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[1/2] Microsoft Corp's Bing search engine is seen on a computer in this illustration picture taken January 24, 2019. While Bing AI has been available to most users around the world since February, Google began the public release of its chatbot Bard only on Tuesday. "Bing has less than a tenth of Google's market share, so even if it converts 1% or 2% of users it will be materially beneficial to Bing and Microsoft," Luria said. App downloads for Bing have also jumped eight times globally after AI integration, according to app research firm Data.ai. Downloads for the Google search app fell 2% in the same period, the data showed.

Meta's LLaMA, short for Large Language Model Meta AI, will be available under non-commercial license to researchers and entities affiliated with government, civil society, and academia, it said in a blog. Large language models mine vast amounts of text in order to summarize information and generate content. "Generative AI is a new application of AI that Meta has less experience with, but is clearly important for the future of their business." It described its 65-billion-parameter LLaMA model as "competitive" with Google's Chinchilla70B and PaLM-540B, which are even larger than the model that Google used to show off its Bard chat-powered search. Meta in May last year released large language model OPT-175B, also aimed at researchers, which formed the basis of a new iteration of its chatbot BlenderBot.

☆ Shopify is in talks to add Amazon's Buy with Prime service. Analysts say this is a 'Trojan horse' that could cut into Shopify's core revenue.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But many analysts don't think that Buy with Prime is a good thing for Shopify. Shopify executives continued to strike an optimistic tone about Amazon's Buy with Prime feature during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday. Buy with Prime allows sellers to offer Prime benefits — like fast shipping, free delivery, and free returns — on websites outside of Amazon.com. Shopify merchants that try to install it get a pop-up informing them that the checkout feature violates the company's terms of service and could leave their store vulnerable to fraud. Many Shopify merchants choose not to sell their products on Amazon because they want to maintain control over their customer data.

☆ Shopify's revenue forecast fails to impress, shares fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 15 (Reuters) - Shopify Inc (SHOP.TO) on Wednesday forecast slowing revenue growth for the current quarter despite price hikes and new product launches, signaling that macroeconomic challenges were weighing on its merchants' online businesses. U.S-listed shares of Shopify, which started 2022 as the most valuable Canadian company before losing three-quarters of its value, fell about 8% in extended trading. The technology company, which offers tools and services for businesses to set up their online stores, said it expects revenue growth in the "high-teen" percentages, while analysts had forecast a rise of nearly 20%, according to Refinitiv data. "For them to guide to high-teen growth after taking price increases that didn't factor into the last quarter, it seems very conservative," said Gil Luria, analyst at D.A. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 26% to $1.7 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $1.64 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ Here's how tech giants Microsoft, Google, and Baidu are dealing with ChatGPT, and what that could mean for investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

ChatGPT's viral success has caught the eye of big tech companies and investors. Microsoft is working to integrate the bot into its search engine, while Google is scrambling for alternatives. Major tech names like Microsoft, Google parent Alphabet, and Chinese tech giant Baidu have all taken steps in recent weeks to show they're trying to harness the technology underpinning OpenAI's ChatGPT. BaiduChinese search giant Baidu is also working on developing a rival to ChatGPT to use in its services. But analysts generally expect Baidu's bounce to prove short-lived – because so many of its competitors, including Microsoft and Google, are working on similar AI programs.

☆ Shopify's prices will go up by as much as 33% in some cases, but analyst say merchants aren't going anywhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Analysts say Shopify's products offer a much better value than their competitors'. He added that many merchants pay more in fees for third-party apps and add-ons than they do for a Shopify subscription. With those fees in mind, an increase to the monthly subscription fee would seem relatively small, Pfau argued. Luria said that it's possible Shopify's price hikes could "upset smaller merchants for whom this is a big expenditure," particularly amid inflation and economic uncertainty. Shopify's price hikes come as the company makes changes to its leadership team.

☆ Latest Microsoft results show the tech giant is still a buy despite near-term pressures, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft may be facing some near-term pressures, but most analysts think the stock remains a buy at current levels. Radke has a buy rating on the stock, and raised his target price slightly to $282 from $280. His $300 price target represents more than 23% upside from Tuesday's closing price for the stock. Davidson's Gil Luria was especially bullish on Microsoft, saying that the tech giant "deserves a premium valuation relative to the market and its Pac4 comparables." He lowered his price target to $265 from $267.

☆ Satya Nadella doesn't expect spending to be very strong for the next couple of years, says Gil Luria
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | 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 EmailSatya Nadella doesn't expect spending to be very strong for the next couple of years, says Gil LuriaGil Luria, senior software analyst at DA Davidson, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss expectations for Microsoft's earnings report, the payoff for Microsoft's investment in OpenAi in the short and long term, and the potential consequences of antitrust litigations against Google.

