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

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Recent Editions

A talk at TensorWave CEO Jeff Tatarchuk’s Beyond CUDA event last year. Screenshot via YouTube/TensorWave.

AI Infrastructure

Can TensorWave Leapfrog Nvidia’s Big Moat?

By Anissa Gardizy · Apr 6, 2026 12:01pm PDT

Hello! Anissa here. Is Nvidia’s CUDA Vulnerable?Jeff Tatarchuk likes to poke the bear. The bear, in this case, is Nvidia. Tatarchuk has every incentive to challenge the chip company’s dominance. He runs startup TensorWave, which rents out AI chips from Nvidia rival Advanced Micro Devices.Last year, during Nvidia’s GTC conference, Tatarchuk... Hello! Anissa here. Is Nvidia’s CUDA Vulnerable?Jeff Tatarchuk likes to poke the bear. The...

Honeywell and startup Odys are building the hybrid-electric Laila, which would bring down drones in combat. Photo: Courtesy Odys

The Electric: Honeywell Jumps Into the Race to Develop Electric Aircraft for the Pentagon

By Steve LeVine · Apr 6, 2026 9:00am PDT

Multiple electric aviation startups are developing aircraft for combat missions in a race for billions of dollars in orders they expect from the Pentagon and other military buyers amid a boom in defense spending. Multiple electric aviation startups are developing aircraft for combat missions in a race for...

Elon Musk and T-Mobile 's then-CEO Mike Sievert on stage during a joint event in 2022 announcing the Starlink partnership. Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images.

Why SpaceX Has an Uphill Battle Growing Starlink Mobile

By Theo Wayt · Apr 6, 2026 8:00am PDT · 1 comment

SpaceX executives say its Starlink Mobile direct-to-cell service offered through mobile carriers will eventually reach hundreds of millions of customers around the globe, which would help justify SpaceX’s valuation. But right now, the service’s revenue is tiny. T-Mobile, for instance, SpaceX’s only mobile partner in the U.S., is offering its... SpaceX executives say its Starlink Mobile direct-to-cell service offered through mobile carriers...

Art by Getty Images

Codex and Claude Code Can Work Together

By Rocket Drew · Apr 6, 2026 7:00am PDT

Art by Getty Images

Codex and Claude Code Can Work Together

By Rocket Drew · Apr 6, 2026 7:00am PDT

Forget all the chatter about which AI coding tool is winning the race. The companies behind the leading AI coding tools are learning the benefits of peaceful co-existence. On Thursday, for instance, Cursor announced a new version of its app designed for coding with AI agents from different coding providers simultaneously, including ... Forget all the chatter about which AI coding tool is winning the race. The companies behind the...

Art by Clark Miller.

Meta Employees Vie for AI ‘Token Legend’ Status

By Jyoti Mann · Apr 6, 2026 6:00am PDT · 8 comments

Employees at Meta Platforms who want to show off their AI superuser chops are competing on an internal leaderboard for status as a “Session Immortal”—or, even better, “Token Legend.” The rankings, set up by a Meta employee on its intranet using company data, measure how many tokens—the units of data processed by AI... Employees at Meta Platforms who want to show off their AI superuser chops are competing on an...

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images.

What the Coming Big IPOs Mean for Tech Stocks

By Martin Peers · Apr 5, 2026 3:00pm PDT

The first quarter is over, and tech earnings season is only a couple of weeks away. Here’s something worth thinking about: Big tech stocks out of favor with investors—particularly Microsoft, Amazon and Meta Platforms—need to show something striking when they report for the quarter if they want to get out of the doghouse they’re in.If they don’t,... The first quarter is over, and tech earnings season is only a couple of weeks away. Here’s...

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, left, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (via Getty)

OpenAI CEO and CFO Diverge on IPO Timing

By Anissa Gardizy and Amir Efrati · Apr 5, 2026 1:32pm PDT · 9 comments

Sam Altman has committed OpenAI to spend $600 billion in the next five years and privately said he wants to go public as soon as the fourth quarter despite expectations his company will burn more than $200 billion before it starts generating cash. Behind the scenes, Sarah Friar, his chief financial officer, has voiced concerns that reflect the... Sam Altman has committed OpenAI to spend $600 billion in the next five years and privately said...

