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FEMA has dedicated disaster relief money that cannot be used for other purposes. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts,” FEMA said in its post. “Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”FEMA added: “FEMA has enough money right now for immediate response and recovery needs. However, that program called the Shelter and Services Program, or SSP, is separate from FEMA’s disaster relief fund which is more than $20 billion. A spokesperson for Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, said any claims of disaster funds going to illegal immigrants are false.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, “, ” Trump, Alejandro Mayorkas, Helene, ”, Mayorkas, Hurricane Helene, Jim Jordan, Elon Musk, ” Mayorkas, Karine Jean, Pierre, Joe Biden Organizations: FEMA, Customs, Protection, Trump, Homeland, Disaster Relief Fund, Services, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, Congress, Homeland Security, Air Force Locations: U.S, Saginaw , Michigan, Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, Ohio, Hurricane

☆ For Wall Street deal makers, the billion-dollar bangers are back
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Jeffrey Cane | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Deals valued at $1 billion-plus worldwide are up 22% from a year ago, LSEG data shows. Wall Street executives have been bullish about the burgeoning pipeline for deals. AdvertisementFor Wall Street deal makers, the billion-dollar bangers are back. So what has revived what Wall Street refers to as the "animal spirits," at least when it comes to bigger targets? Other Wall Street bank chieftains, like Ted Pick of Morgan Stanley and Peter Orszag of Lazard, have been bullish about the M&A pipeline.

Persons: —, Mars, David Solomon, Goldman Sachs, Solomon, we've, AlphaSense, Ted Pick, Morgan Stanley, Peter Orszag, Hernan Cristerna Organizations: Verizon, Qualcomm, Wall Street, Service, Paramount Global, CBS, Nickelodeon, Verizon Communications, Frontier Communications, Intel, Wall, Lazard, KPMG, Bloomberg Locations: Ukraine

☆ France's biggest lender says there are 'too many' European banks as UniCredit moves on Commerzbank
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A sign on the exterior of a BNP Paribas SA bank branch in Paris, France, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. France's BNP Paribas on Thursday said there are simply too many European lenders for the region to be able to compete with rivals from the U.S. and Asia, calling for the creation of more homegrown heavyweight banking champions. Milan-based UniCredit has ratcheted up the pressure on Frankfurt-based Commerzbank in recent weeks as it seeks to become the biggest investor in Germany's second-largest lender with a 21% stake. UniCredit, which took a 9% stake in Commerzbank earlier this month, appears to have caught German authorities off guard with the potential multibillion-euro merger. Germany's position on UniCredit's swoop has prompted some to accuse Berlin of favoring European banking integration only on its own terms.

Persons: CNBC's Charlotte Reed, Lars Machenil, Germany's Commerzbank, Machenil, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Berlin Organizations: BNP, SA, Bank of America Financials, Spain's BBVA, Banco Sabadell Locations: Paris, France, U.S, Asia, Europe, Milan, Frankfurt, Germany's

☆ Meta CTO explains why it was important for Mark Zuckerberg to show off $10,000 smart glasses you can't buy
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Jaures Yip | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Meta unveiled its Orion AR glasses at the Meta Connect 2024 developer conference. Meta's CTO explained why it was important to show what the investment led to — even if you can't buy the glasses yet. But on Wednesday's Meta Connect 2024 developer conference, the CEO was finally able to unveil what many of those billions had been spent developing: the Orion AR glasses. AdvertisementMeta's Orion AR glasses, which feature displays built into the lenses and an array of sensors. AdvertisementMark Zuckerberg shows off the Orion AR glasses prototype at Meta Connect 2024.

