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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📱 Apple named Mike Rockwell Siri chief in the AI leadership shake-up.
🤖 Meta AI expands to 41 European countries across major platforms.
📧 Gmail launches AI search, ranking emails by relevance over recency.
👟 Nike sees steepest revenue drop in five years amid weak demand.
🇺🇦 Trump and Zelenskyy discuss a ceasefire as Ukraine seeks stability.

TECH

• Apple Appoints Mike Rockwell as Head of Siri Amid AI Restructuring

  • Apple named Mike Rockwell, former Vision Pro lead, as Siri chief, signaling a strategic shift in its AI efforts.

  • This move follows delays in Siri’s generative AI updates, now postponed to 2026 due to development challenges.

  • John Giannandrea retains control of the broader AI strategy, while Rockwell reports to software chief Craig Federighi.

• Meta AI Expands to Europe Across Major Platforms

  • Meta is rolling out its AI assistant in 41 European countries across WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.

  • The AI, available in six languages, helps with brainstorming, trip planning, and other tasks using web data.

  • The launch follows compliance efforts with European regulators to align with regional privacy standards.

• Gmail Introduces AI-Powered Search for Enhanced Email Retrieval

  • Gmail’s new AI-powered search prioritizes relevance over chronology, ranking emails by recency and user interactions.

  • Users can toggle between ‘Most relevant’ and ‘Most recent' results, offering greater flexibility in searches.

  • This update aims to streamline email management, making important messages easier to locate efficiently.

BUSINESS

• Nike Reports Steepest Revenue Decline in Five Years Amid Stagnant Demand

  • Nike’s quarterly revenue fell 11.5% to $11.01B, its sharpest drop since 2020, due to sluggish consumer demand.

  • The company saw a 35% drop in mobile app downloads and an 11% decline in store traffic, signaling weaker engagement.

  • New CEO Elliott Hill faces pressure to revive sales, with analysts urging innovative product lines for growth.

• Ben & Jerry's Accuses Unilever of Ousting CEO Over Social Activism

  • Ben & Jerry’s claims Unilever removed CEO Dave Stever for prioritizing social activism, violating their governance agreement.

  • The ice cream maker argues Unilever failed to consult its independent board, breaching their acquisition terms.

  • Tensions have escalated since Ben & Jerry’s stopped sales in Israeli-occupied territories, deepening conflicts with Unilever.

• Speculation Over Trump's Crypto Policies Fuels Bitcoin Surge

  • Bitcoin surged past $97K after leaks suggested Trump may announce pro-crypto policies, driving market speculation.

  • Rumored initiatives include a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and regulatory reforms favoring digital assets.

  • These developments could make the U.S. more crypto-friendly, influencing markets and institutional adoption.

CONTENT

• Why Every Nation Needs Its Own AI Strategy: Jensen Huang & Arthur Mensch

  • Jensen Huang (NVIDIA) and Arthur Mensch (Mistral) explain why nations must develop their own AI strategies.

  • They argue AI is critical infrastructure, shaping national security, economic policy, and cultural identity.

  • The discussion covers AI’s role in global economies, the AI stack, and the open vs. closed-source debate.

• The $10M AI SaaS Playbook

  • David Park shares how he scaled Jenny AI to $10M ARR in two years through strategic content marketing.

  • His framework emphasizes viral content creation, influencer-driven growth, and high-converting distribution.

  • The playbook details finding viral content, optimizing conversions, and scaling growth through social media.

• NVIDIA Dominates The Race To AGI at GTC 2025

  • NVIDIA’s GTC 2025 showcased AI chips, robotics, and advancements shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

  • The discussion covers Google's AI tools, AI-generated video breakthroughs, and China’s DeepSeek project.

  • Topics also include AI risks, advanced robotics, and NVIDIA’s expanding role in AI infrastructure leadership.

WORLD

• Trump and Zelenskyy Agree to Partial Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Tensions

  • Trump and Zelenskyy agreed to a partial ceasefire, focusing on protecting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

  • Despite the agreement, Russia launched drone attacks on energy sites, violating ceasefire terms.

  • Zelenskyy raised concerns over Trump’s 30-day ceasefire proposal, especially regarding territorial concessions.

• Canada Condemns China's Execution of Four Citizens on Drug Charges

  • China executed four Canadians convicted of drug offenses, drawing sharp condemnation from Canadian officials.

  • Canada denounced China’s use of the death penalty, calling it inconsistent with basic human dignity.

  • China defended the executions, citing judicial sovereignty and urging Canada to respect its laws.

• Thousands Protest in Israel Against Netanyahu's Actions

  • Tens of thousands protested in Israel, accusing Netanyahu’s government of attacking democracy.

  • The protests followed Netanyahu’s attempt to fire the security chief and resume airstrikes in Gaza.

  • Protesters demanded a new ceasefire and condemned judicial reforms that could weaken democracy.

AND MORE…

• Finland Tops World Happiness Rankings; U.S. Falls to 24th

  • Finland remains the world’s happiest country for the eighth year, followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden.

  • The U.S. dropped to 24th, its lowest ranking ever, with social isolation cited as a major contributing factor.

  • The report found that 19% of young adults globally lack social support, marking a 39% rise since 2006.

• Anthropic's Claude Chatbot Gains Web Search Capabilities

  • Anthropic added web search to Claude, allowing real-time data access to improve the accuracy of responses.

  • The feature is available for paid U.S. users in preview, with plans to expand it to more users soon.

  • Claude now includes direct citations in responses, letting users verify sources for better transparency.

• AI Responses on China Vary by Language, Analysis Reveals

  • AI models respond differently to China-related topics depending on the language used in the query.

  • U.S.-based models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet avoid discussing China more when asked in Chinese.

  • Experts say training biases may be responsible, as Chinese-language sources are often censored.

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