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5 min read

Week 10, 2025

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Key observations

Sifting through hundreds of scattered sources, this is where we surface share trends, patterns, and subtle connections that might otherwise go unnoticed. Connecting the dots, so to speak.

Shifting to hybrid models

OpenAI released its last non‑reasoning model, while Anthropic debuted its first hybrid model.

  • GPT‑4.5 focuses on fast, fluid conversation without deep logical inference, while Claude Sonnet 3.7 blends language fluency with budding reasoning abilities.

China closing the gap

China is making significant strides in AI and hardware development.

  • Tencent launched Hunyuan Turbo S LLM with near-instant responses, while Huawei doubled Ascend chip yield to 40%, reaching profitability despite US sanctions.

Arab becoming AI battleground

AI companies are racing for dominance in the Arabic-speaking market.

  • Meta AI launched full Arabic support, one week after Mistral released Arabic-focused Saba LLM.
  • The region's large, digitally engaged, yet underserved user base presents a lucrative opportunity for culturally-adapted AI.

AI land grab continues

Tech giants are racing to claim AI territory across creative and technical domains before competitors establish dominance.

Old tech fights or fades

Legacy tech brands face a stark choice: integrate AI or face obsolescence.

  • Amazon has revitalized Alexa+ with advanced intelligent features beyond basic voice assistance.
  • In the meanwhile, Microsoft is shuttering Skype as it shifts toward more modern communication platforms.

More standalone apps

Companies are increasingly creating specialized standalone apps to deliver focused experiences and challenge competitors.

  • Meta is developing a dedicated AI chatbot app to compete directly with ChatGPT, while Instagram explores spinning off Reels into its own app to better rival TikTok.

Momentum is key

In today's AI race, maintaining forward motion via rapid iteration is as crucial as innovation itself.

  • DeepSeek is capitalizing on its R1 success by fast-tracking its next-generation R2 model.
  • Moreover, China as a nation is aggressively converting this technological momentum into practical implementation, deploying LLMs across hospitals, government agencies, and public services.

Nvidia still the King

While DeepSeek's rapid advances have rattled the industry, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang remains confident.

  • Nvidia's Q4 earnings report confirms its continued AI and data center market dominance with strong revenue growth and healthy margins.
  • Huang said next-generation AI will need 100 times more compute than older models as a result of new reasoning approaches.

Apple's Trump paradox

Apple is deftly navigating contradictory political signals.

  • Trump praised the company's massive $500 billion US investment pledge, seeing it as a win for American innovation and jobs.
  • Yet he simultaneously criticized Apple's commitment to DEI policies as conflicting with his merit-based economic vision.

SEC makes regulatory retreat

SEC appears to be abandoning its efforts to hold cryptocurrency wrongdoers accountable.

  • In the last two weeks, SEC has suddenly dropped charges against Coinbase, Gemini, and Consensys, and even put a hold on its suit against Justin Sun, raising questions about what's driving the shift.

Crypto rollercoaster

Digital assets continue to demonstrate extraordinary volatility, testing even seasoned investors' resolve.

  • Bitcoin and Ethereum plummeted last week amid broader market uncertainty and institutional selling pressure.
  • Prices quickly reversed course when Trump announced plans for a strategic cryptocurrency reserve, highlighting the market's extreme sensitivity to political signals.
  • Adding to this dynamic landscape, Trump will host the first-ever White House Crypto Summit on March 7.

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Quick hits

Catch up on relevant stories you might have missed.

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AI - Tech

Amazon unveils Alexa+
—$20/month; free w/ Prime
Apple faces AI shortcomings
Anthropic releases Claude 3.7 Sonnet
OpenAI releases GPT-4.5
Meta building own AI app
MS releases Copilot for Mac

Other new models:
—MS Phi-4 (mini/multimodal)
—IBM Granite 3.2 (optional reasoning)
—Tencent Hunyuan Turbo S (fast reply)
—Alibaba Wan 2.1 (image/video gen)
—Hume Octave (custom AI voices)

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AI - Business

Anthropic raises $3.5B
—at a $61.5B post-money valuation
Murati raising $1B at $9B valuation
DeepSeek rushes R2 release
DeepSeek claims 545% profit margin
Grok 3 boosts app downloads
Google launches free Gemini Code Assist
Perplexity teases web browser Comet
Pinterest overrun by AI spam
OpenAI adding Sora to ChatGPT
OpenAI launches Sora in UK/EU
OpenAI expands Deep Research access

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AI - Other

Apple AI transcribes 'racist' as 'Trump'
YC faces backlash for promoting factory worker-monitoring AI
—dubbed "sweatshop-as-a-service"

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Chips / Infrastructure

Apple pledges $500B+ investment
MS asks Trump to ease chip exports
MS canceling data center leases
Meta raising $35B for data centers
AWS unveils quantum chip Ocelot
Huawei reaches 40% AI chip yield
Intel delays Ohio plant to 2030
HP moves production out of China
IBM completes HashiCorp acquisition
Super Micro avoids Nasdaq delisting

Q4 earnings:
Nvidia, Salesforce, Snowflake

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Ecommerce

Amazon expanding Haul to Europe

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Social Media

Instagram launching Reels app
Instagram exposes violent Reels
TikTok revamps desktop site
TikTok to close Creator Marketplace
TikTok/YouTube 'choking challenge' suit dismissed

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Content / Entertainment

YouTube fixes mid-roll ads
—ads will align with natural pauses

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AR / VR

Meta unveils Aria Gen 2
—its latest research glasses
Sony cuts price of PS VR 2

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Device / Hardware

Apple to resume iPhone 16 sales in Indonesia
Xiaomi launches 15 and 15 Ultra
Pixel Watch 3 gets FDA approval
—for pulse-loss detection technology

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App / Platform

MS shutting down Skype
Apple unveils new child safety features
Adobe launches Photoshop iOS app
—Android app coming later this year

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EV / Autonomous

Tesla deployed FSD in China
—but it's not as good as US version
Tesla applies for California permit
Waymo hit 200K rides a week
—grew 20x in two years

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Space

FAA may cancel Verizon contract
—and give it to Starlink
Starlink used by scammers

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Crypto

Bitcoin fell below $90K
—ETH, XRP, SOL also dropped
Bitcoin ETFs saw longest outflow
—lost $3.2B in eight days
Trump announces strategic reserve
—WH to host first Crypto Summit
SEC says memecoins aren't securities
—hence, no federal protection
—but fraud still punished
FBI confirms North Korea hacked Bybit
Crypto crime hit $4B
SEC drops more crypto lawsuits
—Coinbase, Gemini, Consensys, and Kraken
Ethereum appoints new leaders

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Policy / Regulation

Trump plans tougher chip sanctions
—Pushing JPN/NED to cooperate
China replaces tech minister
China bans AI leaders' US visits
Meta accused of visa hire preference
—faces class action suit
Apple votes to keep DEI for now
—but Cook hinted possible change
—Trump was not pleased
Airbnb's Joe Gebbia joins DOGE
Google to pay for Canadian news law

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Etc

Jensen Huang says "future AI needs 100x more compute"
Sergey Brin says "AGI needs harder work"
—Urges 60-hour weeks, in-office
Google is becoming less useful
—says 42% of US adults
Meta fires ~20 leakers
21 DOGE staffers quit
Stripe valued at $91.5B

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