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

Art by Clark Miller

Why Humanoid Robots Are the Latest Front in America’s Tech War With China

By Steve LeVine, Jing Yang and Juro Osawa · Jun 20, 2025 6:00am PDT · 3 comments

Elon Musk’s forecasts of an ultralavish future for Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, have not only been a boon to his company’s share price: They’ve provided a broad lift to nearly everyone working on humanoids, a technology once considered a fantasy land. One of the biggest beneficiaries is Apptronik, a scrappy Austin, Texas, rival working, in a... Elon Musk’s forecasts of an ultralavish future for Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, have not only...

Scale AI's Alexandr Wang in 2023. Photo via Getty

What a Scale AI Rival’s Extraordinary Success Says About the Meta Deal

By Nick Wingfield · Jun 19, 2025 5:00pm PDT

The past week has been a steady drip, drip, drip of new details shedding light on Meta Platforms’ $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI and its hiring of the startup’s CEO, Alexandr Wang. The latest eye-opener came this morning in Stephanie and Cory’s profile of a Scale competitor, Surge AI, and its founder, Edwin Chen.In essence, they report,... The past week has been a steady drip, drip, drip of new details shedding light on Meta Platforms’...

Coatue founder Philippe Laffont at The Information’s 2024 Private Capital Conference. Photo by Nicole Pereira.

Tokens Are AI Boom’s New Favorite Metric; Quick Payout for Friedman-Gross Fund

By Miles Kruppa and Natasha Mascarenhas · Jun 19, 2025 2:00pm PDT

On Wednesday, Kalley and Cory broke the news that former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Safe Superintelligence co-founder Daniel Gross were in advanced talks to join Meta Platforms. Along with the hires, Meta is also discussing buying out a portion of the duo’s fund, which raised more than $1 billion two years ago. On Wednesday, Kalley and Cory broke the news that former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Safe...

Big Brands Are Thinking More Like Creators

By Kaya Yurieff · Jun 19, 2025 1:00pm PDT

Creator Economy

Big Brands Are Thinking More Like Creators

By Kaya Yurieff · Jun 19, 2025 1:00pm PDT

Hello from the very hot French Riviera, where I’m wrapping up my time at Cannes Lions!On Thursday morning, I moderated a panel with two Mattel executives: Lisa McKnight, chief brand officer, and Jason Horowitz, global head of marketing and media. It’s striking how much brands are starting to operate more like creators. The most... Hello from the very hot French Riviera, where I’m wrapping up my time at Cannes Lions!On...

Chatbots Get Cheaper; Anthropic Reigns Supreme in Coding

Chatbots Get Cheaper; Anthropic Reigns Supreme in Coding

By Aaron Holmes · Jun 19, 2025 10:26am PDT

When DeepSeek released its high-performing open-source artificial intelligence earlier this year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella predicted that the price of AI models and applications would soon come under pressure. And he said that trend would prevent any one company from gaining a permanent advantage over others in selling AI to... When DeepSeek released its high-performing open-source artificial intelligence earlier this year,...

Subscriber Survey

Tech Users Clamor for New AI Devices—But Gripe About Existing Gadgets

By Akash Pasricha · Jun 19, 2025 10:00am PDT · 1 comment

Early tries at developing artificial intelligence–powered devices and wearables have been marked by some notable flops, like Humane’s AI pin. But tech enthusiasts remain open-minded about buying an AI device. Among The Information’s readers, seven in 10 said they would purchase an AI-powered device, according to our latest exclusive... Early tries at developing artificial intelligence–powered devices and wearables have been...

Photo by Mike Sullivan via Midjourney

Zuckerberg Fills Out His AI Dream Team; Developers Are Cheating on LMArena

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Jun 19, 2025 7:00am PDT

Before we get to today’s column, my colleagues Kalley and Cory broke some important news on Wednesday: Meta Platforms is close to hiring former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, who now moonlights as a prominent AI investor, and Daniel Gross, Friedman’s investment partner and a cofounder of Safe Superintelligence with Ilya Sutskever. In the process,... Before we get to today’s column, my colleagues Kalley and Cory broke some important news on...

