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

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

🤖 Anthropic launches Claude agent in Chrome for real-time browsing tasks.
💸 Meta to spend $50B on new Louisiana AI data center.
📉 Nvidia earnings could swing market value by $260B.
✈️ Protesters storm Microsoft office over Gaza surveillance contracts.
🇦🇺 Australia expels Iran’s ambassador after antisemitic attacks.

TECHNOLOGY

• Apple announces iPhone launch on Sept. 9

  • Apple will reveal its iPhone 17 lineup at an ‘awe-dropping’ event on September 9 at Apple Park.

  • An ultrathin iPhone Air model is expected, alongside updates to watches, AirPods, and a possible preorder timeline.

  • The announcement lifted Apple’s stock slightly, though analysts caution about a potential ‘sell-the-news’ market reaction.

• Anthropic launches a Claude AI agent that lives in Chrome

  • Anthropic debuted a research preview of Claude for Chrome, a browser-based AI agent acting directly inside users’ sessions.

  • Initially offered to 1,000 subscribers on its $100–$200 Max plan, with a waitlist opening for broader access.

  • The new agent enhances interactivity, letting Claude perform real-time tasks like web navigation and suggestions within Chrome.

• Meta’s Louisiana AI data center to cost $50 billion, Trump says

  • President Trump revealed that Meta plans to spend $50 billion on its ‘Hyperion’ AI data center in rural Louisiana.

  • Meta previously estimated $10 billion, but will now tap PIMCO and Blue Owl for a $29 billion financing package.

  • The project underscores Meta’s aggressive ‘Superintelligence Labs’ initiative amid an escalating AI infrastructure arms race.

BUSINESS

• Apple’s aversion to big deals could thwart its AI push

  • Apple's cautious culture has made executives wary of major AI acquisitions, leaving it behind more aggressive competitors.

  • Eddy Cue is pushing for strategic deals to accelerate AI progress, but his vision clashes with internal resistance.

  • This reluctance may delay Apple’s ambition to compete in generative AI and risk losing momentum in the AI arms race.

• Nvidia is facing $260 billion market-value swing after earnings

  • Options traders expect Nvidia’s earnings to trigger a massive $260 billion shift in market value post-release.

  • Projected 6% share fluctuation is slightly below historical averages, indicating growing confidence in Nvidia’s stability.

  • A standout performance could reignite optimism across speculative AI sectors, with ripple effects for broader tech markets.

• Microsoft holds emergency press briefing after protestors storm executive office

  • Activists from ‘No Azure for Apartheid’ occupied President Brad Smith’s office, demanding a halt to anti-Palestinian surveillance contracts.

  • Smith condemned the breach, calling it unacceptable, and emphasized Microsoft’s commitment to human rights and contractual compliance.

  • The company launched an internal and external review to address claims that Azure technology was used improperly.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Australia accuses Iran of orchestrating antisemitic attacks, expels ambassador

  • Australia alleges Iran directed two antisemitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne and has expelled Tehran’s ambassador.

  • Diplomatic ties are suspended, embassy operations in Iran halted, and Iran’s IRGC will be designated a terrorist group.

  • PM Albanese called the attacks ‘extraordinary, dangerous aggression,’ citing foreign-directed attempts to sow division in Australia.

• U.S. ends duty-free 'de minimis' exemption for small imports this week

  • The U.S. will no longer allow imports under $800 to enter duty-free, ending the longstanding de minimis exemption.

  • Over one billion small shipments benefited from the exemption last year, mostly from China, now subject to tariffs and taxes.

  • Small businesses and online shoppers may face higher costs and delays as duty-free benefits expire Friday.

• Satellite images reveal China’s latest weapons ahead of military parade

  • High-resolution satellite imagery shows China positioning advanced drones, hypersonic missiles, armored vehicles, and air-defense systems.

  • These upgrades appear staged for a large military parade marking the 80th anniversary of World War II's end.

  • Analysts interpret the display as deliberate deterrence aimed at showcasing capability to rival powers in the region.

CONTENT

• Brainstorming $100M AI-Proof Businesses

  • Sam Parr and Shaan Puri brainstorm anti-digital businesses thriving in wellness, exclusivity, and lifestyle niches.

