Tech Brew Ride Home

Well, it looks like Tech IPO’s might be back on the menu because Figma’s first day pop was like the good old days. Anthropic seems to be getting traction, OpenAI raises again. Earnings from Apple and Amazon, and of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Chapters: 00:33 Figma IPO 04:57 Anthropic And Open AI Numbers 08:45 New Deep Think Model 11:08 Tech Earnings Omnibus 14:35 Longreads Links: * Figma more than triples in NYSE debut after selling shares at $33 [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/31/figma-fig-starts-trading-on-nyse-after-ipo.html] (CNBC) * Anthropic Revenue Pace Nears $5 Billion in Run-Up to Mega Round [https://www.theinformation.com/articles/anthropic-revenue-pace-nears-5-billion-run-mega-round?rc=64g9cw] (The Information) * Exclusive: OpenAI Secures Another Giant Funding Deal [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/business/dealbook/openai-ai-mega-funding-deal.html] (NYTimes) * Google rolls out Gemini Deep Think AI, a reasoning model that tests multiple ideas in parallel [https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/01/google-rolls-out-gemini-deep-think-ai-a-reasoning-model-that-tests-multiple-ideas-in-parallel/] (TechCrunch) * Reddit wants to be a search engine now [https://www.theverge.com/news/717095/reddit-q2-2025-earnings-search-engine] (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: * The first commercial space station is nearly here. And it could change space forever [https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/vast-haven-1-space-station] (BBC Science Focus) * A Deadly Fungus Killed 10 Scientists Working in a Tomb. It Could Be a Breakthrough in Curing Cancer. [https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a65401699/king-tut-fungus-cancer-cure/] (Popular Mechanics) * What happens once we spot the asteroid that will hit Earth? [https://www.ft.com/content/7a629f0c-6a62-47d6-831a-48a492a49acb] (FT)

Microsoft and Meta earnings suggest AI is paying off so far, at least for the big guys. Has OpenAI’s revenues tripled so far in 2025? Devs are using AI more than ever, but that doesn’t mean they trust it. And at the end of the show, as promised, the huge podcast announcement. Links: * Microsoft officially tops $4 trillion in market cap, joining Nvidia in exclusive club [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/30/microsoft-market-cap-tops-4-trillion-after-hours-on-earnings-beat.html] (CNBC) * Investors Cheer an A.I. Spending Bonanza [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/business/dealbook/meta-microsoft-ai-spending-shares.html] (NYTimes) * Meta shares climb 10% on revenue beat, raised forecast [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/30/meta-q2-earnings-report-2025.html] (CNBC) * Apple, Google, OpenAI to Work With Federal Agencies to Make Health Data Helpful [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/apple-google-openai-to-work-with-feds-to-make-health-data-helpful] (Bloomberg) * OpenAI Hits $12 Billion in Annualized Revenue, Breaks 700 Million ChatGPT Weekly Active Users [https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-hits-12-billion-annualized-revenue-breaks-700-million-chatgpt-weekly-active-users?rc=64g9cw] (The Information) * Stack Overflow data reveals the hidden productivity tax of ‘almost right’ AI code [https://venturebeat.com/ai/stack-overflow-data-reveals-the-hidden-productivity-tax-of-almost-right-ai-code/] (VentureBeat) * Google DeepMind says its new AI can map the entire planet with unprecedented accuracy [https://venturebeat.com/ai/google-deepmind-says-its-new-ai-can-map-the-entire-planet-with-unprecedented-accuracy/] (VentureBeat)

