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

Partner Content

Communicate Technical Topics to a Non-Technical Audience with Google Gemini

By The Information Partnerships · Sep 18, 2026 7:01am PDT

In a room full of IT professionals, words and phrases like “tokenization,” “retrieval-augmented generation,” and “context window” need no explanation. But when technology leaders present to their CEOs and other company leaders about topics like AI, they often find that they need to translate these terms into everyday business language, or else... In a room full of IT professionals, words and phrases like “tokenization,” “retrieval-augmented...

Getty Images.

AI Safety Push Sparks Demand for Watchdog Groups. Critics Doubt Their Independence.

By Rocket Drew and Tiffany Li · Sep 18, 2026 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

Rising alarm about AI’s perils is thrusting into the spotlight a collection of little-known research groups focused on the technology’s safety—and fueling questions about their ability to effectively monitor the industry’s biggest companies. Both Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman promised in recent days to... Rising alarm about AI’s perils is thrusting into the spotlight a collection of little-known...

Art by Clark Miller; Getty Images.

A Tsinghua Professor’s Stealth LLM Startup Hits $1.4 Billion Valuation

By Juro Osawa · Sep 18, 2026 5:10am PDT

A secretive Chinese AI model startup founded in February by a Tsinghua University professor is now valued at more than $1.4 billion, after raising $400 million in three funding rounds from investors including Tencent, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Beijing-based Naive AI is preparing to release its first large... A secretive Chinese AI model startup founded in February by a Tsinghua University professor is...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images. (edited)

OpenAI’s Next Round

By Laura Mandaro · Sep 17, 2026 5:53pm PDT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images. (edited)

OpenAI’s Next Round

By Laura Mandaro · Sep 17, 2026 5:53pm PDT

This week, we and others reported that OpenAI has been in early talks with investors about a new private round that could value it at $1.2 trillion or more. That follows CEO Sam Altman’s recent statement that an initial public offering wouldn’t happen this year, not that anyone was actually expecting that!There are plenty of unanswered questions... This week, we and others reported that OpenAI has been in early talks with investors about a new...

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images.

AI Executives Fret About Existential Threat AI Poses—to Publishers

By Martin Peers · Sep 17, 2026 5:00pm PDT

It’s not just humanity that AI folks worry the new technology could wipe out—it’s publishers as well! (Publishers are, of course, people!) That’s what we learned from a court filing today by a group of news publishers including The New York Times Co. in a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The filing cited an OpenAI... It’s not just humanity that AI folks worry the new technology could wipe out—it’s publishers as...

Art by Mike Sullivan; Getty Images

Same Flaw Found in Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI and GitHub Copilot

By Aaron Holmes and Laura Bratton · Sep 17, 2026 10:32am PDT

While the AI industry ties itself in knots over models it thinks will pose security threats to the internet and perhaps to humanity itself, researchers are warning about flaws in AI coding agents from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Microsoft that pose immediate risk to businesses.For instance, a recently discovered (and now largely fixed)... While the AI industry ties itself in knots over models it thinks will pose security threats to...

Greg Jensen. Photo by Getty Images; art by Mike Sullivan.

Q&A

Bridgewater’s Jensen Wants AI Compute Giants Regulated Like Big Banks

By Dakin Campbell · Sep 17, 2026 9:58am PDT

Greg Jensen, managing chief investment officer at Bridgewater Associates, thinks the top holders of AI compute warrant extra regulation, similar to what governs the world’s biggest financial institutions. If a company controls more than, say, 5% of U.S. or global compute, it should be subject to heightened oversight, “like we do with... Greg Jensen, managing chief investment officer at Bridgewater Associates, thinks the top...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Getty Images.

OpenAI Is Close To Solving Another Millennium Prize Math Problem

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Sep 17, 2026 7:01am PDT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Getty Images.

OpenAI Is Close To Solving Another Millennium Prize Math Problem

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Sep 17, 2026 7:01am PDT

Remember when OpenAI landed in hot water earlier this month after mathematicians accused the company of trying to steal their thunder for solving an ultra-difficult math problem? (I know it feels like a million years ago given all the news cycles since then.)Well, it turns out OpenAI is close to solving another math problem from the Millennium... Remember when OpenAI landed in hot water earlier this month after mathematicians accused the...

Art: Clark Miller; Getty Images

Introducing The Information’s 50 Most Influential People in Tech

By Jemima McEvoy and Jessica E. Lessin · Sep 17, 2026 6:09am PDT

Money, technical savvy and disruptive ideas all matter within the technology industry. But the most seismic force is influence. Those who have it build, fund and steer the companies that alter the world—again and again. Those without it can only rise so far. So who’s got that clout? You’ll find the answer by poring over our new list: the... Money, technical savvy and disruptive ideas all matter within the technology industry. But the...

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh. Getty Images.

Fed Hike Changes AI Funding Story

By Martin Peers · Sep 16, 2026 5:01pm PDT

Put aside, for just a moment, all the arguments about AI safety. Today’s decision by the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates may be a bigger issue for the AI sector in the short term. Long-term bond yields had already risen, of course. But the Fed’s action—pushing up short- and medium-term borrowing costs—seems sure to crimp the debt-fueled... Put aside, for just a moment, all the arguments about AI safety. Today’s decision by the Federal...

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The Information Finance

Why Compute Needs a Big Down Payment

By Meredith Mazzilli · Sep 16, 2026 3:22pm PDT

Greetings!If it suddenly feels like every startup is trying to raise money to throw at some kind of AI infrastructure shortage, you’re probably onto something. We reported last night that the startup behind AI assistant Instinct is in talks to raise $1 billion, as it faces compute capacity constraints after growing to more than 100,000... Greetings!If it suddenly feels like every startup is trying to raise money to throw at some kind...