☆ Alphabet or Microsoft? Analysts predict which stock will come out on top
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Analysts say the platform could be a threat to Google's bread-and-butter search business . Alphabet and Microsoft compete in the cloud business. Neither stock did well in the past year, with Microsoft dropping more than 20%, and Alphabet tumbling over 30%. According to FactSet, analysts covering the stock gave it 21% upside on average, while 91% gave it a "buy" rating. According to FactSet, analysts covering Alphabet gave it 35% upside on average, while 92% gave it a buy rating.

☆ With Bing and ChatGPT, Google is about to face competition in search for the first time in 20 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Emilia David | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Microsoft put $1 billion in OpenAI, which built ChatGPT, and plans to integrate ChatGPT into Bing. Many have said Google Search has stagnated, and competition from Bing and ChatGPT might change that. The Information reported Microsoft and ChatGPT creator OpenAI are working on integrating the technology into Microsoft's perpetually overlooked search site Bing. Bing has lost to Google search for over a decade, but with the integration of ChatGPT, Bing may offer the first compelling reason why people might want to switch from Google. The internet giant has its own language model called LaMDA, short for Language Model for Dialogue Applications.

☆ Microsoft's investment into ChatGPT's creator may be the smartest $1 billion ever spent
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Microsoft's $1 billion investment into OpenAI may be one of the shrewdest bets in tech history. OpenAI released AI bot ChatGPT and is in discussions to raise capital at a $30 billion valuation. "We believe Microsoft's investment in OpenAI will translate to significant underappreciated upside," Luria wrote. Investors may be souring on speculative tech but AI looks resilientThere is speculation that Microsoft may look to buy OpenAI. That suggests investors will still look to pile into the hottest AI companies, cementing the value of Microsoft's deal.

☆ Buy Microsoft as latest investment can help it end Google's search dominance, D.A. Davidson says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft 's investment in OpenAI should offer "significant underappreciated upside" for the big technology stock in the months ahead, according to D.A. The firm initiated coverage of the tech bellwether with a buy rating and $270 price target, viewing its investment in the research company, which operates ChatGPT, as a potential short-term catalyst for shares that help support its premium valuation. "Longer-term, we believe incorporating ChatGPT capabilities into Bing may provide Microsoft with a once-a-decade opportunity to unseat Google's Search dominance," wrote analyst Gil Luria in a note to clients Wednesday. Looking ahead, Luria expects the company's market dominancy and endurance to help the company weather further uncertainty ahead. The firm's $270 price target implies nearly 18% upside from Wednesday's close.

☆ D.A. Davidson initiates coverage of Microsoft with a $270 price target
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailD.A. Davidson initiates coverage of Microsoft with a $270 price targetGil Luria, D.A. Davidson analyst, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the decision to initiate coverage of Microsoft today with a buy rating and a $270 price target.

☆ Gen. Mark Milley said there were talks about court-martialing former military officers who wrote 'very critical' op-eds of Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gen. Mark Milley said there were talks of retaliating against retired officers critical of Trump. Several former military officers wrote up-eds criticizing Trump during his presidency. Milley said he was concerned about politicization of the military in his testimony before the January 6 committee. Milley responded by saying he was concerned about the politicization of the military, and that the issue had come up during the Trump administration after op-eds written by retired military officers were "very critical of then President Trump." Milley did not specify which retired military officers were considered for court-martialing, but several wrote critical op-eds of Trump during his time in office.

Critically, experts say, nothing that's transpired in the crypto market in 2022 undermines the inherent value of the blockchain. "So while this has been a shock to the market, a lot of people in the space remain sanguine about the future of blockchain technology." He said stock trading, buying and selling real estate, and borrowing and lending money remain ripe for disruption by blockchain technology. "The ethereum blockchain could turn out to be this major infrastructure layer for the future of technological services," Abner said. He said prospective crypto users must prepare for a steep learning curve going forward, because it ultimately involves trusting only yourself to be in charge of your assets.

☆ Trump a target as U.S. Capitol riot probe votes on criminal referrals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] A mob of supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump climb through a window they broke as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. The committee is scheduled to meet Monday to consider referrals and vote on its final report, which it expects to release in full on Wednesday. It subpoenaed Trump in October, asking him to testify and provide documents, but he filed suit to block the action. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in October found that two in five Republicans believed Trump was at least partly responsible for the attack. Four of the committee's members, including both Republicans, leave Congress early next year.

