Tech Titans Join Forces: A New Era in Semiconductor Production

The U.S. and Taiwan have just finalized a significant tech agreement. The plan involves constructing more semiconductor factories in the U.S. with Taiwan's assistance. Taiwanese tech giants are investing at least $250 billion, with government backing. In return, the U.S. is reducing tariffs on Taiwanese goods.

• Key Players: Companies like TSMC, which already operates factories in Arizona, are expected to expand further.
• Incentives: The deal allows these companies to import more goods without tariffs during construction.
• Penalties: If Taiwanese chip companies do not build in the U.S., they may face a 100% tariff.

AI Safety and Regulation

Miles Brundage, former OpenAI policy chief, has launched a new nonprofit called AVERI. His goal is to ensure AI companies are audited by independent experts to guarantee safety and security. Brundage argues that without external checks, risks can accumulate.

• Analogy: Would you trust a vacuum cleaner that wasn't tested? Exactly.

AI in the Workplace

At a recent tech dinner, industry leaders discussed the future of AI in the workplace. The consensus?

• Humans Need to Stay in the Loop: Deloitte's CTO Bill Briggs warned against tweaking old systems and suggested starting with the desired outcome.
• Kill Switches and Auditability: Hari Bala, CTO at Solventum, emphasized the need for these features.
• Simplification Over Automation: Susan Doniz of Disney advocated for an AI-first mindset focused on simplification.

Other Tech News

• TSMC: Reported a 35% profit increase, marking a record quarter.
• OpenAI: More staffers are expected to join from Thinking Machines.
• Amazon: Objecting to Saks' bankruptcy, which could make their $475 million investment worthless.
• Wikipedia API: Big Tech is paying up for access.
• Flipkart: India's Supreme Court ruled that Tiger Global's stake sale to Walmart in 2018 is subject to taxes.
• Spotify Premium: U.S. subscriptions are increasing by $1 next month.
• ASML: The Dutch chipmaking equipment company is now worth $500 billion, riding the AI wave.