Welcome back to your daily memorandum talking tech, business, AI, markets, and more. 🗞️

In today’s edition, we are tackling the following:

🎬 Elon Musk sparks Netflix backlash over transgender character in kids’ cartoon.
🚗 Tesla EV deliveries rise, though shares lag amid economic and investor pressure.
🛡️ Microsoft debuts Security Store with AI Copilot agents for cyber defense.
🇲🇬 Madagascar protests demand President Rajoelina’s resignation after deadly clashes.
📱 OpenAI launches Sora 2, a TikTok-style app for AI video creation.

TECHNOLOGY

• OpenAI Launches Sora 2 with TikTok-Style Social Video App (TechCrunch) 
  _{^{More: NBC News, VentureBeat, OpenAI}}

  • Free iOS app launched in the US and Canada, with millions on the waitlist previously.

  • The model enables realistic cameos where users insert themselves into AI-generated scenes.

  • App surged to the top of the App Store within a day despite copyright concerns over content.

• Google Releases Gemini 2.5 Flash Image for Production with New Features (Google) 
  _{^{More: Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, Colab Cookbook}}

  • Model supports ten different aspect ratios from cinematic landscapes to vertical social posts.

  • Pricing set at thirty-nine cents per image with thirty dollars per million output tokens.

  • Gaming platform reports sub-ten-second latency, enabling live applications and multi-turn refinement loops.

• Perplexity Makes $200 Comet AI Browser Free to Combat 'AI Slop' (TechCrunch) 
  _{^{More: CNBC, Engadget, PYMNTS}}

  • The browser previously exclusive to two-hundred-dollar monthly subscribers is now available worldwide for free.

  • Sidecar assistant helps answer questions, summarize content, and navigate pages automatically.

  • Premium users receive a background assistant performing multiple simultaneous tasks while users work elsewhere.

BUSINESS

• OpenAI Completes Share Sale at Record $500 Billion Valuation (Bloomberg) 
  _{^{More: CNBC, TechCrunch, Reuters}}

  • Current and former employees sold six point six billion in stock to institutional investors.

  • Valuation surged from three hundred billion earlier this year, making OpenAI the world's largest startup.

  • Lower participation in the tender offer is viewed internally as a confidence vote in the long-term prospects.

• Google's Jules AI Coding Agent Gets CLI and Public API Access (TechCrunch) 
  _{^{More: Google Jules, Medium, Jules Docs}}

  • New command-line interface brings Jules directly into developer terminals, eliminating context switching.

  • Public API allows integration with CI/CD systems, IDEs, and collaboration tools like Slack.

  • Free tier offers fifteen daily tasks while Pro and Ultra plans provide five and twenty times limits.

• Berkshire Hathaway Buys Occidental's OxyChem for $9.7 Billion (CNBC) 
  _{^{More: WSJ, Fortune, Washington Times}}

  • Deal marks Berkshire's largest acquisition since eleven point six billion Alleghany purchase in 2022.

  • Occidental will use six point five billion proceeds to reduce debt below the fifteen billion target.

  • The transaction could be Buffett's final major deal before handing the CEO title to Abel in January.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Manchester’s Jewish Community Reeling After Deadly Attack (CNN)
  _{^{More: Washington Post, Reuters, Time}}

  • During Yom Kippur, a suspect drove a car into bystanders and stabbed worshippers at a Manchester synagogue.

  • The attacker was shot dead by police; two victims died, and several others sustained serious injuries.

  • British leaders condemn it as an antisemitic terror attack and vow enhanced protection for Jewish communities.

• Madagascar Protests President After Years of Grievances (NYT)
  _{^{More: Reuters, The Guardian, Le Monde}}

  • Youth-led protests erupted over water and power cuts, demanding President Rajoelina’s resignation and wide reforms.

  • Authorities responded with force; reports suggest at least 22 dead and over 100 wounded amid clashes.

  • Protesters briefly paused marches in Antananarivo but vow to resume nationwide as unrest continues.

• Palestinian Voices and Hamas Cease-Fire Pressure (NYT)
  _{^{More: Ynetnews}}

  • Palestinians debate whether a cease-fire would bring relief or entrench existing injustices in Gaza and the West Bank.

  • Some call for an immediate halt to suffering, others warn of strategic risks and concessions to Hamas.

  • The discourse highlights divisions in public sentiment, complicating diplomatic efforts and future negotiations.

