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 Mike Sullivan.

Bank Drama for PayPal, Square After Wells Fargo Bows Out

By Michael Roddan · Oct 21, 2024 6:00am PDT · 2 comments

For more than two decades, Wells Fargo was a juggernaut in a behind-the-scenes business that supported some of the biggest payments companies in the world. The bank’s abrupt exit from that market this year has left a major hole. Block’s Square, for instance, is still hunting for a replacement for Wells Fargo to work on credit card... For more than two decades, Wells Fargo was a juggernaut in a behind-the-scenes business that...

Optimus, Tesla's prototype robot. Photo: Getty

The Electric: Behind the Threat to Tesla’s Optimus Robot From Toyota and Boston Dynamics

By Steve LeVine · Oct 21, 2024 4:30am PDT

At the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, Westinghouse Electric unveiled Elektro, a 7-foot-tall robot that walked, spoke, smoked cigarettes and gestured with its arms. It was all a show—Elektro’s witty conversation flowed from phrases recorded on a vinyl disc inside its massive body. But the robot wowed crowds that piled in to witness its apparent... At the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, Westinghouse Electric unveiled Elektro, a 7-foot-tall robot...

Subscriber Survey

Harris Holds Big Lead Over Trump in Reader Survey

By Scott Thurm · Oct 19, 2024 8:00am PDT · 3 comments

Less than three weeks before election day, Vice President Kamala Harris maintains a commanding lead over former President Donald Trump among The Information readers, according to our most recent survey. Roughly three-fourths of 1,248 respondents to the survey on Wednesday and Thursday said they plan to vote for Harris in the coming presidential... Less than three weeks before election day, Vice President Kamala Harris maintains a commanding...

What’re Zucks’ Bucks Good For?

What’re Zucks’ Bucks Good For?

By Abram Brown · Oct 19, 2024 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

What’re Zucks’ Bucks Good For?

What’re Zucks’ Bucks Good For?

By Abram Brown · Oct 19, 2024 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: The Pro-Kamala tech lab hoping to outfox Elon Musk• The Top 5: Our favorite new tech and business podcasts of 2024. Plus, the unshakeable Harry Stebbings, host of “20VC.” Plus: A spooky “Lost” that hasn’t lost itself; globetrottin’ teas; and what chocolate says about culture and... Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: The Pro-Kamala tech lab hoping to outfox...

Art by Clark Miller

Podcasting’s $400 Million Man—and the Best New Tech and Business Podcasts of 2024

By Abram Brown · Oct 19, 2024 5:00am PDT · 2 comments

For years, Harry Stebbings, the hit British podcaster and venture capitalist, fired off emails to Marc Benioff—no fewer than 53 of them—hoping to cajole the billionaire into appearing on his show, “20VC.” “I emailed him every week with no response, and then he finally did reply,” said Stebbings, 28. Finally,... For years, Harry Stebbings, the hit British podcaster and venture capitalist, fired off emails to...

Photo via Getty

Where Amazon Might Be Taking Whole Foods

By Theo Wayt · Oct 18, 2024 3:00pm PDT

In John Mackey’s new memoir, the Whole Foods founder and former CEO recalls how in mid-2022, shortly before he left the grocery chain, he took MDMA and psilocybin during a spiritual retreat. While under the influence, Mackey agonized over the ways he had been “disrespected and disempowered” after selling Whole Foods to Amazon five years earlier,... In John Mackey’s new memoir, the Whole Foods founder and former CEO recalls how in mid-2022,...

Robots, Rockets, and Elon Hype

By Jessica E. Lessin · Oct 18, 2024 2:20pm PDT · 1 comment

This week, we shared some of the things we're loving about tech right now—although we weren't without our disagreements. Plus, the latest with Elon Musk and the Lessin's new home tech problem. Apple Spotify This week, we shared some of the things we're loving about tech right...

Art by Clark Miller

The Tech Underdogs Trying to Elect Harris and Outfox Musk

By Josh Koehn · Oct 18, 2024 9:00am PDT · 5 comments

Art by Clark Miller

The Tech Underdogs Trying to Elect Harris and Outfox Musk

By Josh Koehn · Oct 18, 2024 9:00am PDT · 5 comments

First thing each weekday, Jessica Alter hits the road and runs three miles through the Marina District near her San Francisco home. On Saturdays, she swaps Golden Gate Bridge views for countryside scenes with longer trail runs close to her second home in Sonoma County. In both instances, the exercise inspires some of Alter’s best ideas as... First thing each weekday, Jessica Alter hits the road and runs three miles through the Marina...

Photo via Getty

Pro Weekly: The Big Tech Names Investing in Generative AI

By Akash Pasricha · Oct 18, 2024 8:00am PDT

If you’re looking to bolster your company’s artificial intelligence cred, you should check out our Generative AI Takeover List, where we identified 78 companies from our Generative AI Database as potentially ripe for a takeover. The list includes companies that haven’t raised money in at least two years or that are working on expensive projects... If you’re looking to bolster your company’s artificial intelligence cred, you should check out...

Greg Brockman (left) and Sam Altman. Art by Clark Miller. Brockman image via Getty; Altman via YouTube

Can Greg Brockman Find a Future Back at OpenAI?

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Amir Efrati · Oct 18, 2024 6:00am PDT · 5 comments

When Greg Brockman returns to OpenAI in the next month or so, as senior leaders expect him to, the artificial intelligence startup’s co-founder will rejoin a company that’s already changed a lot in the two months since he started a sabbatical. In the time he was gone, OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati and several other... When Greg Brockman returns to OpenAI in the next month or so, as senior leaders expect him to,...

