TechCheck

Nvidia's walled garden, plus Jensen Huang the diplomat 7/15/25

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia scored a potential win today, after announcing that it expected to be able to sell its AI chips in China again after the Trump administration s...

Cracks in the AI productivity bull case 7/11/25

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tech giants like Microsoft and Google are outsourcing more and more coding to AI in a productivity push. We dig into how new research suggests the too...

Nvidia's next catalysts after $4 trillion milestone 7/9/25

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After being the first company ever to top the $4 trillion market cap milestone, Nvidia still has a long runway ahead for growth, according to analysts...

Meta poaches top Apple AI researcher 7/8/25

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meta is notching another name in its expensive hunt for top AI talent, poaching a top Apple executive for reportedly tens of millions of dollars. We d...

How the GOP bill could slow U.S. AI innovation 7/7/25

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's newly-signed spending bill slashes tax credits for renewable energy, which could have a massive and unexpected impact on big tech's ...

Google promotes “AI Mode” on homepage 7/2/25

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The talent wars between OpenAI and Meta are drawing headlines but Google is quietly making an AI move that could put the tech giant ahead. We dig into...

Threats to SpaceX & Tesla as Musk, Trump feud heats up 7/1/25

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tesla is the worst performer in the Magnificent 7 this year as the feud between President Trump and Elon Musk heats up. We dig into which parts of Mus...

Zuckerberg poaches AI talent as Meta chases superintelligence 6/30/25

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Shares of Meta hitting a fresh all-time high today as it pushes full steam ahead on its AI talent spending spree. We dig into why Zuckerberg is poachi...

OpenAI raises alarm over Chinese startup Zhipu AI 6/27/25

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI is warning an emerging Chinese startup that it says is catching up quickly. We dig into how China’s rapid spread of AI infrastructure could b...

AI’s reasoning blind spot 6/26/25

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tech stocks continuing to rally this week, the NASDAQ 100 hitting another record high today as AI optimism buoys big tech names. We dig into why the m...

TechCheck Takes: The AI Boom's Multi-Billion Dollar Blind Spot 6/25/25

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI reasoning models were supposed to be the industry’s next leap, promising smarter systems able to tackle more complex problems. Now, a string of r...

Waymo, Uber bring robotaxis to Atlanta 6/24/25

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Shares of Uber surging after opening its robotaxi partnership with Waymo to the public in Atlanta. It comes just two days after Tesla launched its sma...

Tesla’s robotaxi debut sends shares surging 6/23/25

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tesla rolled out their first limited batch of robotaxis in Austin Texas over the weekend, sending shares soaring.  We dig into how the robotaxi race ...

Meta’s all-out AI talent hunt, plus Masayoshi Son’s latest big bet 6/20/25

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 A source confirming to CNBC that  Meta tried to buy Perplexity before the $14.3B deal for Scale AI and its founder Alexandr Wang. Plus, we look at ...

Countdown to Fed Decision, Sen. Warren on Fed, Iran & More, and AI’s Talent Battle 6/18/25

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates, we look at what’s at stake and what to expect from today’s projections. Plus, Senator...

Microsoft and OpenAI’s slow untangling 6/17/25

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of the longest-standing partnerships in AI could be reaching a breaking point. We look at the souring relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft an...

Tech’s tightrope in Gulf AI deals 6/16/25

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East continues to escalate, as U.S. tech firms deepen their ties to Gulf states investing in AI. We dig into how th...

Scale AI CEO joins Meta 6/13/25

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meta making its investment in scale AI official. Spending $14.3B for a 49% stake in the company, as CEO Alexandr Wang departs for a role inside Meta. ...

Kalshi airs fully AI-generated ad on primetime 6/12/25

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI has gone primetime, with a completely AI-generated ad from the prediction platform Kalshi airing last night during the NBA finals. The company says...

Meta spends $15B for Scale AI stake 6/10/25

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A source confirming to CNBC that Meta is spending $15B to obtain a 49% stake in AI startup Scale AI. We dig into why Meta is going big on the deal, an...

