TechCheck Takes: I Held Google's Willow Chip — What Quantum Means for the Future of AI 5/7/25

TechCheck

42:18

“I used to be the largest dairy consumer on the planet. I used to eat so much dairy and meat. The more that I looked into the dairy industry, the more that I saw that it was the singular, most inhumane industry on the planet, that we've all been lied to, including myself, for years. I always believed that the picture on the milk carton, the cow standing next to her calf in the green field with the red barn in the back was true. It’s certainly the complete opposite.” – Richard (Kudo) Couto Richard (Kudo) Couto is the founder of Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), an organization solely dedicated to investigating extreme animal cruelty cases. ARM has led high-risk undercover operations that have resulted in the shutdown of illegal slaughterhouses, animal fighting rings, and horse meat trafficking networks. Recently, they released a damning investigation into two industrial dairy farms outside of Phoenix, Arizona supplying milk to Coca-Cola’s Fairlife brand. What they uncovered was systemic animal abuse, environmental violations, and a devastating betrayal of consumer trust. While Fairlife markets its products as being sourced "humanely," ARM’s footage tells a very different story—one of suffering, abuse, and corporate complicity. Despite the evidence, this story has been largely ignored by mainstream media—likely due to Coca-Cola’s massive influence and advertising dollars.…

14 days ago 27:11

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"Inside a secretive lab in Santa Barbara, California, scientists at Alphabet are working on one of the company's most ambitious bets yet. They're attempting to develop the world's most advanced quantum computers. Late last year, Google unveiled a breakthrough quantum computing chip called Willow, which it says can solve a benchmark problem unimaginably faster than what's possible with a classical computer. CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa gets an exclusive look inside Google quantum lab and explores whether Willow may give Google a chance to take the lead in the next technological era.

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TechCheck

TechCheck Takes: I Held Google's Willow Chip — What Quantum Means for the Future of AI 5/7/25

TechCheck

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published 14 days ago

MP3•Episode home

616 episodes

#Tech #MBA #Trading #Business #CNBC #Disruptors #Faang #Technology

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TechCheck

1
Balancing search, AI at Google I/O 5/20/25 7:40

1 day ago7:40

7:40

Alphabet kicks off its adeveloper event Google I/O today – we look at the tech giant’s delicate balancing act between prioritizing AI while maintaining its core search business

TechCheck

1
Why Palantir, Anduril are Washington's new tech favorites 5/19/25 44:03

2 days ago44:03

44:03

Apple and Alibaba shares under pressure after New York Times reporting that their deal to bring AI to Chinese iPhones is facing U.S. government scrutiny. We look at how as Apple feels the squeeze of Trump’s trade policies, defense tech is winning big.

TechCheck

1
Meta reportedly delays launch of flagship AI model “Behemoth” 5/16/25 7:43

5 days ago7:43

7:43

The Wall Street Journal reporting Meta has again delayed the launch of flagship AI model, named “Behemoth.” We look at how the news highlights Meta’s massive AI spend and the increasing focus on leaner models.

TechCheck

1
Trump, Cook clash over iPhones 5/15/25 9:22

6 days ago9:22

9:22

President Trump attacking Tim Cook over Apple’s plans to produce more iPhones in India. We look at how Trump’s tariffs are shifting supply chains.

TechCheck

1
Databricks buys Neon for $1B, Plus Coreweave’s first quarterly report 5/14/25 7:07

7 days ago7:07

7:07

Databricks CEO talks with Deirdre Bosa about the company’s $1B deal to acquire cloud-based database software vendor Neon, and the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Plus, we walk through what to watch in AI Infrastructure Coreweave’s first quarterly report since its March IPO.

TechCheck

1
The Gulf’s AI ambitions, and China backdoor risks 5/13/25 2:39

8 days ago2:39

2:39

President Trump escalating chip diplomacy in his trip to the Gulf states. We look at how Gulf ambitions to become an AI and their longstanding ties to Chinese tech.

TechCheck

1
Gulf nations’ new role in AI race 5/12/25 7:01

9 days ago7:01

7:01

President Trump kicking off the first major international trip of his second term today, heading to the Gulf states as top tech CEOs make their way to the region for a major investor conference. We look at how a partnership between the Gulf and big tech could reshape the AI landscape.

TechCheck

33 weeks ago19:10

19:10

TechCheck

1
Google’s Viral Podcast Tool 10/3/24 8:57

33 weeks ago8:57

8:57

Google recently released a new AI-generated podcast-making tool called NotebookLM – and it’s gone viral on X and in the tech world. We tested it out using CNBC and Wall Street’s favorite study tool: an analyst note. Powered by Google’s most advanced AI model, Gemini 1.5 Pro, could this be the next killer app for generative AI?…

TechCheck

1
Nvidia Looks to Expand AI Adoption with Accenture Deal 10/2/24 7:23

33 weeks ago7:23

7:23

Nvidia and Accenture announced a partnership today, aiming to set the blueprint for how to begin integrating AI into the workplace and drive productivity gains. But it's not the first time Nvidia has signed a deal like this - and investors are still looking for those gains.

TechCheck

1
AI Safety Regulation Bill Blocked 9/30/24 8:21

33 weeks ago8:21

8:21

A controversial AI safety bill died on California governor Gavin Newsom’s desk over the weekend -- a sweeping bill would have been one of the first moves toward real oversight of the nation’s dynamic new technology. But is it already too late for regulation to catch up?