Persons: Meta, —, Mark Zuckerberg's, He's, Zuckerberg, Andrew Bosworth, Stratechery's Ben Thompson, Bosworth, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, it's, Thompson Organizations: Orion, Meta, Service, Reality Labs, Facebook, Apple, Google, Apple Vision Pro, Meta's

☆ UniCredit's pursuit of Commerzbank reflects a watershed moment for Europe — and its banking union
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Kirill Kudryavtsev | Afp | Getty ImagesEuropean banking's latest takeover battle is widely regarded as a potential turning point for the region — particularly the bloc's incomplete banking union. Whatever the outcome of UniCredit's swoop on Commerzbank, Marsh said the episode marks "another huge test" for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. What is Europe's banking union? OMFIF's Marsh said Germany's opposition to UniCredit's move on Commerzbank means Berlin "now stands accused of favouring European banking integration only on its own terms." The logo of German bank Commerzbank seen on a branch office near The Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt.

Persons: Kirill Kudryavtsev, Italy's UniCredit, David Marsh, Marsh, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, –, Germany's Scholz, OMFIF's Marsh, UniCredit's, Daniel Roland, Onur Genç, Mario Centeno, CNBC's, —, Centeno Organizations: European Central Bank, Afp, Getty, London, European Union, CNBC, BBVA, Banco Sabadell, Reuters, European Central Bank's Governing, EU Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Germany's, Milan, Europe, Commerzbank, Italy, Berlin, Spanish, Brussels, Spain

☆ Salesforce may finally have found its AI footing. What it means beyond the initial hype
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Bowing to investor pressure, Salesforce has adopted a more disciplined approach to dealmaking, increasing the importance of internal product development. "Agentforce is the product announcement [Salesforce] investors have sought for years," Needham analysts wrote in a recent note to clients. Salesforce stock remains down about 13% from its 2024 peak close and record high of $316.88 a share on March 1. CRM 1Y mountain Salesforce's stock over the past 12 months. Analysts said Salesforce is cheap compared to peers on multiple valuation metrics with ample room to increase free cash flow ahead.

Persons: Salesforce, Jim Cramer, Agentforce, Mulesoft, Needham, Einstein, —, Jim, Bofa, Baird, Piper Sandler, Piper, Jim Cramer's, Marc Benioff, Salesforce's Dreamforce, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Wall Street, Nasdaq, Barclays, Saks, Investors, Bank of America, CNBC, Getty Locations: Dreamforce, San Francisco, San Francisco , California

☆ Google files EU antitrust complaint accusing Microsoft of stifling cloud competition
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Google filed an antitrust complaint with the European Commission Wednesday accusing Microsoft of using unfair licensing contracts to stifle competition in the multibillion-dollar cloud computing industry. At the heart of Google's complaint is the allegation that Microsoft uses unfair licensing terms to "lock in" clients and exert control over the cloud market. Referring to the CISPE settlement, Microsoft said in a statement Wednesday that it expects the European Commission to dismiss Google's complaint. "Microsoft settled amicably similar concerns raised by European cloud providers, even after Google hoped they would keep litigating," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNBC via email. "Having failed to persuade European companies, we expect Google similarly will fail to persuade the European Commission."

Persons: CISPE Organizations: Google, European, Wednesday, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Commission, CNBC, European Commission

☆ Vince McMahon once floated a WWE storyline where he got his own daughter pregnant
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Netflix's "Mr. McMahon" explores how Vince McMahon built the World Wrestling Entertainment empire. The docuseries highlights WWE's "Attitude" era and his in-ring character, Mr. McMahon. One of the most shocking moments is when he admits he floated an incest storyline involving his daughter. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .

Persons: Mr, McMahon, Vince McMahon, —, Vince McMahon's, Chris Smith, Jim, Andy Organizations: Wrestling Entertainment, Service, Netflix, World Wrestling Entertainment, Business

