WSJ Tech News Briefing
Episodes
TNB Tech Minute: Amazon and iRobot End Their Deal
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Some auto dealers are pushing General Motors to produce more hybrids. And Italy’s privacy authority files a complaint against OpenAI. Alex Oss...
What the Apple Vision Pro Headset Means for the Metaverse
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When the Apple Vision Pro headset hits U.S. stores on Friday, it will be the company’s first new product to go on sale since the Apple Watch in 2015...
TNB Tech Minute: Intel’s Stock Price Dips
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Microsoft Teams suffers an outage. And the three biggest U.S. cell phone carriers report strong gains among a key cohort. Alex Ossola hosts. ...
Why Internet Provider Charter Is Coming Under Federal Scrutiny
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Charter Communications is one of the biggest internet providers in the U.S. It has also been one of the biggest recipients of funds from the Affordabl...
TNB Tech Minute: Intel Gives Tepid Outlook
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: GM’s driverless car business confirms federal investigation into the handling of a pedestrian collision. And the FTC opens probe into top tech...
Why New EV Drivers May Look Beyond Tesla
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For a growing number of consumers looking to drive an electric vehicle, leasing one is looking more appealing than buying one. Stephen Wilmot, an edit...
TNB Tech Minute: Tesla’s Subdued Forecast for 2024
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Microsoft briefly crosses the $3 trillion mark. And financial technology company EquiLend is hit by a cyberattack. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn m...
How Investors in China Keep Trading Crypto, Despite the Ban
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the early years of the cryptocurrency boom, China was a hub of activity. But starting in 2021, crypto trading was banned in the country. That hasn’...
TNB Tech Minute: Netflix Reports Strong Earnings
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: France’s privacy regulator fines Amazon’s local warehouse management business. And Wayfair was more likely to lay off remote employees. Alex...
Why Palantir’s Biggest Client Is Seeking Out Its Competitors
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since its founding in 2003, software company Palantir Technologies has built a $36 billion dollar company. That’s in part due to its relationship wi...
TNB Tech Minute: Apple Rolls Out Stolen Device Protection
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: the U.S. seeks to shut down currency exchanges linked to Hamas. And Sony has called off a merger with Indian media company Zee Entertainment. Al...
Why Spotify Is Struggling to Make Money
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since it was founded in 2006, Spotify has changed the world of music streaming. It has nabbed millions of subscribers—and its 30% market share is tw...
TNB Tech Minute: Tech Stocks Propel S&P 500 to New Heights
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Apple will allow other companies’ apps in Europe to access mobile payments. And Wayfair will lay off 13% of its staff. Alex Ossola hosts. ...
Why Harvard Is Trying to Smooth Things Over with Silicon Valley
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Elite universities have struggled with how to respond to the October 7 attacks on Israel. Critics say schools didn’t move quickly or forcefully enou...
TNB Tech Minute: Chip Maker TSMC Faces New Delays at Arizona Site
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Germany’s new car market fell dramatically in December, led by a dropoff in EV sales. And the European Union’s competition watchdog plans to...
What Shein’s Cybersecurity Probe Means for Its IPO Dreams
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
China’s powerful internet regulator has opened a cybersecurity review of fashion giant Shein. Though the company is based in Singapore and doesn’t...
TNB Tech Minute: Apple Loses Attempt to Delay Smartwatch Ban
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Software developers are outraged at Apple’s new App Store payment policies. And Hyundai Motor sells a factory in China. Alex Ossola hosts. ...
Coinbase Faces Its First Big Legal Test
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After a series of high-profile meltdowns at FTX and Binance, crypto exchange Coinbase is one of the last big digital-asset companies standing. Not jus...
TNB Tech Minute: The Supreme Court Turns Down Apple’s Appeal
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Uber is shutting down alcohol-delivery service Drizly. And Synopsys agrees to acquire Ansys in a $35 billion cash-and-stock deal. Alex Ossola ho...