TechCheck

1
Microsoft’s New Antitrust Chapter 9/25/24 5:48

34 weeks ago5:48

5:48

Google has filed a complaint in the EU against its rival Microsoft, accusing it of unfairly locking clients into using its cloud product. But the suit could be just the latest in recently renewed scrutiny against Microsoft after enjoying a more under-the-radar status relative to its big tech counterparts for the last two decades.…

TechCheck

1
New Threats to Google’s Ad Dominance, Plus Sam Altman’s Growing Empire 9/23/24 6:37

34 weeks ago6:37

6:37

In a new threat to Google’s ad dominance, AI search startup Perplexity is in talks with major brands on a new advertising model for sponsored questions. We spoke with the CEO of AI search optimization startup Profound on why it represents a new pillar in marketing: AI visibility. Plus, Sam Altman could be on his way to becoming the biggest power player in Silicon Valley, with new reporting giving a glimpse into the web of tech titans he’s now tied to.…

TechCheck

1
Temu’s Growth Slowdown 9/20/24 5:25

35 weeks ago5:25

5:25

Shares of Facebook parent company Meta are still hitting fresh all-time highs today. But one potential headwind could be a slowdown in growth at one of its biggest customers, Temu. The Chinese e-commerce app has seen new customer activations stall, according to new data, which could also put Alphabet under pressure.…

TechCheck

1
23andMe’s Downward Spiral 9/19/24 7:24

35 weeks ago7:24

7:24

23andMe could get delisted from the Nasdaq after all 7 members of its board resigned this week. CEO Anne Wojcicki is a big name in Silicon Valley but has struggled to find a sustainable business model and shares are 99% off its peak valuation post-SPAC merger. Wojcicki is now hoping to pivot and take the company private by buying back all outstanding shares in what could be seen as a “founders mode” leadership move.…

TechCheck

1
White House Meets with Top AI Leaders on Energy Demand 9/12/24 7:31

36 weeks ago7:31

7:31

The AI boom is putting a big strain on America’s energy grid, as big tech companies scramble for more energy capacity by buying up nuclear-powered data centers or investing in renewable energy sources. White House officials convened the leaders of top AI companies to discuss how to move forward, including Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang who spoke exclusively to CNBC on the opportunity ahead for public and private collaboration.…

TechCheck

1
Waymo’s Robotaxi Race 9/11/24 6:52

36 weeks ago6:52

6:52

The race to perfect the robotaxi is on. Tesla is prepping for its October 10 self-driving event as Waymo raises industry standards with a brand new safety dashboard, making the case that its vehicles are actually safety than human drivers.

TechCheck

1
Glean Funding Round, Plus Oracle’s AI Boom 9/10/24 7:03

36 weeks ago7:03

7:03

Funding for AI startups is still white hot. The search startup Glean just announced a new funding round that would double its valuation in just six months, raising $260 million at a $4.6 billion valuation. Plus, shares of Oracle are hitting all-time highs today after posting an earnings beat along with a slew of data center announcements and cloud computing partnerships. Keeping the edge though, could prove difficult for its chaiman Larry Ellison.…

TechCheck

1
Apple’s Growing China Competition, Plus Google’s New Ad Tech Battle 9/9/24 7:19

36 weeks ago7:19

7:19

Apple’s biggest competition in China, Huawei, is trying to upstage the company with a smartphone event showdown. Its triple-folding phone is unveiling tonight, just a few hours after Apple’s iPhone reveal, and has already racked up more than 3 million pre-orders. Plus, the trial for the Department of Justice’s new case against Google around its advertising technology kicked off today, with potentially big implications for how users browse the internet.…

TechCheck

1
Tesla’s AI Promises, Plus Apple’s High-Stakes Event 9/6/24 5:57

37 weeks ago5:57

5:57

Shares of Tesla are sinking today, giving back its gains for the week but still outperforming the rest of the megacaps as investors bank on its proposition around full self-driving launches and AI. Plus, Apple is gearing up for its highly-anticipated “Glowtime” event on Monday, where it’s expected to unveil the iPhone 16 with AI features. But will it be enough to help the tech giant stake its place in the AI race?…

TechCheck

1
AI Startup’s $1 Billion Seed Round 9/5/24 7:06

37 weeks ago7:06

7:06

Valuations for AI startups are continuing to skyrocket. This time, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever raising a whopping $1 billion as a seed round for his AI startup Safe Superintelligence Inc, with just around 10 employees and nowhere close to having a product. It's the epitome of a growing trend of a breakneck gen AI race for top talent.…

TechCheck

1
Google’s Big Antitrust Week, Plus VC Take on IPO Pipeline 9/4/24 12:00

37 weeks ago12:00

12:00

Antitrust pressure against Google is ramping up this week, with a joint filing today from Google and the DOJ outlining their timeline for remedies from the Search case, followed quickly by the beginning of an ad tech trial. Plus, the post Labor Day-period is typically a busy one for IPOs, but not the case this year. We discuss the outlook for IPOs, market trends, and big tech’s antitrust concerns with Notable Capital Managing Partner Jeff Richards.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Big Tech’s AI Talent Raid 8/30/24 9:12

38 weeks ago9:12

9:12

Megacaps including Microsoft, Google and Amazon have been getting creative with how they’re poaching talent from top AI startups. Google with Character.ai, Microsoft with Inflection and Amazon’s faux-acquisition of Adept. They hire away prominent founders and talent and cut a deal to license technology… without actually buying the startups. It’s a playbook that skirts the regulatory crackdown on big tech dominance, provides an exit for AI startups struggling to make money and allows megacaps to pick up the expertise needed in the AI arms race. But while big tech might think they’re outsmarting antitrust enforcers, they could be playing with fire.…

TechCheck

1
Klarna to Halve Workforce with AI, Plus Box CEO Post-Earnings 8/28/24 14:16

38 weeks ago14:16

14:16

Salesforce earnings tonight a major test of AI's impact on the software winter, especially after the CEO of Buy Now Pay Later giant Klarna said he aims to use AI to cut his workforce in half, and that he's shutting down a lot of SaaS providers, including Salesforce and Workday. Plus, Box shares are jumping after beating on the top and bottom lines and hiking their revenue outlook. We speak to CEO Aaron Levie on its partnership with Nvidia, AI strategy around utilizing data, the debate around regulating AI development and more.…

TechCheck

1
Tech Divided Over AI Regulation 8/27/24 5:36

38 weeks ago5:36

5:36

Elon Musk has now come out in support of a California bill to regulate AI safety, in stark contrast to big names including Google, Meta, OpenaAI and Andreessen Horowitz, which are all opposed. It represents a larger divide within big tech, which is split on whether AI should be regulated and who should be the ones doing it.…

