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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

🛰️ Palantir, Anduril, SpaceX & OpenAI are teaming up for Pentagon contracts.
🍁 Justin Trudeau reshuffles his Cabinet in Canada as resignation pressure mounts.
🤳🏻 Trump continues to go back and forth on TikTok.
🪙 Solana liquid staking startup Sanctum trials ‘creator coins’
💸 What happens next with the debt ceiling discussions.

TECH

• Palantir, Anduril join forces with tech groups to bid for Pentagon contracts

  • Palantir, Anduril, and other tech firms are forming a consortium to jointly bid for U.S. defense contracts.

  • The group aims to deliver advanced AI-powered technologies like drones, missiles, and submarines.

  • This partnership signals a shift towards collaboration between tech innovators and the Pentagon.

• Trump says he wants to keep TikTok around ‘for a little while’

  • Trump suggested keeping TikTok "for a little while," citing its massive viewership and his positive experience on the platform.

  • He reportedly met with TikTok's CEO recently and expressed a "warm spot" for the app.

  • TikTok faces a U.S. ban unless ByteDance sells it by January 19, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments on January 10.

• Apple is working on a doorbell camera with Face ID

  • Apple is developing a smart doorbell camera that uses Face ID to unlock doors, expected as early as 2025.

  • It may integrate with HomeKit smart locks and feature Apple’s Proxima Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip.

  • The doorbell is part of Apple’s broader smart home push, including new cameras, displays, and potentially an Apple-branded TV.

BUSINESS

• Sriram Krishnan named Trump’s senior policy advisor for AI

  • Trump has confirmed reports that Sriram Krishnan, former a16z partner, will serve as senior policy advisor for AI.

  • He’ll coordinate AI policy across the government, working closely with David Sacks and Elon Musk.

  • Krishnan advocates for tech-driven solutions to AI challenges over legal battles.

• Sony's Crunchyroll Finds Its Early Lead in Anime Under Attack

  • Despite tripling subscribers since Sony’s $1.2B acquisition, Crunchyroll faces rising costs, employee dissatisfaction, and missed growth targets.

  • Employee morale has dropped, with accusations of poor leadership, failed gaming ventures, and mishandled partnerships with key anime studios.

  • Netflix and Disney are snapping up exclusive anime rights, challenging Crunchyroll’s dominance and driving up licensing fees.

• NHTSA finally releases new rules for self-driving cars, but there’s a twist

  • NHTSA plans to ease regulations for fully driverless cars but demands more transparency and crash data from AV companies in return.

  • The future of AV STEP is unclear under Trump, who may scrap transparency rules while Tesla pushes for relaxed AV restrictions.

  • Advocates argue the timing is premature, highlighting the industry's struggles to meet existing safety tech requirements.

CONTENT

• The framework for building AI startups from a product design genius

  • Greg Isenberg hosts Mike Hudack to talk AI agents: single clear action, instant feedback, bounded decisions, zero friction.

  • Three promising AI companies discussed: Greenlight (fin-crime), Granola (note-taking), Gradient Labs (customer service).

  • And his product development approach, focusing on solving genuine pain points and building with meaning.

• Vitalik Buterin - Exploring the Decentralized Stablecoin Design Space

  • At Edge City Lanna, Vitalik Buterin delves into the challenges and opportunities in designing decentralized stablecoins.

  • He discusses critical topics such as governance minimization, plus the risks associated with algorithmic stablecoins.

  • Also discussed; the role of decentralized CPI indices in creating robust, trust-minimized systems.

• DOGE kills its first bill, Zuck vs OpenAI, Google's AI comeback

  • The All-In Pod is joined by guest, Box CEO Aaron Levie to wrap the last in tech, business, markets and politics.

  • Major topic is DOGE's first casualty and its paradigm-shifting potential.

  • And also, Zuck joining Team Elon against OpenAI, AI's competitive landscape, downstream impact on business software.

WORLD

• Raimondo Says Holding Back China in Chips Race Is a ‘Fool’s Errand’

  • Gina Raimondo says restricting China’s tech access is a "speed bump," and U.S. innovation through the $53B CHIPS Act is key to staying ahead.

  • Trump plans to shift from subsidies to tariffs and deregulation in his approach to chip policy.

  • Despite export controls, China continues to produce chips, but Raimondo insists they remain inferior to U.S. semiconductors.

• Canada’s Trudeau reshuffles his Cabinet as resignation calls mount and new election threat looms

  • Trudeau reshuffled his Cabinet as calls for his resignation grow and the NDP plans a no-confidence vote on Jan. 27.

  • The sudden departure of his finance minister has further weakened his position.

  • Allies argue Trudeau is still best suited to handle Trump’s looming tariff threats.

• Trump threatens to take back Panama Canal over fees

  • Trump threatened to take back the Panama Canal, calling fees "ridiculous" and warning against Chinese influence.

  • He described the canal as a "vital national asset" for U.S. commerce and security.

  • Panama plans to formally respond, while Nicaragua proposes an alternative canal route, courting both Chinese and U.S. investors.

AND MORE…

• Are Amazon’s Drones Finally Ready for Prime Time?

  • Amazon’s revamped MK-30 drones promise quieter flights, doubled range, and improved package drop accuracy.

  • Despite technological advances, skepticism remains about public acceptance and the practicality of large-scale drone deliveries.

  • Prime Air operates in limited areas like Arizona, delivering dozens of packages daily, still far from the scale of Bezos’ original vision.

• Solana liquid staking startup Sanctum trials ‘creator coins’

  • Sanctum launched creator coins, allowing fans to support creators via Solana liquid staking tokens and earn loyalty points for perks.

  • Instead of sharing staking yields with users, creators receive all rewards, with Sanctum taking a small cut.

  • Targeting crypto-native creators first, Sanctum aims to avoid pitfalls faced by previous loyalty token platforms like MITH.

• The debt ceiling is back on the table for 2025, here's what happens next

  • For about 48 hours last week, it looked like a debt ceiling fight in 2025 would be averted.

  • Democrats and three dozen of the most conservative Republicans made common cause to reject a debt ceiling extension.

  • With default still on the table for 2025, the next step in that process now comes on January 1st.