Apple Researchers' AI Red Flag, Plus OpenAI's Revenue Milestone 6/9/25

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers at Apple are out with a new paper that throws cold water on the biggest trend in AI right now: reasoning models. Scientists there say that...

Amazon’s big bet on “Physical AI” 6/6/25

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Morgan Stanley calling out Amazon as an “under-appreciated Gen AI winner” over its investments in automation. We dig into how robotics could trans...

TechCheck Takes: Waymo’s co-CEO on 10 million Driverless Rides 6/5/25

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo may not be as loud as Tesla in the autonomous vehicle race, but co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana says that Waymo is the on...

How AI “vibe-hacking” could upend cyber security 6/5/25

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is warning against a provision in the GOP’s massive reconciliation bill that would ban state AI laws for 10 years. We dig...

Tesla FSD crash video highlights the camera vs. lidar robotaxi debate 6/4/25

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New footage obtained by Bloomberg reveals the shocking moments before a pedestrian was struck and killed in 2023 by a Tesla using FSD technology. We d...

AI laws on chopping block in GOP bill 6/3/25

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate is getting their turn at the GOP’s massive reconciliation bill, but now state lawmakers are speaking out against a provision buried insid...

Perplexity AI nears deal with Samsung 6/2/25

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Startup Perplexity is close to a deal with Samsung that would make their assistant the default on upcoming devices. We look at what the deal means as ...

Zuckerberg & Luckey's Reconciliation 5/30/25

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Anduril's Palmer Luckey are now teaming up to make virtual reality headsets for defense military training. But the new vent...

Nvidia's Inference Growth Engine 5/29/25

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China may have been the big headline out of Nvidia's quarter, with 28 mentions on the earnings call, but right behind was inference at 27. It represen...

The growing disconnect in AI 5/28/25

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meta is reportedly shaking up its AI team after months of delays on its latest Llama 4 Behemoth AI model. We look at how Meta is not alone in having m...

Tariffs threaten big tech’s physical AI buildout 5/23/25

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump’s threat to slap iPhones with a 25% tariff is just his latest attempt to reshape the global supply chain. We look at how his push fo...

OpenAI’s Jony Ive deal escalates Google rivalry 5/22/25

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI’s deal with iphone designer Jony Ive came right in the middle of Google I/O and sent a signal the AI company is aiming to challenge the big t...

Balancing search, AI at Google I/O 5/20/25

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alphabet kicks off its adeveloper event Google I/O today – we look at the tech giant’s delicate balancing act between prioritizing AI while mainta...

Why Palantir, Anduril are Washington's new tech favorites 5/19/25

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Apple and Alibaba shares under pressure after New York Times reporting that their deal to bring AI to Chinese iPhones is facing U.S. government scruti...

Meta reportedly delays launch of flagship AI model “Behemoth” 5/16/25

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal reporting Meta has again delayed the launch of flagship AI model, named “Behemoth.” We look at how the news highlights Met...

Trump, Cook clash over iPhones 5/15/25

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump attacking Tim Cook over Apple’s plans to produce more iPhones in India. We look at how Trump’s tariffs are shifting supply chains....

Databricks buys Neon for $1B, Plus Coreweave’s first quarterly report 5/14/25

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Databricks CEO talks with Deirdre Bosa about the company’s $1B deal to acquire cloud-based database software vendor Neon, and the rapidly evolving A...

The Gulf’s AI ambitions, and China backdoor risks 5/13/25

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump escalating chip diplomacy in his trip to the Gulf states. We look at how Gulf ambitions to become an AI and their longstanding ties to...

Gulf nations’ new role in AI race 5/12/25

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump kicking off the first major international trip of his second term today, heading to the Gulf states as top tech CEOs make their way to...

TechCheck Takes: I Held Google's Willow Chip — What Quantum Means for the Future of AI 5/7/25

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"Inside a secretive lab in Santa Barbara, California, scientists at Alphabet are working on one of the company's most ambitious bets yet. They're atte...

