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

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

🎮 Microsoft’s new gaming CEO promises not to flood ecosystem with AI slop.
🌱 Sam Altman reminded everyone that humans also consume a lot of energy, too.
⚖️ Trump threatens Netflix with consequences over its refusal to fire Susan Rice.
📉 Bitcoin falls over 3% as Trump tariff moves raise uncertainty.
💰 Rolls-Royce plans up to $2B share buyback for shareholders.

TECHNOLOGY

• Microsoft’s new gaming CEO promises not to flood ecosystem with AI slop (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Yahoo!, IGN, FindArticles}}

  • Phil Spencer departs Microsoft Gaming, replaced by former Meta and Instacart executive Asha Sharma.

  • Microsoft signals deeper AI integration in gaming, including AI companions and experimental Quake II content.

  • Sharma pledges innovation in monetization and AI while preserving human creativity in games.

• Apple may adopt a new strategy for unveiling upcoming products (MacRumors)
  ^{_{More: TechCrunch, Yahoo!, Bloomberg}}

  • Mark Gurman reports Apple plans three days of product announcements, unveiling at least five new devices.

  • Instead of a livestream event, Apple will host in-person “Apple Experience” gatherings and publish press releases online.

  • Expected launches include updated MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones, as well as possibly new Studio Displays.

• Sam Altman reminded everyone that humans also consume a lot of energy, too (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Tom's Hardware, Yahoo!, TOI}}

  • OpenAI CEO Sam Altman dismissed exaggerated claims about ChatGPT’s water consumption during an Indian summit.

  • He acknowledged that total energy consumption matters and urged the rapid adoption of nuclear, wind, and solar power.

  • Altman criticized unfair comparisons of AI training energy with human work, calling them misleading and inaccurate.

BUSINESS

• Trump threatens Netflix with consequences over its refusal to fire Susan Rice (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: TechCrunch, Business Insider, Fox News}}

  • Donald Trump demanded that Netflix remove board member Susan Rice after her public criticism.

  • Rice warned corporations aligned with Trump that political shifts may lead to future accountability and retaliation.

  • The dispute emerges as Netflix pursues a major merger and regulatory approval under heightened political scrutiny.

• Bitcoin falls over 3% as Trump tariff moves raise uncertainty (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, Yahoo!, AInvest}}

  • Bitcoin dropped by more than 5% below $65K after Trump announced plans to raise global tariffs to 15%.

  • Crypto declined even as Asian equities rose, highlighting market divergence amid tariff-driven uncertainty.

  • Bitcoin remains down sharply this year and far below its October peak above $125K.

• Rolls-Royce plans up to $2B share buyback for shareholders (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, Business Times}}

  • Rolls-Royce expected to announce fresh £1.5B buyback alongside annual results this week.

  • The company previously boosted profit and cash flow guidance amid strong financial performance last year.

  • Firm launched £1B buyback last year and now targets larger shareholder returns.

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MARKETS

WORLD

• OpenAI debated reporting suspicious chats linked to suspected Canadian shooter (WSJ)
  ^{_{More: AP, TechCrunch, TOI}}

  • An 18-year-old suspect allegedly used OpenAI’s ChatGPT in alarming ways before a mass shooting in Canada.

  • Internal tools flagged violent content, prompting staff debate over notifying law enforcement before action was taken.

  • Authorities later received information from OpenAI as scrutiny grows over AI chatbots’ role in harmful behavior.

• EU says US must honor a trade deal after court blocks Trump tariffs (AP)
  ^{_{More: ABC, Bloomberg, Yahoo!}}

  • EU demands clarity after the U.S. Supreme Court blocks tariffs and Trump proposes raising global tariff rates.

  • The European Commission warns that trade tensions undermine the agreed fair transatlantic investment commitments between both sides.

  • EU lawmakers consider pausing ratification amid tariff disputes and rising uncertainty over U.S. trade policy.

• India’s Sarvam launches Indus AI chat app as competition heats up (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: TOI, MSN, Tech in Asia}}

  • Indian startup Sarvam launches the Indus chat app, powered by its 105B-parameter local-language AI model.

  • The app targets India’s growing generative AI market, competing with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google's platforms.

  • Indus beta offers text and voice interaction with partnerships expanding AI into phones and automotive systems.