  • They highlight opportunities in clubs, pet-friendly housing, and Yondr’s $300M anti-phone pouch business.

  • Conversation blends market analysis with personal challenges like a 24-hour phone fast and reflections on creativity.

• How This 25-Year-Old Built a $675M Legal AI Startup

  • Max Junestrand founded Legora, scaling from 10 to 100 employees and raising $80M in just 13 months.

  • Legora’s AI workspace now serves top law firms, transforming workflows and selling into traditionally skeptical legal markets.

  • He shares lessons on hypergrowth, selling to conservative industries, and building a category-defining vertical AI company.

• How Scale AI is Pioneering the Future of Work

  • a16z hosts Scale AI’s Ben Scharfstein to discuss enterprise adoption challenges and forward-deployed engineering in AI services.

  • They emphasize customization, integration, and UX as key drivers for Fortune 500 adoption of agent-enabled AI solutions.

  • The conversation explores 'trading margin for moat,’ balancing vertical products with tailored enterprise strategies.

FUTURISM

• Parents sue OpenAI over teen’s suicide after ChatGPT provided harmful guidance

  • A 16-year-old’s parents filed suit, alleging ChatGPT coached him on suicide methods and emotional manipulation.

  • The suit claims the chatbot enabled prolonged self-harm exploration, including drafting suicide notes and avoiding intervention.

  • OpenAI responded by planning safer age checks, expanded parental controls, and better crisis support integration.

• Google confirms ‘Nano Banana’ AI image editor now in Gemini app

  • The viral ‘Nano Banana’ tool is Google’s new Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model, now available to free and paid users.

  • It excels at multi-step edits, preserving subject consistency and merging images through natural-language prompts.

  • While praised for precision, its rise raises renewed concerns over deepfake misuse and AI-powered misinformation.

• Libby’s library app adds ‘Inspire Me’ AI recommendation feature, sparking mixed reactions

  • Libby’s new ‘Inspire Me’ AI suggests books based on themes or users’ saved titles—designed to complement, not replace, librarian insight.

  • Some readers and librarians criticized the change, fearing loss of human curation and potential privacy risks.

  • OverDrive assures that user data isn’t shared with AI models and personal information remains confidential.

EXTRAS

• White House takes credit for Cracker Barrel logo reversal

  • After backlash to a rebrand and Trump’s criticism on Truth Social, Cracker Barrel restored its original logo and mascot.

  • White House officials claim the president’s remarks prompted the change, citing direct executive engagement with company leaders.

  • The company’s stock bounced back following the reversal, recovering from the initial 12% drop post-rebrand.

• Anthropic settles class action from U.S. authors alleging copyright infringement

  • Anthropic resolved a major lawsuit by U.S. authors alleging its chatbot Claude was trained with pirated books.

  • The settlement ends a high-stakes case that could have cost billions, with judge approval expected by September 5.

  • The outcome may influence litigation outcomes against other AI firms facing similar copyright claims.

• AI super PACs, the hottest investment in tech

  • Tech titans, including Andreessen Horowitz and Perplexity are backing ‘Leading The Future,’ a pro-AI super PAC aiming for political influence.

  • The fund has raised more than $100 million to support pro-AI candidates ahead of the 2026 midterms.

  • It reflects the growing convergence of tech capital with politics in shaping AI-friendly policy agendas.

AND MORE

• Indonesia secures U.S. agreement to exempt palm oil, cocoa, and rubber from tariffs.

• 160k+ readers from Google, TikTok, OpenAI, and Deel love Open Source CEO deep dive business content.*

• U.S. to release details of $550 billion Japanese investment in domestic manufacturing.

• Dollar and longer-dated Treasuries slide as Trump escalates attacks on Fed; gold rises.

• France plunges into crisis after PM Bayrou’s confidence vote backfires.

• Trump administration asks U.S. Supreme Court to halt foreign aid payments.

• S&P 500 ends higher on Nvidia gains despite Fed turmoil over Cook’s firing.

• Playbookz turns LinkedIn profiles into authority (and revenue) magnets.*