OpenAI scraps for-profit plans 5/6/25

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI is now trying to balance the interests of its biggest backers after the AI darling announced their restructuring plan to remain under non-profi...

The Rise of AI Vibe-Coding 5/5/25

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of AI's emerging superpowers is writing software, as shown by the rapidly climbing valuation of Anysphere, which makes one of the leading tools in...

Big tech earnings signal tariff resilience 5/2/25

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Apple and Amazon mark the tail end of the big tech earnings season, megacaps are sending bullish signals about their ability to weather the tariff ...

Meta, Microsoft boost AI bulls 5/1/25

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI stocks moving sharply higher after Meta and Microsoft posted strong results and doubled-down on AI spending plans. We dig into why the AI bull case...

TechCheck Takes: Justice for AI “wrappers” — the rise of the app layer 4/30/25

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Early in the AI race, apps like Perplexity, Cursor, Sesame and Abridge were known pejoratively as “wrappers,” describing the way their either app ...

AI gets caught in trade war crossfire 04/30/25

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Shares of Nvidia under pressure after reporting that Trump administration officials are considering changes to chip export laws that would lead to cou...

100 days in, cracks showing in Trump, tech relationship 04/29/25

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The White House slamming Amazon today over reports that Amazon was considering showing the added price of tariffs next to products. We dig into how th...

Silicon Valley split on China 4/28/25

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Shares of Nvidia sliding today after reports that Chinese rival Huawei is developing a new AI chip. We dig into how the news is adding fuel to the deb...

Pichai: Alphabet may offer personal robotaxis 4/25/25

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alphabet shares up after reporting stronger than expected Q1 results. We dig into how new numbers around Waymo showing the robotaxi company could most...

What to watch in Alphabet results 4/24/25

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alphabet kicks off earnings season for the hyperscalers after the bell today. We dig into what investors are looking for, from ad revenue to color aro...

Tesla’s ambitious robotaxi goals 4/23/25

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk reiterating his plan to launch paid, driverless Robotaxis in Austing by the end of June on the Tesla earnings call. We look at Musk’s robo...

DOJ Now Targeting Google’s Future, Not Just Its Past 4/22/25

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google back in court today for day two of the search remedies trial, where the DOJ is arguing that AI could help the tech giant expand its search mono...

Nvidia shares slide report of new Huawei chip, Plus hints of data center pullback 4/21/25

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tech stocks continuing their steep decline amid Monday’s selloff, with Nvidia down after reports that Huawei is planning mass shipments of its own A...

Why Trump’s chip ban could help Chinese Nvidia rival 4/16/25

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia shares falling and dragging down the rest of semis after a surprise reveal of a $5.5 billion hit tied to China chip export controls. We look at...

Why Trump is backing Nvidia, Plus the tech earnings mirage 04/15/25

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump promising to expedite permits for Nvidia after the chip giant announced plans to build AI supercomputers in the United States. We look...

AI startups set funding records 4/14/25

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As big tech continues to feel the whiplash from Trump’s tariff policy, one pocket of tech has remained insulted. We look at the AI startups that are...

Tech CEOs still waiting for return on Trump bet 04/11/25

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tech COEs flipped the script for Trump 2.0 and played nice with millions in donations to Trump’s inauguration and visits to Mar-a-Lago. We look at w...

Big Tech digs in on AI Capex amid tariff whiplash 4/10/25

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy affirming the company will continue it’s AI spend the day after Google CEO Sundar Pichai recommitted Google to $75 Billion in ...

TechCheck+ How Google can leverage AI amid tariff turmoil: Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian explains 4/9/25

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Deirdre Bosa sits down with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian to talk the announcements coming out of Google Cloud Next and how the tech giant could leve...

Google's cloud strategy amid tariff turmoil 04/09/25

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Deirdre Bosa sat down with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian to talk the announcements coming out of Google Cloud Next, and how the tech giant could leve...

