TechCheck

Beijing now seems unlikely to let go of TikTok's secret sauce - it's source code - saying overnight that it would oppose a forced sale. That severely limits the options for parent company Bytedance, and poses a big challenge for any U.S. workers who might try and replicate the algorithm.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

Among developers, Meta's latest open-source large language model, the Llama 2, is the hottest thing around. Wall Street also seems to be waking up to the proposition, with the stock far outperforming AI rivals like Google and Microsoft. But calling Meta's AI system "open source" is only part of the story. And the same might also apply to buzzy startups like Mistral and open source’s loudest advoca...

A significant amount of U.S. money is invested in TikTok parent company ByteDance, including Carlyle Group, KKR, GGV, Sequoia, Tiger Global and more. Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin will likely have to go through them in his plans to put together a group to buy TikTok. Plus, Reddit’s IPO roadshow is underway. We break down what industry experts are now saying it could mean for the IPO pipe...

The Nvidia halo effect is alive and well. TechCheck spoke to the founder and CEO of Together AI, a newly minted unicorn that helps developers access Nvidia server chips to train their AI models, on how amid the scarcity of GPUs, it's all about making the supply of existing ones more efficient.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...

Shares of Arm are just fractionally higher today as its lockup period expires. That’s the 6-month period after an IPO during which insiders like early investors and employees are restricted from selling shares to prevent volatility. Will they look to sell and lock in gains? Softbank and its CEO Masayoshi Son own a 90% stake and has often drawn down on winners, including by using ownership in Aliba...

There's a new, uncomfortable dynamic at OpenAI: a non-profit mission with a corporate profit motive. The recent changes at OpenAI's board underscore that - replacing AI researchers and specialists with business execs familiar with building for-profit companies. Plus, a new bipartisan effort to ban TikTok is gaining momentum in Congress. We dig into former President Trump’s flip-flopping stance on...

One year after the collapse of SVB, the Valley is still searching for a replacement. The bank had tailored services for early-stage companies, partnered with VCs, been a lender for those considered too risky for traditional banks. TechCheck talked to two startup founders on the failure, the changes since then, and the gap still in the market.     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.a...

The fight between OpenAI and Elon Musk has entered a new round. After Musk filed suit against the startup accusing it of prioritizing profits, OpenAI has fired back with a trove of new bombshell emails that puts Musk back in the hot seat. Plus, CNBC talked to a Microsoft engineer that is now raising the red flag about its flagship AI profit CoPilot, warning of sexual and violent content.  Hosted b...

Instead of a comeback, Google’s Gemini AI chatbot and image generator have gone viral for all the wrong reasons – producing inaccurate and offensive responses.  The missteps have put Google back on the defensive in the AI race. But the bigger question around Gemini’s roll out is whether it underscores a painful but new corporate reality for Alphabet and CEO Sundar Pichai. Is Google’s culture sabot...

The fallout for Alphabet – the stock is now negative for the year as more controversies mount around its AI model Gemini rollout. Some are now calling for a change in leadership. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Of course he does! Reddit filed (finally) for its IPO. What it – and the money behind it – say about the state of tech right now. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Artificial intelligence only entered the mainstream a year ago. But already, two titans of the industry are prophesying trillions of dollars in opportunity. Nvidia chief Jensen Huang is predicting an additional $1 trillion in data centers in the next few years, while OpenAI’s Sam Altman’s chip dream is closer to $7 trillion. This week on Tech Check, we take a deep dive into their trillion-dollar A...

Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has filed a legal motion that would allow the company to sell its nearly 8% stake in one of the buzziest and highly-valued AI startups.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When tech stocks fell this week, retail investors came in buying. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is AI hype outpacing reality… A few signs that perhaps this story will not be as simple as buying the early AI winners like Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Nvidia… especially as it plays out in the stock market. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff Bezos selling Amazon stock for the first time in more than two years. Mark Zuckerberg selling some Meta shares. Today – what insider sales RIGHT NOW could mean for tech at large. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman -- now turning his attention to chips… Reportedly looking to raise up to seven trillion dollars for a new semiconductor venture or partnership. This is a question we find ourselves asking a lot – how real is that? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google's Bard is now Gemini… What a rename and a rebrand mean for Google’s fight for AI. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happened to the Chinese stock market? Alibaba stock price is in a tailspin. The problems are fundamental. The big question – is this an Alibaba problem, or is it a broader proxy for the way China is uninvestable right now? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Neumann -- the founder of WeWork ousted from the company in 2019 -- is now trying to buy it back out of bankruptcy. Just how real is that?  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chips… versus the rest of the market. Semiconductors are THE trade of 2024 (Nvidia up 42% YTD btw)… So why aren’t they beating the expectations? Today, truth and fundamentals within tech. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A big week of tech earnings, and all in all, business remains good. Profitability is increasing. And these giant tech companies – META front and center today, they’re returning a lot of cash to shareholders. Could this be a sign of more to come?   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s a two-track IPO market. Why the weakest are going public as the strong stay private. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cracks in Google’s dominance… that’s been the fear since ChatGPT stole Google’s mainstream AI moment, and last night, the search giant gave investors reason to worry.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The six biggest tech stocks are set to grow earnings 54% when they report numbers – Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Nvidia, Meta, Amazon. The rest of the S&P 500? The other 494 mature, solid U.S. companies? Their blended average growth is looking like NEGATIVE 10.4%. Today – that divide, this week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...