☆ Caught cold by UniCredit’s swoop on Commerzbank, Germany will want to avoid a national embarrassment
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A protestor holds a placard with a slogan reading "Stop Merger Horror" during a union demonstration outside the Commerzbank AG headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. It follows UniCredit's move to take a 9% stake in Commerzbank earlier this month. watch nowScholz on Monday criticized UniCredit's decision to up the ante on Commerzbank, describing the move as an "unfriendly" and "hostile" attack, Reuters reported. Commerzbank's Deputy Chair Uwe Tschaege, meanwhile, reportedly voiced opposition to a potential takeover by UniCredit on Tuesday. The Commerzbank AG headquarters, in the financial district of Frankfurt, Germany, on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Persons: it's, UniCredit, Octavio Marenzi, Opimas, CNBC's, Olaf Scholz, He's, Marenzi, Scholz, UniCredit's, Uwe Tschaege, Tschaege, Andrea Orcel, Stefan Wittman, Germany's Scholz, Craig Coben, Coben, Emanuele Cremaschi Organizations: Commerzbank, Bloomberg, Getty, CNBC, Reuters, UniCredit, BBVA, Banco Sabadell, Bank of America, AG Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Berlin, Milan, Commerzbank, Spanish

☆ Google Cloud exec says Microsoft is in violation of EU antitrust laws
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGoogle Cloud exec says Microsoft is in violation of EU antitrust lawsAmit Zavery, head of platforms for Google Cloud, discusses the tech giant's antitrust complaint alleging Microsoft harms competition in the multibillion-dollar cloud computing industry.

Persons: Amit Zavery Organizations: Google, Microsoft

☆ Amazon's Bedrock success prompts a surprising question: Do you need a top model to win in AI?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewSo far, the generative AI race has been about who can build the most powerful models. Almost two years later, there are so many powerful AI models out there, it's no longer that special. Advertisement'Important but not critical'AWS CEO Matt Garman appears to be fine not having a fancy, home-grown AI model. "It'll be important but not critical," Garman said when asked about the importance of offering a top-performing first-party AI model. AGI teamThis doesn't mean Amazon has given up on building its own powerful AI model.

Persons: —, Claude, Meta's, Matt Murphy, Anthropic, Murphy, ChatGPT, Patrick Neighorn, Amazon's, Andy Jassy, Matt Garman, Garman, Matt McIlwain, Brent Thill, Jefferies, Thill Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Microsoft, OpenAI, Gemini, Menlo Ventures, AWS, Intuit, Toyota, New York Stock Exchange, BI, Asia, Madrona Venture Group, Amazon Locations: Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Japan, North America

☆ Social media platforms are using what you create for artificial intelligence. Here’s how to opt out
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For companies running AI models, social media platforms offer valuable data. He added that he would opt out of allowing LinkedIn use his data for AI training. Different social platforms vary in terms of the options they give users to opt-out of contributing to AI systems. Here’s where some of the major social media platforms may be using your data to train and run AI models, and how (and if) you can opt out. LinkedInLinkedIn this week began giving users the choice to opt-out of having their data used to train it generative AI models.

Persons: New York CNN — OpenAI, —, ” David Ogiste, “, Elon Musk’s, Grok, ”, X, Snapchat, ’ selfies, Reddit Reddit, Reddit, won’t, private.Meta Organizations: New, New York CNN, LinkedIn, Nobody’s, CNN, Microsoft, ”, Media, Services, Google, Meta, Facebook Locations: New York, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Europe

☆ Qualcomm has good reasons to bid for Intel — but a takeover probably won't happen
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewIf Qualcomm sees it through, its takeover bid of Intel would likely be the biggest in Silicon Valley history. The possibility of Intel handing its 56-year history over to a younger rival emerged last week after several reports said that California-based semiconductor firm Qualcomm had made a takeover approach. That said, not everyone is convinced that Qualcomm needs Intel — or that a buyout would be a good idea for either company. My industry survey also indicates that Qualcomm is currently in takeover talks with Intel. A Qualcomm bid for Intel could face similar regulatory obstacles to the takeover attempt Nvidia made for Arm in 2020 and later abandoned in 2022.