Tariffs threaten AI data center build 4/8/25

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tech stocks tried to make a comeback Tuesday led by AI names. We look at how Trump’s tariffs could put a dent in plans for AI data center buildout. ...

How Tariffs could threaten the AI Boom 4/4/25

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Magnificent 7 stocks down again today as markets reel from President Trump’s tariff announcement. We look at how tariffs could hit the hyperscalers ...

Magnificent 7 stocks slide as tariffs hammer big tech

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Magnificent seven losing more than $800 billion in Market cap today as President Trump’s tariffs sparked a selloff on wall street. We look at wh...

TikTok deadline looms as Meta faces key AI test 4/2/25

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon and AppLovin are just two of the many names reportedly jumping in to try and buy TikTok as the deadline looms. We look at how no matter who buy...

OpenAI to launch open-weight model 4/1/25

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI raising a record-setting $40 Billion in its latest funding round, and announcing a new open-weight model in the works. We look at what OpenAI s...

Justice for the AI Wrappers 3/31/25

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Silicon Valley calling a startup a "wrapper" used to be one of the worst digs you could make. But with increasing model commoditization and costs p...

Meta readies for another EU fine, plus Oracle’s role in TikTok’s future 3/28/25

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The European Union is set to fine Meta up to $1 billion for violating the Digital Markets Act, expected to come down before next week. The fines come ...

Robinhood goes from meme stock to maturity 3/27/25

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Robinhood made its name as the place to trade meme stocks. Now, it's looking to grow with its customers, launching a suite of new products aimed at th...

Big Tech’s AI Spending Spree & The Rise of Special Purpose Vehicles 3/26/25

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After years on the sidelines, Apple is finally making a move in the data center race, according to Loop Capital. The shift could have implications for...

Google: practical quantum applications 5 years away 3/25/25

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google telling CNBC that practical quantum computing applications could be only 5 years away. We look at what the Quantum breakthrough would mean plus...

Alphabet’s Wiz deal signals signs of life in M&A 3/24/25

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alphabet’s $32 billion dollar acquisition of cyber security startup Wiz setting records. We look at why it could be a turning point for M&A markets....

The shifting view of so-called AI ‘Wrappers’, Plus Starlink’s India expansion 3/21/25

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI search startup Perplexity is in funding talks that would double the company’s valuation to $18 billion. We look at how the focus in AI is shiftin...

Apple’s reported AI leadership shakeup and Softbank’s bet on AI infrastructure 3/20/25

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Apple’s reported shakeup among its AI leadership has intensified the spotlight on the ongoing AI talent wars among mega-cap tech companies. And Sof...

Nvidia's Roadmap to Physical AI 3/19/25

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled his vision and roadmap to physical AI at the company's GTC event... Describing the robots, self-driving cars, and wor...

Google secures $32 billion deal for cybersecurity startup Wiz 3/18/25

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google parent Alphabet is sealing a $32 billion deal to acquire the cybersecurity startup Wiz.  We dig into the acquisition, which is Alphabet’s la...

Google expands access to AI image generator 3/17/25

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google is now expanding access to its powerful AI image generation model. We look at the buzz, and dig into new developments that show AI giants are m...

OpenAI calls for U.S. DeepSeek ban, Plus Silicon Valley’s startup showcase 03/14/25

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Open AI is calling on the Trump White House to ban DeepSeek and other ‘PRC-Produced’ AI models. We look at how the Trump administration’s big te...

Apple’s AI Stumbles weigh on shares 3/13/25

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alibaba rolling out an updated version of its AI assistant that could be a boon to Apple’s China business if it rolls out on iPhones later this year...

Google’s “Gemma 3” rollout, Plus FTC delays Amazon trial 3/12/25

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google is rolling out its latest open-source model Gemma 3, capable of running on just a single GPU. We dig into the efficiency gains mean for the shi...

Waymo expands into Silicon Valley, Plus OpenAI’s AI agent toolkit 3/11/25

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Waymo is coming back to where it all began with a new expansion into Silicon Valley. We look at how the self-driving darling may be overlooked in Goog...

