TL;DR

Meta and Apple escalate AI talent and M&A race; Tesla launches paid robotaxi trial; India grants full compute subsidy.

Highlights

• U.S. accuses China’s DeepSeek of supporting PLA and bypassing AI chip export controls; further sanctions possible 1.
• Meta Platforms, Inc. Class A Common Stock launches $100M+ hiring blitz for new Superintelligence lab, recruiting Safe Superintelligence CEO Daniel Gross 25.
• Apple Inc. considers $14B+ acquisition of Perplexity AI and expands Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. chip packaging orders for next-gen iPhone processors 7.
• Tesla, Inc. Common Stock begins paid, fully driverless robotaxi trials in Austin with vision-only Model Ys; rapid expansion planned 315.
• OpenAI removes “io” branding after trademark order but continues $6.5B acquisition of Jony Ive’s AI hardware startup 4.
• India offers 100% compute subsidy for domestic AI model developers, aiming to close hardware and talent gaps 6.
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. opens first overseas university lab in Tokyo, focusing on post-1nm chips and advanced packaging 8.
• Hellobike, Ant Group, and CATL launch $417M Zaofu robotaxi venture to accelerate Level-4 autonomy in China 9.
• Alphabet Inc. Class A Common Stock brings Gemini AI to Chromebook Plus; Lenovo debuts $649 Arm-based AI laptop targeting “AI PC” segment 10.
• Wolfspeed, Inc. to enter Chapter 11 under $6.5B Apollo Global Management, Inc. -backed deal; Renesas to book $1.6B impairment 11.
• U.S. House bans WhatsApp on staff devices over security concerns related to Meta Platforms, Inc. Class A Common Stock ’s data handling 12.
• Apple Inc. negotiates with EU on App Store steering rules to avoid DMA fines; changes to developer fees possible 13.
• Obama warns AI is accelerating white-collar job losses; major tech layoffs and global reskilling pressure continue 14.

Commentary

Big Tech is intensifying its AI talent and infrastructure race. Meta Platforms, Inc. Class A Common Stock ’s direct outreach and $100M+ compensation offers, coupled with the hiring of Daniel Gross from Safe Superintelligence, highlight the premium on elite AI leadership and research talent 25. Apple Inc. is weighing a $14B+ acquisition of Perplexity AI and expanding Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. chip packaging capacity for its next iPhone, signaling a dual-track push to close its generative AI gap and reduce reliance on Alphabet Inc. Class A Common Stock search 7. These moves reflect escalating costs and urgency among incumbents to secure both proprietary models and in-house silicon.

On the hardware and supply chain front, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. ’s new Tokyo lab and India’s 100% compute subsidy for AI model training both aim to localize critical AI infrastructure and address talent bottlenecks 68. India’s initiative directly supports domestic foundation model developers, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. ’s partnership with the University of Tokyo strengthens Japan’s advanced chip R&D and workforce pipeline. The Wolfspeed, Inc. bankruptcy, meanwhile, underscores ongoing volatility in the chip sector, with downstream effects for EV and AI hardware supply chains 11.

Autonomous mobility is moving from pilot to early commercialization. Tesla, Inc. Common Stock ’s paid, fully driverless robotaxi trial in Austin—with vision-only Model Ys and a dedicated app—will test both technical viability and regulatory response, especially as the company eyes rapid fleet expansion 315. In China, the Zaofu venture backed by Hellobike, Ant Group, and CATL brings significant capital and cross-sector expertise to Level-4 robotaxi development, further intensifying global competition in autonomous driving 9.

Regulatory and security developments remain active. Apple Inc. ’s negotiations with the EU over App Store rules 13, the U.S. House’s WhatsApp ban 12, and OpenAI’s trademark dispute 4 all reflect a landscape where compliance, platform governance, and IP risk are growing factors. Obama’s warning on AI-driven white-collar job losses, combined with ongoing layoffs at major tech firms, highlights the increasing need for reskilling and clearer policy frameworks as automation accelerates 14.