TechCheck

AI startup OpenEvidence is now raising a fresh round of capital from Sequoia at a $1 Billion valuation. We look at the latest big funding round in AI healthcare and why investors are increasingly drawn towards the sector. 

Silicon Valley startups have generally been off-limits to the public, cutting ordinary investors out of peak value creation. But now, those rules are getting a second look under President Trump’s new SEC. Plus, Elon Musk’s startup xAI is now showing off its new model called Grok 3, and said the deep research tool is outperforming comparable offerings from OpenAI and China’s DeepSeek.

Big Tech expecting to spend as much as $320B in capital expenditures in 2025, as much as 40% higher than even last-year’s stratospheric spend. We look at how investor sentiment is cooling towards the soaring AI investments. 

Elon Musk adding a new layer to his escalating legal fight with OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. Plus, Apple is teaming up with Alibaba to bring Apple Intelligence to China as the iPhone maker faces fierce domestic competition.  

Tech executives and world leaders convening in Paris this week to discuss AI, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, French President Emmanual Macron, and Vice President JD Vance. We look at the key takeaways as calls for looser AI regulation grow. 

OpenAI is pushing to develop custom AI chips, aiming for more independence from NVIDIA. This move reflects their complex relationship with Microsoft, as they navigate shifts in tech partnerships. The discussion also touches on France's strategies to boost its AI capabilities, highlighting the global competition in the tech landscape. The implications of these strategic shifts reveal a rapidly evolving future for AI development.

Big tech is on a relentless pursuit of artificial general intelligence, with SoftBank planning a staggering $40 billion investment in OpenAI. This move skyrockets OpenAI's valuation to $300 billion and signifies the urgency for innovation in the AI sector. The discussion also delves into the challenges posed by commoditization, prompting a strategic reassessment among industry players. It’s a high-stakes race where the cost of failure could be monumental.

The strengthening U.S. dollar is creating significant challenges for major tech companies that rely heavily on international sales. It impacts how giants like Meta, Microsoft, and Google report their earnings. The discussion delves into how rising trade tensions, especially with China, complicate corporate strategies and investor outlooks. With currency fluctuations affecting pricing and regulatory changes looming, the landscape for companies like Apple and NVIDIA is shifting dramatically.

Aravind Srinivas, CEO and Co-Founder of Perplexity, passionately argues for U.S. ownership of TikTok, emphasizing the need for American control to enhance user safety. He dives into the security risks linked to the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, contrasting the app with its underlying model to highlight data privacy issues. The discussion reveals critical insights about the dangers of real-time data access and proposes secure alternatives to ensure user privacy and bolster national security.

Google parent company Alphabet hitting a record high ahead of reporting today even as China hits the tech giant with an antitrust probe. We look at what investors will be looking for in Q4 results, including AI plans as the race for the best AI product rapidly changes shape.