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

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

🤖 How Elon Musk is reshaping Tesla’s strategy with bold innovation moves.
💰 Amazon plans $13B investment in Australia’s data centers over five years.
⚓ The U.S. Navy more actively courts startups with strong interest and funding.
🌍 Israel’s conflict with Iran sends shockwaves across global markets and investors.
💻 Taiwan places new export controls on Huawei and SMIC tech firms.

TECHNOLOGY

• How Elon Musk is reshaping Tesla’s strategy with bold innovation moves

  • Elon Musk is shifting Tesla’s strategy to integrate advanced AI technology into its core operations.

  • Tesla aims to transform from an electric car maker into a cutting-edge robotics company.

  • Musk’s innovative leadership is positioning Tesla to lead future trends in automotive and technology.

• Google reportedly plans to end its partnership with Scale AI soon

  • Google reportedly plans to end its $200M deal with Scale AI amid Meta’s investment.

  • Microsoft and OpenAI are also reassessing their relationships with Scale, citing potential conflicts of interest.

  • Despite concerns, Scale says its business remains strong and independent, ensuring customer data protection.

• BT boss Kirkby says AI could drive even deeper job cuts soon

  • BT Group CEO says AI could lead to even deeper job cuts than planned by 2030.

  • The company aims to cut over 40,000 jobs and reduce £3B in costs by decade’s end.

  • BT may consider spinning off Openreach if its value remains underappreciated by the market.

BUSINESS

• Oil options attract bulls amid heavy trading as Middle East risks expand

  • Bullish sentiment surges in oil options amid escalating Israel-Iran conflict, driving heavy call option trading.

  • Thousands of high-strike August calls traded early Monday, signaling bets on rising oil prices.

  • Brent oil prices spike with supply concerns; the market shows a strong bullish bias despite a slight morning dip.

• Amazon plans $13B investment in Australia’s data centers over five years

  • Amazon will invest A$20B ($13B) from 2025 to 2029 to expand Australia’s data centers.

  • Investment includes three new solar farms in Victoria and Queensland, with over 170 megawatt capacity.

  • Amazon’s investment boosts Australia’s AI capabilities, reflecting global tech firms expanding cloud infrastructure.

• The U.S. Navy more actively courts startups with a strong interest and funding

  • The U.S. Navy is streamlining procurement to attract startups, cutting red tape and delays.

  • Its ‘innovation adoption kit’ helps promising technologies move quickly from prototype to full deployment.

  • The Navy now leads with problems, not solutions, encouraging flexible, results-driven partnerships with tech firms.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Israel’s conflict with Iran sends shockwaves across global markets and investors

  • Israel launched airstrikes across Iran, marking the third consecutive day of escalating conflict.

  • Fears of a broader Middle East war pushed stocks lower, while oil prices and gold surged.

  • Despite tensions, markets showed resilience as investors cautiously adjusted portfolios toward safe-haven assets.

• Indonesia's stock exchange considers extending trading hours by one hour

  • Indonesia’s stock exchange may extend trading hours to attract more foreign investors amid selloffs.

  • Proposed new hours include starting at 8 a.m. or ending at 5 p.m. for better global access.

  • Plans include introducing short-selling by Q4 and liquidity providers to enhance market depth and fairness.

• Taiwan places new export controls on Huawei and SMIC tech firms

  • Taiwan has added Huawei and SMIC to a restricted export list, tightening control over AI chip tech.

  • Taiwanese firms now need government approval to ship construction materials and equipment to these entities.

  • The move may delay China’s AI semiconductor development by limiting access to critical Taiwanese resources.

CONTENT

• Yuval Noah Harari discusses the impact of AI on human evolution

  • Yuval Noah Harari explores how AI is transforming global institutions and leadership decision-making.

  • He connects AI’s impact to human evolution, ethics, and shifting concepts of intelligence.

  • Harari’s insights come from his bestselling works like ‘Sapiens’ and ‘Homo Deus.’

• Dan Senor discusses recent Israeli strikes on Iran

  • Dan Senor joins Scott to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

  • They analyze recent attacks and the growing risk of a wider regional war.

  • The discussion covers implications for U.S. interests and global geopolitical stability.

• Whoop’s Hilary Gridley talks about building teams

  • Hilary Gridley, WHOOP’s Head of Core Product, emphasizes resilience and adaptability in product teams.

  • She shares tactics to reframe setbacks, build positive habits, and encourage creativity at work.

  • The episode highlights AI’s role in growth and WHOOP’s use of reward loops for behavior change.

FUTURISM

• China joins the US in the brain implant race with a successful clinical trial

  • China’s first brain-computer interface trial enabled a tetraplegic patient to control devices successfully.

  • The patient used a wireless invasive implant to play games using only their mind weeks after surgery.

  • The implant is the world’s smallest and more flexible than Neuralink’s, advancing paralysis treatment technology.

• Anne Wojcicki’s nonprofit agrees to acquire genetic testing company 23andMe

  • 23andMe agrees to sell to a nonprofit led by co-founder Anne Wojcicki after a bankruptcy filing.

  • Wojcicki’s nonprofit outbid Regeneron with a $305M offer, aiming to maintain customer privacy.

  • Acquisition faces legal challenges from state attorneys general concerned about genetic data consent.

• Conductive skin enables robots to sense touch like humans do naturally

  • Scientists developed a low-cost, flexible robotic skin enabling sensitive touch for robots, mimicking human skin.

  • The skin senses various physical inputs with over 860,000 pathways, detecting pressure, temperature, and damage.

  • Machine learning improves sensing efficiency, with potential uses in prosthetics, robotics, automotive, and disaster relief.

EXTRAS

• Boeing Dreamliner crash and military tensions darken mood at Paris Air Show

  • Air India Flight 171 crash and the Israel-Iran conflict overshadowed the Paris Air Show atmosphere.

  • Flight 171 marks the first deadly crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in aviation history.

  • Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and commercial head Stephanie Pope canceled their Paris Air Show visits.

• Gold reaches near two-month high as Middle East conflict boosts safe-haven demand

  • Israel-Iran conflict escalates, increasing fears of wider regional instability and market uncertainty.

  • US Federal Reserve policy decision expected Wednesday, influencing investor sentiment and markets.

  • Gold rose for a fourth straight session, reaching near two-month highs amid safe-haven demand.

• Alexa von Tobel is optimistic about the future of fintech 3.0

  • Alexa von Tobel sold LearnVest for $375M and held key innovation roles at Northwestern Mutual.

  • She founded Inspired Capital to support entrepreneurs with a strong focus on fintech innovation.

  • Von Tobel believes fintech 3.0 will bring deep product reinvention for a diverse, digital economy.

AND MORE

• Protesters against overtourism march through the streets of southern European cities.

• Hedge funds profit from investors eager for more exposure to the Japanese markets.

• Red vs. blue is dividing stock portfolios more than ever before.

• Google introduced a new way to use search; proceed with caution.

• How to stop Meta AI from sharing your prompts on Facebook, Instagram.

• Nintendo Switch 2 review: bigger and better, but comes with a higher price.

• Victoria's Secret faces a new activist challenge from the Barington Capital investor group.

• Developers plan to revive the Venice hotel after resolving debt issues successfully.