Persons: —, Qualcomm's, Pat Gelsinger, Patrick Moorhead, Richard Windsor, Chi Kuo, 錤, Qualcomm Organizations: Service, Qualcomm, Intel, Business, Nvidia, Financial Times, CNBC, Amazon Web, Intel Foundry, Radio Free Mobile, International Securities, Microsoft, Bloomberg Locations: Silicon Valley, California, Europe, Taiwan

☆ Wall Street hovers near record highs. Here's why we want to see choppiness
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. The Dow closed Friday at a record while the S & P 500 did so Thursday . Despite a slight dip in the S & P 500 Friday, the S & P Short Range Oscillator moved further into overbought territory at 7.3%. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Stocks, Jim Cramer's, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Jim, Jeff Marks, Jeff Organizations: CNBC, Dow, Health, Intel, Qualcomm, Bloomberg News, Apollo Global Management, Apple, Barclays, JPMorgan, Citigroup Locations: U.S

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Micron, Tesla, Ulta, Intel and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Pia Singh | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: Micron Technology — Micron edged 2.7% higher after JPMorgan reiterated the stock as overweight ahead of the memory chipmaker's earnings, which are expected Wednesday after market close. Monday's gain put the stock on track for its biggest advance since Aug. 28, when it popped 9%. Ulta — The cosmetics stock lost more than 3% after a downgrade to hold from buy at TD Cowen. Biohaven — Shares surged 12% after the clinical-stage pharma company announced positive trial data for its drug treating spinocerebellar ataxia known as troriluzole. Intel — Shares of the struggling chipmaker climbed 2.4% after Bloomberg News reported on Sunday that Apollo Global Management proposed to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Intel.

Persons: Harlan Sur, General Motors, Bernstein, Cowen, troriluzole, Ciena, Jesse Pound, Alex Harring, Samantha Subin, Sean Conlon Organizations: Micron Technology, Micron, JPMorgan, Tesla, Barclays, U.S . Army, General, pharma, Intel —, Bloomberg, Apollo Global Management, Intel, CNBC, Qualcomm, Citi

Sovereign wealth funds out of the Middle East are emerging as key backers of Silicon Valley's artificial intelligence darlings. In the past year, funding for AI companies by Middle-Eastern sovereigns has increased fivefold, according to data from Pitchbook. Few venture funds have deep enough pockets to compete with the multibillion-dollar checks coming from the likes of Microsoft and Amazon . MGX was launched as a dedicated AI fund in March, with Abu Dhabi's Mubadala and AI firm G42 as founding partners. For the U.S., having sovereign wealth funds invest in American companies, and not in global adversaries like China, has been a geopolitical priority.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Uber, LIV, UAE's Mubadala, MGX, Abu Dhabi's Mubadala, Anthropic, Andreessen Horowitz, Jamal Khashoggi, It's, Bpifrance, WeWork spiraled, Jared Cohen, there's Organizations: United, CNBC, Microsoft, Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Abu, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Qatar Investment Authority, BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners, Saudi, U.S, Saudi Company, Artificial Intelligence, Washington Post, SoftBank, Goldman Sachs Global Institute Locations: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Pitchbook, Abu Dhabi, Temasek, Singapore, China, UAE

☆ Return-to-office mandates are helping drive up housing prices in these 10 cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe rise of remote work freed many Americans from the daily commute to an office, empowering them to live wherever they choose. According to Realtor.com, San Jose leads the nation, with homes selling 6.2% above their asking prices. As a result, the demand for housing, combined with a perpetual housing shortage, has made the real-estate market exceptionally competitive. AdvertisementReturn-to-office policies from various companies could make the San Jose market even hotter, a local real-estate broker said. "The real-estate market will probably heat up even more as people move from far areas to be closer to work," Orosco said.

Persons: —, It's, Hannah Jones, Realtor.com, Lex Orosco, Orosco Organizations: Service, Business, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, California Bay Area, PayPal, eBay, Adobe, Google Locations: West Coast, Texas, Florida, California, San Jose, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Bay

☆ Major movie theater chains unveil a $2.2 billion makeover plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

That’s why the biggest theater chains in the United States and Canada have a $2.2 billion plan to bring them back. Large chains are also facing competition from luxury theaters offering an enhanced viewing experience, like IPIC Theaters and Alamo Drafthouse. Better air conditioning, new signs and revamped carpeting are also included in the plan. In July, Regal announced it would spend $250 million to remodel its 400 locations following its parent company’s exit from bankruptcy. The $2.2 billion investment shows “no better reflection of confidence” about movie theaters’ future, Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore, told CNN.