In Factories, Robots Struggle to Do What Humans Do
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You've heard it before: Robots are coming for our jobs. But are they really? It turns out that robots aren’t as common in U.S. factories as you migh...
TNB Tech Minute: Tesla Halts Production in Europe After Shipping Delays
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Crypto brokerage firm Genesis Global Trading has agreed to pay $8 million to settle with New York financial regulator. And customers of financia...
The CES Gadgets Worth Knowing About
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
CES, the annual electronics trade show, comes to a close today. There were thousands of vendors—Google, GE and LG among them—showing off the lates...
TNB Tech Minute: Microsoft Briefly Dethrones Apple
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: EBay agrees to pay a $3 million criminal penalty after harassment of two critical bloggers. And Amazon missed a deadline to offer remedies to th...
A Biotech Startup Betting on a New Kind of Genetic Medicine
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Biotech startup Moonwalk Biosciences has been operating quietly since 2022. It recently raised $57 million in venture capital. It’s one of a handful...
TNB Tech Minute: Amazon Lays Off Hundreds at Prime and Twitch
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: SEC okays bitcoin ETFs for mainstream investors. German software company SAP will pay over $220 million to settle foreign bribery charges. Alex ...
Chinese Customers Don’t Want Nvidia’s Lower-Powered Chips
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After U.S. regulations barred Nvidia from selling its most advanced semiconductors in China, engineers at Nvidia quickly pivoted to making lower-power...
TNB Tech Minute: SEC Says X Account Was ‘Compromised’ After False Bitcoin Tweet
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: X announces three new shows coming to the platform. And NASA delays two crewed lunar missions. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more about your ad choi...
Why Elon Musk Wants MrBeast’s Videos on X
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is one of YouTube’s most popular creators. His videos rack up hundreds of millions of views. Elon Musk has...
TNB Tech Minute: Apple’s Mixed-Reality Headset to Become Available Feb. 2
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: The Vulcan Centaur rocket blasts off for the first time, but moon lander runs into trouble. And chipmaker Nvidia’s stock closes at a record hi...
Why the U.S. Says China Is Stealing AI Secrets to Turbocharge Spying
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
China and the U.S. have been locked in a battle for supremacy in artificial intelligence. U.S. government officials say hackers linked to the Chinese ...
TNB Tech Minute: Netflix Considers Monetizing Videogames
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Design-software companies Synopsys and Ansys near $35 billion deal. And Tesla recalls 1.6 million vehicles in China. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn m...
Why OpenAI’s Customers Are Eyeing Its Competitors
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Major companies like Walmart have already embraced AI tools and made them an important part of their business operations. And OpenAI, the company behi...
TNB Tech Minute: Startup Perplexity Challenges Google With AI Search
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Peloton partners with TikTok. And EV maker Fisker abandons the direct-to-consumer sales model. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more about your ad choi...
Making Chips Is No Longer Just Technical—It’s Political
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
AI is increasingly important to national security, and governments are paying more attention to the companies that make the chips behind AI. Dozens of...
TNB Tech Minute: SpaceX Accused of Violating Labor Law
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Beijing removes key videogame official. And Thermo Fisher Scientific says it no longer sells DNA-based human-identification products in Tibet. A...
Why the Plan for a Tech-Backed City Could Face Scrutiny
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a group of investors trying to create a new city just north of San Francisco. The project, known as California Forever, is backed by some of...
TNB Tech Minute: BYD Beats Out Tesla in Quarterly EV Sales
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Apple shares drop after an analyst downgrade. And the Dutch government blocks ASML from exporting some chip-making tools to China. Alex Ossola h...
Who Is Yi He, the Queen of Binance?
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Binance is still the world’s largest crypto exchange, but last year was anything but tranquil at the firm. A yearslong federal investigation into Ch...
Tech in 2024: Apple Takes a Bite of Something New
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re bringing you tech predictions for 2024. Apple has teed itself up for a big year. Its new mixed reality headset is expected to go on ...
Tech in 2024: Wearable Devices Enter a New Era
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re bringing you tech predictions for 2024. It’s been nearly 10 years since the Apple Watch came out, and the device can now track not...
