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

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

🎥 Google unveils Veo, a new AI video generator competing with Sora and Runway.
🧠 Tesla geofenced self-driving tests to Austin amid safety concerns.
📉 Moody’s downgrade rattles bond and stock markets globally.
🔋 China’s CATL ramps up global battery expansion, targeting EV and energy markets.
🛍️ Google launches AI-powered virtual try-on for shopping.

TECHNOLOGY

• Google launches Veo 3, its new AI video generator

  • Veo generates high-definition video clips from text prompts, competing directly with OpenAI’s Sora and Runway.

  • It features advanced controls for visual styles, camera movements, and scene compositions using natural language.

  • The tool is currently available to select creators and researchers before a wider release later this year.

• Gemini AI is now directly in Chrome

  • Gemini is now integrated natively into Chrome, offering contextual AI assistance across browsing and writing tasks.

  • Users can summarize webpages, generate content, and perform research without leaving their browser tabs.

  • This update signals Google’s push to embed AI deeply into its consumer-facing products beyond search.

• Google unveils AI-powered virtual try-on for shopping

  • Google introduced an AI try-on tool that lets users visualize how clothes fit on diverse body types.

  • The feature enhances online shopping experiences by offering realistic garment previews across different retailers.

  • It leverages generative AI to accurately replicate fabric textures, draping, and lighting on virtual models.

BUSINESS

• Musk says Tesla’s self-driving tests will be geofenced to Austin

  • Tesla will limit its upcoming full self-driving tests to safer, geofenced zones within Austin, Texas.

  • The decision follows recent safety concerns, aiming to refine autonomous systems before a broader rollout.

  • Musk emphasized that expanding will depend on successful results and local regulatory approvals.

• Moody’s downgrade sends shockwaves through bond and stock markets

  • Moody’s downgraded key U.S. debt outlooks, triggering sharp declines in bonds and increased stock market volatility.

  • Investors fear higher borrowing costs and broader financial instability if credit conditions continue to tighten.

  • Analysts expect ripple effects on corporate debt markets, especially for highly leveraged companies.

• China’s battery giant eyes world domination

  • China’s CATL plans massive global expansion to dominate EV and energy storage markets against U.S. and European rivals.

  • The company is investing heavily in solid-state batteries and cheaper lithium alternatives to gain technological advantages.

  • Geopolitical tensions threaten to complicate CATL’s ambitions, especially amid Western efforts to localize battery supply chains.

MARKETS

CONTENT

• Inside OpenAI’s $500B Stargate Project

  • Emily Chang tours Stargate in Texas, OpenAI’s massive AI data center project backed by SoftBank, Oracle, and the U.S. government.

  • Sam Altman and Masayoshi Son share visions of AI infrastructure powering the future economy and solving global energy challenges.

  • The project highlights both the optimism and risks of scaling AI, from job disruption to unprecedented energy demands.

• Sergey Brin on Google’s AI Future

  • Sergey Brin discusses returning to Google, AI’s next evolution, and the shift toward robotics and open-source models.

  • He outlines how human-computer interaction is changing, with AI agents taking center stage in productivity and creativity.

  • The conversation touches on foundational models, hardware challenges, and Google’s AI leadership in a fast-changing ecosystem.

• The Science of Comedy with Tom Segura

  • Tom Segura joins Andrew Huberman to explore how humor triggers brain reward circuits through surprise and hidden truths.

  • They discuss the craft of comedy, crowd dynamics, mental health in creative work, and how jokes evolve over time.

  • The episode blends neuroscience with real-world storytelling techniques, offering insights for performers, creatives, and audiences.

FUTURISM

• Tiangong robot displays versatile skills

  • China’s Tiangong humanoid robot showcases advanced mobility, dexterity, and task adaptability in manufacturing and service settings.

  • The robot demonstrated complex functions like object recognition, autonomous navigation, and real-time task switching.

  • Its development signals China’s intent to lead in next-generation robotics for industrial and commercial applications.

• Baidu in talks to launch robotaxis in Europe

  • Baidu is negotiating with EU regulators to deploy its autonomous robotaxi service across select European cities.

  • The company faces hurdles including differing safety standards, regulatory framework, and public acceptance in Europe.

  • If successful, it would mark China’s most significant expansion of autonomous vehicles into Western markets.

• Watch China’s humanoid robot stun with kung fu

  • A new Chinese humanoid robot demonstrated kung fu routines, balancing, dodging, and precise movement with shocking fluidity.

  • The performance highlights advancements in AI-driven biomechanics, motion control, and real-time learning algorithms.

  • Engineers say these capabilities have direct applications in industrial labor, disaster response, and personal robotics.

EXTRAS

• Elon Musk says he will reduce political spending

  • Musk plans to scale back political donations, saying distractions from politics are hurting focus on core businesses.

  • He emphasized that Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI should take priority over involvement in political and cultural wars.

  • Musk clarified this isn’t a total withdrawal from politics but a pivot toward focusing on innovation and engineering.

• Google commits $150M to develop AI glasses with Warby Parker

  • Google is investing $150M to co-develop AI-powered smart glasses focused on real-time translation and visual assistance.

  • The partnership with Warby Parker aims to create stylish, consumer-friendly wearables beyond the failed Google Glass.

  • The project is part of Google’s broader push into on-device AI following Gemini’s rapid growth this year.

• Fortnite is now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad

  • Fortnite officially returns to iOS after years of legal disputes over Apple’s App Store policies and commissions.

  • Epic leveraged Europe’s Digital Markets Act to force Apple into allowing alternative app marketplaces on iPhones.

  • Fortnite’s comeback marks a major win for developers advocating against Apple’s strict payment and distribution controls.

AND MORE

• Elf Labs is set up for a huge 2025, with new franchises, tech, and intellectual property in the pipeline.*

• Apple to open AI models to developers, allowing third-party software integration.

• Microsoft integrates Anthropic's AI coding agent into GitHub, enhancing automated software development capabilities.

• Strider enhances the AI platform, boosting defense against state-sponsored IP theft.

• Foxconn and Nvidia plan a 100MW AI data center in Taiwan, aiming to bolster local AI infrastructure.

• Ray Kurzweil's humanoid robot startup secures $100 million investment.

• Novavax shares jump 15% after FDA approval of its COVID-19 vaccine.

• Product for Engineers helps engineers and founders improve their product skills.*