Persons: Cinemark, Paul Dergarabedian, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, AMC Entertainment, Regal, American, IPIC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, National Association of Theatre Owners, NATO, CNN, “ Locations: New York, United States, Canada

☆ J&J subsidiary files for bankruptcy to advance $8 billion talc settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

J&J’s Red River Talc unit made its filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. J&J faces lawsuits from more than 62,000 claimants who alleged that its baby powder and other talc products were contaminated with asbestos and caused ovarian and other cancers. After being rebuffed twice by federal courts, New Brunswick New Jersey-based J&J is attempting again to end the litigation in a so-called “Texas two-step” bankruptcy. J&J said the Red River unit filed the bankruptcy case after it received support of about 83% of current claimants for the proposed bankruptcy plan. The goal is to use the proceeding to force all plaintiffs into one settlement, without requiring J&J itself to file for bankruptcy.

Persons: Reuters —, Johnson, J, Dietrich Knauth, Leigh Jones, Will Dunham, Sandra Maler, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Reuters, Johnson, Bankruptcy, Southern, Southern District of, Supreme, Purdue Locations: U.S, Southern District, Southern District of Texas, New Brunswick New Jersey, Texas, Bengaluru

☆ Intel, once a Silicon Valley star, has been floundering. Now it's mounting a turnaround.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

During his tenure as CEO, Grove transformed the chip company into a giant of Silicon Valley that, during the 1990s, was as important to the PC market as Microsoft. Pat Gelsinger, who has led Intel as CEO since 2021, has enacted a sweeping set of new initiatives to turn the chip company around. Its Gaudi 3 AI chip, unveiled as a rival to offerings from Nvidia and AMD, is expected to generate just $500 million in sales this year. Meanwhile, Alvin Nguyen, senior analyst at Forrester, told Business Insider that this is a big public win for Intel. Gelsinger's second headline announcement was that the company is establishing Intel Foundry as a separate subsidiary within Intel, with its own new operating board and independent directors.

Persons: —, Andrew Grove, he'd, Grove, Grove —, Pat Gelsinger, Gordon Moore, Gelsinger, HWA CHENG, Patrick Moorhead, Moorhead, Alvin Nguyen, Forrester, Gelsinger's, It's, Forrester's Nguyen, Bernstein Organizations: Service, Microsoft, Intel, Business, Nvidia, Gaudi, AMD, Revenue, HWA, Getty, Amazon Web Services, Intel Foundry, Reuters Locations: Silicon, Japan, Moore's, AFP, Poland, Germany, Arizona , Oregon, New Mexico, Ohio

☆ In a first for $21 billion Balyasny, a star PM will start building his own internal equities unit this month
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Alex Morrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This month, he'll start building a long-short equity division called Longaeva Partners inside Balyasny and exclusively managing the multistrategy hedge fund's capital, according to people familiar with the matter. "He was very coachable and progressed at a much faster rate than a lot of other, newer portfolio managers," Boyle said. "Peter was good at keeping his emotions out of his portfolio," Boyle said. At Balyasny, Goodwin will effectively have his own unit, though he'll be under the flagship Atlas Enhanced umbrella and operate on BAM's platform, including access to its technology, risk management, hiring, and human resources capabilities. The allure of such a setup is more time to spend on investing, which Longaeva will do exclusively with Balyasny money for now.