The Vibe Coding Effect? Apple’s App Store Saw 84% Jump in New Apps in Quarter

By Aaron Tilley · Apr 5, 2026 8:00am PDT · 1 comment

Sunday Insights

The Vibe Coding Effect? Apple’s App Store Saw 84% Jump in New Apps in Quarter

By Aaron Tilley · Apr 5, 2026 8:00am PDT · 1 comment

For much of the last decade, the number of new apps launching in Apple’s App Store each year went into a tailspin, falling a whopping 48% between 2016 and 2024, according to data from research firm Sensor Tower. At least that was the case until last year. In 2025, the number of new apps that showed up in the App Store globally suddenly exploded,... For much of the last decade, the number of new apps launching in Apple’s App Store each year went...

Illustration: Clark Miller

TBPN’s Lovable Underdog Era Ends

By Abram Brown · Apr 4, 2026 2:07pm PDT

Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: A familiar Silicon Valley foe is the mastermind behind those explosive chatbot lawsuits• Tech Culture: San Francisco’s mecca for mad scientists eyes global expansion • Plus, Recommendations—our weekly pop culture picks: “The Idiot,” “Dune Messiah” and “The AI Doc: Or How I Became an... Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: A familiar Silicon Valley foe is the...

Illustration: Clark Miller

Frontier Tower, A Hot Spot for Strange Tech, Plots Global Expansion and New Hotel

By Eli Rosenberg · Apr 4, 2026 6:54am PDT · 4 comments

Near the corner of Sixth and Market streets in downtown San Francisco, Frontier Tower has become a 15-story haven for the wildest and weirdest thinkers in technology. Floor 11 is full of longevity and health tech enthusiasts. The crypto folks are a floor above, with a lounge full of expensive furniture. AI is on floor 9. And the big event there... Near the corner of Sixth and Market streets in downtown San Francisco, Frontier Tower has become...

Art by Mike Sullivan.

Amazon Curbs Misleading Markdowns Ahead of Prime Day Sale

By Ann Gehan · Apr 3, 2026 10:16am PDT

Amazon is taking steps to curb misleading markdowns on its retail site ahead of its annual Prime Day sale this summer, steps that could cut down on eye-popping Prime Day deals while addressing complaints that some discounts are overstated. Over the next two months, Amazon will closely track what shoppers have been paying for items in the run-up... Amazon is taking steps to curb misleading markdowns on its retail site ahead of its annual Prime...

Art by Clark Miller; screenshot via YouTube.

Jay Edelson Made Facebook Pay. Now He’s Coming for Silicon Valley’s AI

By Andrew Zaleski · Apr 3, 2026 9:01am PDT · 3 comments

Art by Clark Miller; screenshot via YouTube.

Jay Edelson Made Facebook Pay. Now He’s Coming for Silicon Valley’s AI

By Andrew Zaleski · Apr 3, 2026 9:01am PDT · 3 comments

To a degree, Jay Edelson, the class-action litigator who has made himself a constant thorn in the side of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies, likes to present a laid-back image. No power suits and wing tips for him—he prefers hoodies and sneakers. His constant companion at his Chicago office is Arlo, a white-and-gray sheepadoodle. On... To a degree, Jay Edelson, the class-action litigator who has made himself a constant thorn in the...

Art by Mike Sullivan

DeepSeek’s New AI Model Will Be a Victory for Huawei

By Qianer Liu · Apr 3, 2026 6:00am PDT

When DeepSeek introduces its next-generation model, likely in the next few weeks, it will mark a milestone in China’s yearslong quest for semiconductor self-sufficiency. That’s because the new model, called V4, will be able to run on the latest chips designed by Huawei Technologies. And in preparation for V4’s launch, Chinese tech giants,... When DeepSeek introduces its next-generation model, likely in the next few weeks, it will mark a...

Paul Copplestone, CEO and co-founder of Supabase. Screenshot via YouTube.