Age verification for web users is sweeping the globe. ChatGPT debuts a study mode for students. What, exactly is Zuckerberg trying to achieve by hiring everyone in AI? Maybe Cohere is the real dark horse in the AI model race. And what if the real money in AI video is in training robots? Links: * YouTube rolls out age-estimation tech to identify US teens and apply additional protections [https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/29/youtube-rolls-out-age-estimatation-tech-to-identify-u-s-teens-and-apply-additional-protections/] (TechCrunch) * ChatGPT’s Study Mode Is Here. It Won’t Fix Education’s AI Problems [https://www.wired.com/story/chatgpt-study-mode/] (Wired) * Apple Loses Fourth AI Researcher in a Month to Meta’s Superintelligence Team [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/apple-loses-ai-models-engineer-bowen-zhang-to-meta-superintelligence-team] (Bloomberg) * Meta’s AI Recruiting Campaign Finds a New Target [https://www.wired.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-ai-recruiting-spree-thinking-machines/] (Wired) * AI Startup Cohere Projects $200 Million Revenue Pace as New Funding Nears [https://www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-startup-cohere-projects-200-million-revenue-pace-new-funding-nears?rc=64g9cw] (The Information) * Runway, Luma Target Sales to Robotics Companies [https://www.theinformation.com/articles/runway-luma-target-sales-robotics-companies?rc=64g9cw] (The Information)

Sony says Tencent has ripped off one of their biggest games. Microsoft wants to get ahead of the whole AI browser thing. Are rate limits coming for AI usage as some people are using AI too much? Waymo is coming to Dallas. And further proof of my thesis that smartglasses are the next big thing in tech hardware. Links: * Sony sues Tencent for allegedly ripping off 'Horizon' video games [https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/sony-sues-tencent-allegedly-ripping-off-horizon-video-games-2025-07-28/] (Reuters) * Microsoft revolutionizes Edge as an AI-powered web browser with new experimental 'Copilot Mode' — here's how to enable it right now [https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-edge-copilot-mode-announcement-agentic-ai-web-browser] (Windows Central) * Anthropic unveils new rate limits to curb Claude Code power users [https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/28/anthropic-unveils-new-rate-limits-to-curb-claude-code-power-users/] (TechCrunch) * A Second Tea Breach Reveals Users’ DMs About Abortions and Cheating [https://www.404media.co/a-second-tea-breach-reveals-users-dms-about-abortions-and-cheating/] (404Media) * Waymo, Avis Plan Dallas Robotaxi Launch in Multiyear Deal [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-28/waymo-avis-plan-dallas-robotaxi-launch-in-multiyear-deal] (Bloomberg) * Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses revenue tripled over the year, EssilorLuxottica says [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/28/ray-ban-meta-revenue-tripled-essilorluxottica.html] (CNBC) * Oakley Meta glasses review: A familiar formula with some upgrades [https://www.engadget.com/wearables/oakley-meta-glasses-review-a-familiar-formula-with-some-upgrades-120026844.html] (Engadget)

Samsung’s foundry business gets a shot in the arm from Tesla. Zuck’s hiring spree nabs a Chat GPT creator. Anthropic is raising and leveling up in a big way. And no sooner did the hot new dating app Tea get hot, then it got hacked. Tea was spilt, if you will. Links: * Samsung to Make Tesla AI Chips in Multiyear Texas Deal [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-28/samsung-bags-16-5-billion-deal-in-big-win-for-chipmaking-arm] (Bloomberg) * Donald Trump freezes export controls to secure trade deal with China [https://www.ft.com/content/a13ba438-3b43-46dd-b332-4b81b3644da0] (FT) * Meta names Shengjia Zhao as chief scientist of AI superintelligence unit [https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/25/meta-names-shengjia-zhao-as-chief-scientist-of-ai-superintelligence-unit/] (TechCrunch) * PayPal to Roll Out ‘Pay With Crypto’ Feature for Merchants [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-28/paypal-to-roll-out-pay-with-crypto-feature-for-merchants] (Bloomberg) * AI start-up Anthropic open to Mideast funds in talks to double valuation to over $150bn [https://www.ft.com/content/3c8cf028-e49f-4ac3-8d95-6f6178cf2aac] (FT) * Women are anonymously spilling tea about men in their cities on viral app [https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/women-are-anonymously-spilling-tea-men-cities-viral-app-rcna220681] (NBCNews) * Hackers leak 13,000 user photos and IDs from the Tea app, designed as a women's safe space [https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/tea-app-hacked-13000-photos-leaked-4chan-call-action-rcna221139] (NBCNews)