TechCheck

Andy Jassy’s Balancing Act 4/11/24

April 11, 2024 19:54 - 7 minutes - 6.75 MB

The state of Amazon speaks to the state of big tech right now: keeping up with AI competition while keeping costs in check. We break down the tightrope that CEO Andy Jassy has to walk, from investing in startups while building models, to M&A while keeping an eye on regulators.

TechCheck+ Flow Co-Founder Adam Neumann 4/11/24

April 11, 2024 19:01 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MB

Adam Neumann, former CEO of WeWork, sits down with CNBC’s Deidre Bosa to discuss the launch of his new Florida-based real estate startup, Flow, his bid to buy back WeWork, and more.

TechCheck+ Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian 4/10/24

April 10, 2024 19:08 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MB

A new leg of the cloud wars has begun - one where access to the best AI models and tools is key. On the consumer side, Google’s strategy remains uncertain. But on the enterprise side, Google can afford to go on the offensive, and that’s happening in the cloud. CNBC's Deirdre Bosa sat down exclusively with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian on competition, monetization, the partnership with Anthropic, and more.

New Tech Fund for Buzzy Startups, Plus Intel and Google Unveil New Chips 4/9/24

April 09, 2024 19:14 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MB

There's a new fund that now allows retail investors to get in on the hottest tech startups, including Stripe, OpenAI and SpaceX. But it comes with some risk. The Destiny Tech100 fund has soared more than 500% since its launch two weeks ago but is tanking 40% today. We break down the risks and the rewards. Plus, Intel and Google both announced new and more powerful chips. Intel is introducing its Gaudi 3, which they say is better at inferencing and power efficiency than Nvidia’s H100 chip -- ...

Healthier Capital CEO on Health Care Startups, Plus Taiwan Semi’s CHIPS Act Grant 4/8/24

April 08, 2024 18:26 - 9 minutes - 8.51 MB

After a two-year slump, the health care funding market could finally be picking up as AI gets leveraged in the sector. We speak with Amir Dan Rubin, managing partner and CEO of the VC firm Healthier Capital and former CEO of Amazon-acquired primary care provider One Medical on the state of health care startups and funding. Plus, some of the most advanced chips in the world will now be made in America, but by a foreign firm. Taiwan Semi is the largest chip manufacturer in the world and has se...

Samsung’s Big Chip Investment and Robotics Emerge as Big Tech’s Next Battleground 4/5/24

April 05, 2024 20:58 - 3 minutes - 3.43 MB

Samsung is said to be the latest company to make a big investment in chip manufacturing in the United States. The company reportedly planning to double its total semiconductor investment in Texas to $44 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. Plus, Move over AI.. robots are emerging as the next big battleground for Big Tech. Apple – is said to be the latest mover.. joining Amazon, Tesla, Nvidia and Google

Founders Fund Partner Trae Stephens on Tech and IPOs, Plus Google’s Search Evolution 4/4/24

April 04, 2024 18:53 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MB

Trae Stephens is a partner at the prestigious VC firm Founders Fund, co-founder of the defense startup Anduril, and an early Palantir employee. He joins us for a rare interview on investing in defense technology, the thawing IPO market, whether an AI bubble is brewing, and more. Plus, Google’s dominance was built on free products - Gmail, Drive, Maps, Search. But now, in what would be a huge change from that model, the tech giant is reportedly considering charging for AI search features, add...

Steve Cohen’s AI Predictions 4/3/24

April 03, 2024 19:25 - 6 minutes - 6.02 MB

Despite talks of a bubble brewing around AI, Steve Cohen, Point72 Chairman and CEO and owner of the New York Mets, thinks we have a lot more room to run. He says the markets might actually be discounting what AI’s going to be able to do for companies, and that there’s even more upside as a result of AI. We break down what that might mean for labor and productivity, and how to find the AI winners in startups.