Tech in 2024: Why AI Will Become ‘Unavoidable’
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re bringing you tech predictions for 2024. And near the top of the list: artificial intelligence. 2023 saw big advances in AI for busin...
Tech in 2024: How Big Tech Can Stay Resilient
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re bringing you tech predictions for 2024. The tech industry faced some challenges in 2023 with layoffs across companies and efforts to...
TNB Tech Minute: China Regulator Proposes Curbs for Online Gaming
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Activision Blizzard and a California regulator file paperwork to settle gender-discrimination claims. And people inside Meta warned of risks for...
How TikTok Serves War Videos to Some of Its Youngest Users
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More younger people are getting their news from TikTok. For information about conflicts like the Israel-Hamas war, some of the videos that the app’s...
TNB Tech Minute: Blue Origin and Cerberus Bid on SpaceX Rival
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Austin police officer charged in killing of tech entrepreneur. And Peacock bets fewer ads on NFL games will mean more long-term subscription mon...
Behind the Buy Now, Pay Later Boom
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Buy now, pay later services like Afterpay, Affirm and Klarna have been around for a while, but they exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Now, c...
TNB Tech Minute: Alibaba CEO Takes Control of Domestic E-Commerce
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Electric scooter company Bird files for bankruptcy. And a settlement with the FTC bans Rite Aid from using facial recognition for five years. Al...
What Epic Games’ Legal Win Means for the Videogame Industry
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Videogame company Epic Games has been waging a legal battle against Google and Apple, alleging that their app stores have monopolistic control over mo...
TNB Tech Minute: Google Pays $700 Million to Settle Antitrust Suit
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Comcast says nearly 36 million Xfinity accounts were compromised in a hack. And buy now pay later company Affirm expands its relationship with W...
Why a Vietnamese EV Maker Is Building a U.S. Factory
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
VinFast, the Vietnamese EV startup, has ambitions to be come a major global carmaker. It started selling its vehicles in the U.S. in March, and its ro...
TNB Tech Minute: Apple to Halt Watch Sales to Comply With Import Ban
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Elon Musk’s social media platform faces European probe over illegal content. And Nikola founder Trevor Milton gets four years in prison for fr...
Can AI Combat Climate Change? Google’s CSO Thinks So.
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Processing all of the data needed to run artificial intelligence can take a lot of energy. But according to Google Chief Sustainability Officer Kate B...
TNB Tech Minute: Activision Blizzard Will Pay Millions to Settle Lawsuit
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: DocuSign explores a sale. And U.S. government researchers seek to identify hackers based on the code they use. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more ...
How Google’s AI Search Tool Threatens News Publishers
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Where’s the latest place you might encounter generative AI? Google search. The company is experimenting with a search engine tool that offers an AI-...
TNB Tech Minute: Elon Musk Likely Has to Cooperate With SEC Probe, Judge Says
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: GM’s self-driving car company Cruise lays off 24% of its workforce. And Meta’s Threads goes live in Europe. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more...
Why Chinese EV Makers Are Expanding Into ‘Asia’s Detroit’
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
China has become the world’s top electric vehicle market. And homegrown car companies like BYD have dominated. Now, as Chinese EV makers look to sel...
TNB Tech Minute: Tesla Recalls Millions of Vehicles Due to Autopilot
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: OpenAI reaches a deal to pay Axel Springer for use of its content. And Etsy plans to lay off 11% of its marketplace workforce amid a restructuri...
FTX Wants to Give Users a Cash Payout. Customers Aren’t Happy.
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Crypto is rallying, but FTX customers aren’t reaping the benefits. As the crypto exchange moves through bankruptcy, customers are realizing there’...
TNB Tech Minute: Apple Releases Setting to Protect User Data in Stolen iPhones
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: Microsoft looks to nuclear energy to power its artificial intelligence operations. And Netflix releases its first report on the full viewership ...
Tesla’s Cybertruck Is Here. Some People Are Underwhelmed.
