A big check on AI demand and spending is coming after the bell when Alphabet and AMD both report third-quarter results. Investors are looking to AMD’s print to see how it’s faring in its uphill climb to compete against Nvidia. Alphabet’s capex spending could also be a bellwether for how the rest of big tech earnings will shape up

As power-hungry tech companies work to fuel AI data centers, the race for nuclear energy is on. Amazon led a $500 million investment into X-Energy, which develops small modular reactors. We spoke with CEO Clay Sell on what’s behind the nuclear craze. Plus, AI startup Sierra just raised a new $175 million in capital, quadrupling its valuation from January to $4.5 billion. We sit down with co-founder Bret Taylor on the age of the AI agents. 

Alphabet -owned Waymo just announcing a new $5.6B funding round led by its parent company with participation from investors including Fidelity, a16z, Silver Lake and Tiger Global. The robotaxi service has seen daily rides grow ten-fold in the past year, to more than 100,000 weekly paid trips. 

Chris Lehane, Head of Global Policy at OpenAI, brings a wealth of experience from his time as a political strategist. He discusses the pressing need for AI regulation, urging bipartisan collaboration to ensure its responsible use. Lehane emphasizes the transformative potential of AI policy, comparing it to historic initiatives like the New Deal. He also highlights the importance of public-private partnerships and the need for robust infrastructure to harness AI benefits in sectors like healthcare and education. As AI evolves, he stresses the urgency to rethink governance and societal impact.

Tim Cook's recent visit to China underscores Apple's struggle against local rival Huawei in an increasingly competitive smartphone market. The discussion highlights Huawei's advantages with advanced AI features and system upgrades. The podcast also examines the challenges in chip manufacturing faced by Apple and how consumer preferences are shifting towards more powerful local brands. Additionally, insights on the iPhone 16 upgrade process reveal varying consumer interest in upcoming AI capabilities, reflecting diverse market attitudes.

Would you give AI permission to take over your computer? The startup Anthropic hopes so, unveiling a new "Computer Use" tool that would let its Claude chatbot analyze your computer screen and even act on your behalf, getting control over the cursor, keyboard, browser, calendar and more. It’s the latest move in an escalating battle between megacaps and startups over AI-powered agents, which can help automate tasks. 

Google shares fell on news of an AI reorganization, announcing it’s moving the Gemini Apps team under DeepMind and shifting a search and ads executive to a Chief Technologist role. But investors might be missing the bigger picture – instead of viewing it as an example that Google is increasingly willing to sacrifice some of its search advantages for an edge in AI.  

Shares of Uber and Expedia were on the move today’s session after reports that Uber had explored a takeover bid for Expedia. Plus, Google’s realistic AI-generated podcast tool as gone viral, and the company is now unveiling new features to make the product even more customizable. Google Labs Vice president Josh Woodward joined us for a closer look at the technology. 

The mad dash to develop and deploy AI chips is intensifying, with Amazon now inking a new deal with the startup Databricks in which it’ll use Amazon’s custom chips to train its AI model. 

A big step this weekend for SpaceX's bid to develop reusable rockets, successfully catching a descending rocket booster on the launch pad with mechanical "chopstick" arms. But officials in California are putting up some hurdles to even more expansion for the startup. Plus, as Florida residents recover from Hurricane Milton, one platform they’re turning to for news and updates is Nextdoor. The social media network says activity has shot up 50% in affected areas. We speak to CEO Nirav Tolia on the platform’s emergency response usage.