Photo by Getty Images.

Apollo Backs AI Startups in Bid to Bankroll Hardware Boom

By Valida Pau · Sep 16, 2026 2:51pm PDT

Photo by Getty Images.

Apollo Backs AI Startups in Bid to Bankroll Hardware Boom

By Valida Pau · Sep 16, 2026 2:51pm PDT

Apollo Global Management, known for leveraged buyouts and hefty financing deals, has started investing in AI and related hardware startups with the ambition to lend money to them in the future. In one previously unreported deal, Apollo has already invested in the low tens of millions of dollars in Mercor’s latest funding round, which is set to... Apollo Global Management, known for leveraged buyouts and hefty financing deals, has started...

Photo by Jay Janner/ Getty Images

Drone Delivery Startup Nears $20 Billion Valuation in New Funding Talks

By Julia Hornstein · Sep 16, 2026 1:53pm PDT

Zipline, a startup making drones that can deliver small packages like meals and medical supplies, is in talks to raise $1 billion at a valuation of roughly $20 billion, according to three people with knowledge of the fundraise. The funding round, if it closes, would more than double its valuation from its last funding round, which valued the... Zipline, a startup making drones that can deliver small packages like meals and medical supplies,...

CATL's booth at this week's International Motor Show in Hanover, Germany. Photo: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg/Getty

Amid a Battery Squeeze at Home, CATL Pursues Europe's Big Rig Market

By Steve LeVine · Sep 16, 2026 12:27pm PDT

China’s biggest battery maker, Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd., makes four out of every 10 batteries in the world, powering smartphones, electric vehicles, AI data centers and drones nearly everywhere. Now it’s seeking to tighten that hold further with a push to power many of the world’s long-haul trucks, which are quickly going electric. China’s biggest battery maker, Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd., makes four out of every 10...

Partner Content

How to Stay on Top of Tech Trends with Google Gemini

By The Information Partnerships · Sep 16, 2026 8:36am PDT

Even for technology leaders, it can feel impossible to keep up with constant advances in the field. This is especially true in the age of AI, with vendors racing to roll out model updates with new capabilities. Even if technology leaders had time to attend every conference and read every tech publication, it would be a full-time job to simply... Even for technology leaders, it can feel impossible to keep up with constant advances in the...

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images.

Is Anthropic Making Claude Too Human to Control?

By Aaron Holmes · Sep 16, 2026 7:02am PDT

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images.

Is Anthropic Making Claude Too Human to Control?

By Aaron Holmes · Sep 16, 2026 7:02am PDT

Anthropic’s call to slow down AI development to keep humans safe has dominated the news cycle and drew similar calls from the leaders of OpenAI, Microsoft and others (and subtle disagreement from Mark Zuckerberg). But Mustafa Suleyman, who runs Microsoft’s AI model development, has a warning about Anthropic itself. Suleyman, who... Anthropic’s call to slow down AI development to keep humans safe has dominated the news cycle and...

Apple CEO John Ternus. Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images.

Apple Considers Return to Server Market, Has Talked With Nvidia to Use Network Tech

By Aaron Tilley, Qianer Liu and Phoebe Liu · Sep 16, 2026 6:00am PDT

Apple has been working on plans for an enterprise server using its own chips that could incorporate networking equipment from Nvidia, people familiar with the project said, as the Mac maker looks to capitalize on surging interest in its computers for AI. Apple has been developing the server with plans to sell it to AI developers, other... Apple has been working on plans for an enterprise server using its own chips that could...

Photo by Getty

AI Agent Startup Instinct in Talks for $10 Billion Valuation

By Valida Pau · Sep 15, 2026 6:50pm PDT

The startup behind personal AI assistant Instinct is in talks to raise $1 billion at a valuation of about $10 billion, people with knowledge of the deal said. Sequoia Capital and Benchmark have been in talks to lead the financing, the people said. Coatue Management has also been in talks to lead, according to one of the people. The Information ... The startup behind personal AI assistant Instinct is in talks to raise $1 billion at a valuation...

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Meta Joins Tech’s AI-Fueled Subscription Rush

By Martin Peers · Sep 15, 2026 5:00pm PDT

When it comes to product names, companies tend to move in packs. In video streaming, almost every company included a plus sign in the name brands of their services (Disney+, Paramount+, Apple TV+—you get the picture). In tech, we’ve got Apple One, Google One and now Meta One (we used to have Amazon One, but that has been dropped). Does no one... When it comes to product names, companies tend to move in packs. In video streaming, almost every...

Anthropic, OpenAI ‘Pacing’ Spooks Some Startup Customers

Anthropic, OpenAI ‘Pacing’ Spooks Some Startup Customers

By Julia Hornstein · Sep 15, 2026 4:25pm PDT

Anthropic, OpenAI ‘Pacing’ Spooks Some Startup Customers

Anthropic, OpenAI ‘Pacing’ Spooks Some Startup Customers

By Julia Hornstein · Sep 15, 2026 4:25pm PDT

It’s not clear what impact the pledges by Anthropic and OpenAI to slow the pace of AI development will have on their upcoming public offerings. But the comments are having real effects already: more people outside Silicon Valley and Washington are now alert to potential risks from AI in a way they weren’t even very recently. That’s not great... It’s not clear what impact the pledges by Anthropic and OpenAI to slow the pace of AI development...