Database Startup Supabase in Talks to Double Valuation to $10 Billion

By Katie Roof · Apr 2, 2026 6:55pm PDT · 5 comments

Singapore’s GIC is in talks to lead an investment in database startup Supabase at a valuation of about $10 billion, double the level it raised at last fall, according to two people with direct knowledge of the discussions. Supabase is aiming to raise about $500 million in the fundraising round, but the number could change, they said. Singapore’s GIC is in talks to lead an investment in database startup Supabase at a valuation of...

Dario Amodei, co-founder and chief executive officer of Anthropic. Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images

Anthropic Acquires Startup Coefficient Bio for About $400 Million

By Sri Muppidi and Stephanie Palazzolo · Apr 2, 2026 5:03pm PDT

Anthropic has acquired AI biotech startup Coefficient Bio for roughly $400 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The startup’s team will be joining Anthropic’s healthcare life sciences group, which develops tools for the biotech industry ranging from drug discovery to clinical commercialization, said the person. ... Anthropic has acquired AI biotech startup Coefficient Bio for roughly $400 million, according to...

TBPN hosts John Coogan (left) and Jordi Hays. Photo courtesy of TBPN.

Why OpenAI's TBPN Deal is No Joke

By Martin Peers · Apr 2, 2026 5:00pm PDT · 2 comments

TBPN hosts John Coogan (left) and Jordi Hays. Photo courtesy of TBPN.

Why OpenAI's TBPN Deal is No Joke

By Martin Peers · Apr 2, 2026 5:00pm PDT · 2 comments

OpenAI’s shuttering of Sora wasn’t meant to be the end of its adventures in video generation, it turns out. Instead of using AI to generate videos, OpenAI wants to use videos to drive AI adoption.That’s one way of looking at the company’s rather startling decision on Thursday to buy TBPN, the Silicon Valley talk show that specializes in schmoozy... OpenAI’s shuttering of Sora wasn’t meant to be the end of its adventures in video generation, it...

Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman. Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Blackstone Extends the Data Center Buying Spree

By Valida Pau and Anissa Gardizy · Apr 2, 2026 4:42pm PDT

The AI-driven scramble for compute is still powering red-hot data center acquisitions even as overall technology deals slowed in the first quarter this year. In the latest example, Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, agreed to acquire a 49% stake in Rowan Digital Infrastructure, a five-year-old data center developer... The AI-driven scramble for compute is still powering red-hot data center acquisitions even as...

Paolo Ardoino, chief executive officer of Tether Holdings. Camilo Freedman/Bloomberg/Getty Images.

Tether Makes Final Push for Fundraising at $500 Billion Valuation

By Yueqi Yang · Apr 2, 2026 3:11pm PDT

Tether, the world’s biggest stablecoin issuer, is making a last-ditch effort to raise funds at a $500 billion valuation, pressing investors to commit to the deal within the next two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. The company, which is based in El Salvador, has been struggling to raise the funds since late last year because... Tether, the world’s biggest stablecoin issuer, is making a last-ditch effort to raise funds at a...

Photos of Sam Atlman and Fidji Simo by Getty Images. Portraits of John Coogan and Jordi Hays courtesy of TBPN. Art by Mike Sullivan

Why OpenAI’s Fidji Simo Bought the TBPN Podcast Amid Crusade Against ‘Side Quests’

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Apr 2, 2026 2:27pm PDT

In recent weeks, Fidji Simo has burst into public view as the OpenAI executive bringing much-needed discipline to the AI startup, as it inches toward an initial public offering late this year. Last month, Simo—who is now CEO of AGI Deployment—delivered the sobering message to the company’s staff that OpenAI can no longer chase “side... In recent weeks, Fidji Simo has burst into public view as the OpenAI executive bringing...

Anthropic Defies Broader Tech Gloom Among Readers

By Shane Burke · Apr 2, 2026 12:48pm PDT

Subscriber Survey

Anthropic Defies Broader Tech Gloom Among Readers

By Shane Burke · Apr 2, 2026 12:48pm PDT

More than half of respondents to The Information’s latest monthly survey expect conditions for technology companies to worsen over the next six months, bringing our gauge of tech sentiment to its second most negative reading in at least three years. That sour outlook extended to many of the biggest names in tech, particularly Meta Platforms and... More than half of respondents to The Information’s latest monthly survey expect conditions for...