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

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

📈 Oracle sees AI boom through 2027, sending shares up 8%.
🎨 Adobe debuts AI assistant for Photoshop with prompt-based editing tools.
💰 Meta to charge advertisers fees to offset Europe’s digital taxes.
📺 YouTube ad revenue surpasses Disney, Paramount, and WBD in 2025.
⚔️ Mideast combatants trade air strikes as Iran suppresses domestic dissent.

TECHNOLOGY

• Oracle sees AI boom through 2027, sending shares up 8% (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: AOL, MSN, Investing.com}}

  • Oracle expects AI data center demand to drive revenue to $90B by 2027.

  • Remaining performance obligations surged 325% year-over-year to $553B, beating analyst expectations.

  • Cloud margins expected to improve through AI chip rentals plus high-margin database services.

• Adobe debuts AI assistant for Photoshop with prompt-based editing tools (The Verge)
  ^{_{More: Tech Buzz, TechCrunch, Yahoo!}}

  • Adobe launched a beta AI assistant for Photoshop on web and mobile apps.

  • Assistant enables prompt-based edits, such as removing objects, adjusting lighting, changing colors, or transforming backgrounds.

  • Adobe also added AI markup plus new AI image-editing capabilities to Adobe Firefly.

• Amazon launches healthcare AI assistant on its website and mobile app (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Reuters, The Verge}}

  • Amazon expands its healthcare AI assistant to website & app users beyond One Medical members.

  • The assistant explains lab results, answers medication questions, connects patients with providers, and supports over 30 conditions.

  • Tool offers symptom guidance & virtual assessments, while complex cases still require paid provider visits.

BUSINESS

• Meta to charge advertisers fees to offset Europe’s digital taxes (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Reuters, Yahoo!, Economic Times}}

  • Meta will add 2%–5% location fees for ads delivered in certain European markets.

  • Fees begin July 1, covering digital service taxes plus other government-imposed levies.

  • The move follows similar actions by Google & Amazon responding to new regulations.

• Trump announces first new U.S. refinery in 50 years with Reliance (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, MSN, Financial Times}}

  • Trump revealed a $300B refinery project in Brownsville, Texas, backed by Reliance Industries.

  • The refinery will process 100% U.S. shale oil and claims to be the cleanest globally.

  • The project coincides with rising oil prices amid the Middle East conflict, boosting American energy security.

• YouTube ad revenue surpasses Disney, Paramount, and WBD in 2025 (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Business Insider, Yahoo!, Tech Buzz}}

  • YouTube generated $40.4B in ad revenue, exceeding the combined $ 37.8 B of the four major studios.

  • This marks a turnaround from 2024, when YouTube earned less than these studios collectively.

  • Rising digital consumption shifts advertising power from traditional studios to YouTube’s platform.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Mideast combatants trade air strikes as Iran suppresses domestic dissent (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: NY Times, Straits Times}}

  • U.S. and Israel exchanged heavy air strikes with Iran across multiple Middle Eastern locations.

  • Millions of Israelis sought shelter as missile attacks targeted Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf states.

  • IEA plans historic oil reserve release to stabilize markets amid disrupted Gulf shipping lanes.

• South Korea discovers faulty airport approvals after Jeju Air crash (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Reuters, CNA, AInvest}}

  • Auditors found the transport ministry had approved unsafe airport structures for over two decades.

  • The Jeju Air crash killed 179 people after the plane struck improperly built localiser support.

  • The Ministry reduced construction costs, neglecting international standards for airport safety compliance.

• Google launches Gemini AI integration in Chrome for users in India (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Engadget, The Verge, Tech Buzz}}

  • Google rolls out Gemini in Chrome for users in India, Canada, and New Zealand.

  • Gemini lets users ask AI questions, summarize content, and compare multiple tabs.

  • The tool now supports Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil.

FUTURISM

• Anduril enters space with ExoAnalytic acquisition to support defense contracts (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, Binance}}

  • Anduril acquires ExoAnalytic Solutions to expand missile and satellite tracking capabilities.

  • Defense tech firms compete for Trump’s Golden Dome and military industrial projects.

  • Anduril seeks new funding to potentially double its $30.5B valuation soon.

• Kalshi adds share feature to Meta’s Threads in user confidence boost (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Tech Buzz}}

  • Kalshi’s new share option embeds prediction market charts directly into Threads posts.

  • Users can discuss forecasts, from Best Picture to reality TV outcomes, alongside bets.

  • The move signals confidence in Threads, following complications with X’s sports betting policies.

• Meta acquires Moltbook to expand social networks for AI agents (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Yahoo!, Decrypt, The Independent}}

  • Moltbook, a viral platform for AI agents, joins Meta Superintelligence Labs leadership team.

  • CEO Matt Schlicht and COO Ben Parr will integrate Moltbook’s technology into Meta AI.

  • The acquisition enables AI agents to connect and operate more efficiently for users.

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CONTENT

• Max Hodak discusses the future potential of brain-computer interfaces (Y Combinator)

  • Max Hodak explains how Science’s retinal implant restores sight for blind patients.

  • The discussion covers brain-computer interfaces, brain plasticity, and potential enhancements to intelligence.

  • Hodak shares his journey with Neuralink and the development of Science for next-generation BCIs.

• Iran war spikes oil prices, raising China’s inflation and energy concerns (The Prof G Pod)

  • Iran's war drives oil above $100 per barrel, threatening China’s energy security.

  • China’s dependence on the Strait of Hormuz complicates cautious 2026 growth plans.

  • Expert Andy Browne discusses how rising oil prices affect China-U.S. relations.

• Olivia Moore discusses the newest Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps report (a16z)

  • ChatGPT remains 30 times larger than Claude online, highlighting differences in platform dominance.

  • Global adoption shows cultural attitudes toward AI and regional preferences for features.

  • Agents, memory, and voice capabilities are set to transform AI consumer applications.

EXTRAS

• Thinking Machines Lab signs major multi-year compute partnership with Nvidia (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: Tech Buzz, CNBC, TechCrunch}}

  • Thinking Machines Lab partners with Nvidia, deploying at least one gigawatt of Vera Rubin systems.

  • Nvidia makes a strategic investment in the $12B AI research lab.

  • The lab focuses on reproducible AI models and has released its first product, the Tinker API.

• China restricts OpenClaw AI use at banks and government agencies (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Economic Times, Investing.com, Reuters}}

  • Chinese agencies and state-owned banks were warned against installing OpenClaw AI software.

  • OpenClaw runs locally with full permissions, raising concerns about potential security risks.

  • Competitors like Tencent’s WorkBuddy and Zhipu AI launched similar tools despite warnings.

• ChatGPT now generates interactive visuals to explain math and science concepts (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Yahoo!, Engadget, CNET}}

  • OpenAI’s new feature lets users manipulate variables and see real-time updates in formulas.

  • Over 70 topics, from Ohm’s law to the Pythagorean theorem, are supported by interactive visual explanations.

  • Users can explore concepts dynamically, enhancing understanding beyond static diagrams or textual explanations.

AND MORE

• Grammarly will continue to use authors’ identities without permission unless they opt out.

• AI-powered apps struggle with long-term retention, a new report shows.

• Nintendo’s new Pokémon smart device is a nostalgic throwback with a few new tricks.

• Hire AI engineers who build, deploy, and maintain models that perform reliably in production.*

• Google gives in to users’ complaints over AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ search feature.

• Laid-off professionals now train AI to replace jobs they once held.

• Google and Tesla think we’re managing the electrical grid all wrong.

• Project Hail Mary delivers fun popcorn sci-fi blending buddy comedy with epic adventure.