Persons: —, Peter Goodwin, Dmitry Balyasny's, Jeff Runnfeldt, Gustav Rydbeck, Goodwin, he'll, it's, they've, Point72, Point72 Goodwin, Peter, Korn, Scott Goodwin, Shaw, Perry Boyle, Boyle, delegating, he's Organizations: Service, Management, Business, Longaeva Partners, Millennium Management, Korn Ferry, JPMorgan, Lehman Brothers, Ziff Capital Locations: D.E

☆ Inside Amazon's new AI sales machine: More pressure, more pay, more speed
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementThese AWS staffers were asked to find at least one sales opportunity each month for Q, Amazon's AI assistant, and Bedrock, the company's AI platform. AdvertisementMany AWS sales teams have new performance targets tied to AI products. AdvertisementHitting these goals is important for Amazon employees because that can result in higher performance ratings, a key factor in getting a raise or promotion. The "Find One, Launch One, Ramp One" initiative includes AWS sales architects. More pressure but also more rewardsAmazon is also doling out bonuses and other forms of potentially higher pay for AI sales success.

Persons: —, Matt Garman, salespeople, AWS's, Garman, Microsoft Satya Nadella, Justin Sullivan, Q, hasn't Organizations: Service, North, Business, AWS, Messaging, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, BI, there's, Amazon Connect Locations: North America

☆ Sam Altman may be in his villain era, but no one seems to care
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As one VC partner told Business Insider at the time: "Sam is bigger than Taylor Swift." But the bigger you are, the faster the fall, and a few months later, things began to unravel. Others simply said Altman was overhyped, that he didn't have all the answers that the public and investors seemed to expect of him. Thanks to good old-fashioned capitalism, Altman and OpenAI have enjoyed business win after win and held their positions as the leaders in the aggressive AI race. "I thought Sam Altman did a really good job in the special," she told The Washington Post in a discussion about her TV program on artificial intelligence.

Persons: —, Sam Altman, Taylor Swift, Altman, Oscar, Scarlett Johansson, Johansson, Ilya Sutskever, Jan Leike, Leike, Anthropic —, Greg Brockman, OpenAI, Siri, Goldman Sachs, OpenAI fanboys, Wharton, Ethan Mollick, Anderson Cooper, Josh Kushner —, Oprah Winfrey Organizations: Service, OpenAI, Business, —, Leike, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, tech's, o1, Washington Locations: OpenAI —, Valley

☆ Waymo and Tesla have opposite problems as they compete for driverless tech dominance
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewTwo major players — Tesla and Waymo — are battling for dominance in the driverless tech sector. "I think that Tesla has a software problem, and I think Waymo has a hardware problem, is the way I put it — and I think software problems are much easier." AdvertisementHe viewed Tesla as a "pioneer" in using machine learning for its autonomous driving software. But he also argued that Tesla's autonomous hardware hasn't solved the driverless equation. Waymo, on the other hand, produces an autonomous driving system capable of eliminating a human driver.

Persons: —, — Tesla, Waymo, Tesla, Andrej Karpathy, I'm, Karpathy, it's, Dan O'Dowd, Elon, Musk's, Kevin Chen, Chen, they're, you've Organizations: Service, Business, EV, The, Elon Musk's Locations: San Francisco , Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, who's, San Francisco

A little over three years ago, private equity investor Orlando Bravo called FTX the "most cutting-edge, sophisticated cryptocurrency exchange in the world," as his buyout firm helped lead a $900 million investment in the company at a valuation of $18 billion. Bravo now tells CNBC that he and his firm, Thoma Bravo, are permanently out of crypto after that disaster. FTX spiraled into bankruptcy in late 2022, and founder Sam Bankman-Fried is in the early days of serving a 25-year prison sentence for the massive fraud and conspiracy that doomed FTX and sister hedge fund Alameda Research. "Once you make a mistake and once you get burned on something, our philosophy and my philosophy is you never touch it again," Bravo said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Thursday. FTX marked a sideways turn for San Francisco-based Thoma Bravo, which has emerged as a giant investor in technology, orchestrating multibillion-dollar acquisitions in recent years of companies including cybersecurity software vendor Proofpoint, property management software company RealPage, finance and supply chain software developer Anaplan and spend management software company Coupa.

Persons: Orlando Bravo, Thoma, spiraled, Sam Bankman, Bravo Organizations: Bravo, CNBC, Thoma Bravo, Alameda Research, San Locations: Alameda, San Francisco

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