Alphabet Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway invested $17 billion into Alphabet last quarter. As a result of this investment, Alphabet has become the third-largest holding in Berkshire's equity portfolio. This current holding is valued at approximately $36.6 billion.

Waymo has captured significant shares of ride spending in mature markets like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with data showing Waymo taking between 15% and 19% of rider bookings. Experts suggest that the impact of this growth on human drivers will not appear as sudden layoffs but rather through changes in utilization, such as longer waits or fewer trips per hour.

Alibaba's Qwen open-weight models achieved over 3 billion global downloads in six months, establishing it as the world’s No. 1 AI model by surpassing Meta and Google according to Hugging Face Inc. This rise indicates that Chinese developers are building robust ecosystems and gaining traction against US rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic PBC, despite facing export controls.

Berkshire Hathaway increased its investments during the second quarter by significantly boosting stakes in Alphabet and homebuilders such as Lennar and Taylor Morrison. The company also increased shares in Delta Air Lines and Macy's, while simultaneously divesting holdings in companies like Constellation Brands and reducing positions in financial firms like Bank of America. Greg Abel took over CEO duties from Warren Buffett at the start of the year.

Anthropic's backers anticipate a potential IPO with a valuation of $2 trillion or higher, though this figure greatly exceeds its current profitability. Despite high valuation expectations, Anthropic is not yet making money, meaning that achieving solid net income—rather than just operating profit—will be critical for public investors to deem the massive valuation palatable.

A borrowing binge by hyperscaler AI companies has caused instability in foreign credit markets. This market shake-up resulted from a flood of bond issuance by major corporations like Amazon and Alphabet, which subsequently pushed up costs across currencies including Canadian dollars, Swiss francs, and sterling.

The expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure requires thousands of skilled trades workers, a labor demand that the United States currently struggles to meet. The article suggests that Switzerland's successful apprenticeship system, which provides clear pathways for hands-on technical careers, offers a model that could help address America's workforce shortages.

Jeff Dean, a former chief scientist at Google, shared his rigorous weekly workout routine, which includes soccer games, gym sessions, yoga classes, and long runs or bike commutes. He noted that protecting his joints requires using squishy shoes and arch support inserts due to past ankle sprains. This sharing of the routine coincides with Dean's departure from Google after 27 years to cofound Discovery Loop, an AI startup.

Asian shares were mostly lower, with South Korea’s Kospi dropping more than 4%, following declines for tech giants such as Alphabet and Microsoft. Oil prices remained stable near $79 a barrel amid uncertainty about the U.S. war with Iran. Wall Street indices fluctuated, with some big technology companies losing ground despite sharp gains in firms like The Walt Disney Co.

Asian shares experienced declines overall, led by South Korea's Kospi falling more than 4% and big tech stocks like SK Hynix losing significant ground. Market uncertainty persists due to the U.S. war with Iran, while investors await the monthly employment report for July. Meanwhile, oil prices fluctuated despite talks regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Asian shares were mostly lower on Thursday, with South Korea’s Kospi dropping over 4% and major chipmakers like SK Hynix declining significantly. The volatility was linked to profit-taking and risk reduction ahead of the U.S. employment report; meanwhile, oil prices held steady near $79 a barrel amid uncertainty regarding conflicts in the Middle East.

Google is restructuring its AI leadership, with Demis Hassabis transitioning from DeepMind CEO to Alphabet's chief scientist role. Jeff Dean and Sanjay Ghemawat are leaving to launch a new initiative, as Google shifts focus toward AI safety and long-term research. The changes come amid competitive pressure and mixed reactions from industry experts, with Alphabet shares dropping 5% following the announcement.

Demis Hassabis is stepping down as Google DeepMind CEO to become chairman and Alphabet's chief scientist, with Koray Kavukcuoglu taking over operations. The restructuring includes Jeff Dean leaving Google to co-found Discovery Loop, and Alphabet's stock fell 5% amid delays in Gemini model launches and leadership exits.

Google DeepMind's head Demis Hassabis is stepping down to become chairman and chief scientist at Alphabet. Other DeepMind staff are leaving to start a venture, amid delays in Google's Gemini AI model launch and a decline in Google shares by 4%.

Alphabet’s stock dropped as Google lost another key AI executive, Jeff Dean, who is leaving to launch his own company. Dean is Google’s chief scientist and one of its first employees.

Elon Musk outlined SpaceX's projected $1 trillion revenue by 2030, joked about data centers being easier to build than rockets, and highlighted Starlink's potential to provide global internet. He also mentioned AI advancements and envisioned Moon factories.

The article argues that U.S. dominance in AI stems from control of infrastructure like data centers, cloud computing, and AI servers, not just model performance. It highlights Nvidia's 85% market share in AI chips and its ecosystem, including partnerships with cloud providers and defense contracts, as central to American technological hegemony.

