Apple and Google's Gemini AI, Nvidia's Annual Conference | Bloomberg Technology

Apple and Google Partnership

• Apple is in talks with Google to license Gemini AI for generative AI use cases in iOS 18.
• This partnership makes sense given their existing search relationship on Gemini.
• The deal could potentially make AI agents easier to navigate and integrate into daily life.

AI Industry Developments

• AI agents are becoming smarter and could potentially replace search engines like Google.
• Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI and the integration of AI into Bing pose a threat to Google's search engine dominance.
• NVIDIA's annual technology conference is expected to make significant announcements, including a new chip launch, updates on AI chip market size, and software business execution.
• NVIDIA's supply chain constraints could limit its ability to meet demand for new chips, impacting revenue growth.
• NVIDIA's software platform is becoming increasingly important and is expected to drive revenue growth.
• Intel is raising $673.2 million through a share offering to invest heavily in AI.

Company Updates

• Alibaba has appointed a new head of its grocery arm as part of a restructuring effort.
• CloudFlare's leader behind the Rita offering, Stephanie Cohen, has stepped down.
• Cisco's acquisition of Acacia Communications is expected to enhance its observability and security capabilities.
• Cisco has reached a milestone of 50% of its revenue coming from software, with a combined revenue of $4.2 billion from software sales.
• There are no plans for further headcount reductions as the company integrates the acquired companies.
• Cisco is seeing more sophisticated cyber security attacks and is using AI to improve its defense capabilities.

Crypto Market Developments

• A rumor of a billion-dollar strategy spread trade led to a crash in the crypto market, particularly affecting MicroStrategy and Bitcoin.
• Solana is gaining popularity and resembling Ethereum, with new coins emerging that resemble ICO presales.
• The rise of altcoins like Solana is driven by retail investors engaged in online communities and social media platforms.
• The pullback in the crypto market may be due to excessive leverage, but the technology continues to develop with upgrades like the Ethereum network's lower transaction costs.

Business and Leadership Insights

• Index Ventures is launching a new book called "Scaling Through Chaos" to provide a blueprint for startups to scale from zero to 1000 employees.
• The book "Uncertainty" is a comprehensive research study on the journey of fast-growing companies of the decade, featuring insights from over 60 founders and a companion guide.
• Key findings include the importance of people matters, emphasizing performance, and learning to live with and grow through chaos in building a business.
• Innovation is seen as happening through waves, building on previous advancements, while the reality of building a business remains consistent.

Notable Interviews

• Elon Musk and Charles Them and's interview covered a wide range of topics, including free speech, mental health, and drug use.
• The interview was tense at times, with Musk pushing back against questions about his personal prescription for ketamine.
• Don Lemon's partnership with CNN+ fell apart before it even started, raising questions about CNN+'s push to become a video-first platform and attract top talent.