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

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

💻 Microsoft appoints a new Copilot boss after AI leadership shake-up.
🔒 Apple releases its first background security update to fix a Safari bug.
📈 Amazon CEO says AI could push AWS revenue to $600B.
👀 Trump reverses course, saying U.S. never needed allies' help against Iran.
💥 Iran strikes Israel & U.S. assets after security chief Ali Larijani is killed.

TECHNOLOGY

• Microsoft appoints a new Copilot boss after AI leadership shake-up (The Verge)
  ^{_{More: MSN, Windows, Eastern Herald}}

  • Microsoft is unifying its consumer & commercial Copilot teams under one leadership structure.

  • Jacob Andreou will now lead all Copilot experience, reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella.

  • Mustafa Suleyman shifts focus to building Microsoft's own AI models, away from Copilot features.

• Apple releases its first background security update to fix a Safari bug (MacRumors)
  ^{_{More: TechCrunch, Engadget, FindArticles}}

  • Apple issued its first background security update to patch a WebKit bug in Safari.

  • The bug could allow malicious websites to access data from other open browser sessions.

  • Background updates are lightweight fixes pushed between major software updates on Apple devices.

• World launches AgentKit to verify real humans behind AI shopping agents (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: MSN, MEXC, FindArticles}}

  • World, co-founded by Sam Altman, launched AgentKit to verify humans behind AI shopping agents.

  • The tool helps commercial websites confirm a real person is authorizing an AI agent's purchases.

  • The launch addresses rising concerns about fraud & abuse tied to AI-driven agentic commerce trends.

BUSINESS

• Amazon CEO says AI could push AWS revenue to $600B (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: CNA, Yahoo!, Investing.com}}

  • Amazon CEO Andy Jassy projects AI could help AWS reach $600B in annual revenue.

  • AWS posted $128.7B in sales in 2025, up 19% from the prior year.

  • Amazon also expects to hit its one millionth drone delivery milestone this year.

• Trump reverses course, saying U.S. never needed allies' help against Iran (Politico)
  ^{_{More: The Independent, Bloomberg, Yahoo!}}

  • Trump reversed his call for allied help, claiming the U.S. never needed it against Iran.

  • He posted on Truth Social that NATO, Japan, Australia, & South Korea's help was unnecessary.

  • Allies had resisted joining the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, citing concerns over engagement.

• Arizona files criminal charges against prediction market platform Kalshi (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: ABC, Financial Times, San Francisco Chronicle}}

  • Arizona AG Kris Mayes filed a 20-count criminal complaint against Kalshi for illegal gambling.

  • Kalshi faces four election wagering counts for accepting bets on the Arizona & presidential races.

  • This marks the first time a U.S. state has filed criminal charges against Kalshi.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Iran strikes Israel & U.S. assets after security chief Ali Larijani is killed (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: CNN, Al Jazeera, The Guardian}}

  • Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel & U.S. assets after security chief Ali Larijani was killed.

  • Iran's IRGC claims its missiles hit 100+ military & security targets across Israeli territories.

  • A combined drone & missile attack on Tel Aviv killed two people near the city.

• Economists say Indonesia's rate cut cycle is likely over now (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Business Times, The Edge}}

  • Bank Indonesia held its benchmark rate at 4.75% amid pressure from the Middle East war.

  • Cash foreign currency purchases will be capped at $50k per buyer per month.

  • Economists say the rate cut cycle is likely over due to global uncertainty.

• Japan's February exports rose 4.2%, but China & U.S. shipments declined (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Japan Times, Bloomberg, Straits Times}}

  • Japan's exports grew 4.2% in February, beating economists’ forecasts of just 1.6% growth.

  • Shipments to China fell 10.9% & U.S. exports dropped 8%, including a 14.8% decline in auto exports.

  • Exports to Hong Kong spiked 32.3%, helping offset losses from top trading partners.

FUTURISM

• Gecko Robotics lands a $71M Navy deal for ship repairs (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Reuters, Yahoo!, TechCrunch}}

  • Gecko Robotics secured a $71M deal with the U.S. Navy to accelerate ship repairs.