TechCheck

1
Telegram CEO Arrest Sparks Free Speech Debate 8/26/24 8:27

38 weeks ago8:27

8:27

Telegram CEO Arrest Sparks Free Speech Debate Description: The founder of the Dubai-based app Telegram was arrested in France this weekend as part of an investigation into criminal activity on the encrypted messaging platform. It has broader implications for U.S. social apps as they gear up for an unprecedented election, the first with easily-accessible AI-generated content, and it's sparked a debate in tech circles over free speech.…

TechCheck

1
Chinese E-commerce Headwinds, Plus AI’s Copyright Crisis 8/21/24 7:22

39 weeks ago7:22

7:22

There were more headwinds today for China’s already-slumping consumer and e-commerce demand, after Walmart announced it was completely offloading its stake in JD.com and bargain retail giant Shein hit Temu with a lawsuit. Plus, the AI startup darling Anthropic is now facing a new class-action lawsuit, accusing it of copyright infringement and stealing the work of hundreds of thousands of books.…

TechCheck

1
Elon Musk’s Twitter Deal Weighs on Bank Lenders, Plus Shein Sues Temu 8/20/24 7:10

39 weeks ago7:10

7:10

Some of the world’s biggest banks loaned Elon Musk $13 billion to secure the social platform Twitter, now X. But according to new data from Pitchbook, the Twitter takeover now represents the worst buyout for banks since the Great Financial Crisis, as the platform struggles to retain advertisers and has been marked down by more than 70% from one of the acquisition financers, Fidelity.…

TechCheck

1
Google’s IPO 20 Years Later 8/19/24 7:02

39 weeks ago7:02

7:02

20 years ago today, Google debuted on the Nasdaq with a $23 billion market cap as a mere search engine company. Today, it’s now ballooned to a $2 trillion megcap with its hands in cloud, chips, AI and more. It also used an unconventional listing method: a Dutch auction, which let employees and retail investors participate more in the IPO. We spoke to Michael Grimes, the investment banker known as the Silicon Valley IPO whisperer and led the listing, on the anniversary.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Big Tech: Too Big to Split 8/16/24 7:17

40 weeks ago7:17

7:17

After losing a landmark antitrust case over its dominance in the search market, Google is now facing the real threat of a court-mandated breakup of the search giant. But on the heels of a flashy ‘Made by Google’ event showcasing new phones and AI features, Google is now more deeply integrated than ever – an ecosystem within search, cloud, streaming, hardware… and generative artificial intelligence is the thread tying it tightly together. It all means a potential breakup would be nearly impossible technically – and could hold true for other megacaps including Apple, Amazon and Meta, all of which are facing their own antitrust suits. This week on TechCheck, is big tech too big to split?…

TechCheck

1
Waymo’s Speed Bumps 8/15/24 6:44

40 weeks ago6:44

6:44

Waymo’s self-driving cars are all over San Francisco roads. But at night, they park themselves and recently have been honking and keeping one neighborhood’s residents up at night. Waymo tells us they’ve fixed the issue through a software update, but the rollout over the last few years has been bumpy, with safety concerns and backlash.…

TechCheck

1
Google’s Tries to Meet the AI Moment 8/13/24 7:01

40 weeks ago7:01

7:01

Google’s hardware event, Made by Google, kicked off today where the megacap unveiled new AI-focused features including Gemini Live, a conversational voice chatbot that will be integrated into all its devices. As investors try to balance the growing concern of surging AI spending and little actual revenue and profits, the event is a key moment for Google to try to justify its AI investments.…

TechCheck

1
Tech’s Outsized Role in the 2024 Election 8/12/24 6:37

40 weeks ago6:37

6:37

As election campaigning heats up, tech has been playing an outsized role in the elections. For Vice President Harris, who has deep roots to San Francisco, tech donors are front and center, especially after she made a campaign stop in the Bay Area this weekend and raised more than $12 million. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is dealing with a different sort of tech issue – disclosing that it was the victim of an email cyberattack by an Iranian group.…

TechCheck

1
The Megacap Startup Diet 8/7/24 6:14

41 weeks ago6:14

6:14

GenAI startup darlings are dropping like flies. Some of the most promising are increasingly being swallowed up by megacaps as they struggle to find viable business models and big tech firms look to skirt the regulatory scrutiny of outright acquisitions.

TechCheck

1
Big Tech’s $1 Trillion Wipeout 8/5/24 6:25

41 weeks ago6:25

6:25

The extent of the tech sell-off today has been staggering, with billions of dollars wiped out from the Magnificent 7 alone in just the first two hours of trading, and trillions over the last week. Part of the reason is a fundamental story investors have been worried about – just when will the high costs of AI begin to pay off? Valuations have also re-rated since the Nasdaq hit all-time highs just a few weeks ago.…

TechCheck

1
One Year After SVB’s Collapse, Silicon Valley Still Searches for a Replacement 3/8/24 5:26

1 year ago5:26

5:26

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.…

TechCheck

1
OpenAI Fires Back at Elon Musk, Plus Microsoft Engineer Sounds the Alarm 3/6/24 7:17

1 year ago7:17

7:17

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.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Google vs Google: The internal struggle holding back its AI 3/1/24 13:12

1 year ago13:12

13:12

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 sabotaging its AI efforts? We discuss both sides after a week where other mega-caps are making strides in AI: Apple’s Tim Cook talks AI strategy; Meta reportedly planning to launch Llama 3; Microsoft announces an investment in Mistral; and Nvidia’s market cap touches $2 trillion.…

TechCheck

1
Bull vs. Bear at Google 2/27/24 21:33

1 year ago21:33

21:33

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.

TechCheck

1
Sam Altman Owns A Piece of Reddit 2/23/24 17:37

1 year ago17:37

17:37

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.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Nvidia, Sam Altman and the trillion-dollar AI dream 2/23/24 13:56

1 year ago13:56

13:56

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 AI visions.…

TechCheck

1
FTX Wants to Sell Its Anthropic Stake 2/22/24 3:29

1 year ago3:29

3:29

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.