Manus: Overhyped or China’s second DeepSeek moment? 3/10/25

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A Chinese startup unveiling a new AI Agent dubbed ‘Manus’ that some are hailing as the country’s next DeepSeek moment. We look into the hype and...

Google unveils 'AI mode' in search 3/7/25

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google unveiling an upgrade to its Gemini-powered AI overviews, including a new feature promising to help users dig deeper in search. We look at what ...

Meet Sesame: The Most Human AI Voice assistant Yet 3/5/25

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new AI voice assistant is pushing the frontiers of the technology. We look into startup Sesame and how it could change the race in AI voice.  Hoste...

Tech divided over crypto reserve 3/3/25

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announcing a “Strategic Crypto Reserve” over the weekend, drawing quick backlash from some of his biggest supporters in Silicon Va...

Megacaps enter the Quantum chip race 2/27/25

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon is jumping into the Quantum computing race with their first quantum chip ‘ocelot.’ We look at the latest Megacap staking their claim in qua...

Why AI prices are in a race to the bottom 2/26/25

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

DeepSeek’s impact being felt as more free AI offerings make their way to consumers, in a battle for users between the biggest AI names. We look at w...

TechCheck Takes: How DeepSeek supercharged AI’s distillation problem 2/25/25

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Silicon Valley is reckoning with an AI development technique that could upend the leaderboard. Distillation is the idea that a small team can make an ...

How stricter chip restrictions could backfire to benefit Huawei 2/25/25

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration is reportedly considering tightening the restrictions on U.S. chip exports to China even further. But that could end up unint...

Distillation and the boom in Chinese tech stocks, Plus Masa Son on Stargate 2/21/25

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

U.S. tech companies facing headwinds post-DeepSeek even as Chinese tech stocks have soared. Raising questions about whether the biggest winers may not...

Microsoft’s Quantum breakthrough, plus OpenAI touts user growth 2/20/25

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Shares of Quantum computing stocks are spiking after Microsoft announced a new Quantum breakthrough yesterday, and Microsoft isn’t the only tech gia...

Sequoia backs AI health startup 2/19/25

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI startup OpenEvidence is now raising a fresh round of capital from Sequoia at a $1 Billion valuation. We look at the latest big funding round in AI ...

Startup Investing for the Masses, Plus xAI Unveils New AI Model 2/18/25

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Silicon Valley startups have generally been off-limits to the public, cutting ordinary investors out of peak value creation. But now, those rules are ...

Wall Street cools on AI spending spree 2/14/25

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Big Tech expecting to spend as much as $320B in capital expenditures in 2025, as much as 40% higher than even last-year’s stratospheric spend. We lo...

Musk OpenAI bid, Plus Apple’s Alibaba teamup 2/13/25

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk adding a new layer to his escalating legal fight with OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. Plus, Apple is teaming up with Alibaba to bring Apple Intel...

High-stakes Paris AI summit sees calls for less regulation 2/11/25

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tech executives and world leaders convening in Paris this week to discuss AI, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, French Presid...

Why OpenAI has a Microsoft problem 2/10/25

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New Reporting reveals that OpenAI is closer than ever to having their own custom AI chips. We look at what the startup’s push for their own chips re...

Big Tech hunts for AGI at any cost 02/07/25

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sources telling CNBC’s David Faber that Softbank plans to invest $40B in OpenAI in a deal that would place the generative AI startup at a $300B post...

Why a stronger dollar could spell trouble for Big Tech 02/06/25

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The dollar is up nearly 5% over the past six months, causing headwinds for tech giants who make a substantial portion of their revenue overseas. We lo...

Perplexity’s case for U.S. TikTok ownership, Plus DeepSeek security concerns 2/5/25

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Perplexity CEO and Co-Founder Aravind Srinivas is making the case for why his startup is the best positioned to take over TikTok U.S. operations. Plus...

Google faces uphill AI battle in 2025 2/4/2025

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google parent company Alphabet hitting a record high ahead of reporting today even as China hits the tech giant with an antitrust probe. We look at wh...