Art by Clark Miller

The Little-Known Startup That Has Surged Past Scale AI—Without Any Investors

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Cory Weinberg · Jun 19, 2025 6:00am PDT · 6 comments

Art by Clark Miller

Artificial Intelligence

The Little-Known Startup That Has Surged Past Scale AI—Without Any Investors

By Stephanie Palazzolo and Cory Weinberg · Jun 19, 2025 6:00am PDT · 6 comments

For years, data labeling existed in a tucked-away corner of Silicon Valley, a critical but unglamorous area of AI where companies like Google and OpenAI hire outside firms to improve their models by laboriously grading the quality of what they produce. Now, a spotlight has unexpectedly fallen onto the field in the wake of Meta Platforms’... For years, data labeling existed in a tucked-away corner of Silicon Valley, a critical but...

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters earlier this month. Photo via Getty

Netflix Is Becoming What It Replaced: Live TV

By Sahil Patel · Jun 18, 2025 5:00pm PDT

Before we get into this evening’s briefing, check out Kalley and Cory’s late-breaking scoop today about Meta Platforms’ latest efforts to boost its artificial intelligence efforts. We reported that the company is holding advanced talks with Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, two prominent investors, about joining Meta. Meta is also discussing... Before we get into this evening’s briefing, check out Kalley and Cory’s late-breaking scoop today...

Nat Friedman. Photo via Microsoft

Meta in Talks to Hire AI Investors Friedman and Gross, Partially Buy Out Their Venture Fund

By Kalley Huang and Cory Weinberg · Jun 18, 2025 1:57pm PDT · 10 comments

Meta Platforms is in advanced talks to hire the prominent artificial intelligence investors Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross to help lead its AI efforts, according to a person familiar with the discussions. As part of those talks, Meta is in discussions about partially buying out Friedman and Gross’ venture capital fund, NFDG, which holds stakes in... Meta Platforms is in advanced talks to hire the prominent artificial intelligence investors Nat...

From left: Morgan Absher, Host of Two Hot Takes, “The Bachelorette” star Rachel Lindsay, Jake Shane, Host of Therapuss and Roman Wasenmüller, Head of Podcast Business at Spotify. Photo by Getty Images for Spotify.

Creator Economy

Podcasters Want to Go Live On Spotify (Again)

By Kaya Yurieff · Jun 18, 2025 1:00pm PDT

Podcasters are a visible presence at Cannes Lions this year, joining the several hundred creators in attendance. I caught up with three of them—Jake Shane, Rachel Lindsay and Morgan Ashley Absher— at Spotify’s beachfront event, and asked them what features they’d like to see Spotify roll out next. Their answer surprised me: They... Podcasters are a visible presence at Cannes Lions this year, joining the several hundred creators...

Mike Cessario, CEO of Liquid Death. Photo via Getty.

Liquid Death Seeks Fresh Cash to Ramp Up Production

By Ann Gehan and Cory Weinberg · Jun 18, 2025 9:29am PDT · 1 comment

Mike Cessario, CEO of Liquid Death. Photo via Getty.

Liquid Death Seeks Fresh Cash to Ramp Up Production

By Ann Gehan and Cory Weinberg · Jun 18, 2025 9:29am PDT · 1 comment

Liquid Death has been looking to raise up to $20 million in fresh cash, as the longtime initial public offering hopeful looks to expand its production capacity and keep its drink lineup stocked in stores. The canned water and tea startup has been pitching the fundraise in the form of a convertible note, according to materials sent to prospective... Liquid Death has been looking to raise up to $20 million in fresh cash, as the longtime initial...

Art by Mike Sullivan

AI Startups Continue to Masquerade as SaaS Businesses; OpenAI Lays Off Some ‘Insider Risk’ Employees

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Jun 18, 2025 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Today, we’re talking about my favorite topic: sneaky things AI startups do to gussy up their revenue.We previously covered how some AI startups are including non-recurring consulting fees in their annual recurring revenue figures; pitching investors on their “contracted ARR” or “sales pipelines”; and using exploding revenue growth to entice... Today, we’re talking about my favorite topic: sneaky things AI startups do to gussy up their...