TechCheck

1
Retail Investors Buy The Dip 2/15/24 3:20

1 year ago3:20

3:20

When tech stocks fell this week, retail investors came in buying.

TechCheck

1
An AI Love Story 2/14/24 13:06

1 year ago13:06

13:06

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.

TechCheck

1
Bezos, Zuckerberg Sell Stock 2/12/24 11:52

1 year ago11:52

11:52

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.

TechCheck

1
7 Trillion Reasons 2/9/24 12:03

1 year ago12:03

12:03

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?

TechCheck

1
Goodbye, Bard! Google’s Gemini Rebrand. 10:35

1 year ago10:35

10:35

Google's Bard is now Gemini… What a rename and a rebrand mean for Google’s fight for AI.

TechCheck

1
Alibaba & Chinese Stocks in Freefall 02/07/24 12:39

1 year ago12:39

12:39

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?

TechCheck

1
Neumann, Old Job? 2/6/24 12:36

1 year ago12:36

12:36

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?

TechCheck

1
Semi-Charmed stocks 2/5/24 8:03

1 year ago8:03

8:03

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.

TechCheck

1
Meta & The Push For Cash in Tech 2/2/24 12:33

1 year ago12:33

12:33

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?

TechCheck

1
The Ipos You Want Vs. The Ipos You Get 2/1/24 16:11

1 year ago16:11

16:11

It’s a two-track IPO market. Why the weakest are going public as the strong stay private.

TechCheck

1
Google Cracks 1/31/24 4:07

1 year ago4:07

4:07

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.

TechCheck

1
Tech grows, everything else… slows 01/30/24 14:34

1 year ago14:34

14:34

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.

TechCheck

1
Google Challengers 1/29/24 12:05

1 year ago12:05

12:05

Big tech earnings this week – we’ll tackle Alphabet. The big focus for 2024: can it prove itself as an AI leader… or is its golden goose, advertising, at risk of disruption? Today: looking for the next great alternative.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ The headset wars: Why it's Apple's to lose 01/26/24 9:21

1 year ago9:21

9:21

Two tech titans are now duking it out in the headset wars. Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quests offer different price points, different specs, and most importantly, different visions of the future of virtual reality. And both have big hurdles to clear. This week on TechCheck, why the headset battle is Apple's to lose.…

TechCheck

1
Musk, Altman Taylor & Billions of Dollars 1/26/24 17:44

1 year ago17:44

17:44

Elon Musk. Bret Taylor. Sam Altman… The biggest names in tech, in Silicon Valley, are looking to raise huge sums of money, billions of dollars, to fund the next era of startups.

TechCheck

1
Tech's 'Mass extinction event' 01/25/24 17:03

1 year ago17:03

17:03

The brutal year for tech workers continues… More layoffs, this time at Microsoft’s gaming unit. But what about startups? Will they face a mass extinction event this year

TechCheck

1
Other Netflix stories in Tech 01/24/24 14:28

1 year ago14:28

14:28

Blockbuster earnings for Netflix… Today, what can the numbers tell us about the tech earnings yet to come.

TechCheck

1
Google’s Moonshot Cuts 1/23/24 14:33

1 year ago14:33

14:33

More layoffs at Google – this time within X, its innovation lab responsible for moonshot projects. Today – what’s inside Google’s moonshot factory; what might actually become a business; and why it’s important for Google and Wall Street.

TechCheck

1
Tech Bubble Redux? 1/22/24 13:51

1 year ago13:51

13:51

One veteran Wall Street strategist is making a BULLISH comparison to 1999 – saying the market could be set for a tech-led party. Why there’s still room to run for some key valuation metrics if you’re making a direct contrast from to the bubble of the late 90s to today.

TechCheck

1
Bitcoin’s Rough Week, Plus Semis’ Spectacular Week 1/19/24 5:25

1 year ago5:25

5:25

One week on from Bitcoin's momentous Wall Street moment, the results are underwhelming. The price of #Bitcoin has fallen to its lowest level since the SEC approval, underperformed gold, bonds and global equities this year, and inflows have also fallen short of estimates. Plus, semiconductor stocks help lead the Nasdaq 100 to an all-time high. But amid this tech optimism, tech firms are making cuts as they prioritize the shift to AI.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ How Bitcoin lost by winning 01/19/24 10:00

1 year ago10:00

10:00

Bitcoin has officially arrived on Wall Street. The SEC’s approval of 11 spot bitcoin ETFs now gives the cryptocurrency legitimacy, accessibility, mainstream reach and Wall Street acceptance. But Bitcoin was supposed to be so much more – a revolution, bypassing the traditional financial system with a democratic, decentralized, peer-to-peer electronic cash system for unbanked populations. But Wall Street did what Wall Street does best. This week on TechCheck, how Bitcoin lost by winning.…

TechCheck

1
CEO says more jobs cuts are needed in 2024 01/18/24 14:57

1 year ago14:57

14:57

More layoffs at Google. CEO Sundar Pichai warns that more cuts are coming as the company gears up for its AI goals… Plus why some private companies are acting like public companies.

TechCheck

1
An AI phone. And is the Shein IPO in trouble? 17:24

1 year ago17:24

17:24

One of the most anticipated IPOs of the year risks not happening at all… Plus what is an AI phone?

