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

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

🧠 Meta invests $15B and hires Alexandr Wang to lead AGI lab.
📱 Android 16 rolls out with RCS upgrades and AI-powered photo edits.
🤖 Trump administration is launching a government chatbot platform called DOGE on July 4.
☕ Starbucks to roll out AI assistant to baristas across U.S. and Canada.
🛢️ EU unveils 18th sanctions package targeting Russian oil and export channels.

TECHNOLOGY

• Google rolls out Android 16 to Pixel phones, adds AI-powered edit suggestion to Google Photos

  • Android 16 is now live on Pixel devices with new RCS group chat, dynamic lock screens, and Material You updates.

  • Google Photos adds AI-powered suggestions that help users erase or reimagine elements in their pictures with one tap.

  • The Pixel Drop includes satellite SOS, badge access, improved Recorder summaries, and a new VIPs widget.

• The Trump administration appears to be planning its own chatbot

  • A new federal AI platform and chatbot will launch on July 4 to connect agencies with tools from OpenAI and others.

  • The system includes API integrations, model access, and analytics led by the GSA’s Thomas Shedd.

  • The DOGE initiative aims to cut costs and automate repetitive federal tasks using AI-powered services.

• Report: Meta taps Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang to join new ‘superintelligence’ lab

  • Meta is investing up to $15 billion in Scale AI and hiring its CEO, Alexandr Wang, to lead AGI efforts.

  • The company is recruiting elite AI researchers with offers in the seven-to-nine figure range.

  • The move signals Meta’s aggressive push to catch up after setbacks with its Llama model family.

BUSINESS

• 23andMe faces multistate lawsuit to block sale of genetic data

  • Twenty‑seven states and D.C. filed suit in bankruptcy court to stop the sale of customer DNA data without explicit consent.

  • The move follows 23andMe’s March 2025 Chapter 11 filing and potential acquisition by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

  • Plaintiffs argue sensitive genetic data must be protected and not treated as an asset up for auction.

• OpenAI taps Google in unprecedented cloud deal despite AI rivalry

  • OpenAI has signed a major cloud services deal with Google Cloud in May to support its surging AI compute demand.

  • The move diversifies OpenAI’s infrastructure beyond Microsoft Azure and complements partnerships like Stargate with Oracle.

  • Google benefits as the deal boosts its cloud business and underscores shifting alliances in the AI infrastructure race.

• Starbucks to roll out Microsoft Azure OpenAI assistant for baristas

  • Starbucks will deploy ‘Green Dot Assist’, an AI tool powered by Azure OpenAI, to help baristas with drink orders.

  • The assistant provides quick instructions and video tutorials to speed up service and improve accuracy.

  • A broader U.S. and Canada rollout is planned for fiscal 2026 as part of Starbucks’ service‑efficiency strategy.

MARKETS

WORLD

• EU announces 18th package of sanctions targeting Russia

  • The EU proposed banning refined Russian oil imports and lowering the price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel.

  • New measures target Nord Stream-related transactions, shadow fleet vessels, and sanction evasion intermediaries.

  • The sanctions package also expands export controls, with final approval expected later this week.

• Bolsonaro takes the stand in Brazil’s historic coup trial

  • Bolsonaro denied orchestrating a coup but admitted discussing alternatives to stay in power with close aides.

  • He called the January 2023 rioters ‘crazy’ and distanced himself from any criminal planning or violence.

  • The trial includes eight defendants and marks Brazil’s first major case involving alleged coup attempts since its dictatorship.

• Britain invests £14.2 bn in Sizewell C for first major nuclear plant

  • The UK pledged £14.2 billion more toward building Sizewell C, its first new nuclear plant in decades.

  • The project will create 10,000 jobs and generate power for six million homes across the country.

  • Costs surged due to complex regulations and the challenge of reviving large-scale nuclear construction in Britain.

CONTENT

• Watch this to design like a pro using AI

  • Meng To explains how context-rich prompts improve AI design outputs by guiding layout, typography, and animation choices.

  • He demonstrates his prompt builder in action, showing how better inputs yield non-generic, high-quality UI designs.

  • The episode highlights design as a trust-building tool and competitive advantage for AI-powered product teams.

• The state of consumer tech in the age of AI

  • a16z partners explore why breakout apps have slowed and how AI-native tools are reshaping consumer behavior.

  • Users now spend $200+ monthly on AI products, and the demand for social graphs and companions is growing fast.

  • They argue iteration speed beats traditional moats, especially when software is infused into every part of life.

• OpenAI Codex team: from autocomplete to agents

  • Codex team shares how their AI agent generates pull requests and runs autonomously for up to 30 minutes.

  • The shift from AI pairing to delegation marks a turning point in autonomous software engineering tools.

  • They discuss training in realistic environments and envision a future where most code is agent-generated.

FUTURISM

• Bedrock Ocean dredges up $25 M to map the seafloor with robots

  • Bedrock Ocean raised $25 million to deploy autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for seismic-quality seafloor mapping.

  • The AUVs run up to 12 hours on lithium-ion batteries using sonar and magnetic sensors to gather high-resolution data.

  • This robotic approach reduces cost, human labor, and environmental disruption compared to traditional ship-based surveys.

• Waymo robotaxis and Lime e-scooters set ablaze during LA protests

  • During protests in downtown Los Angeles, at least five Waymo robotaxis and several Lime e-scooters were torched.

  • Waymo suspended service in affected areas amid safety concerns over lithium-ion battery fires and toxic fumes.

  • The vehicles’ surveillance capacity made them symbols of protest, prompting broader debate over tech visibility.

• China AI lab unveils RoboBrain for humanoid robots

  • Beijing Academy of AI launched RoboBrain 2.0—an open-source model designed to enhance humanoid robotics in spatial and task planning.

  • The model delivers 17 percent faster performance and 74 percent increased accuracy versus its previous version.

  • BAAI collaborates with over 20 companies to integrate RoboBrain into the Wujie ecosystem for embodied AI growth.

EXTRAS

• Meta launches new AI superintelligence lab

  • Meta is building an advanced AI research lab focused on developing superintelligent systems beyond human-level cognition.

  • The company plans a major investment in Scale AI and is recruiting top talent to drive breakthrough AI capabilities.

  • This move marks a bold strategic pivot to close gaps with rivals in the rapidly evolving AI arms race.

• Disney to acquire Comcast’s stake and gain full control of Hulu

  • Disney will pay nearly $439 million to buy Comcast’s remaining 33 percent ownership of Hulu.

  • The deal concludes a multi-year appraisal process and strengthens integration with Disney+ and upcoming ESPN services.

  • The acquisition won’t impact Disney’s 2025 earnings forecast and is expected to close by July 24.

• Apple showcases AI-powered upgrades at WWDC 2025

  • Apple unveiled the ‘Liquid Glass’ design language and introduced advanced on-device AI features across its ecosystem.

  • Highlights include live translation, smarter Siri, AI fitness coaching, and third-party access via the Foundation Models API.

  • Despite ambitious launches, Wall Street remained cautious, viewing the announcements as incremental rather than revolutionary.

AND MORE

• Meta reportedly hiring team to build superintelligence AGI lab with expert researchers.

• China is said to trail U.S. AI capabilities by only three‑to‑six months.

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• Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian in space after a 41-year gap.

• Nvidia readies Jetson Thor computers, aimed at humanoid robot autonomy in 2025.

• French AI startup Mistral announces Magistral reasoning models.

• Apple unveils AI‑powered Shortcuts app that taps into Apple Intelligence directly.

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