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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

👾 OpenAI considers new protections and a $40B investment to fend off Musk.
🎮 Nintendo ends Gold Points loyalty program, with users given until March 24.
🔍 Microsoft delays automatic sign-in changes for Outlook and other accounts.
🌍 Europe questions U.S. alliance as Trump reshapes transatlantic security policies.
🏺 Egypt discovers lost tomb of King Thutmose II, a major royal burial find.

TECH

• Elon Musk's xAI Releases Its Latest Flagship AI, Grok 3

  • xAI has launched Grok 3, designed to rival OpenAI's GPT-4 and DeepSeek’s V3 in reasoning tasks.

  • The AI outperforms previous models in math, science, and coding, improving accuracy and logic.

  • Available for Premium+ users on X, with plans to expand access through a new SuperGrok tier.

• Meta Announces LlamaCon, Its First Generative AI Developer Conference

  • Meta will host LlamaCon, a generative AI conference, bringing together researchers and developers.

  • The event will showcase AI advancements, applications, and tools through keynotes and workshops.

  • LlamaCon highlights Meta's push to foster AI innovation and expand its developer ecosystem.

• Nintendo Is Killing Its Gold Points Loyalty Program

  • Nintendo will end its My Nintendo Gold Points program on March 24, ahead of the Switch 2 launch.

  • The rewards program let users redeem points for eShop discounts, but no new points will be issued.

  • Existing points will remain valid for 12 months, allowing users to redeem them before expiration.

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BUSINESS

• OpenAI Seeks New Powers to Fend Off Hostile Takeover from Elon Musk

  • OpenAI is considering special voting rights to stop Musk’s takeover and strengthen board control.

  • His $97.4 billion bid was rejected, prompting OpenAI to explore legal protections and new policies.

  • The company is negotiating a $40 billion investment to balance financial growth and governance.

• Coca-Cola to Launch Simply Prebiotic Sodas to Rival Olipop, Poppi

  • Coca-Cola is launching Simply Prebiotic sodas to compete in the expanding gut-health beverage space.

  • The drinks, with fruit juice and fiber, will debut online first before expanding to retail locations.

  • The prebiotic soda market has grown rapidly, reaching $440 million, attracting major competition.

• Southwest Airlines to Cut 15% of Corporate Jobs in Cost-Saving Push

  • Southwest is cutting 1,750 corporate jobs, marking its first mass layoff in 53 years to lower costs.

  • The move should save $300 million annually, though it comes with a $60 million restructuring cost.

  • Investors have pressured Southwest to rethink policies, including its unique open seating model.

CONTENT

• Can Meta Still Make the Metaverse? | The Vergecast

  • Meta is shifting focus to AI, with developments like the Llama model and Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

  • CTO Andrew Bosworth’s memo calls 2025 a crucial year for the metaverse, urging Reality Labs to prove its market relevance.

  • The episode also covers Mark Zuckerberg’s evolving political views and their influence on Meta’s strategic direction.

• OpenAI Strikes Back: AI Economics, DeepSeek, Elon’s Bid

  • Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein discuss Sam Altman’s take on AI economics, highlighting the exponential growth in AI.

  • The episode examines Elon Musk’s unsolicited $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI and its potential impact on industry power dynamics.

  • They also explore OpenAI’s shift from nonprofit to for-profit, fueling tensions between Musk and Altman.

• What’s Trump’s Endgame in Ukraine? | Raging Moderates

  • Jessica Tarlov and Tim Miller analyze Trump’s claim of a breakthrough in Ukraine peace talks with Putin, questioning his real motives.

  • The episode discusses Trump’s legal aid offer to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, debating whether it’s political support or a liability.

  • They also explore the role of anti-Trump Republicans in a party still largely shaped by his influence.

WORLD

• Hamas says it will free 6 living hostages and hand over 4 bodies

  • Hamas plans to release six Israeli hostages on Saturday and return the bodies of four others on Thursday, as part of a ceasefire agreement.

  • The six hostages include Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Hisham Al-Sayed, and Avera Mengistu.

  • This agreement represents the first phase of the ceasefire, with further negotiations required for a lasting truce and additional hostage releases.

• Europe and the crumbling Atlantic alliance

  • Europe is questioning the US's role as an ally due to President Trump's administration drastically altering the transatlantic security relationship.

  • Despite efforts by Poland and other states, Europe's defense rearmament has been slow, exacerbating security concerns.

  • Europe needs to increase military aid to Ukraine, revamp its defense spending, and consider joint borrowing.

• Attacks by Sudan's RSF leave many dead as force prepares political charter

  • Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed more than 200 people over the past three days in White Nile state, targeting villages.

  • The RSF is preparing to sign a political charter in Nairobi, aiming to establish a ‘Government of Peace and Unity.’

  • The ongoing conflict between the RSF and Sudan's army has led to extensive human rights violations and a severe humanitarian crisis.

AND MORE…

• Microsoft delays automatic sign-in changes for accounts

  • Microsoft planned to keep users signed in automatically unless they manually logged out or used private browsing.

  • Some Outlook.com users mistakenly received notifications about this change, which Microsoft has now removed.

  • The company has not provided a new timeline for when these sign-in policy changes will take effect.

• Egypt announces discovery of the lost tomb of King Thutmose II

  • Archaeologists in Egypt found King Thutmose II’s tomb, the first major royal burial discovery since Tutankhamun in 1922.

  • The king’s mummy was found in the 19th century at Deir el-Bahari, a separate site from this new excavation.

  • This discovery provides new insights into Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, its burial customs, and royal funerary practices.

• The New York Times adopts AI tools in the newsroom

  • The New York Times introduced AI tools for editing, summarizing, coding, and assisting journalists in content creation.

  • A new internal AI tool, Echo, will summarize articles, briefings, and internal newsroom communications.

  • AI can suggest edits and generate summaries but cannot be used for drafting or heavily altering articles.