TechCheck

1
Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer on AI Apps, Plus Finding the AI Underdogs 3/28/24 12:12

1 year ago12:12

12:12

Former Yahoo CEO and early Google employee Marissa Mayer thinks photo sharing is broken. Her new app Shine uses AI to fix that. We chat with her on the new venture, plus competing with tech giants and LLMs, AI startups, Google’s AI strategy and more. Plus, one Raymond James analyst thinks he’s found the next winners in AI: web tool platforms like GoDaddy and Wix. We debate whether that will still hold true as the next generation of AI apps enter the market.…

TechCheck

1
Return of the Meme Stock? 3/27/24 8:14

1 year ago8:14

8:14

A new class of meme stocks has arrived. Trump Media, or DJT, is perhaps the most divorced from fundamentals. The newly-merged SPAC closed yesterday with a nearly $8 billion market cap and is up 17% today. Newly-public Reddit has also been also volatile – up nearly 70% since its IPO but falling 11% today. It all underscores a market that is increasingly driven by momentum… and retail investors.…

TechCheck

1
Neumann’s Bid for WeWork 3/26/24 6:03

1 year ago6:03

6:03

The saga of WeWork continues. Former CEO Adam Neumann is putting in a bid, along with half a dozen financing partners, to buy the now-bankrupt co-working company for more than $500 million, according to CNBC sources. But where is that money coming from, and who are the financing partners that would back Neumann after the high-profile WeWork implosion?…

TechCheck

1
Big Tech’s New Regulatory Battles 3/25/24 10:40

1 year ago10:40

10:40

The European Union has now launched its first official investigations under its sweeping new competition law, the Digital Markets Act, targeting Apple, Google and Meta in particular. It’s a signal of European regulators going on the offense – identifying so-called gatekeepers and laying out rules to prevent future abuse of market power. But the tech giants now have battles going on multiple fronts – fighting regulators while also trying to keep up with megacap peers in the AI race.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Apple Succumbs to the AI Pressure 03/22/24 9:16

1 year ago9:16

9:16

Apple's strategy has always been to be the last and best mover. But generative AI is a different beast. Now, the tech giant looks to be scrambling. It's reportedly in talks to outsource key AI features on the next iPhone to one of its biggest rivals, Google, and has released a new Macbook Air it's selling as "the world's best consumer laptop for AI," but has the same features as past laptops. This week on TechCheck, we dig into how Apple has succumbed to the AI pressure.…

TechCheck

1
What the DOJ Missed on Apple, and how Microsoft has Dodged Regulators 03/22/24 8:07

1 year ago8:07

8:07

The DOJ filed a historic 88-page suit against Apple, alleging that the tech giant of running an illegal monopoly. But we point out some more questionable allegations in the lawsuit, including the DOJ’s statements around CarPlay and Apple TV+. Plus, though all its megacap peers are currently facing regulatory investigations, Microsoft has somehow dodged scrutiny. We break down its regulatory playbook and secret to success.…

TechCheck

1
Reddit’s AI Pitch 3/31/24 8:14

1 year ago8:14

8:14

Shares of Reddit are soaring after its debut on the NYSE, as investors look to parse out what the company’s AI proposition really is. Artificial intelligence was a big part of Reddit’s pitch to investors, disclosing that it’s expecting to make around $66 million, or around 7% of its revenue, from a data licensing deal with Google to train its large language model on Reddit data. We dig into just how sustainable that is, and whether Reddit can expect to increase licensing as part of its revenue stream mix in the current AI landscape.…

TechCheck

1
Jensen Huang’s Midas Touch 3/19/24 7:18

1 year ago7:18

7:18

TechCheck is at Nvidia’s headline developer’s conference, the GTC in San Jose, breaking down the AI ecosystem that CEO Jensen Huang has created. The chip company’s halo effect has reached the public and private markets, with Synopsis, Dell and Cadence higher on the keynote, and a who’s who of generative AI startup darlings speaking at the conference as well, including Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, Mistral and Cohere.…

TechCheck

1
AI Race Leaderboard Reshuffled 3/18/24 5:58

1 year ago5:58

5:58

Apple is now reportedly in talks with Alphabet to put Google’s Gemini AI model into iPhones. The partnership could shake up postions in the AI race, potentially acting as a strong rebuke to bears who worried that Google's Gemini large language model is falling short of competitor products. It might also cast doubt on Apple's AI strategy and whether it’s able to catch up to rivals.…

TechCheck

1
Beijing Doubles Down on TikTok Sale Opposition 3/15/24 6:48

1 year ago6:48

6:48

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.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Why ‘open’ AI might be more marketing than reality 3/15/24 10:01

1 year ago10:01

10:01

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 advocates like Elon Musk. This week on Tech Check, we break down the promise of open source AI vs the myth.…

TechCheck

1
The U.S. Money Invested in TikTok, Plus Reddit Readies its IPO 3/14/24 6:37

1 year ago6:37

6:37

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 pipeline.…

TechCheck

1
Breaking Down the Nvidia Halo Effect 3/13/24 4:31

1 year ago4:31

4:31

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.

TechCheck

1
Arm Shares Face Big Test This Week 3/12/24 7:09

1 year ago7:09

7:09

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 Alibaba to pay off debt and repurchase shares.…

TechCheck

1
The Fate of OpenAI’s Nonprofit Mission, Plus TikTok Ban Gains Momentum 3/11/24 7:37

1 year ago7:37

7:37

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 the ban.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ You don’t know Nvidia 6/28/24 7:16

47 weeks ago7:16

7:16

The world has gone crazy for Nvidia -- or at least, Wall Street has. The stock has almost single-handedly lifted the entire market due to its monster valuation and latest, monster quarter. But the largest companies in the world are also typically the most well-known… and Nvidia is far from being a household name. And the last time a tech company without mass brand recognition became the most valuable in the world? That was Cisco in the late 90s. Is another bubble brewing? This week on TechCheck, the stock everyone owns and no one knows.…

TechCheck

1
Softbank Backs Perplexity at $3B valuation 6/27/24 6:38

47 weeks ago6:38

6:38

The Japanese tech investor Softbank is now backing Perplexity with a $10 million to $20 million fresh round of funding, valuing Perplexity AI at $3 billion and making it one of the most valuable startups in the space. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, since Masayoshi Son and his team have been saying for months now that they’re going on the AI offensive, but is another sign of the red hot funding environment for AI startups.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Figma CEO Dylan Field 6/26/24 6:35

