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

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

💰 Google gives Sundar Pichai a new pay deal worth up to $692M.
⚔️ Pentagon-Anthropic dispute worries startups seeking defense contracts.
🏭 Owner of ICE detention facility eyes AI data-center worker camps opportunity.
🪙 Bitcoin falls to a 7-day low as oil surges amid the Iran war.
👑 Mojtaba Khamenei has been chosen as Iran’s new supreme leader.

TECHNOLOGY

• Google gives Sundar Pichai a new pay deal worth up to $692M (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Tech in Asia, Financial Times, Business Insider}}

  • Alphabet Inc. grants Sundar Pichai a three-year pay package potentially worth $692M, largely performance-based.

  • Incentives include stock tied to the growth of Waymo and drone delivery venture Wing.

  • Meanwhile, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin bought luxury properties in Miami amid concerns about a proposed California billionaire tax.

• Caitlin Kalinowski quits OpenAI hardware role over controversial U.S. Pentagon deal (Politico)
  ^{_{More: Reuters, Engadget, Fortune}}

  • Caitlin Kalinowski resigns from OpenAI, citing concerns about surveillance and autonomous weapons tied to Pentagon agreement.

  • She says the decision reflects governance concerns and insufficient safeguards around sensitive national security AI uses.

  • The Pentagon deal followed failed negotiations with Anthropic over restrictions on surveillance and autonomous weapon deployment.

• Pentagon dispute with Anthropic raises concerns for startups pursuing defense contracts (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: The Guardian, FindArticles, MEXC}}

  • Negotiations between the Pentagon and Anthropic collapsed, leading to supply-chain risk designation and a planned legal challenge.

  • OpenAI announced its own defense deal, triggering backlash and pushing Claude to the top app rankings.

  • The controversy raises concerns that startups may hesitate before pursuing lucrative Pentagon technology contracts.

BUSINESS

• Owner of ICE detention facility eyes AI data-center worker camps opportunity (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: TechCrunch, Fortune, Tech Buzz}}

  • The data center construction boom is driving the development of temporary villages called “man camps” to house large workforces.

  • Target Hospitality signed $132M contracts to build housing for over 1k AI data-center workers.

  • The company also owns a Texas detention center used by ICE, previously accused of moldy food and poor child accommodations.

• U.S. orders staff evacuation from Saudi Arabia amid Iran war, oil surge (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Financial Times, NY Times, Bloomberg}}

  • U.S. directed non-essential personnel to leave Saudi Arabia due to escalating Iran conflict and regional risks.

  • Oil prices jumped above $110 per barrel after Strait of Hormuz disruptions and Middle East production cuts.

  • Iran appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the supreme leader amid Israeli strikes and rising market panic.

• Bitcoin falls to 7-day low as oil surges amid Iran war (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: MEXC, AInvest, Investing.com}}

  • Bitcoin slipped below $66k over the weekend, briefly recovering to $67,226 amid geopolitical uncertainty.

  • Oil prices surged above $110 per barrel after U.S.–Israeli–Iran tensions heightened concerns about supply disruptions.

  • Rising energy costs and market volatility significantly pressured cryptocurrencies, Asian stocks, and Wall Street futures.

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MARKETS

WORLD

• Mojtaba Khamenei has been chosen as Iran’s new supreme leader (AP)
  ^{_{More: Al Jazeera, NBC, BBC}}

  • Mojtaba Khamenei was named Iran’s new supreme leader after the death of Ali Khamenei.

  • The United States & Israel continue strikes on Iran as regional violence spreads across the Middle East.

  • Iran rejects ceasefire while casualties rise across Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israel & Iran.

• China accelerates nuclear power development with ambitious growth & technology goals (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Financial Post, MSN}}

  • China promotes a “smart economy,” prioritizing AI, semiconductors, and frontier technologies for future growth.

  • Beijing’s new policies emphasize tech self-reliance and industrial upgrading to strengthen long-term economic development.

  • AI strategy shifts toward commercialization, benefiting chipmakers, robots, biomanufacturing, and future energy sectors.

• Japan’s Nikkei 225 drops over 7% as oil hits $114 (AP)
  ^{_{More: Seattle Times, ABC, LA Times}}

  • Nikkei 225 plunged more than 7%, while the markets in South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand also sharply declined.

  • Brent and U.S. crude prices surged above $114 per barrel amid disruptions in the Middle East.