Art by Mike Sullivan

OpenAI Starts Selling ChatGPT at a Discount, Hurting Microsoft

By Aaron Holmes and Sri Muppidi · Jun 18, 2025 6:30am PDT · 3 comments

OpenAI has started discounting enterprise subscriptions to its ChatGPT app when customers agree to spend money on additional AI products, according to an OpenAI spokesperson and two executives at large firms that have spoken to the startup in recent weeks. The move has frustrated salespeople at Microsoft, OpenAI’s biggest business partner, which... OpenAI has started discounting enterprise subscriptions to its ChatGPT app when customers agree...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Amazon Plays Nice in AI Shopping—While Also Defending its Turf

By Theo Wayt · Jun 18, 2025 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

At Amazon, the rise of artificial intelligence tools that automate shoppers’ online purchases is raising a question: Should the company fight the startups that make these tools—or join them? The answer it’s leaning toward is maybe a bit of both. At Amazon, the rise of artificial intelligence tools that automate shoppers’ online purchases is...

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Photo via Getty

Amazon’s Andy Jassy Says the Quiet Part About AI Out Loud

By Theo Wayt · Jun 17, 2025 5:00pm PDT

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Photo via Getty

Amazon’s Andy Jassy Says the Quiet Part About AI Out Loud

By Theo Wayt · Jun 17, 2025 5:00pm PDT

The tech industry has spent the past few years telling everyone that the artificial intelligence tools they’re building are about to change the world. But until recently executives at the largest tech firms haven’t been willing to spell out what exactly that means for the hundreds of thousands of white-collar staffers at their own companies.... The tech industry has spent the past few years telling everyone that the artificial intelligence...

Photo via Getty

Venture Capitalists Tap Agents for Their Own Grunt Work

By Natasha Mascarenhas · Jun 17, 2025 4:04pm PDT · 1 comment

When venture capitalists first started using artificial intelligence in their own work, I mostly heard about the technology drafting rejection e-mails or helping with quick research. But as many firms look to operate more leanly and efficiently and as AI agents become more adept, I can imagine a new wave of experimentation among venture... When venture capitalists first started using artificial intelligence in their own work, I mostly...

TikTok employees Khartoon Weiss, Sofia Hernandez, Kim Farrell, David Kaufman and Moritz Bartsch speak at the TikTok Cannes Lions press preview today. Photo via Getty.

Creator Economy

TikTok Wants Time on Your TV Screen

By Kaya Yurieff · Jun 17, 2025 1:00pm PDT

I’m at Cannes Lions, where I spent the morning with TikTok’s marketing leaders. As YouTube has made expanding on living room screens a top priority, I’ve been curious if TikTok will follow suit. While TikTok tried launching an app for TV screens on Android a few years ago, the ByteDance-owned company hasn’t seemed to put much promotion... I’m at Cannes Lions, where I spent the morning with TikTok’s marketing leaders. As YouTube...

Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering. Photo via Getty.

Developers Eye Apple’s Models for ‘Invisible’ AI Features

By Aaron Holmes and Aaron Tilley · Jun 17, 2025 10:57am PDT

Apple is by no means a front-runner in the race to develop world-changing artificial intelligence, and its annual Worldwide Developers Conference last week did little to convince anyone that its Siri assistant would catch up to ChatGPT anytime soon.Still, Apple managed to stir up excitement among mobile app developers who want AI in their apps.... Apple is by no means a front-runner in the race to develop world-changing artificial...

Satya Nadella, left, and Sam Altman. Photos by Getty

OpenAI Takes a Red Pen to its Microsoft Contract; AI Startups Fight for Cash

By Rocket Drew and Aaron Holmes · Jun 17, 2025 7:00am PDT

Satya Nadella, left, and Sam Altman. Photos by Getty

OpenAI Takes a Red Pen to its Microsoft Contract; AI Startups Fight for Cash

By Rocket Drew and Aaron Holmes · Jun 17, 2025 7:00am PDT

Last night, Sri and I broke the news of some of the latest developments in the negotiations between Microsoft and OpenAI. Chief among them is that OpenAI wants Microsoft to take just a 33% share in its business after the startup completes its conversion to a for-profit entity. That looks like a step down for Microsoft, whose $13.75 billion... Last night, Sri and I broke the news of some of the latest developments in the negotiations...