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

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

📱 T-Mobile rolls out AI live translation across its network.
🇪🇺 Mistral invests €1.2B in major Swedish AI data center.
⚖️ Meta and YouTube face landmark teen addiction trial.
🧠 ByteDance develops AI chip amid Samsung manufacturing talks.
💡 UK startup Olix raises £220M for photonic AI chips.

TECHNOLOGY

• OpenAI executive who opposed 'Adult Mode' fired for sexual discrimination (WSJ)
  _{^{More: TechCrunch, Gizmodo, TechSpot}}

  • OpenAI terminated an executive following internal complaints of sexual discrimination tied to controversial product debates.

  • The firing comes amid internal tensions over the company's proposed rollout of an adult content feature.

  • OpenAI has not publicly commented on the specific allegations or circumstances surrounding the dismissal.

• T-Mobile live translation languages AI Network (The Verge)
  _{^{More: Yahoo News, Telecompaper}}

  • T-Mobile introduces AI-powered live translation capabilities directly integrated into its nationwide mobile network infrastructure.

  • The service supports real-time voice translation across multiple languages without requiring separate applications or downloads.

  • T-Mobile positions the feature as a competitive differentiator in the increasingly crowded telecommunications market.

• SMIC CEO says Industry panicked about memory supply shortage (WSJ)
  _{^{More: Bloomberg, TrendForce, CNBC}}

  • SMIC's chief executive claims the semiconductor industry overreacted to recent concerns about memory chip supply constraints.

  • The comments suggest current inventory levels and production capacity may be adequate despite earlier warnings.

  • SMIC's assessment contrasts with cautious forecasts from other major players in the semiconductor supply chain.

BUSINESS

• Mistral Boss calls for European Unity in AI Race as pledges €1.2B Swedish Data Centre Investment (Tech.eu)
  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, CNBC, MarketScreener}}

  • Mistral AI announces €1.2B investment in Swedish data center infrastructure to strengthen European AI capabilities.

  • The CEO emphasizes the urgent need for a coordinated European response to American and Chinese dominance in AI.

  • The investment is among Europe's largest AI infrastructure commitments amid intensifying global competition.

• ByteDance said to be developing an AI Chip in talks with Samsung over manufacturing (TechNode)

  • ByteDance is reportedly developing proprietary AI chips and negotiating with Samsung for advanced manufacturing capacity.

  • The move reflects the parent company's push toward hardware independence amid geopolitical tensions in the semiconductor supply chain.

  • Samsung's partnership would provide ByteDance with access to cutting-edge fabrication technology for its custom chip designs.

• UK Chip Startup Olix raises £220M for development of Photonic AI Chips that Forgo the need for HBM (Data Center Dynamics)

  • British startup Olix secures £220M to develop photonic AI chips that eliminate the need for high-bandwidth memory.

  • The technology promises significant power efficiency gains and cost reductions compared to conventional silicon-based processors.

  • Olix's approach addresses critical bottlenecks in AI hardware by using light instead of electricity.

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MARKETS

WORLD

• Meta, YouTube teen addiction trial begins (Fortune)
  _{^{More: CNN, NBC News, CBS News}}

  • Trial begins examining Meta and YouTube's alleged role in fostering addictive behaviors among teenage users.

  • Plaintiffs argue platforms knowingly designed features to maximize engagement despite harm to adolescent mental health.

  • The case could establish precedent for social media liability regarding youth safety and algorithmic design.

• Big Tech companies prepare to skirt Trump's $100K H-1B fee (WSJ)
  _{^{More: Lawfare, CBS News, American Immigration Council}}

  • Major technology companies are developing strategies to circumvent the Trump administration's proposed $100K H-1B visa fee.

  • Tactics include relocating workers to foreign offices and restructuring employment arrangements to avoid visa requirements.

  • The fee proposal has sparked intense debate over immigration policy and America's global competitiveness for talent.

• Europe Live latest news updates EU Ukraine Russia (The Guardian)

  • European leaders convene for emergency discussions amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

  • EU officials debate expanded sanctions packages and military support commitments amid intensifying regional security concerns.

  • NATO members coordinate defense postures while pursuing parallel diplomatic channels to de-escalate the ongoing crisis.

