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

From left, a Google TPU, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan and Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian. Photos via Getty, Google and YouTube.

To Reduce AI Costs, Google Wants to Ditch Broadcom as Its TPU Server Chip Supplier

By Wayne Ma, Anissa Gardizy and Jon Victor · Sep 21, 2023 1:22am PDT · 1 comment

Google executives have extensively discussed dropping Broadcom as a supplier of artificial intelligence chips as early as 2027, according to a person with direct knowledge of the effort. In that scenario, Google would fully design the chips, known as tensor processing units, in-house, the person said. The move could help Google save billions of... Google executives have extensively discussed dropping Broadcom as a supplier of artificial...

Andrew Bialecki, CEO and co-founder of Klaviyo. Photo by the Boston Globe via Getty.

A Boring—but Important—IPO

By Cory Weinberg · Sep 20, 2023 5:00pm PDT

We tend to lionize founders who start companies with the splashiest, most far-reaching consumer products. So Andrew Bialecki of $10 billion marketing tech startup Klaviyo—a name few people even know how to pronounce (it’s “clay-vee-oh”)—isn’t exactly a favorite to headline the next Code Conference.But Bialecki—a Boston-based, 37-year-old... We tend to lionize founders who start companies with the splashiest, most far-reaching consumer...

Comedian Cat Alvarado reported early issues with Meta Verified. Photo: Kim Newmoney

Creator Economy

Meta Verified Works Out the Kinks in Public

By Kaya Yurieff · Sep 20, 2023 3:05pm PDT

As we detailed in a story on Tuesday, subscribers to new paid offering Meta Verified have complained about their frustrating experiences with human customer support, a key draw of the service. The Facebook and Instagram parent has fixed another early snag, which prevented creators from changing their photo or name once they paid for the $12 a... As we detailed in a story on Tuesday, subscribers to new paid offering Meta Verified have ...

Paradigm co-founders Matt Huang and Fred Ehrsam. Photos via Paradigm and Flickr.

Behind the Scenes at Paradigm

By Aidan Ryan · Sep 20, 2023 9:06am PDT

Paradigm co-founders Matt Huang and Fred Ehrsam. Photos via Paradigm and Flickr.

Behind the Scenes at Paradigm

By Aidan Ryan · Sep 20, 2023 9:06am PDT

Paradigm has established itself as one of the premier crypto-focused investors. More recently, though, it’s had to navigate the blowup of FTX and faced criticism from the crypto community, who took a website redesign to mean the firm was ditching crypto in favor of AI. I took a look at what’s next for Paradigm in a deep dive published... Paradigm has established itself as one of the premier crypto-focused investors. More recently,...

Photos via Eiso Kant (left) and YouTube/VMWare Tanzu (right)

How GitHub Copilot’s Co-Creator Raised $126 Million to Compete with His Former Employer

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Sep 20, 2023 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

Recent interest in artificial intelligence has focused on large-language models that aim to do everything from writing Shakespearean poetry to solving math riddles. But more entrepreneurs and investors have begun to wonder if LLMs that specialize in one field or another can be better than general purpose LLMs like OpenAI’s.One of those... Recent interest in artificial intelligence has focused on large-language models that aim to do...

Andrew Bialecki, CEO of Klaviyo (left), and Tobias Lütke, CEO of Shopify (right). Photos via Klaviyo and Getty.

Shopify Scores a Quick Win in Klaviyo IPO

By Ann Gehan and Cory Weinberg · Sep 20, 2023 6:36am PDT

Count Shopify as one of the beneficiaries of the thawing market for initial public offerings. The e-commerce software giant is set for a windfall from a successful debut of Klaviyo, the marketing and data automation startup that priced its IPO at a fully diluted valuation of $9.2 billion late Tuesday. Shopify stands to gain a quick $295 million... Count Shopify as one of the beneficiaries of the thawing market for initial public offerings. The...

Instacart CEO Fidji Simo. Photo by Bloomberg via Getty.

The Instacart IPO’s Fine Print

By Cory Weinberg · Sep 19, 2023 5:00pm PDT

It’s been nearly two years since the last major IPO of a venture-backed company, so in case you forgot what one looked like, Instacart’s big day had many familiar beats. The ringing of the bell. The debate about stock pops. Early investors taking victory laps on TV.The celebration of the long-awaited listing obscured one fact. At the end of the... It’s been nearly two years since the last major IPO of a venture-backed company, so in case you...