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a truck, it’s a sports car, it’s sci-fi inspired—Tesla’s long-awaited Cybertruck is finally here. But amid the hype, not all first impr...
TNB Tech Minute: New York Joins IBM, Micron in $10 Billion Chip Facility
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: TikTok lands deal to re-enter Indonesian e-commerce market. And Oracle says revenue falls short of expectations. Danny Lewis hosts. Learn more ...
Why Hackers Are Targeting Schools and Hospitals
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve seen the headlines. High-profile companies are hit by a cyberattack, and customer information is stolen. But some hacks don’t make headline...
TNB Tech Minute: World’s First Crispr Drug Approved by FDA
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: X eyes a partnership to bring Amazon businesses in as advertisers. And U.K. regulators examine the partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI. Ale...
Apple Ramps Up iPhone Production in India
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since the early days of the iPhone, Apple has made most of them in one country: China. It has the skilled labor and a network of suppliers necessary f...
TNB Tech Minute: Blackstone, Digital Realty to Develop Data Centers
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: U.S. and U.K. governments jointly accuse Russian intelligence of a long-running global hacking campaign. And internet propagandists aligned with...
How Chinese Tech Giant Alibaba Lost Its Mojo
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly a decade ago, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Alibaba. Much more than an e-commerce company, Alibaba was a major player in digital pay...
TNB Tech Minute: Google Announces New AI System Gemini
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: AMD rolls out new AI chips. And New Mexico alleges in a lawsuit that Facebook and Instagram steered apparent child predators to children. Alex O...
AI Is Already in Healthcare. Regulators Want More Transparency
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Doctors and hospitals are using AI tools to communicate with patients and help make diagnoses. Except, the tools don’t always work as promised. They...
TNB Tech Minute: Airbnb Appoints New CFO
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: SoftBank Corp. takes a majority stake in Irish software provider Cubic Telecom. And Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup has filed to r...
Behind Apple’s Split With Goldman Sachs
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Apple and Goldman Sachs teamed up to launch the Apple Card in 2019, it was a big deal for both companies. Apple was becoming a bigger player in t...
TNB Tech Minute: AT&T Drops Nokia for Ericsson in $14 Billion Deal
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plus: General Motors’ Cruise has been ordered to testify before the California Public Utilities Commission over an October incident in which a pedes...
Why Meta Can’t Seem to Rid Its Platforms of Pedophiles
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Five months ago, Meta created a child-safety task force following a WSJ investigation that found a network of pedophilic accounts on its Instagram pla...
Prompt Engineer: Talking to Chatbots Is Now a $200K Job
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a growing number of job postings for the role of prompt engineer, someone who writes prompts that go into generative AI chatbots to elicit ...
Singles Are Finding Love in Unusual Places Online
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
People are looking beyond dating apps to find love online. WSJ personal tech reporter Ann-Marie Alcántara joins host Julie Chang to discuss how singl...
Holiday Shopping: Using AI for Gift Ideas
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Holiday shopping is in full force, and one place you could turn to for gift ideas is generative AI chatbots. Cordilia James from the WSJ’s personal ...
How Pet Data Could Help Speed Up Your Health Tests
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists are looking at animal data to improve the speed of some medical test results. They’re taking that data, building artificial intelligence...
How SpaceX Is Transforming a Corner of Texas
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is disrupting the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. And the company’s Starbase and rocket launches are dividing residents. WSJ space ...
Wearable Devices That Can Read Your Brain And Enhance It
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wearable devices that can read your brain activity and then use that data to help improve your focus and productivity are on the horizon. Daniela Hern...
Holiday Shopping: Using AI to Revive Old Family Photos
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The future of OpenAI remains up in the air, and investors continue to push for the return of former CEO Sam Altman. Plus, Cordilia James from our pers...
OpenAI’s Staff Threatens to Quit After Sam Altman Firing
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The majority of OpenAI’s staff has threatened to quit after the board’s ousting of former CEO and co-founder Sam Altman. Plus, Amazon is offering ...
