Meta Earnings Preview | Bloomberg Technology 04/24/2024

Tech Industry News and Trends

• Bloomberg Technology discusses the latest news and trends in the tech industry.
• Melissa Otto, a technology research analyst, discusses the current state of the tech industry and the potential impact of AI.
• The growth of AI has led to increased interest in generative AI, with companies like OpenAI making significant advancements in the field.
• The Bloomberg Intelligence AI Summit will take place later in the day, focusing on the latest developments and trends in AI.
• Melissa Otto discusses the transformative potential of generative AI and the need for organizations to prepare for its adoption, including data de-siloing and training.
• The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index experienced a volatile week, with a slight gain of 0.7% in the current session.
• The focus is on Friday's jobs report data and the impact of interest rates on tech stocks, particularly Apple, which has a strong balance sheet.

Apple's Developments

• Apple is reportedly exploring the development of a robot that can follow users around the house.
• Apple is exploring the development of a self-driving robot that can navigate inside homes, similar to self-driving cars but with lower safety risks.
• The project, known as "Project Tighten," is being pursued amid industry shifts towards AI-powered hardware and the rise of humanoid robots.
• Apple is also working on a tabletop robot with a robotic arm and a large iPad-like display that can move to mimic human head movements during video calls, creating a more immersive telepresence experience.
• Robotics is seen as a new area of focus for Apple, with the company gradually allocating more resources to its development.
• Some teams from the canceled Apple Card project have been repurposed to work on AI robotics projects, indicating a shift in focus within the company.

OpenAI's Growth and Partnerships

• The demand for AI talent is increasing, leading to competition among companies like OpenAI and Tesla for top talent in the field.
• OpenAI, with around 1200 employees, is expanding globally and plans to establish operations in Japan due to the high demand for AI technology in the region.
• OpenAI takes a unique perspective as a partnerships company, seeking collaborations with industries, countries, and specific companies to bring technology to the world.
• OpenAI has been working with the publishing industry to explore ways to deploy AI in publishing to enhance journalism quality and reader experiences, receiving positive feedback from the industry.
• OpenAI is experiencing tremendous growth in the enterprise sector, with 2024 expected to be the year of adoption.
• OpenAI generates revenue from its ChatGPT product, with hundreds of millions of users and over 600,000 individual users in the enterprise.
• OpenAI has a pre-existing relationship with Microsoft and Azure, which serves as a conduit for new business opportunities and enterprise customers.
• OpenAI is partnering with Microsoft Azure OpenAI services to offer its models.
• OpenAI sees the partnership as advantageous in bringing its technology to scale.
• OpenAI works with various partners, including Palantir, to bring its technology to life.

Other News

• Alphabet, Google's parent company, is considering acquiring HotSpot, a budget version of Salesforce.
• Meta, the parent company of Facebook, receives an upgrade from analysts.
• NVIDIA stock rises as the company benefits from improving conditions in Taiwan.
• Taiwan's largest earthquake in 25 years has caused damage and injuries, but companies like Taiwan Semiconductor have resumed production quickly.
• Bob Iger defeats activist investor Nelson Peltz in a proxy battle for Disney, but Peltz still benefits financially from the company's share rally.
• Elon Musk, a friend of Peltz, expresses support for him but may not have significantly influenced the voting outcome.
• Pigment, a business planning platform, raises $45 million in funding and plans to use it for product innovation, including the integration of generative AI to democratize access to data.
• Eleonore Crespo, CEO of Flywheel, discusses the company's expansion plans, particularly in the U.S., which currently accounts for 50% of their revenue.
• Krishna Rangasayee, CEO of Cerebras Systems, talks about their $70 million fundraising round and their focus on developing chips for edge AI applications, such as robotics, automotive, medical, and smart vision systems.
• Apple is exploring a push into personal robotics, potentially utilizing Cerebras' technology for its Optimus program.
• The U.S. is investing $3.9 billion into a semiconductor facility in Indiana, and Korean shares are showing signs of resilience despite the situation in Taiwan.
• Paramount is close to a merger deal with Skydance, a production company founded by David Ellison.