Afterparty co-founders David Fields and Robert Graham. Photo: Afterparty

Afterparty Launches AI-Generated Creator Clones With New Funding

By Kaya Yurieff · Sep 19, 2023 3:10pm PDT

Afterparty co-founders David Fields and Robert Graham. Photo: Afterparty

Creator Economy

Afterparty Launches AI-Generated Creator Clones With New Funding

By Kaya Yurieff · Sep 19, 2023 3:10pm PDT

Two years ago, VC hype for the creator economy started to merge with excitement for another hot sector: crypto. Companies that focused on creators and incorporated blockchain technologies garnered millions of dollars in new funding. While many of those companies are now flailing, some have still been able to raise capital, especially those... Two years ago, VC hype for the creator economy started to merge with excitement for another hot...

Photo via Midjourney.

The Rise of Startups That Help Other Startups Evaluate LLMs

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Sep 19, 2023 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

All but a handful of artificial intelligence startups typically fall into one of two camps.The first group uses a single large-language model, typically OpenAI’s GPT-4, to power their applications. These startups, which have often raised millions in venture capital, usually say, “If you’ve got the cash, why not use the top-of-the-line model?”But... All but a handful of artificial intelligence startups typically fall into one of two camps.The...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Instagram Power Users Are Fuming Over Its $12-a-Month Subscription

By Kaya Yurieff · Sep 19, 2023 6:00am PDT · 4 comments

In late August, Jenny French discovered Instagram had disabled her account. That was a blow, since nearly half the prospects for her U.K. business, which trains physical therapists, jewelry boutiques and other clients on how to increase their Instagram reach, came from the account. But French figured she had an in with Instagram that would allow... In late August, Jenny French discovered Instagram had disabled her account. That was a blow,...

Panos Panov. Photo by Getty.

A Microsoft Devices Guru Defects to Amazon

By Nick Wingfield · Sep 18, 2023 5:03pm PDT

This is the time of year when the leaves begin to turn color, Earth, Wind and Fire blares from car stereos, and two tech companies that aspire to be players in consumer hardware—Amazon and Microsoft—show off the gadgets they want you to buy this holiday season. This year, Amazon goes first with an event on Wednesday, followed by Microsoft on... This is the time of year when the leaves begin to turn color, Earth, Wind and Fire blares from...

Meta's EMEA headquarters in Dublin. Photo by Bloomberg via Getty.

What May Keep Threads From Europe Forever

By Sylvia Varnham O'Regan · Sep 18, 2023 3:12pm PDT

Meta's EMEA headquarters in Dublin. Photo by Bloomberg via Getty.

Creator Economy

What May Keep Threads From Europe Forever

By Sylvia Varnham O'Regan · Sep 18, 2023 3:12pm PDT

Here’s a question: will European users ever get to join Threads?I’ve been wondering that as I’ve reported on the response by Meta Platforms to increasing European restrictions on the personal data tech companies can share with advertisers. As I wrote Friday, the parent of Facebook and Instagram has been showing some users in Europe—and young... Here’s a question: will European users ever get to join Threads?I’ve been wondering that as I’ve...

An Albertsons grocery store in L.A. Photo by Getty.

Instacart’s Secret Deals With Grocery Giants

By Cory Weinberg · Sep 18, 2023 7:00am PDT · 8 comments

When Instacart goes public on Tuesday, at least one shareholder likely to make money is its own customer: grocery giant Albertsons, one of several retailers that quietly struck stock deals with Instacart years ago that remained a closely held secret inside the delivery company, people familiar with the matter said. The grocery company’s... When Instacart goes public on Tuesday, at least one shareholder likely to make money is its own...

OpenAI's Greg Brockman (left) and Google's Demis Hassabis (right). Photos by Getty.

