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

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

🤖 iRobot files Chapter 11 after tariffs, competition, and failed Amazon acquisition.
📉 Investors hedge against AI trade as doubts grow over infrastructure returns.
🔞 UK pushes age verification to block nude photos across Apple and Google devices.
🏦 Netflix unveils $82.7 billion bid for Warner Bros amid regulatory uncertainty.
🌍 Macron delays EU-Mercosur vote as farmers mobilize against the trade deal.

TECHNOLOGY

• Roomba Maker iRobot Files for Bankruptcy and Will Go Private (Bloomberg) 

  ^{_{More: CNBC, TechCrunch, 9to5Mac}}

  • iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 35 years, handing control to its Chinese supplier, Shenzhen PICEA Robotics.

  • The company struggled with Chinese competition, tariffs that added $23 million in costs, and Amazon's failed acquisition attempt.

  • Common stock will be wiped out under the bankruptcy plan, expected to be completed by February 2026.

• Investors are hedging against a potential reversal in the AI trade (Financial Times) 

  ^{_{More: TechStock², MIT Technology Review, Euronews}}

  • Investors increase purchases of credit default swaps amid concerns about AI funding costs and companies' cloud profitability.

  • Questions about Oracle's spending outlook and Broadcom's margin warnings raise concerns about the sustainability of rapid AI infrastructure buildouts.

  • Market rotation away from tech megacaps suggests growing skepticism about AI's near-term return on massive capital investments.

• Apple and Google will be asked to block nude photos unless age verified (9to5Mac) 

  ^{_{More: AppleInsider, Republic World, Financial Times}}

  • The UK government will ask tech giants to implement nudity-detection algorithms that require age verification via biometric checks or ID.

  • The proposal would prevent taking, sharing, or viewing nude photos without adult verification across entire device operating systems.

  • Privacy concerns arise as implementation would require scanning all photos, raising questions about surveillance and civil liberties.

• Launch fast and design beautifully with Framer*

  • With Framer, early-stage founders can launch a beautiful, production-ready site in hours.

  • Save $360 with a full year of Framer Pro, free for early-stage startups. Scale your site from MVP to full product with CMS, analytics, and AI localization.

  • Join YC-backed founders. Hundreds of top startups are already building on Framer.

BUSINESS

• Oracle lease commitments increase almost 150% to accommodate AI demand (CNBC) 

  ^{_{More: TechRadar, Wall Street Pit}}

  • Oracle's lease commitments jumped to $248 billion, up 148% in three months.

  • The company raised capital spending guidance to fifty billion dollars for AI infrastructure, driven by a major OpenAI contract.

  • Total debt, including lease liabilities, reached one hundred twenty-four billion dollars, raising investor concerns about financial sustainability.

• Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Following the Separation of Discovery Global for a Total Enterprise Value of $82.7 Billion (Netflix) 

  _{^{More: Variety, TechCrunch, ABC News}}

  • Netflix announced an $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., including HBO Max and its film studios.

  • The deal faces a competing hostile bid from Paramount and Skydance and an uncertain regulatory review by the Trump administration, raising questions about its completion.

  • Transaction expected to close after Warner Bros. Discovery separates its Global Networks division into a standalone company by Q3 2026.

• Fed's Interest Rate Decision: December 10, 2025 (Advisor Perspectives) 

  _{^{More: CNBC, Fidelity, Federal Reserve}}

  • The Federal Reserve cut rates by a quarter percentage point to a three-point-five to three-point-seven-five percent range.

  • The decision featured a rare three dissenting votes, reflecting deep divisions about the appropriate path for monetary policy in 2026.

  • The Fed signaled a slower pace of future rate cuts, with the dot plot indicating just one reduction in 2026.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Anger Simmers at Bondi Vigil Over Warnings on Antisemitism Rise (Bloomberg) 

  _{^{More: PBS NewsHour, CNN, TIME}}

  • Sixteen people were killed in a terrorist attack targeting a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, Australia's worst mass shooting incident.

  • The Jewish community expressed anger at the government for failing to address a two-year surge in antisemitic incidents across Australia.

  • Attack followed seventeen hundred antisemitic incidents recorded in Australia in 2025, down from the previous year but still historically elevated.

• Macron's Delaying Tactics Risk Burying Mercosur Deal For Good (Bloomberg) 

  ^{_{More: France24, Al Jazeera, Euronews}}

  • French President Macron personally requested a delay to the EU-Mercosur trade vote, citing inadequate safeguards for French farmers.

  • The European Commission still expects to sign a 20-year negotiated deal creating the world's largest free trade area by year-end.

  • Up to 10,000 farmers plan to protest in Brussels as the deal faces a tight vote in the European Parliament.

• Brazil Street Robbery Videos Fuel Boom in Bulletproof Armored Cars (Bloomberg) 

  _{^{More: Bangkok Post, The Brazil Business}}

  • Viral street robbery videos drive record demand for armored vehicles among Brazil's middle class seeking protection.

  • São Paulo state accounts for 74% of Brazil's 150,000 bulletproof cars nationwide.