A Sextortion Scam Is Preying on Teenage Boys
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A sextortion scam aimed at boys is causing emotional trauma. WSJ family and tech columnist Julie Jargon joins host Julie Chang to discuss what to do i...
How Israel Uses Battlefield Data to Fight Hamas in Gaza
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Israel’s military has a technological nerve center near Gaza set up to receive thousands of data points directly from the battlefield. WSJ correspon...
The Problem With EV Chargers
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Out-of-order signs, payment errors and connection issues — these are some of the problems electric vehicle drivers encounter when trying to charge ...
Holiday Shopping: AI Edition
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Wall Street Journal’s personal tech team has put together a list of the best tech gifts of 2023. Reporter Cordilia James joins host Alex Ossola ...
Solar Power is Booming. Could a Glut of Cheap Parts Make It a Bust?
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
China has invested tens of billions of dollars in building its solar panel manufacturing industry. But too many cheap parts could spell trouble for gr...
Firefighters vs. EVs: Why EV Fires Are Harder to Put Out
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Firefighters are finding out that fires caused by electric vehicles last longer and are more difficult to put out. WSJ reporter John Keilman joins hos...
Can Congress Stop Celebrity Deepfakes on Social Media?
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A growing number of celebrities like Tom Hanks and Gayle King say scammers are using AI deepfakes of their likeness to hawk sketchy items on social me...
Why Diamonds Could Be the Key to Making Microchips Faster
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Engineers are experimenting with some surprising materials to cool down microchips. WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims joins host Julie Chang to expl...
Meta’s Approach to Protecting Teens Isn’t Working, Says Former Engineer
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A former Meta employee says executives at the company are failing to protect minors on its platforms. WSJ reporter Jeff Horwitz joins host Julie Chang...
AI Used to Spread Fake Nudes of Students at a New Jersey High School
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest form of online harassment is powered by artificial intelligence. WSJ family and tech columnist Julie Jargon joins host Julie Chang to discu...
The Global Hunt for Crypto’s Most Wanted Man
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When cryptocurrencies TerraUSD and Luna collapsed, it wiped out $40 billion from the crypto market and set off investigations into the tokens’ found...
AI Risks Take Center Stage at Global Summit
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
World leaders and the executives from artificial intelligence companies met in the U.K. this week to discuss how to defend against the risks created b...
Lidar Is Latest Tech in the Middle of U.S.-China Tensions
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
National security officials in the U.S. are raising concerns about a Chinese company that’s a key maker of laser sensor technology. WSJ reporter Hea...
Toyota Tried to Create a Tech Startup. Things Went Wrong Fast.
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Toyota, the world’s biggest carmaker, launched a startup to help it become a leader in software and other cutting-edge tech. But getting a startup m...
Tech Testimony: Google CEO and FTX Founder Testify in Separate Cases
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Google CEO Sundar Pichai defends deals that the government argues gave the company a monopoly in search. And prosecutors begin cross-examination of Sa...
Why Cruise Self-Driving Pause May Be Setback for Whole Industry
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
General Motors’ self-driving car unit Cruise has paused its U.S. operations after California regulators called its vehicles unsafe. WSJ reporter Rya...
Why Cruise Self-Driving Pause May Be Setback for Whole Industry
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
General Motors’ self-driving car unit Cruise has paused its U.S. operations after California regulators called its vehicles unsafe. WSJ reporter Rya...
Preserving Black Twitter’s Legacy and Future
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An effort to archive Black Twitter is underway but recent changes at Twitter, now X, have led to some challenges. This special episode looks at the i...
Why Apple Can’t Make iPhones Without This Chinese Company
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Apple has been trying to reduce its dependence on China as geopolitical and economic pressures mount. But the iPhone makers’ ties to Chinese manufac...
States Sue Meta Over Alleged Harm to Young Users
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook and Instagram parent Meta, is facing lawsuits from a group of more than 40 attorneys general. The lawsuits claim the social giant built its p...