OpenAI Hustles to Beat Google to Launch ‘Multimodal’ LLM

By Jon Victor · Sep 18, 2023 7:00am PDT

As fall approaches, Google and OpenAI are locked in a good ol’ fashioned software race, aiming to launch the next generation of large-language models: multimodal. These models can work with images and text alike, producing code for a website just by seeing a sketch of what a user wants the site to look like, for instance, or spitting out a text... As fall approaches, Google and OpenAI are locked in a good ol’ fashioned software race, aiming to...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Disney-Charter Deal Could Prompt More Cable TV-Streaming Bundles

By Sahil Patel · Sep 18, 2023 6:00am PDT

Last week, Charter Communications, the No. 2 cable provider, and Walt Disney Co. cut a deal to include Disney streaming services, such as Disney+ and a new ESPN service still in the works, with Charter’s cable television packages. That pact could be a watershed for traditional TV gatekeepers that want a piece of the action from the... Last week, Charter Communications, the No. 2 cable provider, and Walt Disney Co. cut a deal to...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, right, and Drew Baglino, Tesla's senior vice president of power train, on Battery Day on Sept. 22, 2020. Photo: Courtesy Tesla

The Electric: Musk Promised a $25,000 EV by This Week. Why It’s Still Urgent He Produces It

By Steve LeVine · Sep 18, 2023 4:30am PDT

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, right, and Drew Baglino, Tesla's senior vice president of power train, on Battery Day on Sept. 22, 2020. Photo: Courtesy Tesla

The Electric: Musk Promised a $25,000 EV by This Week. Why It’s Still Urgent He Produces It

By Steve LeVine · Sep 18, 2023 4:30am PDT

Three years ago this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk presided over a spirited outdoor event that he called “Battery Day.” For years, Musk had teased plans to eventually introduce an affordable mass-market electric vehicle, and now, speaking to a parking lot full of honking fans sitting in Teslas, he explained how he would do it. For more than two... Three years ago this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk presided over a spirited outdoor event that he...

Flexport founder Ryan Petersen. Photos via Getty and Flexport.

Can Ryan Petersen Fix Flexport?

By Ann Gehan and Theo Wayt · Sep 17, 2023 6:00am PDT

Ryan Petersen was getting antsy. This March, Petersen had handed over the CEO job at Flexport—the logistics company he’d founded a decade earlier, which had ballooned to an $8 billion valuation in 2022—to veteran Amazon executive Dave Clark. In July, Petersen joined venture capital firm Founders Fund as a partner. But just a... Ryan Petersen was getting antsy. This March, Petersen had handed over the CEO job at...

Art by Mike Sullivan.

A Is for Adaptogens, B Is for Body Sculpting: A Trending-in-Silicon Valley Health Glossary

By Annie Goldsmith · Sep 16, 2023 6:01am PDT · 1 comment

Last month, The Information Weekend conducted our first-ever Brain-Body Investment Survey, asking subscribers about their exercise, wellness and beauty practices. The results emphasized Silicon Valley’s willingness to experiment and innovate—not just in their jobs, but on their bodies. Some of the practices respondents jotted down... Last month, The Information Weekend conducted our first-ever Brain-Body Investment Survey, asking...

Art by Clark Miller.

The Trouble With Walter: In His Elon Musk Tome, the Writer Shows Us the Perils of Access Journalism

By Adam Lashinsky · Sep 16, 2023 6:00am PDT · 75 comments

Walter Isaacson is the exotic bird of American letters, a charming and convivial bon vivant and raconteur, the life of many a dinner party, a studious biographer and a generous mentor. He blurbed both of my books, a kindness he’s bestowed on many authors, and he has been nothing but kind and gracious to me over the years. Unfortunately,... Walter Isaacson is the exotic bird of American letters, a charming and convivial bon vivant and...

Meet the Leaders of the Austin Tech Brat Pack

Meet the Leaders of the Austin Tech Brat Pack

By Jon Steinberg · Sep 16, 2023 6:00am PDT

Meet the Leaders of the Austin Tech Brat Pack

Meet the Leaders of the Austin Tech Brat Pack

By Jon Steinberg · Sep 16, 2023 6:00am PDT

Hi, welcome to your Weekend.It’s been another week of all-things Elon Musk, courtesy of Walter Isaacson’s book drop, an appearance in Washington for AI discussions with lawmakers and his opining on the inevitability of a future Chinese invasion of Taiwan at the All-In Summit. The illustration designer Clark Miller created for Adam Lashinsky’s... Hi, welcome to your Weekend.It’s been another week of all-things Elon Musk, courtesy of Walter...