Tech

Rivian’s first “Autonomy and AI Day” unveiled a custom silicon chip, proprietary vehicle computer, and new AI models to enable Level 4 self‑driving on its upcoming R2 platform, using lidar, radar and cameras. The company introduced an Autonomy+ subscription—$2,500 one‑time or $49.99 per month—significantly cheaper than Tesla’s FSD. A “Universal Hands‑Free” feature will allow hands‑free driving on 3.5 million U.S. miles, and an AI‑powered “Rivian Assistant” voice interface is slated for 2026. A $5.8 billion JV with Volkswagen supports the rollout, though shares fell 6.1% amid market volatility.

words.OpenAI unveiled GPT‑5.2, a higher‑performing generative‑AI model aimed at professional tasks such as spreadsheet creation, presentation design, image interpretation, code generation, and extended‑context work. Released via ChatGPT and API, it comes in three tiers—Instant, Thinking, and Pro—tailored to speed, structured tasks, and high‑accuracy demands. GPT‑5.2 leads on benchmarks like SWE‑Bench Pro and GPQA Diamond, though Anthropic’s Opus 4.5 edges it on a narrower coding test. Built on a larger transformer, multimodal embeddings, and a near‑million‑token context window, the model emphasizes improved factuality, safety, and enterprise revenue potential amid intensified AI competition.

.Oracle’s shares plunged after the cloud‑software giant missed quarterly sales, gave a weak outlook and raised its FY‑2026 cap‑ex target to $50 billion, sparking concerns over its balance‑sheet capacity. Investors also worried about the $300 billion OpenAI contract, which management did not address. Despite a $10 billion free‑cash‑flow burn, Oracle added $69 billion to its performance obligations, boosting forward‑looking revenue metrics. While the AI‑compute market remains strong, the stock’s volatility highlights the need for robust cash generation, favoring peers like Microsoft, Amazon and Meta.

SpaceX is slated for a 2026 IPO, with analysts estimating an $800 billion valuation and potential $30 billion capital raise, driven by AI‑driven demand for Starlink’s high‑bandwidth service and Starship’s low‑cost launch capabilities. Elon Musk emphasized that NASA contracts will be under 5 % of revenue, stressing commercial Starlink as the primary income source. Meanwhile, billionaire Jared Isaacman has been nominated as NASA administrator, a move that could secure contract stability, technology transfer, and regulatory favor for SpaceX, though it raises concerns about undue influence.

.Senator Elizabeth Warren condemned President Trump’s decision to let Nvidia sell its high‑performance H200 AI chips to “approved” Chinese customers, calling it a breach of national security and demanding congressional action to tighten export controls. She urged Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before Congress. Nvidia argued the sales need licenses and would generate significant royalties for the U.S., but critics warn the move could erode America’s AI lead, undermine supply‑chain security, and harm domestic chip innovation. bipartisan legislation may soon reshape export policy.

words.Palantir has expanded its October lawsuit to include Percepta AI’s CEO, alleging that the startup’s founders and a former Palantir engineer stole “crown‑jewel” assets—source code, customer workflows and proprietary strategies—by poaching senior staff and misappropriating confidential data. Percepta denies the claims, calling the suit baseless and accusing Palantir of intimidation. The case highlights rising tensions over talent mobility and IP protection in the AI sector, with Palantir seeking the return of data and a 12‑month injunction against the defendants. The dispute is pending in the Southern District of New York.

.Co‑founder Jyoti Bansal’s latest venture, Harness, raised $200 million led by Goldman Sachs, valuing the AI‑driven software delivery platform at $5.5 billion. The service continuously scans AI‑generated code for regressions, security flaws and cost inefficiencies, integrating both Anthropic and OpenAI models. After merging with security startup Traceable, Harness employs about 1,300 staff and is on track to exceed $250 million in annual recurring revenue, growing >50% YoY. Bansal is preparing for an IPO, positioning the company as a leader in AI‑augmented DevOps.

.Morning Squawk highlights: The Fed delivered a 25‑bp rate cut, signaling a hawkish stance and limited future cuts, sparking a stock rally. In tech, Oracle missed Q2 revenue while Cisco hit a record high, underscoring a split between legacy software firms and AI‑focused networking players. President Trump seized a Venezuelan‑linked oil tanker, pushing Brent crude higher. Rivian showcased AI‑driven autonomy to boost margins amid ongoing losses. Coca‑Cola named Henrique Braun CEO for 2026, aiming to drive digital and premium growth. Wealth advisors increasingly use encrypted messaging for fast, private deal coordination.

words.Esusu, a fintech that reports rent payments to credit bureaus, raised $50 million in Series C, valuing it at $1.2 billion. Targeting the 110 million U.S. renters largely “credit‑invisible,” the platform has helped users unlock $30 billion in mortgage financing and now serves 12 million renters across 5 million units. With new capital, Esusu will expand its Rent‑Reporting‑as‑a‑Service API, launch Esusu Pay for installment rent payments, and deepen integration of rental data into mortgage underwriting, aligning with recent FHFA mandates.

.Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and licensing over 200 of its iconic characters—including Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars—for use in OpenAI’s Sora video‑generation app under a three‑year deal. The partnership gives Disney equity warrants, access to ChatGPT for staff, and a new recurring revenue stream while allowing OpenAI to enforce tighter copyright controls. Disney sees the move as a way to monetize its IP in the fast‑growing AI market and shape future generative‑AI tools responsibly.