47 weeks ago6:35

6:35

CNBC's Dierdre Bosa is at Figma's "Config" Conference in San Francisco with Figma CEO Dylan Field. Following a regulatory block of Adobe’s $20 billion acquisition of Figma last December, the San Francisco software design firm received a $1 billion breakup fee and is forging ahead with product launches and further software partnering with Google.…

TechCheck

1
EU Regulators Take Aim at Big Tech 6/25/24 6:49

47 weeks ago6:49

6:49

Another major antitrust charge is coming out of the European Union today, saying that Microsoft’s bundling of Teams with other software like Office 365 is an unfair distribution advantage. It comes a day after the EU hit Apple with the first charge under the new Digital Markets Act, accusing its App Store policies of violating competition rules. Investors don’t seem to be worried, but this new chapter in European regulation could lead to tens of billions of dollars in fines.…

TechCheck

1
Apple’s AI Ecosystem: EU’s DMA Charge and Potential Meta Partnership 6/24/24 7:27

47 weeks ago7:27

7:27

Apple is being hit with the first charge under the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, with regulators accusing the tech giant of preventing app store customers from being steered to customers alternative, cheaper options. It could have key implications for Apple’s AI strategy, as it reportedly holds talks with longtime rival Meta to form an unlikely alliance, potentially offering Meta’s large language model Llama to Apple Intelligence.…

TechCheck

1
Softbank Back on the AI Offensive 6/21/24 6:31

48 weeks ago6:31

6:31

As Nvidia turns lower today, Softbank's Masayoshi Son expressed regret over selling his shares too soon - a stake that would have been worth $160B today. He also doubled down on the narrative that he's now going on the AI offensive, with a new strategy built around the company’s crown jewel and largest holding, Arm.…

TechCheck

1
Retail Investors Crowd into the Magnificent 7 6/20/24 5:17

48 weeks ago5:17

5:17

Retail investors have been crowding into a few pockets of big tech, including the Mag 7, Nvidia, and riskier, turbo-charged Nvidia plays through long-leveraged semiconductor ETFs like NVDL and SOXL, according to new data from Vanda. So far, this narrow strategy has been working, with retail outperforming the S&P, but there is risk in being so indexed to big tech and the AI story, and could add to volatility in these names.…

TechCheck

1
Social Media Warning Labels, Plus Deepfakes’ Impact on the Election 6/17/24 10:48

48 weeks ago10:48

10:48

The U.S. Surgeon General is now calling for a warning label to be applied to social media apps, similar to those on alcohol and tobacco products. He says immediate action is needed to protect young people from the potential mental health harms of social media. But the demand would require congressional action, which historically has not acted to curb social media usage in the past. Plus, political deepfakes are now circulating online as election campaigns heat up. We discuss with former North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp and a professional of artificial intelligence.…

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Apple's AI killer is... the iPhone 6/14/24 9:33

49 weeks ago9:33

9:33

Apple has now leapfrogged leaders Microsoft and Google in the high-stakes AI race by promising the first killer use of AI - a true personal assistant, in the form of.... the iPhone. Even the stock, once a laggard, has jumped to historic highs, anchored by Apple's singular combination of hardware, software and data. But its biggest edge over AI devices like the Humane pin and Rabbit R1 is that it's already in billions of consumers' pockets. This week on TechCheck, Apple takes the AI lead.…

TechCheck

1
Apple’s AI Deal Reshuffles Rankings 6/13/24 7:22

49 weeks ago7:22

7:22

Shares of Apple are hitting fresh highs today after showcasing at WWDC that it is not only catching up to the other megacaps, but may actually have leapfrogged the leaders. Its edge is its 2.2 billion install base and its focus on making AI usable by integrating it with your personal information. A slew of bullish commentary from the Street is also helping sentiment, outlining how Apple’s AI features will drive hardware sales later this year.…

TechCheck

1 year ago13:13

13:13

TechCheck

1
OpenAI’S Profit VS. OpenAI’s Non-Profit 11/21/23 16:39

1 year ago16:39

16:39

OpenAI’s governance structure: a non-profit board with a mission to benefit humanity, overseeing a for-profit arm backed by Microsoft. Why that’s actually typical Silicon Valley… and how it caused the mess in Silicon Valley.

TechCheck

1
OpenAI Shockwaves 11/20/23 20:09

2 years ago20:09

20:09

One of the most dramatic stories in technology in years: Sam Altman pushed out as CEO of OpenAI… putting this seismic shift into perspective, for Microsoft, for AI, for all of corporate America.

TechCheck

1
Elon Musk – Over The Line? 11/17/23 14:07

2 years ago14:07

14:07

Elon Musk -- under fire after endorsing an antisemitic post on X. The fallout, or lack of it, for one of the richest and most powerful men in the world.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Megacaps’ Mega Deals: How big tech could be using AI investments to bankroll themselves 11/17/23 7:59

2 years ago7:59

7:59

Big tech names like Microsoft, Google and Amazon have poured billions into the biggest names in the AI startup world, effectively replacing what used to be the role of high-profile, highly capitalized tech investors like Tiger Global and Softbank. And in some cases, through exclusive cloud contracts, those investments in startups come right back in the form of cloud revenue. This week on TechCheck, we dig into the megacaps’ mega deals, and how big tech could be using AI investments to bankroll themselves.…

TechCheck

1
Alibaba Cancels Cloud Spin 11/16/23 20:43

2 years ago20:43

20:43

Alibaba has scrapped plans to spin off its cloud unit, blaming the U.S. restrictions on chip exports, on a week where all eyes are on China U.S. relations. What’s the real story for $BABA, for chip supply and how it impacts valuations right now.

TechCheck

1
AI: How Much Should it be Regulated 11/15/23 15:15

2 years ago15:15

15:15

Today, an opportunity for San Francisco to flex its roots and future as a tech capital. The debate over AI, how it grows, and who should control that process. And Microsoft is developing its own AI chips – why in-house silicon is a trend to watch.

