Tech

President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair amid mixed economic data. The software sector entered a bear market, with Microsoft and ServiceNow shares plummeting due to AI disruption fears. Meanwhile, a government funding stalemate continues, and Apple’s strong earnings were boosted by an AI startup acquisition. Amazon is reportedly in talks for a substantial investment in OpenAI.

The AI industry is launching “Leading the Future,” a $125 million PAC, to influence AI regulation. The group aims to support candidates advocating for a unified national approach, fearing fragmented state-by-state rules could stifle innovation. Backed by tech leaders, the PAC is already targeting candidates like Alex Bores and supporting Chris Gober, signaling a bipartisan strategy to shape AI policy and maintain US leadership.

SanDisk’s stock soared after a strong Q2 earnings report, significantly beating Wall Street expectations. Driven by AI demand and a flash storage chip shortage, the company exceeded profit and revenue forecasts. SanDisk’s optimistic Q3 outlook, projecting substantial growth in both revenue and earnings, led to an “outperform” upgrade from Raymond James. The memory chip shortage, with demand outpacing supply, is enabling price increases and strong profit margins for companies like SanDisk, impacting various tech sectors.

A former Google software engineer, Linwei Ding, has been convicted of stealing trade secrets related to the company’s AI technology. Prosecutors alleged Ding acted on behalf of China’s government, downloading over 2,000 pages of confidential information about Google’s AI infrastructure. The verdict marks the first economic espionage conviction concerning AI technology in the U.S., underscoring intense global competition in the field. Ding faces significant prison time for his crimes.

The AI boom is driving demand for custom chips (ASICs) beyond Nvidia’s GPUs. Google’s TPUs and custom silicon from Amazon and Microsoft challenge Nvidia’s dominance. Despite this, Nvidia remains confident in its versatility. While custom chips are gaining traction, high development costs and manufacturing complexities favor established players. Analysts expect Nvidia to maintain market share, though competition is intensifying. Broadcom is a key player in custom silicon, with significant deals, but faces risks from customer dependency. Both Nvidia and Broadcom are seen as solid investments, with potential for growth as AI technology advances.

Fireblocks thwarted a sophisticated North Korean phishing campaign targeting crypto talent. Hackers impersonated Fireblocks recruiters, using fake job interviews and coding assignments to trick candidates into installing malware. This malware could grant attackers access to sensitive digital assets and production systems. Fireblocks collaborated with LinkedIn and law enforcement to identify and remove malicious profiles, highlighting the growing threat of AI-enhanced cyberattacks in the digital asset space.

York Space Systems recently debuted on the NYSE, opening at $38 under the ticker YSS. The satellite company, which has a strong track record with the U.S. Space Development Agency, aims to contribute to national defense initiatives like “Golden Dome.” CEO Dirk Wallinger highlighted their ability to integrate disparate systems, offering a complete, turnkey solution. The company’s IPO reflects growing investor confidence in the burgeoning space technology sector, bolstered by government investment and anticipated major events like a potential SpaceX IPO.

Amazon is reportedly in advanced talks to invest up to $50 billion in AI firm OpenAI, signaling a significant commitment to the AI landscape. This follows Amazon’s substantial investment in OpenAI’s competitor, Anthropic. The potential deal, still under finalization, could see OpenAI utilize Amazon’s AI chips. OpenAI is also exploring other funding avenues, aiming for a total round of around $100 billion. This aggressive AI push by Amazon involves considerable capital allocation and cost-cutting measures.

Microsoft’s stock dropped nearly 10%, losing $357 billion in market value. Investors expressed concerns over Azure’s growth falling slightly short of expectations and weaker-than-anticipated revenue forecasts for the Personal Computing segment. Questions also arose regarding AI investment strategies and the slower-than-expected adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot compared to ChatGPT. The company’s CFO attributed some Azure performance to internal infrastructure allocation, while analysts debated the pace of data center expansion and the efficacy of AI investments.

OpenAI is phasing out several ChatGPT models, including GPT-4o, to focus on its most advanced iterations like GPT-5.2. While acknowledging user frustration, the company states this streamlining allows for improved development and resource allocation. This change will not affect the API. The move reflects the rapid evolution and consolidation within the AI industry.