Intel’s Foundry Vision, Plus Salesforce’s AI Chief on New Gen-AI Tool 4/2/24

April 02, 2024 18:43 - 7 minutes - 6.48 MB

There’s so much demand for the $53 billion CHIPS Act, the Biden administration has announced it will scrap funding originally allocated to semiconductor R&D facilities, and instead fund manufacturing hubs like Intel’s. But the funding amount is more like a drop in the bucket in Intel’s longer-term vision for its foundry business. Plus, Salesforce’s AI Chief Clara Shih joins us to talk about a new gen-AI co-pilot tool Einstein and how it’s driving productivity for customers.

What’s Ahead for Apple after a Tough Quarter 4/1/24

April 01, 2024 20:44 - 8 minutes - 7.38 MB

Apple is coming off a tough quarter. It was one of the worst-performing megacap tech stocks this year, down nearly 12% in the last three months. The negative sentiment from Wall Street continued today, with Loop Capital cutting its 12-month price target on the stock to $170 from $185. But there could be some positive catalysts ahead, including its annual developers conference, WWDC and a new iPhone cycle in September.

Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer on AI Apps, Plus Finding the AI Underdogs 3/28/24

March 28, 2024 18:36 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MB

Former Yahoo CEO and early Google employee Marissa Mayer thinks photo sharing is broken. Her new app Shine uses AI to fix that. We chat with her on the new venture, plus competing with tech giants and LLMs, AI startups, Google’s AI strategy and more. Plus, one Raymond James analyst thinks he’s found the next winners in AI: web tool platforms like GoDaddy and Wix. We debate whether that will still hold true as the next generation of AI apps enter the market.

Return of the Meme Stock? 3/27/24

March 27, 2024 18:48 - 8 minutes - 7.55 MB

A new class of meme stocks has arrived. Trump Media, or DJT, is perhaps the most divorced from fundamentals. The newly-merged SPAC closed yesterday with a nearly $8 billion market cap and is up 17% today. Newly-public Reddit has also been also volatile – up nearly 70% since its IPO but falling 11% today. It all underscores a market that is increasingly driven by momentum… and retail investors.

Neumann’s Bid for WeWork 3/26/24

March 26, 2024 18:16 - 6 minutes - 5.55 MB

The saga of WeWork continues. Former CEO Adam Neumann is putting in a bid, along with half a dozen financing partners, to buy the now-bankrupt co-working company for more than $500 million, according to CNBC sources. But where is that money coming from, and who are the financing partners that would back Neumann after the high-profile WeWork implosion?

Big Tech’s New Regulatory Battles 3/25/24

March 25, 2024 18:50 - 10 minutes - 9.78 MB

The European Union has now launched its first official investigations under its sweeping new competition law, the Digital Markets Act, targeting Apple, Google and Meta in particular. It’s a signal of European regulators going on the offense – identifying so-called gatekeepers and laying out rules to prevent future abuse of market power. But the tech giants now have battles going on multiple fronts – fighting regulators while also trying to keep up with megacap peers in the AI race.

TechCheck+ Apple Succumbs to the AI Pressure 03/22/24

March 22, 2024 17:54 - 9 minutes - 8.5 MB

Apple's strategy has always been to be the last and best mover. But generative AI is a different beast. Now, the tech giant looks to be scrambling. It's reportedly in talks to outsource key AI features on the next iPhone to one of its biggest rivals, Google, and has released a new Macbook Air it's selling as "the world's best consumer laptop for AI," but has the same features as past laptops. This week on TechCheck, we dig into how Apple has succumbed to the AI pressure.

What the DOJ Missed on Apple, and how Microsoft has Dodged Regulators 03/22/24

March 22, 2024 17:42 - 8 minutes - 7.44 MB

The DOJ filed a historic 88-page suit against Apple, alleging that the tech giant of running an illegal monopoly. But we point out some more questionable allegations in the lawsuit, including the DOJ’s statements around CarPlay and Apple TV+. Plus, though all its megacap peers are currently facing regulatory investigations, Microsoft has somehow dodged scrutiny. We break down its regulatory playbook and secret to success.