TechCheck

1
Inside An Ai Acquisition 11/14/23 13:02

2 years ago13:02

13:02

Airbnb has made a rare acquisition, its first as a public company and only its third ever, valued at close to $200 million… Why the battle for AI talent has just begun.

TechCheck

1
The XI meeting & the companies with the most at stake 11/13/23 13:50

2 years ago13:50

13:50

President Biden set to meet face-to-face with China's President Xi Wednesday. Today on TechCheck, why both sides are hoping to stabilize tensions amid a downward spiral in relations… and why business and tech in particular are the areas to watch.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ WeWork’s end, Neumann’s return? Who’s left holding the bag, and what comes next 11/10/23 9:55

2 years ago9:55

9:55

WeWork took us on a wild ride. A real estate company disguised as a tech startup, holding long-term leases and turning them around for short-term rentals. It was always a risky proposition, made more so in an era of low interest rates and a “growth at all costs” mentality. And Adam Neumann’s particular blend of salesmanship, cult personality, and huge risk-taking only added to the fire. WeWork would come crashing down, not once, but twice. Now, some are wondering, does Adam Neumann return, and should he? This week on Tech Check, we dig into WeWork’s next chapter – who’s left holding the bag after the implosion, and what comes next.…

TechCheck

1
Chinese Companies, American Consumers 11/10/23 14:06

2 years ago14:06

14:06

The APEC summit is coming to San Francisco. President Biden and China’s President Xi are set to meet next. Today, how Chinese companies continue to find ways to benefit from American technology and consumers.

TechCheck

1
Softbank Shrank 11/9/23 13:44

2 years ago13:44

13:44

The story of SoftBank -- This quarter should have been Masayoshi Son’s victory lap. But WeWork is back to spoil those plans as losing bets continue to weigh on what has become one of the biggest tech investors in the world.

TechCheck

1
Amazon & One Medical 11/8/23 15:25

2 years ago15:25

15:25

Amazon is expanding its Prime membership program… and the new perk: access to doctors, primary care physicians, for a fee. Today, a check-up on Amazon’s continued push into health care.

TechCheck

1
WeWorks’s Final Chapter? 11/7/23 20:42

2 years ago20:42

20:42

Think again! WeWork… didn’t work. It has filed for bankruptcy. The final chapter – chapter 11… or is it? The winners and losers of the WeWork saga, does Adam Neumann return, and who’s left holding the bag.

TechCheck

1
Is the Outlook OK? 11/6/23 19:38

2 years ago19:38

19:38

A reason to worry for the biggest tech stocks… Is growth slipping, and are investments in AI just masking the problem.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Tesla and EVs in reverse: Why automakers are scaling back their green ambitions 11/3/23 9:21

2 years ago9:21

9:21

Electric vehicles were supposed to be the wave of the future. Tesla and traditional automakers made big plans to invest in factories, battery manufacturing and the EVs themselves, but that’s all slowing down. This week on TechCheck, we dive into what’s behind the speed bumps.

TechCheck

1
Reporting the SBF Trial 11/3/23 16:41

2 years ago16:41

16:41

Sam Bankman Fried found guilty on all seven counts. Today – a special look-back at the blockbuster FTX trial from inside the court room… and what it MIGHT mean going forward.

TechCheck

1
Apple's China Question 11/2/23 10:05

2 years ago10:05

10:05

China is Apple’s strength and, now, liability.

TechCheck

1
Airbnb’s Interest Income 11/1/23 9:51

2 years ago9:51

9:51

The “Airbnbust”.... that never materialized. How rising rates are actually helping the company’s bottom line. Today on TechCheck, it’s all about interest income.

TechCheck

1
Tech's Spookiest 10/31/23 13:30

2 years ago13:30

13:30

The Spookiest bear cases in tech… From Apple to Amazon to Uber, what are the plausible, but low probability outcomes that could deaden these stocks.

TechCheck

1
An AI Debate 10/31/23 8:15

2 years ago8:15

8:15

The Biden Administration rolled out sweeping rules meant to create guardrails around the nascent AI industry. Is it good for tech or limiting for tech? Nilay Patel, James Pethokoukis and Eamon Javers discuss.

TechCheck

1
Amazon’s Big Three 10/27/23 12:31

2 years ago12:31

12:31

Amazon was a bright spot in tech earnings, giving investors what they wanted. But some major questions remain for the quarters ahead – today, the three that amazon needs to answer.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Apple’s China problem: how its ticket to success has become a liability 10/27/23 11:39

2 years ago11:39

11:39

Apple can thank China for much of its success. In the early days, as Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy, it pivoted its manufacturing to China, capitalizing on a massive low-wage workforce, billions in government stimulus to build out enormous factories, and the loyalty of a rapidly growing middle class. But now, what was once a key to its success has become a liability. In just the past few weeks, it’s seen a tax investigation into its biggest manufacturer, accusations of censorship around Jon Stewart’s canceled show, and has lost its market share dominance to competitor Huawei. This week on Tech Check, we dive into Apple’s China problem, and why it’s not going anywhere.…

TechCheck

1
The Fundamentals Story 10/26/23 8:47

2 years ago8:47

8:47

The NASDAQ is slumping… Tech stocks are rolling over… But why? Growth is strong. AI provides a narrative. And the economy isn’t in bad shape. Today: the fundamentals story within tech.

TechCheck

1
Autonomous Competition, Meta & Amazon 10/25/23 13:50

2 years ago13:50

13:50

More details emerge around the suspension of Cruise robo-taxis in San Francisco… The battle over autonomous vehicles. And what the latest numbers from Microsoft and Alphabet tell us about Meta and Amazon.

TechCheck

1
Microsoft, Alphabet & Cruise 10/24/23 7:30

2 years ago7:30

7:30

What’s most important about megacap tech earnings – Microsoft & Alphabet. Plus, a major development in the battle over driverless cars in San Francisco.

TechCheck

1
YIELD RISK & RETURN 10/23/23 16:02

2 years ago16:02

16:02

Higher yields yield big changes in tech, in both megacaps and startups. Today, how the price of money is making its presence felt from Silicon Valley to Wall Street.