FUTURISM

• Perplexity’s Comet Browser Is Now Available to Everyone for Free (The Verge)

  ^{_{More: Business Insider}}

  • Perplexity’s $200-a-month Comet browser is now free worldwide, opening advanced AI tools to everyone.

  • The service introduces a $5 Plus tier offering premium content from CNN, WaPo, and Fortune.

  • Comet aims to combat low-quality AI content proliferation and strengthen competition against Google Chrome.

• Ex-OpenAI Researcher Dissects ChatGPT’s ‘Delusional Spirals’ (TechCrunch)

  _{^{More: WSJ}}

  • Former OpenAI scientist exposes cases where ChatGPT produces escalating hallucinations, termed dangerous delusional spirals.’

  • The analysis highlights weaknesses in reinforcement learning systems, especially when tasks involve ambiguous or recursive reasoning.

  • Researchers urge transparency and safeguards, warning that misuse could undermine trust in generative AI deployments globally.

• Meta Builds AI Data Center the Size of 70 Football Fields (People)

  ^{_{More: AP News, Reuters, Fortune}}

  • Meta is constructing a massive AI-focused data center in Iowa, equivalent to 70 football fields.

  • The facility will support training of large-scale generative models while emphasizing renewable energy infrastructure investments.

  • Analysts say the project underscores Meta’s commitment to AI leadership and growing competition with Microsoft, Google.

CONTENT

• Are Burn Multiples BS in an AI World? & Sam Altman Needs $1TRN of Energy

  • Lemkin and O’Driscoll question burn multiples, debating whether classic startup metrics still apply in AI.

  • They examine consolidation trends, shifting valuations, and how fintech, SaaS, and infrastructure markets are adapting.

  • Sam Altman’s $1 trillion energy plan is explored, with a focus on financing methods and investor involvement.

• The Person Who Runs HR For 2 Million Federal Workers

  • Kupor and Barbaccia analyze hiring inefficiencies, compliance burdens, and underwhelming performance evaluations across federal agencies.

  • They propose modern recruitment strategies, better performance management, and attracting elite tech talent into government.

  • The conversation highlights bridging private-public divides, scaling modernization with AI, and making civil service attractive.

• We Need to Rethink Gravity

  • De Rham argues dark energy’s dominance is unproven, urging a rethink of gravitational theories in physics.

  • She introduces ‘massive gravity,’ a radical alternative challenging Einstein, Newton, and modern cosmological consensus.

  • The lecture explores gravity’s deeper mysteries, linking universe expansion with hidden structures and unexplored spacetime possibilities.

EXTRAS

• ‘Cancel Netflix’: Elon Musk Leads Right-wing Backlash Over Trans Character in Kids’ Show (The Guardian)

  _{^{More: The Verge, SF Chronicle, Deadline}}

  • Musk called on his followers to cancel Netflix over an old children’s cartoon featuring a transgender character.

  • He reposted clips and framed the show as part of a ‘woke agenda,’ stirring right-wing online outrage.

  • Netflix has not issued a formal response, while the show’s voice actor defended its positive impact.

• Tesla EV Deliveries Surge Despite Stock Weakness (Barron’s)

  ^{_{More: Reuters, The Verge, Investors}}

  • Tesla delivered significantly more electric vehicles this quarter, defying recent downward trends and expectations.

  • Despite delivery growth, its stock underperformed due to macro headwinds and investor caution.

  • Analysts see the surge as a sign of resilient demand but warn about scaling and margin pressures.

• Microsoft Launches Security Store with Copilot AI Agents (The Verge)

  _{^{More: TechRepublic, Microsoft Security Blog, TechBuzz}}

  • Microsoft introduced a ‘Security Store’ offering AI agents for cybersecurity integrated with its Copilot and Sentinel tools.

  • The platform lets security teams deploy and customize agents to automate threat detection, identity protection, and response.

  • It streamlines procurement and operations by combining third-party SaaS security with Microsoft’s own AI stack.

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AND MORE

• Boeing’s 777X delivery is now pushed to early 2027.
  Wall Street closes at record highs amid shutdown uncertainty.
  Prolonged U.S. shutdown could intensify market risks.

• Trump aims for major deals across pharma, AI, energy, and mining.

• Global stocks rise as investors weigh U.S. shutdown impact.

• 180k+ readers from Google, TikTok, OpenAI, and Deel love Open Source CEO's deep dive business content.*

• U.S. E-Verify system offline amid federal shutdown.

• Israeli forces intercept 13 Gaza-bound aid vessels.