FUTURISM

• China’s brain-computer interface industry is rapidly advancing toward commercial scale (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Tech Buzz, Tom's Hardware}}

  • China’s BCI startups are expanding amid stronger policy backing, clinical trials, and rising investor funding.

  • Provinces such as Sichuan and Zhejiang set pricing policies to integrate BCI into their national medical insurance systems.

  • Industry leaders predict BCI will evolve from medical treatment toward human enhancement and AI integration.

• Trump unveils ‘Tech Corps’ to promote American AI abroad (CNBC)
  ^{_{More: Engadget, Tech in Asia}}

  • The White House launches Tech Corps, a Peace Corps initiative, to promote U.S. AI adoption abroad.

  • Initiative deploys trained tech volunteers to solve grassroots challenges in health, education, and agriculture.

  • The program aims to expand American AI influence amid growing global competition with China.

• Google VP warns that two types of AI startups may not survive (TechCrunch)
  ^{_{More: Yahoo!, TOI}}

  • Generative AI growth exposed risks for startups relying solely on LLM wrappers and basic model aggregation.

  • Google startup leader warns thin product layers around models like GPT or Gemini lack long-term differentiation.

  • Successful AI startups build strong competitive moats through vertical focus or deeper technical innovation beyond model dependency.

CONTENT

• Alexander Embiricos explains why traditional coding is being transformed by AI (20VC)

  • Embiricos leads OpenAI’s Codex efforts, building AI agents that function as proactive software engineering teammates.

  • He argues AI will shift coding from manual work toward delegation, automation, and faster iteration cycles.

  • Discussion covers agent development, interface design, data advantages, and strategies shaping future developer tools.

• Kai Ryssdal discusses why the economy feels weaker than official data shows (The Prof G Pod)

  • Ryssdal and Galloway examine labor market weakness, tariff impacts, and why consumer sentiment lags economic data.

  • Conversation questions AI’s labor effects, widening income inequality, prediction markets, and political implications.

  • The discussion expands to include military service, public media funding, investment advice, and future economic and policy risks.

• AI agent economy grows rapidly as developer tools reshape opportunities for builders (Y Combinator)

  • A new agent-driven economy emerges as AI development tools like OpenClaw and MoltBook gain traction.

  • Discussion explores infrastructure, automation, swarm intelligence, and evolving startup strategies for agent-focused builders.

  • The episode examines growth trends, the impact of content generation, and whether founders should build for AI agents.

EXTRAS

• Mexican military kills cartel boss 'El Mencho' in US-backed raid (Reuters)
  ^{_{More: AP, CNN, LA Times}}

  • Mexican drug lord El Mencho killed in military raid, triggering retaliatory violence across multiple states.

  • The leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel died in custody after a special forces operation in Jalisco.

  • The U.S. provided intelligence support, with the Trump administration praising Mexico’s cooperation in the major cartel takedown.

• Indonesia posts rare January budget gap as spending jumps 26% (Bloomberg)
  ^{_{More: Business Times}}

  • Indonesia reported a January budget deficit as the government accelerated spending to boost economic growth.

  • State spending surged over revenue growth, driven by expanded social aid and infrastructure investments.

  • Markets remained steady as fiscal data emerged amid global tariff concerns impacting the dollar.

• UK protection officers guarded the 2010 Epstein dinner for Prince Andrew (BBC)
  ^{_{More: Reuters, The Independent}}

  • UK officers assigned to Prince Andrew reportedly secured a dinner party at Jeffrey Epstein’s home in 2010.

  • Emails from Epstein files suggest instructions were given to officers ahead of the event.

  • Police review protection details amid separate misconduct investigation involving Prince Andrew.

AND MORE

• Stronger privacy laws are urgently needed to limit government and corporate surveillance.

• Bill Gurley says that right now, the worst thing you can do for your career is play it safe

• Anker’s X1 Pro delivers unexpected power, creating a chaotic yet impressive home theater.

• Roko’s Basilisk skips the buzz words and cuts straight to what moves markets, products, and careers.

• Quantonation’s double-sized second fund shows quantum still has believers.

• Retro camera comparison shows two devices blending disposable charm with digital convenience.

• Eric Dane, who played 'McSteamy' on 'Grey's Anatomy', dies at 53.