☆ U.S. House Jan. 6 Capitol riot probe to consider Trump criminal referral
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The committee is scheduled to meet Monday to consider referrals and vote on its final report, which it expects to release in full on Wednesday. With Republicans due to take control of the House of Representatives next month, the Jan. 6 committee is expected to be disbanded, even as Trump seeks the Republican nomination to run for the White House again in 2024. It subpoenaed Trump in October, asking him to testify and provide documents, but he filed suit to block the action. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in October found that two in five Republicans believed Trump was at least partly responsible for the attack. Four of the committee's members, including both Republicans, leave Congress early next year.

☆ Alibaba's Singles Day sales suggest Chinese consumer still not getting better, strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | 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 EmailAlibaba's Singles Day sales suggest Chinese consumer still not getting better, strategist saysGil Luria of D.A. Davidson says Alibaba's Singles Day sales suggest consumer spending in China is "clearly" not growing, but may not be slowing down as much as it had been.

Republicans won the House on Wednesday when they picked up a 218th seat, the majority needed to control the chamber. How House district results compare with presidential election results in Florida 2022 House margin 2020 presidential margin Voted more Democratic than presidential election 2020 presidential margin 2022 House margin Voted more Republican than presidential electionwon Republicanwonwon Democratwon Notes: Chart shows all districts where there was one candidate from each major party. How House district results compare with presidential election results in Michigan 2022 House margin 2020 presidential margin Voted more Democratic than presidential election 2020 presidential margin 2022 House margin Voted more Republican than presidential electionwon Republicanwonwon Democratwon Notes: Chart shows all districts where there was one candidate from each party. Clinton-Biden districts where Republicans won in 2022 Where Democrats won the presidential vote in 2016 and 2020 and a Republican won the House in 2022 Vote margin Rep. win by ≥10% Rep. win by <10% Dem. Trump-Biden districts where Republicans won in 2022 Where Trump won the presidential vote in 2016, Biden won in 2020 and a Republican won the House in 2022 Vote margin Rep. win by ≥10% Rep. win by <10% Dem.

☆ Analysis: Four takeaways from the U.S. midterm elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is showered with confetti as he celebrates onstage with his wife Casey and family during his 2022 U.S. midterm elections night party in Tampa, Florida, November 8, 2022. Oz, the TV physician who was Trump's hand-picked candidate for the race, had questioned his fitness for office. During Fetterman's campaign, he made much of visiting the state's rural regions with talk of creating working-class jobs. Meanwhile, a race in the state’s 10th district, situated even closer to Washington, ended with incumbent Democrat Jennifer Wexton keeping her seat. The win moved Republicans closer to the five seats they needed to take over the House.

In the House of Representatives, Republicans remained favored to win a majority that would allow them to halt Biden's legislative agenda. By early Wednesday, the party had flipped six Democratic House seats, Edison Research projected, one more than the minimum they need to take over the chamber. But Republican hopes for a "red wave" of victories faded as Democrats showed surprising resilience in several key races. The Democratic speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement, "It is clear that House Democratic members and candidates are strongly outperforming expectations around the country." Voter anger over the Supreme Court's June decision to overturn the nationwide right to abortion helped Democrats to curb their losses.

SummarySummary Companies Key House, Senate races still too close to callRepublican-controlled Congress would stymie Biden agendaPHOENIX, Ariz./BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Nov 8 (Reuters) - Control of Congress was up for grabs after Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections with many of the most competitive races uncalled, leaving it unclear whether Republicans would seize control from President Joe Biden's Democrats. In the House of Representatives, Republicans had been favored to win a majority that would allow them to halt Biden's legislative agenda. By early Wednesday, the party had flipped four Democratic House seats, Edison Research projected, one short of the number they need to take over the chamber. The Georgia Senate race could end up in a Dec. 6 runoff, possibly with Senate control at stake. Democrats currently control the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris able to break any ties.

Vance won Ohio's U.S. Senate race in Tuesday's midterm elections, but control of the chamber remained up for grabs with several contests too close to call. Democrats currently control the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris able to break any ties. In addition to every House seat, 35 Senate seats and three dozen governors' races are on the ballot. (Live election results from around the country are here.) In Pennsylvania, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who sought to overturn the state's election results after Trump lost, was defeated by Democrat Josh Shapiro.

☆ Analysis: Three takeaways from the U.S. midterm elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Marco BelloWASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections will determine whether Republicans seize control of Congress from Democrats. Early exit polls from Edison Research, however, showed reason for concern as Democrats appeared to be losing support from crucial voting blocs. The exit polls showed 54% of voters with college degrees picking Democrats while 45% voted for Republicans. Exit polls showed Republicans were winning 40% of the Hispanic vote, compared to 32% won by Trump in 2020. Now all eyes will be on his next move — and whether he has the guts to take on Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

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