Reddit’s AI Pitch 3/31/24

March 21, 2024 19:00 - 8 minutes - 7.55 MB

Shares of Reddit are soaring after its debut on the NYSE, as investors look to parse out what the company’s AI proposition really is. Artificial intelligence was a big part of Reddit’s pitch to investors, disclosing that it’s expecting to make around $66 million, or around 7% of its revenue, from a data licensing deal with Google to train its large language model on Reddit data. We dig into just how sustainable that is, and whether Reddit can expect to increase licensing as part of its reven...

Jensen Huang’s Midas Touch 3/19/24

March 19, 2024 18:37 - 7 minutes - 6.69 MB

TechCheck is at Nvidia’s headline developer’s conference, the GTC in San Jose, breaking down the AI ecosystem that CEO Jensen Huang has created. The chip company’s halo effect has reached the public and private markets, with Synopsis, Dell and Cadence higher on the keynote, and a who’s who of generative AI startup darlings speaking at the conference as well, including Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, Mistral and Cohere.

AI Race Leaderboard Reshuffled 3/18/24

March 18, 2024 18:19 - 5 minutes - 5.48 MB

Apple is now reportedly in talks with Alphabet to put Google’s Gemini AI model into iPhones. The partnership could shake up postions in the AI race, potentially acting as a strong rebuke to bears who worried that Google's Gemini large language model is falling short of competitor products. It might also cast doubt on Apple's AI strategy and whether it’s able to catch up to rivals.

Beijing Doubles Down on TikTok Sale Opposition 3/15/24

March 15, 2024 18:55 - 6 minutes - 6.24 MB

Beijing now seems unlikely to let go of TikTok's secret sauce - it's source code - saying overnight that it would oppose a forced sale. That severely limits the options for parent company Bytedance, and poses a big challenge for any U.S. workers who might try and replicate the algorithm.

TechCheck+ Why ‘open’ AI might be more marketing than reality 3/15/24

March 15, 2024 18:45 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MB

Among developers, Meta's latest open-source large language model, the Llama 2, is the hottest thing around. Wall Street also seems to be waking up to the proposition, with the stock far outperforming AI rivals like Google and Microsoft. But calling Meta's AI system "open source" is only part of the story. And the same might also apply to buzzy startups like Mistral and open source’s loudest advocates like Elon Musk. This week on Tech Check, we break down the promise of open source AI vs the ...

The U.S. Money Invested in TikTok, Plus Reddit Readies its IPO 3/14/24

March 14, 2024 19:05 - 6 minutes - 6.08 MB

A significant amount of U.S. money is invested in TikTok parent company ByteDance, including Carlyle Group, KKR, GGV, Sequoia, Tiger Global and more. Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin will likely have to go through them in his plans to put together a group to buy TikTok. Plus, Reddit’s IPO roadshow is underway. We break down what industry experts are now saying it could mean for the IPO pipeline.

Breaking Down the Nvidia Halo Effect 3/13/24

March 13, 2024 19:28 - 4 minutes - 4.14 MB

The Nvidia halo effect is alive and well. TechCheck spoke to the founder and CEO of Together AI, a newly minted unicorn that helps developers access Nvidia server chips to train their AI models, on how amid the scarcity of GPUs, it's all about making the supply of existing ones more efficient.

Arm Shares Face Big Test This Week 3/12/24

March 12, 2024 18:24 - 7 minutes - 6.56 MB

Shares of Arm are just fractionally higher today as its lockup period expires. That’s the 6-month period after an IPO during which insiders like early investors and employees are restricted from selling shares to prevent volatility. Will they look to sell and lock in gains? Softbank and its CEO Masayoshi Son own a 90% stake and has often drawn down on winners, including by using ownership in Alibaba to pay off debt and repurchase shares.

