Techmeme Ride Home

Google has fired 28 employees for political protests yesterday. A well-known coding school has been fined by the CFPB. Game emulators come to the iPhone. TikTok’s Instagram clone is rolling out. Has Sony perfecting Mini LED TVs? And the Atlas robot has been reborn in a new body! Links: Google fires 28 employees after sit-in protest over Israel cloud contractConsumer Financial Protection Bureau fines BloomTech for false claimsThird-party iPhone app store AltStore PAL is now live in EuropeTikTok Notes starts rolling out as a new rival to InstagramUS Air Force confirms first successful AI dogfightSony might have perfected Mini LED TVs with its new 2024 lineupBoston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot goes electricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

T-Mobile and Verizon employees are being offered bribes for SIM swaps. How much coding copilots have taken over. How much would you value Mistral or Cohere in the LLM race? How popular has Airchat gotten? How big has Amazon Prime gotten? And one of the original modern robots is being retired. Links: T-Mobile, Verizon workers get texts offering $300 for SIM swapsMicrosoft’s AI Copilot Is Starting to Automate the Coding IndustryMistral, an OpenAI Rival in Europe, in Talks to Raise Capital at a $5 Billion ValuationInvitation-Only Audio Social Network Is the Hot New App in Tech CirclesMusk’s Starlink Cracks Down on Growing Black MarketAmazon Prime Memberships in US Gain 8% to New High After LullAtlas shrugged: Boston Dynamics retires its hydraulic humanoid robotSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft continues to spread its AI bets. Disney wants to bring back tv channels. YouTube is not gonna let you block ads. What did Humane get wrong with the AI Pin? And can Limitless do any better with its AI Pendant? Sponsors: MackWeldon.com, promocode rideYahooFinance.com Links: Microsoft to invest $1.5bn in Abu Dhabi AI group G42To Keep Viewers, Disney Plans a New Streaming Concept: Old-Style TV ChannelsYouTube cracking down on third-party apps that block adsYouTube Accounted for Nearly 10% of All TV Viewing in March, Nielsen SaysOh the HumanityLimitless is a new AI tool for your meetings — and an all-hearing wearable gadgetSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Really looks like high-end re-shoring of chip tech is happening, and happening soon. What if satellite telephony becomes a table-stakes smartphone feature? Get ready for the bitcoin halving. Does anyone have invites to Airchat? And get ready for 4TB, yes, TB, SD cards. Sponsors: Shopify.com/rideArcticWolf.com/techmeme Links: Samsung boosts Joe Biden’s chipmaking ambitions with Texas plant upgradeExclusive: Google Pixel 9 series to get emergency satellite connectivity, new modemBitcoin ‘Halving’ Will Deal a $10 Billion Blow to Crypto MinersChatGPT essay cheats are a menace to us allNaval Ravikant’s Airchat is a social app built around talk, not text4TB SD cards are arriving in 2025 for your cameras and laptopsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Really looks like high-end re-shoring of chip tech is happening, and happening soon. What if satellite telephony becomes a table-stakes smartphone feature? Get ready for the bitcoin halving. Does anyone have invites to Airchat? And get ready for 4TB, yes, TB, SD cards. Sponsors: Shopify.com/rideArcticWolf.com/techmeme Links: Samsung boosts Joe Biden’s chipmaking ambitions with Texas plant upgradeExclusive: Google Pixel 9 series to get emergency satellite connectivity, new modemBitcoin ‘Halving’ Will Deal a $10 Billion Blow to Crypto MinersChatGPT essay cheats are a menace to us allNaval Ravikant’s Airchat is a social app built around talk, not text4TB SD cards are arriving in 2025 for your cameras and laptopsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now a big business intelligence company has been breached. Do you get the sense that people are laying the groundwork for something? Google discontinues a product, but this time, its probably our fault. M4 chips are coming from Apple. OpenAI continues to be the drama queen of Silicon Valley. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: US government urges Sisense customers to reset credentials after hackGoogle One VPN will be discontinued, Pixel VPN remains with upgrade comingX’s Premium users can no longer hide their blue checksApple Plans to Overhaul Entire Mac Line With AI-Focused M4 ChipsOpenAI Researchers, Including Ally of Sutskever, Fired for Alleged LeakingIs Google's AI Actually Discovering 'Millions of New Materials?' Weekend Longreads Suggestions: AI-Music Arms Race: Meet Udio, the Other ChatGPT for MusicHow Bluey Became a $2 Billion Smash Hit—With an Uncertain FutureSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is notifying people their iPhones may have been compromised. Spotify wants you to mix up your music. Adobe is paying handsomely for videos. And the biggest new gadget review event in a long time. Link: Apple alerts users in 92 nations to mercenary spyware attacksSpotify