FUTURISM

• The Isomorphic Labs Drug Design Engine unlocks a new frontier (Isomorphic Labs)
  _{^{More: The Decoder, Tech Startups, BioPharma Trend}}

  • Isomorphic Labs unveils IsoDDE, a drug design system reportedly surpassing AlphaFold 3 in biomolecular structure predictions.

  • The Google DeepMind spinoff claims the technology represents a paradigm shift in computational pharmaceutical development.

  • IsoDDE could accelerate drug discovery timelines by improving the accuracy of molecular interaction modeling and design.

• With co-founders leaving and an IPO looming, Elon Musk turns to the moon (TechCrunch)
  _{^{More: Engadget, Gizmochina}}

  • Elon Musk reportedly proposes building an AI satellite manufacturing facility on the moon amid executive departures.

  • The announcement comes as Musk's companies face internal transitions and potential public market debuts this year.

  • Critics question the feasibility and timing of lunar factory plans given current terrestrial operational challenges and priorities.

• ChatGPT crashing out: OpenAI Retiring GPT-4o (Futurism)
  ^{_{More: TechCrunch, BleepingComputer, CNBC}}

  • OpenAI has announced plans to retire the GPT-4o model amid recent reports of performance issues and user complaints.

  • The decision marks a rare rollback for OpenAI as the company prioritizes stability over features.

  • Users will be transitioned to alternative models as OpenAI refocuses development resources on next-generation systems.

CONTENT

• OpenAI’s Fidji Simo on Why Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT’ (Access)

  • Alex Heath and Ellis Hamburger interview Fidji Simo on ChatGPT’s next phase and monetization strategy.

  • Simo explains why advertising is coming to ChatGPT and how it will be integrated carefully.

  • The discussion explores the use of emotional AI, Sora’s progress, and the shift toward proactive assistants.

• ’Who’s Winning The AI Race? + Software’s Future — With Sridhar Ramaswamy’ (Big Technology Podcast)

  • Sridhar Ramaswamy assesses which companies lead the AI race and why.

  • The conversation examines search disruption, enterprise adoption, and performance gaps in competitive models.

  • Broader themes include software economics, defensibility, and long-term implications for incumbents.

• ’How Odd Lots’ Joe Weisenthal Turned Curiosity Into a Career’ (Channels with Peter Kafka)

  • Joe Weisenthal reflects on building Odd Lots into a leading financial podcast.

  • The episode explores curiosity-driven journalism, media formats, and audience trust.

  • Kafka and Weisenthal discuss business models shaping modern finance media.

EXTRAS

• International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026: STEM is open to all, but who gets to lead? (Times of India)

  • International Day highlights persistent gender disparities in STEM leadership despite improved access and participation rates.

  • Women remain underrepresented in senior scientific positions and face systemic barriers to advancement and recognition.

  • Experts call for structural reforms beyond access initiatives to address leadership inequality in scientific fields.

• Anthropic vs OpenAI Ads spending criticism (CNBC)
  _{^{More: SF Standard, Fox News, ABC News}}

  • Anthropic and OpenAI face scrutiny over aggressive advertising spending as competition in the AI market intensifies.

  • Critics question whether marketing budgets undermine stated commitments to AI safety and responsible development priorities.

  • Both companies defend spending as necessary for user education and market positioning in a crowded landscape.

• TikTok is tracking you even if you don't use the app: Here's how to stop it (BBC)

  • A BBC investigation reveals that TikTok extensively tracks non-users through embedded web trackers and third-party data partnerships.

  • Privacy experts outline steps individuals can take to limit TikTok's data collection even if they don't use the platform.

  • Findings raise broader questions about social media surveillance and consent in digital advertising ecosystems globally.

AND MORE

• Climate change has made extreme conditions that fuel Patagonia wildfires much more likely.

• Attorney general faces lawmakers over handling and redaction of Epstein files. 

• Trump privately weighs quitting USMCA, raising uncertainty for trade talks ahead.

• Athyna Intelligence gives AI teams access to vetted Latin American PhDs for post-training, evaluation, and 40–60% cost savings.

• China sells yuan bonds in Hong Kong at decade-low yields again.

• White House revises US-India trade fact sheet, confusing farmer groups overnight.

• EU regulators say TikTok’s design may be addictive and harmful overall.

• Advocacy coalition urges immediate federal suspension of Grok over sexual imagery.

• Venezuela holds vast oil reserves, but sanctions and infrastructure hinder output.