The Fate of OpenAI’s Nonprofit Mission, Plus TikTok Ban Gains Momentum 3/11/24

March 11, 2024 19:14 - 7 minutes - 6.99 MB

There's a new, uncomfortable dynamic at OpenAI: a non-profit mission with a corporate profit motive. The recent changes at OpenAI's board underscore that - replacing AI researchers and specialists with business execs familiar with building for-profit companies. Plus, a new bipartisan effort to ban TikTok is gaining momentum in Congress. We dig into former President Trump’s flip-flopping stance on the ban.

One Year After SVB’s Collapse, Silicon Valley Still Searches for a Replacement 3/8/24

March 08, 2024 20:40 - 5 minutes - 4.99 MB

One year after the collapse of SVB, the Valley is still searching for a replacement. The bank had tailored services for early-stage companies, partnered with VCs, been a lender for those considered too risky for traditional banks. TechCheck talked to two startup founders on the failure, the changes since then, and the gap still in the market.

OpenAI Fires Back at Elon Musk, Plus Microsoft Engineer Sounds the Alarm 3/6/24

March 06, 2024 19:07 - 7 minutes - 6.67 MB

The fight between OpenAI and Elon Musk has entered a new round. After Musk filed suit against the startup accusing it of prioritizing profits, OpenAI has fired back with a trove of new bombshell emails that puts Musk back in the hot seat. Plus, CNBC talked to a Microsoft engineer that is now raising the red flag about its flagship AI profit CoPilot, warning of sexual and violent content.

TechCheck+ Google vs Google: The internal struggle holding back its AI 3/1/24

March 01, 2024 21:44 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MB

Instead of a comeback, Google’s Gemini AI chatbot and image generator have gone viral for all the wrong reasons – producing inaccurate and offensive responses. The missteps have put Google back on the defensive in the AI race. But the bigger question around Gemini’s roll out is whether it underscores a painful but new corporate reality for Alphabet and CEO Sundar Pichai. Is Google’s culture sabotaging its AI efforts? We discuss both sides after a week where other mega-caps are making stride...

Google vs Google: The internal struggle holding back its AI 3/1/24

March 01, 2024 21:44 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MB

Instead of a comeback, Google’s Gemini AI chatbot and image generator have gone viral for all the wrong reasons – producing inaccurate and offensive responses. The missteps have put Google back on the defensive in the AI race. But the bigger question around Gemini’s roll out is whether it underscores a painful but new corporate reality for Alphabet and CEO Sundar Pichai. Is Google’s culture sabotaging its AI efforts? We discuss both sides after a week where other mega-caps are making stride...

Bull vs. Bear at Google 2/27/24

February 27, 2024 21:56 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MB

The fallout for Alphabet – the stock is now negative for the year as more controversies mount around its AI model Gemini rollout. Some are now calling for a change in leadership.

Sam Altman Owns A Piece of Reddit 2/23/24

February 23, 2024 21:22 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MB

Of course he does! Reddit filed (finally) for its IPO. What it – and the money behind it – say about the state of tech right now.

TechCheck+ Nvidia, Sam Altman and the trillion-dollar AI dream 2/23/24

February 23, 2024 21:05 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MB

Artificial intelligence only entered the mainstream a year ago. But already, two titans of the industry are prophesying trillions of dollars in opportunity. Nvidia chief Jensen Huang is predicting an additional $1 trillion in data centers in the next few years, while OpenAI’s Sam Altman’s chip dream is closer to $7 trillion. This week on Tech Check, we take a deep dive into their trillion-dollar AI visions.

FTX Wants to Sell Its Anthropic Stake 2/22/24

February 22, 2024 19:58 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MB

Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has filed a legal motion that would allow the company to sell its nearly 8% stake in one of the buzziest and highly-valued AI startups.

Retail Investors Buy The Dip 2/15/24

February 15, 2024 22:30 - 3 minutes - 3.06 MB

When tech stocks fell this week, retail investors came in buying.

An AI Love Story 2/14/24

February 14, 2024 20:26 - 13 minutes - 12 MB

Is AI hype outpacing reality… A few signs that perhaps this story will not be as simple as buying the early AI winners like Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Nvidia… especially as it plays out in the stock market.