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Netflix's side quest: A deep dive into its ambitious plans to become a gaming giant 10/20/23 11:14

2 years ago11:14

11:14

Netflix has quietly been building out a library of more than 70 video games as part of an ambitious new push to become a gaming giant, testing out a cloud gaming service and posting job openings for its first big-budget, blockbuster game. But it's a notoriously tough market to break into, one that many tech and media giants have tried at and failed. The undertaking is just one of a slew of new business lines that the Netflix has been experimenting with, and they're more important than ever as its stock lags behind the megacaps it used to be on par with. This week on Tech Check, we dive into Netflix's new side quest.…

TechCheck

1
Big Tech Earnings – The Promise Vs. Economics Of Ai 10/20/23 13:07

2 years ago13:07

13:07

It’s the eve of big tech earnings - Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, four of the magnificent seven, set to report next week. It’s all about the forecast, about what they saw in the third quarter, and what they see coming down the pike in Q4… Plus the promise versus the economics of AI.

TechCheck

1
OPENAI’S “CAPPED PROFITS” STRUCTURE 10/19/23 12:06

2 years ago12:06

12:06

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is reportedly closing in on an $86 billion valuation… why it’s selling shares now… to whom… and its very unorthodox ‘capped profit’ corporate structure.

TechCheck

1
IPOs, EXITS & AI SPEND 10/18/23 8:53

2 years ago8:53

8:53

Deirdre is in the field at the Goldman Sachs Builders & Innovators Summit, where she sits down with Kim Posnett, Goldman’s Global Head of Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Group within Global Banking & Markets – where she works on some of the biggest tech deals, M&A and IPOs. Plus an interview with Dropbox CEO Drew Houston about his outlook for AI spending.…

TechCheck

1
Are Layoffs Back? And Tim Cook Goes to China 10/17/23 12:52

2 years ago12:52

12:52

Another round of layoffs hit the tech sector, just as they gear up for earnings season -- margin expansion versus capex expansion. Plus Tim Cook’s surprise visit to China.

TechCheck

1
SPICY VS. GARPY 10/16/23 10:10

2 years ago10:10

10:10

As earnings season kicks off, why tech is more important than the banks; how AI could kill the “year of efficiency;” and the spicy vs garpy mega-caps

TechCheck

1
OPENAI’S OPEN QUESTIONS 10/13/23 10:11

2 years ago10:11

10:11

New numbers from OpenAI reveal exponential growth. The darling of generative AI continues to fire on all cylinders. But can it become more than a chatbot and live up to its now giant expectations?

TechCheck

1
TechCheck+ Will Temu Kill Amazon? How the Chinese Shopping App’s Rapid Growth Could Crack Amazon’s Dominance 10/13/23 10:19

2 years ago10:19

10:19

Temu appears unstoppable. Since the Chinese shopping app launched in the U.S. a year ago, it has become the number one e-commerce app in the country, with downloads skyrocketing 50x from 600,000 to 30 million in just one quarter, according to Bernstein analysts. In contrast, Amazon’s downloads have dropped off a cliff, falling 40% in a year. Known for wild discounts and dirt-cheap prices that severely undercut Amazon’s, Temu has ratcheted up its ad spend to infiltrate the American consumer, set to spend an estimate $2 billion in marketing in 2023. This week on Tech Check, we dive how Temu has hit Amazon’s weak spots to take the country by storm.…

TechCheck

1
CNBC SPECIAL: Anthony Scaramucci on The Collapse of FTX 10/13/23 15:43

2 years ago15:43

15:43

Former billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried saw a meteoric rise as crypto’s golden boy and an even more spectacular fall as his $32 billion cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, collapsed in a matter of days. CNBC's Kate Rooney spoke with Anthony Scaramucci, founder of Skybridge Capital, about his front-row seat to the collapse and what it was like to visit SBF while his empire was crumbling around him. For the full Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX saga, watch the CNBC documentary "The Collapse of FTX: Insiders Tell All". Available now at cnbc.com/ftx and YouTube here: https://youtu.be/XqwGt69pDXQ…

TechCheck

1
Birkenstock’s IPO Flops; Why Recent Debuts Have Stumbled 10/12/23 5:58

2 years ago5:58

5:58

The IPO window of 2023 was short, not very sweet, and now likely closed as we head into the year end. Many of the recent debuts, including Birkenstock, Arm, Instacart and Klaviyo are down 10% or more from their highs, all before the lock-up period has expired when insiders can sell their shares. There are a number of factors that could be behind the stumbles, including company fundamentals, bankers mispricing the listing, and market conditions.…

TechCheck

1
Birkenstock & Amazon Prime Day 10/11/23 11:02

2 years ago11:02

11:02

CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa and Marc Golbert discuss Amazon Prime Day and Birkenstock's IPO price, the state of direct-to-consumer retail models, and Birkenstock’s unique approach to DTC business.

TechCheck

1
Temu: Amazon’s Rising E-Commerce Competition 10/10/23 20:55

2 years ago20:55

20:55

As Amazon’s second sales event of the year kicks off, every day seems like a deal day on e-commerce apps like Temu and Shein. Temu, in particular, is far outpacing Amazon in terms of growth, and might be capturing American shoppers by gamifying the experience. Ben Harburg of MSA Capital joins us to talk about the Temu effect and the rising anxiety that it’s going to displace everyone from Amazon to Dollar Stores to Costco.…

TechCheck

1
Bullish Reception for Arm Holdings 10/9/23 6:40

2 years ago6:40

6:40

The chip designer Arm gained a number of bulls today as its post-debut quiet period ends, with more than 10 firms involved in underwriting the IPO initiating coverage of the company at a “buy” rating or equivalent, despite the stock being down more than 20% from the intra-day high after it IPO-ed. That’s good news for Softbank founder Masayoshi Son, as Arm has become his firm’s new crown jewel after Alibaba, going from a 12% stake in March last year to 22% as of June this year.…

TechCheck

3 years ago43:16