at $50 Billion-Plus Valuation

By Anissa Gardizy and Valida Pau · Jun 4, 2026 8:31pm PDT

Data center developer Switch is in talks to raise billions of dollars at a valuation of at least $50 billion, as it seeks to capitalize on soaring demand for the infrastructure needed to support artificial intelligence, according to people with knowledge of the deal. Brookfield Asset Management, KKR and other private equity and institutional... Data center developer Switch is in talks to raise billions of dollars at a valuation of at least...

Elon Musk. Getty Images.

Where Musk and Altman See Eye to Eye

By Martin Peers · Jun 4, 2026 5:01pm PDT

Elon Musk and Sam Altman don’t often see eye to eye, as they made clear in their recent legal dispute. But when it comes to making outlandish projections about future growth, the two men seem to share a common philosophy.As we reported earlier on Thursday, SpaceX’s lead bank on its upcoming IPO, Goldman Sachs, has told investors it expects... Elon Musk and Sam Altman don’t often see eye to eye, as they made clear in their recent legal...

Benchmark partners Eric Vishria, left, and Peter Fenton. Screenshot via YouTube

Benchmark Joins the Late-Stage Crowd

By Laura Mandaro · Jun 4, 2026 4:48pm PDT · 1 comment

For most of this decade, venture capital has morphed from a game of spotting the best young startups to making a more complex range of investments—from public stocks and cryptocurrencies to multibillion-dollar bets on older startups. General Catalyst even bought a hospital system!But industry stalwart Benchmark had held fast to a definition of... For most of this decade, venture capital has morphed from a game of spotting the best young...

Rubrik Deserves a Palo Alto Networks–Like Premium

By Anita Ramaswamy · Jun 4, 2026 12:05pm PDT

Rubrik Deserves a Palo Alto Networks–Like Premium

By Anita Ramaswamy · Jun 4, 2026 12:05pm PDT

Cybersecurity stocks CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks have risen 50% or more this year based on the perception that an AI-driven increase in cyberthreats will make their services all the more important. Yet Rubrik, which also stands to benefit from that trend, is up only 1% so far this year. That lag likely results from investors’ narrow view... Cybersecurity stocks CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks have risen 50% or more this year based on...

A SpaceX Falcon 9 reusable rocket booster on display outside the SpaceX facilities in Hawthorne, Calif. Ethan Swope/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Wall Street Expects SpaceX to Burn $350 Billion of Cash Through 2030

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 4, 2026 10:41am PDT · 1 comment

SpaceX, planning the largest initial public offering of all time next week, will already need to raise more cash by next year if private forecasts from analysts at Goldman Sachs come to fruition. SpaceX’s lead bank on the IPO, in aggressive forecasts shared with prospective investors this week, expects the company to burn $120 billion this year... SpaceX, planning the largest initial public offering of all time next week, will already need to...

Mike Blandina, Chief Information Officer at Snowflake. Screenshot via YouTube and Money20/20 TV.

Snowflake CIO Says He Used Layoffs to Convince Staff to Use AI

By Laura Bratton and Aaron Holmes · Jun 4, 2026 10:30am PDT

Tech firms ranging from Block to Meta Platforms have announced mass layoffs in the past year, frequently citing AI as allowing them to do more with less people. In a variation on that approach Snowflake says it used layoffs to force software engineers to use AI tools and become more productive.“At the time, my team hated me, but I thought it was... Tech firms ranging from Block to Meta Platforms have announced mass layoffs in the past year,...

The new electric Chevy Bolt, released after its prior cancellation. Photo: Josh Lefkowitz/Getty

Exclusive: With Some 100 Rehired Cruise Employees, GM Pursues Eyes-Off Autonomous Cars

By Steve LeVine · Jun 4, 2026 9:00am PDT

Eighteen months after killing off Cruise, its independent robotaxi subsidiary, General Motors has hired back more than 100 members of the unit’s former team, including senior managers who have moved back into their old roles. Eighteen months after killing off Cruise, its independent robotaxi subsidiary, General Motors has...

Andy Konwinski, co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity AI. Photo by Marc Fong

Billionaire Databricks and Perplexity Co-Founder Pitches AI Researchers to Not Work for Big Tech

By Laura Bratton · Jun 4, 2026 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

Andy Konwinski, co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity AI. Photo by Marc Fong

Billionaire Databricks and Perplexity Co-Founder Pitches AI Researchers to Not Work for Big Tech

By Laura Bratton · Jun 4, 2026 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

The billionaire co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity AI, Andy Konwinski, is singularly focused on plugging the years-long drain of talent from academia to Big Tech.He wants to encourage academics to focus on publishing more openly available research, a reaction to the move by frontier AI companies to reduce the amount of AI research they... The billionaire co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity AI, Andy Konwinski, is singularly focused...