Bezos, Zuckerberg Sell Stock 2/12/24

February 12, 2024 22:44 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MB

Jeff Bezos selling Amazon stock for the first time in more than two years. Mark Zuckerberg selling some Meta shares. Today – what insider sales RIGHT NOW could mean for tech at large.

7 Trillion Reasons 2/9/24

February 09, 2024 19:22 - 12 minutes - 11 MB

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman -- now turning his attention to chips… Reportedly looking to raise up to seven trillion dollars for a new semiconductor venture or partnership. This is a question we find ourselves asking a lot – how real is that?

Goodbye, Bard! Google’s Gemini Rebrand.

February 08, 2024 21:22 - 10 minutes - 9.69 MB

Google's Bard is now Gemini… What a rename and a rebrand mean for Google’s fight for AI.

Alibaba & Chinese Stocks in Freefall 02/07/24

February 07, 2024 22:01 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MB

What happened to the Chinese stock market? Alibaba stock price is in a tailspin. The problems are fundamental. The big question – is this an Alibaba problem, or is it a broader proxy for the way China is uninvestable right now?

Neumann, Old Job? 2/6/24

February 06, 2024 23:17 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MB

Adam Neumann -- the founder of WeWork ousted from the company in 2019 -- is now trying to buy it back out of bankruptcy. Just how real is that?

Semi-Charmed stocks 2/5/24

February 05, 2024 20:38 - 8 minutes - 7.39 MB

Chips… versus the rest of the market. Semiconductors are THE trade of 2024 (Nvidia up 42% YTD btw)… So why aren’t they beating the expectations? Today, truth and fundamentals within tech.

Meta & The Push For Cash in Tech 2/2/24

February 02, 2024 19:36 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MB

A big week of tech earnings, and all in all, business remains good. Profitability is increasing. And these giant tech companies – META front and center today, they’re returning a lot of cash to shareholders. Could this be a sign of more to come?

The Ipos You Want Vs. The Ipos You Get 2/1/24

February 01, 2024 20:58 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MB

It’s a two-track IPO market. Why the weakest are going public as the strong stay private.

Google Cracks 1/31/24

January 31, 2024 19:01 - 4 minutes - 3.78 MB

Cracks in Google’s dominance… that’s been the fear since ChatGPT stole Google’s mainstream AI moment, and last night, the search giant gave investors reason to worry.

Tech grows, everything else… slows 01/30/24

January 30, 2024 21:31 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MB

The six biggest tech stocks are set to grow earnings 54% when they report numbers – Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Nvidia, Meta, Amazon. The rest of the S&P 500? The other 494 mature, solid U.S. companies? Their blended average growth is looking like NEGATIVE 10.4%. Today – that divide, this week.

Google Challengers 1/29/24

January 29, 2024 22:39 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MB

Big tech earnings this week – we’ll tackle Alphabet. The big focus for 2024: can it prove itself as an AI leader… or is its golden goose, advertising, at risk of disruption? Today: looking for the next great alternative.

TechCheck+ The headset wars: Why it's Apple's to lose 01/26/24

January 26, 2024 21:09 - 9 minutes - 8.57 MB

Two tech titans are now duking it out in the headset wars. Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quests offer different price points, different specs, and most importantly, different visions of the future of virtual reality. And both have big hurdles to clear. This week on TechCheck, why the headset battle is Apple's to lose.

Musk, Altman Taylor & Billions of Dollars 1/26/24

January 26, 2024 21:00 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MB

Elon Musk. Bret Taylor. Sam Altman… The biggest names in tech, in Silicon Valley, are looking to raise huge sums of money, billions of dollars, to fund the next era of startups.

Tech's 'Mass extinction event' 01/25/24

January 25, 2024 20:35 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MB

The brutal year for tech workers continues… More layoffs, this time at Microsoft’s gaming unit. But what about startups? Will they face a mass extinction event this year

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