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Top stories today:
1. Apple to launch a wide range of apps for its headset
2. Google moves AI chips team to Google Cloud
3. Twitter blue checkmarks reappear for some celebrities and media companies
4. NBC poll: Trump 46% x DeSantis 31%

0. Data and calendar

1. Apple to launch a wide range of apps for its headset

• They don’t know what will be popular, so they are diversifying their app risk, planning to include:

  • Most iPad apps made by Apple.

  • Most iPad apps made by third-party developers, with “no extra work or minimal modifications.”

  • New Apple apps: Wellness, sports portal, gaming, collaboration, video-watching, VR videoconferencing.

  • Ability to use the headset as an external monitor for a Mac.

There will be an external battery pack, similar to the MagSafe

• “To reduce weight and improve comfort” - the reasoning behind the choice of an external battery pack.

• 2-hour battery life. 

• Looks like the existing MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhones. - Bloomberg

Our view: the real test will be how well the apps interact with the real world (i.e., augmented reality)

• We must test the headset to form a proper view of whether consumers will likely adopt this technology.

  • But if someone knows how to make consumer products, it’s Apple.

• Light AR glasses are something we see the whole world using, as potentially an iPhone replacer/augmenter -- but that might take decades, as AR technology is still nascent and very heavy. Meta reportedly expects to have their first AR glasses in 2027, and Apple will probably be ready at the same time.

2. Google moves AI chips team to Google Cloud

• Team was previously under Google's core systems group, which oversees Google search, Youtube, and other hardware and software products. - The Information

• Markets today favor NVIDIA: Google has long-developed chips (e.g., TPU v4), but most AI companies prefer NVIDIA: both their chips and their software. Of note, Google is using TPUs internally and selling them to third parties.

Our view: Google is the company best positioned to tackle OpenAI and Microsoft

• It has the talent, money, and a strong history in AI development, having invented Transformers models (the T in GPT) and many other non-LLM AI models, such as AlphaFold (for protein folding), AlphaZero (for chess), etc.

• We are very excited about AI use cases for biotech: unlike LLMs, which mainly improve the efficiency of things we already do, AI in biotech could lead to the invention of new drugs that could lead to increased healthspan and quality of life for all.

3. Twitter blue checkmarks reappear for some celebrities and media companies

• And they did not pay for it. Some examples include Ricky Gervais, Beyoncé, and BBC News. - BBC

Our view: the best solution is free checkmarks for those with 1M+ followers

Win-win:

• It helps stop fake accounts and fake news.

• It incentivizes those large accounts to be more active on Twitter.

4. Nielsen: Netflix has 7 out of 10 most popular TV shows

Old shows like NCIS dominate the ranking of longest-running hits

Good to know: best original series, per platform

Read more: Bloomberg.

5. NBC poll: Trump 46% x DeSantis 31%

• Trump is +15, similar to WSJ's latest poll, which had Trump at +13. - NBC

• Keep track of all the polls at FiveThirtyEight.

It is still very early, but betting markets give Trump a 64% chance, vs. DeSantis’ 24%

6. Other headlines

Tech

• Tesla wins 1st trial involving Autopilot car crash.

• Tesla's share in California EV market falls from 73% to 60%.

• ARM to build its own chip, unlikely they will compete with its own customers.

• LAION: a look at the free database used by most AI text-to-image models.

• Apple may launch 42-inch OLED display in 2027; current 32-inch costs $5K.

• Jeff Bezos spotted at Coachella.

• Carbon offsets have a terrible track record.

Biotech

• Insilico Valley: a look at the startups using AI to tackle diseases.

Business

• Google CEO Sundar Pichai gets 3-year $210M package.

• Earnings week: Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon.

• The week ahead in macro.

• Fusion: a look at the technology many billionaires are betting on.

• NBCUniversal CEO to depart after improper conduct.

Crypto

• FTX: Scaramucci says restart is not possible. We strongly disagree (disclaimer: we are creditors).

• BAYC: judge rules in favor of Yuga Labs owning Bored Apes IP.

• Trust Wallet to reimburse users after $170K security vulnerability.

U.S. politics

• Immigration is back to 2019 levels, which is excellent news for the economy.

  • Biden has helped with some immigration, but many more highly-educated immigrants are needed.

• Debt ceiling: McCarthy and Biden are negotiating in public.

• Biden is giving 27 press conferences/year, lowest since Reagan.

• Gov. Sununu calls Trump a “4 times loser.”

World

• China questions sovereignty of all ex-Soviet states.

• China continues to meddle with and censor Covid evidence.

• U.S. asks South Korea not to help China if Beijing bans Micron chips.

• Russia claims progress in battle for Bakhmut.

• Russia “will not forgive” U.S. denying visa to journalists.

7. Interesting tweets, memes, and images

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