Tobias

President Trump will host a dinner with tech and business leaders, including Zuckerberg, Cook, Gates, and Altman, at the White House to discuss policy initiatives and partnerships. Following a White House AI event hosted by the First Lady, the meeting aims to strengthen ties between the administration and the tech sector, focusing on AI and the digital economy. Key figures from OpenAI, Google, Palantir, and other companies are invited. Tesla’s Elon Musk is a notable absence. David Sacks and Jared Isaacman are also slated to attend.

Reports surfaced alleging ByteDance dismantled its chip team, transferring operations to a Singaporean entity and cutting system access without severance. ByteDance denies these claims, stating the chip business entity remains unchanged and the action is a routine data migration to a new Lark tenant. CNBC analysis highlights the strategic importance of in-house chip development amid geopolitical tensions. The move to a new tenant could be preparatory for future separation, offering strategic flexibility in complex regulatory environments and potentially proving technological independence critical for valuation in future IPO possibilities.

Figma (FIG) shares fell 14% after hours following its first earnings report as a public company. While revenue beat expectations at $249.6 million (up 41% YoY), the report presented a mixed picture. Q3 revenue is projected at $263-$265 million, surpassing estimates. Full-year adjusted operating income is forecasted between $88-$98 million, with revenue exceeding $1.02 billion. Figma is innovating with AI-powered tools and strategic acquisitions. Concerns about AI displacing designers were addressed, with the CEO emphasizing AI’s role in augmenting design. The company reported a 129% net retention rate.

Salesforce ($CRM) shares declined after-hours despite exceeding Q2 earnings and revenue expectations due to a weaker outlook. While Q2 revenue rose 10% to $10.24 billion and net income increased, forward guidance fell slightly short of estimates. Investors are concerned about slowing revenue growth and the efficacy of Salesforce’s AI investments, especially compared to gains made by other tech companies in the AI sector. The company aims to address these concerns through its Agentforce AI software and the acquisition of Informatica. The market is demanding concrete evidence of accelerated growth and profitable AI integration.

C3 AI shares plummeted 14% after announcing Stephen Ehikian as CEO and releasing disappointing fiscal first-quarter results. Revenue declined nearly 20% year-over-year to $70.3 million, with a widening GAAP net loss of $0.86 per share. The CEO change, triggered by former CEO Thomas Siebel’s health issues, adds to existing concerns regarding restructuring strategies and recent sales underperformance, which Siebel attributed to the reorganization’s disruptive effects. Ehikian expresses confidence in capturing a larger share of the Enterprise AI market.

OpenAI is expanding its secondary share sale to approximately $10.3 billion, up from the initially planned $6 billion, valuing the AI firm at $500 billion. This provides current and former employees a chance to liquidate equity. Key investors include SoftBank, Dragoneer, and T. Rowe Price. The move gives OpenAI flexibility to invest in R&D, scale infrastructure, and attract talent, while avoiding the pressures of an immediate IPO. This increased sale reflects confidence in OpenAI’s long-term prospects and validates its leading position in generative AI.

Haier acquired a 43% stake in Autohome for $1.8 billion amid the latter’s declining revenue and profits. The move raises questions about synergy and revitalization, considering Autohome’s past issues with excessive advertising, fake users, and declining content quality which eroded user trust. Autohome’s struggles stem from prioritizing monetization over user experience, highlighted by its lead generation strategy and KPI-driven culture under previous ownership. The acquisition’s success hinges on addressing these core issues and prioritizing a sustainable future focused on user experience.

Amid trade tensions, Apple CEO Tim Cook has strategically managed relations with the White House, seemingly safeguarding Apple’s interests. While Cook’s efforts, including U.S. investment pledges, have been perceived as successful in mitigating tariffs, analysts predict potential price increases for the upcoming iPhone 17 lineup. This is driven by factors like rising component costs and shifts towards higher-end models, despite Cook’s focus on supply chain optimization. Price adjustments may be subtle, such as discontinuing entry-level storage options.

DeepL, the $2 billion German AI firm known for its translation, is expanding into general AI agents targeting the enterprise. The company launched DeepL Agent, an AI tool automating repetitive tasks via natural language prompts, aiming to streamline workflows across departments. DeepL Agent utilizes both internally developed and external large language models. While the AI agent market is nascent, DeepL sees this as a natural technology extension. An IPO is not a short-term consideration.

Senator Rand Paul criticized the U.S. government’s $8.9 billion investment in Intel, calling it a step towards socialism and a dangerous precedent. The government acquired a 10% stake in Intel at a discounted rate. While Trump hailed the deal, Paul argues such interventions distort the free market. Ironically, Bernie Sanders supports the Intel investment, advocating for taxpayer returns. The CHIPS Act is seen as a driver for increased government involvement in the semiconductor industry, sparking debate over national security versus free-market principles.