  • Its robots condense a three-month repair process down to as little as two days.

  • The deal supports the Navy's goal of achieving 80% fleet readiness by 2027.

• Samsung CEO says AI-driven chip demand will stay strong in 2026 (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: Nikkei, Yahoo!, Investing.com}}

  • Samsung's co-CEO says AI is driving strong chip demand, calling it an 'unprecedented supercycle.'

  • Samsung is shifting to three- to five-year supply contracts to reduce cyclical demand fluctuations.

  • Rising memory chip prices could weigh on computer & mobile device shipments this year.

• Picsart launches an AI agent marketplace for creators to hire assistants (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: NewsBytes, Tech Times, Yahoo!}}

  • Picsart is launching an AI agent marketplace that lets creators delegate tasks to specialized assistants.

  • The platform's 130M+ users can access four agents — Flair, Resize Pro, Remix, & Swap.

  • The launch follows growing industry demand for agentic AI that acts like a personal assistant.

• Explore the essential startup reading database*

  • Learning from the best is how you become the best. We've curated a list of top-notch articles, blogs, and readings essential for startup founders.

  • And here's the kicker: we've organized it all in a user-friendly Notion database for easy access and tracking. Double win!

  • As aspiring leaders and innovators, this list serves as a bridge to absorbing the knowledge that has propelled others to success.

CONTENT

• Column's William Hockey on building the global operating system for the dollar (Invest Like The Best)

  • Hockey self-funded Column entirely to avoid the constraints of venture capital funding.

  • He argues modern founders take too little risk & should focus on solving boring problems.

  • Hockey sees the U.S. dollar as a national security asset & believes distribution beats technology in AI.

• Vishal Misra explains how large language models actually process information (a16z)

  • Misra's research shows transformers update predictions in a precise, mathematically predictable way.

  • He clarifies that predictable behavior doesn't make LLMs conscious or capable of true understanding.

  • Achieving AGI, he argues, requires continuous learning & a shift from pattern matching to causality.

• Basecamp's David Heinemeier Hansson on AI, public mistakes, & taking on Apple (My First Million)

  • Hansson discusses how constraints breed creativity & why he doesn't fear being publicly wrong.

  • He shares his views on AI, taste vs. data, & what won't work in today's market.

  • Hansson also covers his legal battle against Apple's App Store & his admiration for Shopify.

EXTRAS

• Asian shares rise as oil prices ease despite ongoing Iranian attacks (AP)
  ^{_{More: Yahoo!, MSN}}

  • Asian markets mostly rose on Wednesday, with Japan & South Korea benchmarks jumping higher.

  • Brent crude fell 2.3% to around $101 per barrel, down from above $106 on Monday.

  • U.S. futures rose 0.4% ahead of the Fed's interest rate decision later that day.

• Amazon launches one-hour & three-hour delivery across parts of the U.S. (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: ABC, CBS}}

  • Amazon is rolling out one-hour & three-hour delivery across parts of the U.S.

  • Three-hour delivery is available in about 2k cities, covering 90k+ eligible products.

  • Amazon plans to expand the ultrafast delivery service to more U.S. areas soon.

• Geely's 2025 profit beats estimates as sales close in on BYD (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Business Times, SCMP}}

  • Geely's 2025 net income rose to 16.9B yuan, topping analyst estimates of 16.5B yuan.

  • Revenue climbed 25% to 345.2B yuan, driven by EX2 hatchbacks & Zeekr SUV popularity.

  • Geely aims for 14% sales growth this year as it targets a top-five global carmaker ranking.

AND MORE

• BuzzFeed launches AI-powered apps to generate new revenue.

• Trump's tariffs were meant to help manufacturers, but are hurting them.

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

• Samsung discontinues its Galaxy Z TriFold after just three months.

• AI's male-dominated culture risks widening the wealth gap for women.

• IKEA's smart home ambitions are struggling to reach every consumer type.

• Kagi brings its ‘small web’ of a human-only internet to mobile devices.

• A reporter witnessed Pete Hegseth scold war journalists at the Pentagon firsthand.