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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

🌐 Apple to replace Broadcom’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with its own by 2025.
📸 ChatGPT’s new real-time video feature in object recognition and scene analysis.
📄 Australia introduces a ‘news tax,’ for tech companies to compensate publishers.
🔥 Warner Bros. shares climb 15% following restructuring into linear and streaming units.
💻 Netanyahu hints at progress in hostage negotiations as U.S. facilitates talks.

TECH

• Apple nears switch to in-house Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for iPhone

  • Apple plans to replace Broadcom’s components with its own in-house Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips by 2025.

  • These chips will support iPhones, Apple TV, and HomePod, boosting control over hardware integration.

  • The shift reflects Apple’s strategy to reduce reliance on third-party suppliers and optimize costs.

• ChatGPT now understands real-time video

  • ChatGPT can now process real-time video inputs, allowing users to interact via their device cameras.

  • The update enhances its abilities in object recognition, scene analysis, and interactive applications.

  • This feature, teased earlier this year, expands the practical use cases for ChatGPT in daily tasks.

• Microsoft unveils Recall AI for retracing user activity

  • Recall allows users to revisit past activities by capturing snapshots of their app usage and notes.

  • The feature raises privacy concerns but stores data locally without sharing it externally.

  • Users can access detailed insights into their workflows, enhancing productivity and memory recall.

BUSINESS

• Meta donates $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund

  • Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, contributed $1 million to President-elect Trump’s 2025 inauguration fund.

  • This marks Meta’s first donation to a Trump inauguration, signaling a potential shift in its political strategy.

  • The move could be seen as an effort to strengthen relations with the incoming administration.

  Warner Bros. Discovery shares surge 15% after company announces linear, streaming restructuring

  • Warner Bros. Discovery will restructure into two units: one for linear networks and another for streaming and studios.

  • The reorganization aims to enhance strategic flexibility, positioning the company for potential deals or spin-offs.

  • Shares jumped 15% following the announcement, signaling investor confidence in the restructuring plan.

• Australia to introduce ‘news tax’ on tech companies

  • Australia plans to implement a ‘news tax,’ requiring tech companies like Google and Meta to pay publishers for news content.

  • The legislation builds on similar policies introduced in 2021 but aims to expand compensation obligations.

  • Critics argue the move could stifle innovation, while proponents see it as essential for supporting journalism.

CONTENT

• How Zapier became profitable in 3 years and scaled to $5B

  • Wade Foster shares how Zapier achieved profitability in three years using a product-led growth (PLG) strategy.

  • The conversation covers finding product-market fit, optimizing onboarding, and building a scalable customer acquisition strategy.

  • Foster highlights Zapier’s unique brand evolution and offers actionable advice for founders on pricing, hiring, and GTM success.

• Intellectual authority and its discontents

  • Sam Harris delves into the erosion of trust in institutions and the rise of conspiracy thinking and misinformation.

  • He critiques the incentives fueling intellectual authority breakdowns and the societal impact of such trends.

  • The discussion touches on cultural shifts, Trump, Elon Musk, and the challenges of modern discourse.

• Helsing founder on raising $828M to build Europe’s defense champion

  • Torsten Reil discusses building Helsing, an AI-driven defense company, and its $828M funding journey.

  • Topics include defense innovation, AI’s role in warfare, and challenges in European defense spending and policy.

  • Reil shares insights on small-team dynamics, drone technology, and preparing for future geopolitical conflicts.

WORLD

• Netanyahu is ‘ready’ to reach a hostage deal and the sides are ‘close,’ says US official

  • US National Security Adviser stated that Israel and Hamas are close to finalizing a hostage deal, aiming for completion by month’s end.

  • Sullivan highlighted recent Israeli military successes and the weakening of Hamas and Hezbollah as key factors in shifting the region’s balance.

  • The US is facilitating talks in Doha and Cairo while managing risks from the fall of Assad’s regime in Syria.

• Macron seeks to appoint new prime minister and restore stability

  • French President Emmanuel Macron is negotiating to appoint a new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s resignation.

  • Political instability threatens Macron’s economic reforms and efforts to reduce France’s budget deficit.

  • Macron aims to form a government capable of securing parliamentary support for national stability.

• Trump says the U.S. ‘should have nothing to do with’ Syria

  • Former President Trump reiterated his stance that the U.S. should stay out of Syria, calling it “not our fight."

  • Assad’s collapse has left Syria in a power struggle, with Russia, Iran, and Turkey vying for control.

  • Trump’s past attempts to withdraw U.S. forces were reversed by his advisers, citing security and oil interests.

AND MORE…

• ChatGPT introduces Santa Claus persona for the holidays

  • OpenAI now offers a Santa Claus voice for ChatGPT, adding holiday cheer to user interactions.

  • The feature is available through Advanced Voice Mode, ideal for festive conversations.

  • Users can explore a playful, seasonal twist on AI interactions, enhancing holiday engagement.

• YouTube TV raises prices amid rising content costs

  • YouTube TV’s monthly subscription fee will increase from $72.99 to $82.99 in January 2024.

  • The company cites rising content costs and investments in quality as reasons for the price hike.

  • Existing users will see the new rates applied from January 13, while new subscribers face them immediately.

• NATO must adopt a wartime mindset, warns Secretary General

  • NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte calls for a shift to a wartime mindset to counter Russia’s long-term strategies.

  • He urges member nations to increase defense spending beyond the 2% GDP target to prepare for future threats.

  • Rutte warns that Russia’s defense budget will reach a third of its state expenditure by 2025, the highest since the Cold War.