All articles tagged with #big tech
Iran says it will charge license fees to Big Tech for using undersea cables that pass beneath the Strait of Hormuz, naming Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft; the move could push US firms to pursue overland fiber routes and Gulf-led projects as wartime disruptions and repair delays threaten the chokepoint.
U.S. stocks closed at new record highs as AI and tech names—especially memory chips and big-tech leaders—led the rally, with Alphabet, Meta, Nvidia and Micron among the movers while Tower Semiconductor and Nebius posted notable gains on AI-infrastructure optimism; Ford also rallied on bullish AI-related activity, even as producer prices unexpectedly jumped.
A Meta data scientist with a physics PhD explains how rigorous research habits, skepticism, and strong communication from academia translate to data work, the challenge of translating academia to corporate roles, and the value of curiosity and upskilling in Big Tech.
Apple has agreed to a $250 million settlement to resolve a class-action accusing it of false advertising for promising AI Siri features in 2024 that had not launched; the deal covers U.S. buyers of the iPhone 16 and some iPhone 15 models, carries no admission of fault, and would be among the company’s largest settlements if approved. The case underscores ongoing AI hype and delays as Apple partners with OpenAI and Google and had signalled a Siri reveal at its June developer conference, though Tim Cook later said Siri work is taking longer than expected.
As Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft prepare earnings after the bell, investors scrutinize OpenAI's reported revenue and user targets amid heavy data-center spending; if OpenAI’s economics falter, the spillover could temper Big Tech's AI-driven growth and investment plans, even as OpenAI publicly disputes the reporting.
OpenAI’s expanding influence through Microsoft Azure and AWS puts pressure on MSFT and AMZN’s cloud outlook as they head into earnings, while Alphabet faces AI competition and Meta’s AI spending adds to the AI-driven outlook; Wall Street sees upside for META, AMZN, GOOGL, and MSFT, but OpenAI’s legal issues and potential demand shifts inject uncertainty.
Wall Street’s rally has been led by the biggest tech names, and Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Apple are set to report this week. Together they are worth nearly $16 trillion, a quarter of the S&P 500, and their results will indicate whether the rally can sustain amid geopolitical tensions and ongoing demand for tech growth.
Former Big Tech employees are quitting or reevaluating corporate life to launch AI-focused startups, driven by rapid AI advances, a tougher job market, and return-to-office mandates, signaling a broader entrepreneurship surge as people seek autonomy while weighing financial risks.
Microsoft is reportedly offering a voluntary buyout to up to 7% of its US workforce in May, limited to employees at senior director level and below whose combined years of service and age total 70 or more, potentially affecting as many as 8,750 workers. The move follows 2025 layoffs and reflects ongoing heavy investment in AI infrastructure; CNBC reported the plan, and Engadget has asked Microsoft for comment.
French authorities say a hairdryer was used to alter a temperature sensor at Charles de Gaulle airport, allegedly rigging Polymarket weather bets and netting around $34,000; the sensor has since been moved, and the incident underscores questions about using public weather readings for real‑world prediction markets.
Apple named its 51-year-old hardware engineering chief, John Ternus, as Tim Cook’s successor as CEO, with Cook stepping to executive chairman as the company moves to a leadership model focused on hardware expertise and AI-driven product strategy.
Swalwell’s exit upends California’s Democratic primary, pushing the race toward a Bernie-style left as Katie Porter and Tom Steyer compete for momentum and donor support. Steyer is flooding the airwaves and courting unions, while Porter’s more radical agenda could fracture traditional tech backing. The tech sector fears a wealth tax and anti-tech policies, potentially driving high-wage earners and talent out of Silicon Valley. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is seen as a possible pro-business alternative, but Steyer’s fundraising and Porter’s populist base could determine the outcome with wide implications for California’s economy and innovation ecosystem.
Major U.S. stock benchmarks rose as oil prices retreated and Big Tech led gains, lifting the S&P 500 toward its record high while the Dow and Nasdaq also traded higher as investors weighed wholesale inflation data.
Brussels named Anthony Whelan, a longtime adviser to Ursula von der Leyen, to head the EU competition directorate and press ahead with investigations into Big Tech firms like Google, Meta, Apple and X, signaling a continued enforcement stance despite political pressure from Donald Trump; Whelan said enforcement would be fair, legally grounded and not swayed by noise, amid policy debates on how EU rules should balance competition with growth.
Google News is reportedly showing Polymarket bets and odds alongside traditional stories, appearing in the For You feed and in search results; rollout details are unclear and may be tied to existing Polymarket/Kalshi partnerships, prompting concerns about betting content in news results.