Plans New Remixing Tools for the TikTok GenerationAdobe Is Buying Videos for $3 Per Minute to Build AI ModelHumane AI Pin review: not even closeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More AI announces from Google. More hints on how Apple will bring AI to iPhones. And a bunch of interesting datapoints: how much Apple has moved away from manufacturing in China, how much money TikTok’s parent company is making, are kids warming up to VR and are alternative browsers benefitting from the DMA? Links: Google Launches Coding AIs That Could Rival Microsoft's Github CopilotApple's new AI model could help Siri see how iOS apps workApple’s India iPhone Output Hits $14 Billion in China ShiftByteDance Profit Jumps 60%, Taking It Past Archrival TencentExclusive: EU's new tech laws are working; small browsers gain market shareSurvey shows that teenagers are using more VR devices in the USKobo announces its first color e-readersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google has a ton of AI announces, including new Arm-based AI chips, utilizing Google search in Gemini, and more. They also released their own Find My network. Microsoft is confident they can release chips that can best Apple Silicon. And maybe OpenAI DID train on YouTube videos after all. Everybody is desperate for data right now. Sponsors: 1Password.com/ride Links: Google Expands In-House Chip Efforts in Costly AI BattleGoogle Shows AI Model Is Enterprise-Ready After Gemini MishapsGmail adding voice input, Gemini for Google Chat, Meet ‘Translate for me,’ & moreGoogle rolling out Find My Device network for AndroidMicrosoft is confident Windows on Arm could finally beat AppleSpotify launches personalized AI playlists that you can build using promptsHow Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Marcus comes on the pod to discuss what he's been working on since leaving Meta. Specificially: Lightspark, and efforts to expand the Lighting Network and bitcoin. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple joins the tech layoff club. Microsoft warns China is planning to disrupt elections using AI. Disney+ is joining Netflix in cracking down on password sharing. How much is the going rate to buy pictures or videos to train AI models on? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions. Links: Apple Cut at Least 600 Workers When Car, Screen Projects StoppedChina will use AI to disrupt elections in the US, South Korea and India, Microsoft warnsDisney+ will crack down on password sharing in JuneInside Big Tech's underground race to buy AI training dataYouTube Says OpenAI Training Sora With Its Videos Would Break Rules Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How One Tech Skeptic Decided A.I. Might Benefit the Middle ClassHow WhatsApp became the world’s default communication appThe 18 most interesting startups from YC’s Demo Day show we’re in an AI bubbleYC’s latest Demo Day shows fascinating wagers on healthcare, chip design, AI and moreSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Apple pivoting to home robotics now that the Apple Car project is dead? Is Google about to pivot to subscription based search? Why is X handing back blue checkmarks whether people want them or not? Why Amazon merchants are upset over return scams. And why the band Kiss might live forever. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Apple Explores Home Robotics as Potential ‘Next Big Thing’ After Car FizzlesGoogle considers charging for AI-powered search in big change to business modelX’s ‘complimentary’ Premium push gives people blue checks they didn’t ask forWashington state judge blocks use of AI-enhanced video as evidence in possible first-of-its-kind rulingAmazon Sellers Plagued by Surge in Scam ReturnsBusiness Schools Are Going All In on AIRock band Kiss sells rights for $300mn to firm behind Abba hologram showSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have we just had a major breakthrough in Quantum Computing? The earthquake in Taiwan might lead to some chip issues. We don’t quite know yet. Amazon is retooling it’s Just Walk Out technology. Venture capitalists are having a hard time raising money. And in the last segment of the show, I actually break some news about Coinbase. Links: Microsoft and Quantinuum say they’ve ushered in the next era of quantum computingAI-generated songs are getting longer, not necessarily betterTop musicians among hundreds warning against replacing human artists with AITSMC Facilities to Resume Production Overnight After QuakeAmazon’s Grocery Stores to Drop Just Walk Out Checkout TechVenture capital reckons with the end of ‘megafund’ era YouTube Of Our Interview With David Marcus See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big trove of AT&T customer data dumped online. Microsoft is unbundling Teams. Amazon is readying its own big LLM. We should probably assume Section 230 does not cover AI. And what do you name an AI supercomputer? Stargate, apparently. Links: AT&T resets account passcodes after millions of customer records leak onlineExclusive: Microsoft to separate Teams and Office globally amid antitrust scrutinyAmazon scrambles for its place in the AI raceGen-AI Search Engine Perplexity Has a Plan to Sell AdsThe AI Industry Is Steaming Toward A Legal IcebergMicrosoft and OpenAI Plot $100 Billion Stargate AI SupercomputerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What prolific AI investor Nat Friedman expects from GPT-5, Microsoft's general strategy in AI, how he invests in startups, and his background an philosophy when it comes to investing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SBF gets 25 years. X is maybe about to NSFW. Apple’s new OLED iPads should be coming in May. I can’t cram another acronym in here to tell you about Apple suing an employee for leaking. And, of course, the WLS… Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years for multi-billion dollar FTX fraudElon Musk’s X Is Testing ‘Adult Content’ Groups for UsersApple Sues Former Employee for Leaking iPhone's Journal App and MoreApple Plans New iPad Pro for May as Production Ramps Up OverseasReddit shares plunge almost 25% in two days, finish the week below first day close Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How We’ll Reach a 1 Trillion Transistor GPUHow Jesse Plemons Came to Star in, Well, Pretty Much EverythingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s a new king of the AI hill as Anthropic bests OpenAI for the first time. Amazon invests more in Anthropic and is investing a TON more in datacenters. Is that GPT sort of App Store not exactly catching fire? A big acquisition in gaming. And the tiny Caribbean island nation that is one of the biggest winners of the AI moment so far. Links: “The king is dead”—Claude 3 surpasses GPT-4 on Chatbot Arena for the first timeAmazon spends $2.75 billion on AI startup Anthropic in its largest venture investment yetAmazon Bets $150 Billion on Data Centers Required for AI BoomOpenAI’s app store draws investors and students seeking artificial aidsOregon’s governor signs right-to-repair law that bans ‘parts pairing’Take-Two Buys Gearbox From Embracer, Confirms Development on New Borderlands GameThe A.I. Boom Makes Millions for an Unlikely Industry Player: AnguillaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Disney launches Hulu on Disney+. Apple schedules WWDC. Some Apple users report being victims of MFA bombing attacks. What it will mean to be certified as an AI PC. And more crazy data on the hunt for talent in the AI Wars. Links: Hulu on Disney+ Launches Out of Beta With Marketing Push to Grow SubscribersThe Disney Plus-Hulu merger is way more than a streaming bundleApple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14Recent ‘MFA Bombing’ Attacks Targeting Apple UsersDatabricks launches DBRX, challenging Big Tech in the open source AI raceDatabricks open-sources its own large language model, DBRXDatabricks spent $10M on new DBRX generative AI model, but it can’t beat GPT-4Intel shares Microsoft's new AI PC definition, launches AI PC Acceleration Programs and Core Ultra Meteor Lake NUC developer kits at AI conferenceThe Fight for AI Talent: Pay Million-Dollar Packages and Buy Whole TeamsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Executive shuffling indicates that Microsoft is serious about reorganizing itself around AI. The US and UK move against those alleged Chinese infrastructure hackers. OpenAI seems to be courting Hollywood for its Sora tool. And is the IPO window finally open for tech companies? Links: Microsoft has a new Windows and Surface chiefCanva Strikes Biggest Acquisition Yet in Chase to Take on AdobeUS sanctions APT31 hackers behind critical infrastructure attacksOpenAI shows off first examples of third-party creators using SoraOpenAI Courts Hollywood in Meetings With Film Studios, DirectorsReddit options launch draws bulls, as shares soarIPO Window Cracks Open and Silicon Valley Sees Some DaylightMeta’s new opt-out setting limits visibility of politics on Instagram and ThreadsElon Musk’s Starlink Terminals Are Falling Into the Wrong Hands Nat Friedman YouTube Video See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They said this law would be one that was capable of moving fast. The EU has already opened formal DMA investigations into Apple and Google. Stability AI seems to be circling the Deadpool. Checking in on the health of X. Greater homescreen control coming to iPhones? And what should we make of tech insiders selling massive amounts of shares? Sponsors: MackWeldon.com promocode RIDE Links: EU probes Apple, Meta and Alphabet under landmark new lawStability AI Founder Emad Mostaque Plans To Resign As CEO, Sources SayFewer people are using Elon Musk’s X as the platform struggles to attract and keep users, according to analystsSpotify adds video learning courses in latest experimentSources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen GridJustice Department Risks Picking the Wrong Fight With AppleThiel, Bezos and Zuckerberg join parade of insiders selling tech stocksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.