  • Industry experts consider Brazil's $245 million bulletproofing industry the world's largest and fastest-growing market.

FUTURISM

• "I was forced to use AI until the day I was laid off" (Blood in the Machine) 

  ^{_{More: TIME, Critical AI, LA Times}}

  • Copywriters describe being mandated to use AI tools before mass layoffs decimated their industry over three years.

  • Work degraded to editing AI-generated output at falling rates as clients settle for cheaper "good enough" content.

  • Some relocated abroad seeking lower costs, while others turned to alternative income sources after losing their copywriting careers.

• Company in Huge Trouble for Creating "Tinder for Kids" App (Futurism) _{^{More: The Hill, Gateway Pundit, DNYUZ}}

  • French app Wizz, with sixteen million users, faces scrutiny for connecting minors with sexual predators despite its claims.

  • App's age verification repeatedly fails, allowing adults to pose as teens despite biometric facial scanning technology.

  • Congress is pushing the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require tech companies to demonstrate platform safety to avoid legal liability.

• Streamer Sued for Assaulting Gay Robot (Futurism) 

  _{^{More: Complex, TechCrunch, DNYUZ}}

  • Social Robotics sues streamer IShowSpeed for $1 million after allegedly destroying the Jake the Rizzbot robot.

  • Streamer punched, chokeheld, and threw the four-foot humanoid robot during a livestream, causing irreparable damage and total loss.

  • The incident forced the cancellation of MrBeast's collaboration and CBS's NFL Today Show appearance, derailing the robot's viral momentum.

CONTENT

• Why Humans Are AI’s Biggest Bottleneck (Lenny’s Podcast)

  • Lenny interviews AI operators about why human workflows, incentives, and trust slow real-world deployment of artificial intelligence.

  • The discussion covers organizational change, evaluation gaps, and why tooling advances outpace teams’ ability to adapt their processes.

  • The episode argues that competitive advantage shifts toward companies redesigning roles, decisions, and incentives around AI systems.

• 10 Years of Acquired with Michael Lewis (Acquired)

  • Ben and David reflect on a decade of Acquired with author Michael Lewis as a guest.

  • Conversation spans storytelling, business myths, power dynamics, and how incentives shape outcomes across markets and institutions.

  • Episode highlights why long-form narrative remains critical for understanding companies beyond metrics, valuations, and quarterly performance.

• All-In: Markets, AI, and Politics Deep Dive (All-In Podcast)

  • The hosts break down market volatility, rate expectations, and investor positioning across technology and macro sectors.

  • Panel debates AI platform competition, regulatory risks, and capital concentration among leading infrastructure providers.

  • Discussion links political uncertainty to capital flows, corporate strategy, and shifting risk tolerance among global investors.

EXTRAS

• Palantir CIO Jim Siders leaves for Thrive Capital's Shield Technology (CNBC) 

  ^{_{More: SalesTechStar, Breaking the News, Metis Strategy}}

  • Twelve-year Palantir veteran Jim Siders becomes CEO of Shield Technology Partners, Thrive Capital's new IT services venture.

  • Shield buys ownership stakes in IT services companies, providing AI technology and engineering capabilities to accelerate growth.

  • The company partners with seven firms, generating over one hundred million in revenue, while backed by Thrive Holdings and OpenAI.

• Netflix CEOs Make Their Case for Warner Bros. Acquisition (Bloomberg) ^{_{More: Variety, TechCrunch, Business Insider}}

  • Netflix co-CEOs send an internal letter defending the $82.7 billion Warner Bros. acquisition to skeptical employees.

  • The deal combines Netflix's streaming infrastructure with Warner Bros. film studios and HBO content amid regulatory uncertainty and competition.

  • Leadership emphasizes synergies between platforms while addressing concerns about integration challenges and the competing Paramount Skydance bid.

• Trump Family Crypto Money: How Donald and Melania Profited from Memecoins (Bloomberg) 

  _{^{More: Reuters, CNBC, Wall Street Journal}}

  • Investigation reveals the Trump family earned substantial profits from launching and promoting cryptocurrency memecoins during and after the presidency.

  • Donald and Melania Trump branded tokens generated millions through initial sales and ongoing royalty arrangements with developers.

  • Raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and financial disclosure requirements for presidential family business ventures.

AND MORE

• Ukrainian President Zelenskiy resumed peace talks in Berlin with U.S. envoys amid a diplomatic push.

• Asian shares slid as Wall Street’s worst three-week drop weighed on global risk appetite.

• Global markets opened cautiously with Asian stocks declining ahead of key central bank decisions.

• Europe faces a decisive week on Ukraine funding and Mercosur trade agreement negotiations.

• U.S. and global stocks recovered modestly after last week’s AI-driven selloff.

• French museum workers plan strike at Louvre over conditions and pay disputes.

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

• ULA schedules launch of 27 Amazon Leo satellites to expand worldwide internet reach.

• Namibox unveils AI-powered educational smart glasses ahead of global release.