  • Rising oil costs threaten global economies, especially import-dependent countries, complicating recovery and trade adjustments.

FUTURISM

• U.S. online age-verification tools protect children but also monitor adult users (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Tech Buzz, The Guardian}}

  • New U.S. laws require online platforms to verify ages, affecting millions of adult users nationwide.

  • Platforms face challenges balancing legal compliance, user privacy, and safeguarding sensitive identity data from breaches.

  • Civil liberties advocates warn that such surveillance undermines internet freedom, supported by a recent Virginia court First Amendment ruling.

• Rivian plans a rapid U.S. launch for its high-stakes all-electric R2 SUV (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Yahoo!}}

  • Rivian prepares to unveil full details of its upcoming R2 electric SUV at SXSW.

  • The company aims to sell 20k to 25k R2 vehicles within six months of launch.

  • Even conservative projections could make R2 one of the fastest-selling affordable electric vehicles.

• China may widely adopt brain-computer interface technology within 3-5 years (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: MSN, TradingView}}

  • China’s BCI market could reach $809M by 2027, driven by state support and clinical trials.

  • Beijing aims to close the gaps among research, industry, and clinics to enable practical BCI applications.

  • National strategy seeks major breakthroughs and two to three world-class BCI companies by 2030.

CONTENT

• Mitchell Green explains why half of VCs fail & China leads AI (20VC)

  • Green critiques venture capital, claiming that 50% of VCs create no real value for founders.

  • He predicts China will dominate the AI industry due to innovation, scale, and strategic investments.

  • Discusses SaaS markets, AI impact on jobs, investing strategies, and key metrics like gross dollar retention.

• Qasar Younis explains why AI surpasses the industrial revolution’s impact (Lenny's Podcast)

  • AI’s biggest revolution will occur in mining, farming, construction, and trucking over the next decade.

  • Younis built Applied Intuition quietly for years, emphasizing speed, follow-up, humor, and customer satisfaction.

  • China’s AI capabilities differ from those of U.S. companies, making direct comparisons misleading, according to Younis.

• The $TAO vision promotes decentralized AI with user control & participation (This Week in Startups)

  • Bittensor’s $TAO token allows users to mine crypto while powering blockchain-based AI applications called subnets.

  • Decentralized AI aims to give users a voice and stake, reducing elite CEO control.

  • Guests highlight favorite subnet projects, crypto-mining AI agents, and showcase innovative OpenClaw demos

EXTRAS

• Fox News apologized for mistakenly airing old footage of Trump hatless (AP)
  ^{_{More: MSN, Yahoo!, AOL}}

  • Fox News aired archival footage of a hatless Trump during a dignified transfer ceremony, claiming an honest mistake.

  • Critics suggested the error might be intentional, arguing it portrayed Trump better amid solemn military proceedings.

  • Fox News issued apologies, corrections, & condolences; some veterans and commentators expressed embarrassment & frustration publicly.

• Australians use VPNs as online age restrictions block porn websites nationwide (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: The Guardian, The Independent}}

  • Australia enforces online age restrictions, limiting access to pornography, extreme violence, and harmful AI chatbot content.

  • VPN downloads surge as users seek to bypass newly implemented content blocks on smartphones and computers.

  • Pornhub owner Aylo blocks Australian users, complying with national laws imposing fines up to A$49.5M.

• Carney calls byelections in three Canadian districts, possibly securing a majority government (AP)
  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, CBC}}

  • Prime Minister Carney schedules April 13 byelections in Toronto and Quebec to strengthen the Liberal majority.

  • By-elections fill seats vacated by Chrystia Freeland and Bill Blair with new candidates.

  • Controversy arises as former NDP deputy leader Doly Begum defects to run for the Liberals.

AND MORE

• Plug-in hybrid owners rarely charge vehicles, undermining their intended climate benefits.

• Ring’s Jamie Siminoff addresses privacy concerns post-Super Bowl, yet doubts remain.

• Mabe Fratti’s Sentir Que No Sabes blends experimental cello pop with genres.

• Roko’s Basilisk skips the buzz words and cuts straight to what moves markets, products, and careers.

• A bite-sized adventure that puts a wrench into the classic Zelda formula.

• Apple’s new budget laptop appears poised to be a strong seller.

• Efforts to promote $40 smartphones gain traction, but costs remain a challenge.

• Furby’s strange story reveals how the nonstop-talking toy charmed millions.