US unveils Americas-wide plan to boost semiconductor production: AFP reports Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled Wednesday a new plan for countries in the Americas to boost production of semiconductors, which are critical just about everywhere in modern industry and a sector dominated by China.
US floats tougher trade rules to rein in China chip industry: Bloomberg reports the Biden administration, facing pushback to its chip crackdown on China, has told allies that it’s considering using the most severe trade restrictions available if companies such as Tokyo Electron Ltd. and ASML Holding NV continue giving the country access to advanced semiconductor technology.
+ The US is mulling whether to impose a measure called the foreign direct product rule, or FDPR. The rule lets the country impose controls on foreign-made products that use even the tiniest amount of American technology.
Microsoft’s hiring of Inflection AI staff probed by UK regulator: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had invited comments over tie-up as part of broader concerns about dealmaking in AI industry. FT
FTC seeking details on Amazon deal with AI startup Adept, source says: Reuters reports the request reflects the FTC's growing concern about how AI deals have been put together and follows a broader review of partnerships between Big Tech and prominent AI startups.
The death of the Chevron doctrine complicates US policymakers’ efforts to regulate AI—but there’s another way Dewey Murdick + Owen J. Daniels
A short history of AI: In the first of six weekly briefs, we ask how AI overcame decades of underdelivering. Economist
Anthropic and Menlo Ventures partner on $100 million AI fund: Bloomberg reports the VC firm’s new fund will back companies using Anthropic products with money, advice, and credits.
‘Godmother of AI’ Fei-Fei Li builds $1bn start-up in 4 months: Stanford computer scientist’s ‘spatial intelligence’ venture wins backing from investors including Andreessen Horowitz. FT
Elon Musk wants his AI bot to deliver the news. It is struggling with the job: WSJ reports Grok posted incorrect information, amplified unverified claims, and failed to identify sarcasm as details of the Trump shooting unfolded.
Don’t blame AI for emissions: Earlier this month, Google disclosed that carbon emissions from its data centers rose by 13% in 2023, which the company blamed on the “AI transition.” But at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference, Google chief scientist Jeff Dean said that people are unfairly blaming the new technology, noting that AI makes up only a small part of data center usage.
Tiny Japanese startup is turning ‘Her’ AI dating into reality Bloomberg
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
