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OpenAI Opens ChatGPT App Marketplace

OpenAI Opens ChatGPT App Marketplace

Apple expands App Store ads, China pours billions into AI chips, and Japan mandates App Store competition reforms nationwide rules.

Memorandum
December 19, 2025

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

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

🍎 Apple adds more ads to App Store search, raising developer concerns.
🌱 Audacy launches its first fund to back Australian climate tech startups nationwide.
🎮 Sony and Tencent settle Horizon clone dispute, avoiding lengthy courtroom battle.
📈 Venezuela bonds surge after massive rally; investors fear Maduro will remain in power.
🎓 School AI surveillance flags student clarinet practice as a suspicious behavior incident.

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TECHNOLOGY

Developers can now submit apps to ChatGPT (OpenAI)
^_More:^_VentureBeat
- OpenAI launches an app submission platform allowing developers to build and distribute ChatGPT applications directly.
- The new marketplace enables third-party integrations, expanding ChatGPT's functionality beyond core conversational AI capabilities.
- Developers gain monetization opportunities while users access specialized tools through the ChatGPT interface.
Apple announces more ads are coming to App Store search results (9to5Mac)
_^More:_^MacRumors
- Apple expands advertising inventory in App Store search, increasing monetization of its services business segment.
- The change allows more developers to bid for prominent placement in search results pages.
- Critics raise concerns about the degradation of the user experience as commercial listings expand in organic search results.
Audacy to launch first fund in push to deploy capital to Aussie climate tech companies (Capital Brief)
_^More:_^AFR_^,_^Reuters_^,_^Bloomberg
- Audacy establishes inaugural investment fund targeting Australian climate technology startups and scale-ups nationwide.
- The initiative addresses capital gaps in the climate tech sector, supporting emissions reduction and sustainability innovations.
- Fund deployment signals growing investor confidence in Australia's clean technology and renewable energy ecosystem.

BUSINESS

Sony and Tencent settle lawsuit over Horizon clone Light of Motiram (The Verge)
^_More:^_IGN^_,^_Polygon^_,^_GameSpot
- Sony and Tencent reach a settlement agreement over an intellectual property dispute regarding similarities between Horizon Zero Dawn and a Tencent game.
- Light of Motiram faced allegations of copying gameplay mechanics, character designs, and world-building from the PlayStation franchise.
- Settlement terms remain confidential, but the resolution avoids protracted litigation between two gaming industry giants.
Japan to require App Store feature updates (MacRumors)
^_More:^{_{Nikkei Asia}}^_,^_Reuters^_,^_Bloomberg
- Japanese regulations require Apple to implement changes to its app marketplace to enhance competition and consumer choice.
- New requirements address concerns about monopolistic practices and developer fees in Japan's digital economy.
- Apple must comply with local antitrust guidelines, which could set a precedent for other international markets.
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 that are pivotal 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, we use this list as a bridge to absorb the knowledge that has propelled others to success.

MARKETS

S&P	6,789.49	+1.01%
NASDAQ	25,011.80	+1.48%
Dow	48,216.75	+0.69%
10-Year	4.15%	↓ ~0.03 pp
Bitcoin	$88,155	+2.38%
Gold	$4,326.25	−0.28%

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

Learning from the best is how you become the best. As aspiring leaders and innovators, you can use this curated list to absorb the knowledge that has propelled others to success.

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WORLD

How China built its Manhattan Project to rival the West in AI chips (Reuters) ^_More:^{_{Financial Times}}^_,^_Bloomberg^_,^{_{Wall Street Journal}}
- China orchestrates a massive state-backed initiative to achieve semiconductor self-sufficiency amid Western export restrictions.
- Investment totals billions in domestic chip manufacturing, research facilities, and talent recruitment from global markets.
- The program aims to close the technology gap in advanced AI processors critical for national security.
After 101% rally, Venezuela bondholders fret Maduro will hold on (Bloomberg)
^_More:^{_{Financial Times}}^_,^_Reuters^_,^{_{Wall Street Journal}}
- Venezuelan sovereign bonds surge by more than 100% amid speculation about potential political transition opportunities.
- Investors weigh the risks of a continued Maduro presidency against the prospects of economic reforms and debt restructuring.
- Market volatility reflects uncertainty about Venezuela's political future, and creditor recovery prospects remain unclear.
Fight to stop fuel smuggling network tests Mexico president, Claudia Sheinbaum (Bloomberg)
_^More:_^Reuters_^,_{^{Financial Times}}_^,_{^{Wall Street Journal}}
- President Sheinbaum confronts organized crime networks that profit from illegal fuel theft and cross-border smuggling.
- Fuel theft costs the Mexican economy billions annually while funding criminal enterprises throughout the country.
- Administration deploys military resources and enhanced monitoring systems to combat sophisticated smuggling infrastructure networks.

FUTURISM

AI surveillance system flags student for playing clarinet (Futurism)
^_More:^{_{The Guardian}}^_,^{_{Ars Technica}}^_,^{_{MIT Technology Review}}
- School AI monitoring software misidentifies music practice as suspicious behavior, triggering unnecessary security alerts.
- The incident highlights accuracy concerns and potential overreach by automated surveillance systems in educational settings.
- Privacy advocates question the proportionality of ongoing monitoring relative to the actual security benefits in schools nationwide.
Sam Altman pitches AI firefighter technology (Futurism)
^_More:^_TechCrunch^_,^{_{The Verge}}^_,^_Wired
- OpenAI CEO proposes artificial intelligence systems to assist emergency response teams during fire incidents.
- Technology could analyze real-time data, predict fire behavior patterns, and optimize resource deployment strategies.
- Critics question whether AI can effectively replace human judgment in life-threatening emergencies.
Reports link starvation deaths to Elon Musk's USAID proposals (Futurism)
_^More:_{^{Washington Post}}_^,_{^{The Guardian}}_^,_^CNN
- Analysis connects proposed foreign aid cuts to humanitarian crises and increased mortality in aid-dependent regions.
- Critics argue that drastic reductions in USAID funding would eliminate critical food security programs that support vulnerable populations worldwide.
- Supporters claim the reforms would improve efficiency, while humanitarian organizations warn of catastrophic consequences.

CONTENT

Betting on reality with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour (Access)
- Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour explains prediction markets, regulation battles, and why betting on real events is expanding.
- Hosts Alex Heath and Ellis Hamburger explore Kalshi’s origins, crypto parallels, and tensions with U.S. regulators.
- The conversation frames prediction markets as information tools shaping politics, finance, and public expectations at scale globally.
The new AI growth playbook for 2026: How Lovable hit $200M ARR in one year (Lenny’s Podcast)
- Elena Verna details how Lovable reached $200M ARR by prioritizing rapid product innovation over optimization at scale.
- She argues that AI startups must rediscover product-market fit quarterly as models, users, and use cases shift.
- Verna outlines free product distribution, minimum lovable product thinking, and growth teams yielding power to product leaders.
CNBC's Jim Cramer: Big Tech Hot Takes, NVIDIA $10 Trillion? Building Wealth In Any Market (Big Technology Podcast)
- Jim Cramer shares blunt views on Big Tech valuations, NVIDIA’s upside, and navigating volatile markets today ahead.
- He discusses media incentives, retail investor psychology, and how narratives drive short-term stock price swings.
- The episode blends market commentary with practical advice on building wealth through cycles and long-term uncertainty.

How are you kicking off holiday campaigns?