Photo by Getty

U.S. Probes TSMC’s Dealings With Huawei

By Qianer Liu · Oct 17, 2024 5:13pm PDT

The U.S. Commerce Department is investigating whether Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has been making artificial intelligence or smartphone chips for Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies in what would be a breach of U.S. export rules, said two people with direct knowledge of the matter. Since 2020, the U.S. has banned Huawei from buying... The U.S. Commerce Department is investigating whether Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has...

Demis Hassabis. Photo by Getty.

Google Fixes AI Structural Flaw

By Martin Peers · Oct 17, 2024 5:00pm PDT

Demis Hassabis. Photo by Getty.

Google Fixes AI Structural Flaw

By Martin Peers · Oct 17, 2024 5:00pm PDT

Google might move slowly but it gets there eventually. Well, at least that’s the theory. A shake-up in the management ranks of the tech giant, unveiled on Thursday, belatedly fixes a flaw in the company’s artificial intelligence organization, one that had constrained its ability to compete with ChatGPT’s creator, OpenAI.CEO Sundar Pichai today... Google might move slowly but it gets there eventually. Well, at least that’s the theory. A...

U.S. Creator Startup Funding Drops, Ending Two Quarter Rebound

Creator Economy

U.S. Creator Startup Funding Drops, Ending Two Quarter Rebound

By Kaya Yurieff · Oct 17, 2024 2:17pm PDT

The rebound in funding for creator startups has faded.Funding for U.S. creator economy startups fell nearly 16% to $253.1 million during the September quarter compared to a year earlier, according to the latest update to The Information’s Creator Economy Database. Globally, funding for creator-related startups dropped about 20% to $415.8 million... The rebound in funding for creator startups has faded.Funding for U.S. creator economy startups...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo via Adobe.

General Catalyst Plans First Investment in Saudi Arabia

By Kate Clark and Natasha Mascarenhas · Oct 17, 2024 1:11pm PDT

General Catalyst is swiftly widening its global footprint. On the heels of acquiring two smaller venture firms in India and Germany, the firm plans to lead an investment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based financial technology startup Lean Technologies, according to a person with direct knowledge of the firm’s investments.The deal would represent... General Catalyst is swiftly widening its global footprint. On the heels of acquiring two smaller...

LinkedIn's San Francisco headquarters. Photo via Getty.

LinkedIn is News Publishers’ New Best Friend

By Sahil Patel · Oct 17, 2024 1:00pm PDT

As Facebook owner Meta Platforms has backed away from news, Microsoft’s LinkedIn has leaned into it. LinkedIn is doubling down on its long-standing efforts to promote news articles and work with news publishers, in hopes of driving both usage and ad revenue. In the latest sign of that, in the next few days it will start testing a new News... As Facebook owner Meta Platforms has backed away from news, Microsoft’s LinkedIn has leaned...

Photo Credit: Erin Beach

WTF Summit Recap: The AI Revolution Two Years In—Reality Versus Hype

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 17, 2024 12:58pm PDT

Photo Credit: Erin Beach

Partner Content

WTF Summit Recap: The AI Revolution Two Years In—Reality Versus Hype

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 17, 2024 12:58pm PDT

It's the early days of the artificial intelligence revolution. At this stage, enterprises are developing mostly tactical AI use cases. The next step is a more strategic, higher-value approach. As part of The Information’s San Francisco AI Summit, Stephanie Palazzolo, The Information’s AI reporter and author of the AI Agenda... It's the early days of the artificial intelligence revolution. At this stage, enterprises are...

Photo Credit: Erin Beach

Partner Content

WTF Summit Recap: Taking Charge of Your Health

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 17, 2024 12:51pm PDT

Currently, healthcare is reactive. Economic rewards are not always matched with the best outcomes for patients. Artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities for change. During The Information’s WTF Summit, Kaya Yurieff sat down with two healthcare visionaries to discuss what patients want and new, proactive ways of... Currently, healthcare is reactive. Economic rewards are not always matched with the...

Photo Credit: Erin Beach

Partner Content

WTF Summit Recap: Startup Silver Linings

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 17, 2024 12:00pm PDT

Today’s economy is challenging for startups as many new ventures find scaling a tougher climb. But that may not be a bad thing. At The Information’s 2024 Women in Tech, Media and Finance Summit, Kate Clark, The Information’s deputy bureau chief, sat down with three experts to discuss how entrepreneurs can grow their... Today’s economy is challenging for startups as many new ventures find scaling a tougher...

Mistral's CEO, Arthur Mensch. Photo via Getty.

Why Mistral is a Takeover Candidate

By Kalley Huang · Oct 17, 2024 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

Earlier today, we published our Generative AI Takeover List of 78 startups that could be acquisition targets. The list includes companies that develop their own models or robots, haven’t raised funding in at least two years, or both. These companies are most likely to face a cash crunch and be open to takeover offers.My colleagues Stephanie and... Earlier today, we published our Generative AI Takeover List of 78 startups that could be...

78 Artificial Intelligence Startups That Could Be for Sale This Year

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Rocket Drew · Oct 17, 2024 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

78 Artificial Intelligence Startups That Could Be for Sale This Year

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Rocket Drew · Oct 17, 2024 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

Reality is setting in for many artificial intelligence startups. Facing the huge costs of developing AI models and questions about when customers will see returns on their investments, some companies have found safety in the arms of larger tech firms through acquisitions or acqui-hires. Others have laid off staff or are shutting down. Most of... Reality is setting in for many artificial intelligence startups. Facing the huge costs of...