Steve Hanke argues AI's high costs and resource demands limit its threat to jobs, suggesting human labor remains cheaper. He criticizes AI visionaries and notes big tech's significant investments in AI infrastructure.

Amazon, Alphabet, and Tesla reported negative cash flow in the latest quarter, while Meta's cash generation dropped by 91%. The article highlights rising costs associated with AI development in the tech sector.

Amazon announced a $20 billion increase in annual technology spending, primarily for AI, after reporting strong Q2 profits and a 37% rise in AWS sales. CEO Andy Jassy stated the company expects $220 billion in capital spending for 2024, driven by demand for AI, cloud computing, and hardware like memory chips.

Amazon announced a $20 billion increase in capital spending on AI and technology this year, driven by strong Q2 profits and 37% growth in its AWS cloud computing unit. CEO Andy Jassy stated demand for capacity will outpace investments even in 2027, with $220 billion now planned for spending on AI, robots, semiconductors, and satellites.

Federal regulators are allowing robotaxis to operate without steering wheels, with Amazon's Zoox approved to charge customers for rides in specially designed autonomous vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also proposed rules to permit robotaxis without brake pedals, as companies like Zoox and Tesla aim to compete with Waymo in advancing autonomous vehicle technology.

Federal regulators are approving robotaxis to operate without steering wheels and potentially without brake pedals. Amazon's Zoox has received approval to charge customers for rides in autonomous vehicles, pending state and local approvals, and plans to scale production to 10,000 units annually. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also proposed a rule to allow brake-pedal-free robotaxis, while Zoox competes with Waymo in autonomous vehicle development.

Federal regulators are allowing robotaxis to operate without steering wheels, with potential approval for brake pedal removal pending. Amazon's Zoox received clearance to charge for rides in its autonomous vehicles, while NHTSA aims to support safe innovation in autonomous vehicle technology.

Samsung's chip division saw a 250-fold increase in quarterly operating profit due to high semiconductor demand, while Meta reported lower revenue forecasts and an $8 billion free cash flow hit from AI investments. Alphabet also experienced negative free cash flow for the first time due to AI spending, highlighting divergent outcomes in the AI buildout.

Zhongji Innolight's stock fell on its Hong Kong trading debut, the city's largest IPO in seven years, amid declining global demand for AI shares. The stock closed down 2% after a 10% drop, with Shenzhen-listed shares tumbling 9.2%, extending a 38% decline from a June peak. The company supplies AI data-center operators including Amazon and Alphabet.

Microsoft maintained its AI capital expenditure (capex) forecast at $175 billion, avoiding increases seen in other tech giants like Google and Tesla. The decision led to an 8% stock surge, as investors reacted positively to the company's restraint amid rising industry spending on AI data centers.

Alphabet (Google) added over 4,000 employees in the last quarter of 2026, while Meta reduced its workforce by over 2,000. The article discusses how AI adoption is influencing hiring trends, with some companies restructuring teams and others hiring as they invest in AI technologies.

Microsoft is set to report earnings after the bell, with investors closely monitoring its capital spending plans. The company is being compared to Alphabet, which may raise its spending plans, to see if it follows a similar approach.

Liberty University faces a lawsuit alleging it shared students' sensitive data, including prayer requests and grades, with third-party advertisers like Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet. A federal judge denied the university's motion to dismiss the case, highlighting the privacy concerns over the disclosure of such information.

Alphabet and Tesla are experiencing financial strain due to increased AI spending, which is depleting free cash flow and drawing attention from bond markets. The article questions whether Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon will face similar challenges.

Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, expressed regret over selling his early stakes in Netflix and Google, which he said led to missed opportunities as both companies' values surged. He acquired nearly 20% of Netflix in 1999 but sold by 2003, and later sold Google shares received during the dot-com crash. Despite these exits, Arnault remains one of the world's wealthiest individuals with an estimated $156 billion fortune.

Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft face skeptical investors following a Google report that revealed Alphabet's negative free cash flow and increased capital spending forecast. Slower-growing cloud competitors are set to report this week.

Stocks on Wall Street closed mixed as crude oil prices dropped due to paused U.S.-Iran attacks and ongoing negotiations. The S&P 500 rose slightly, the Dow gained 0.5%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.2%. Brent crude and U.S. crude oil prices declined significantly following reduced Middle East tensions.

Amazon and Microsoft are each investing $200 billion this year in data centers to compete in AI services, intensifying their cloud computing rivalry. Investors are closely monitoring financial metrics and capital expenditures as Alphabet’s recent stock drop highlights concerns over returns on massive investments.

The EU imposes fines on Big Tech companies, such as Google’s €890 million penalty for breaching the Digital Markets Act and Alibaba’s €550 million fine for illegal product sales. Fines under competition law use a percentage of annual sales, while regulatory laws like the DMA aim to incentivize compliance with lower penalties.

Alphabet Inc. shares fell over 7% after reporting negative free cash flow and increased 2026 capital expenditures, signaling a market shift against high AI spending. Other tech giants like Microsoft and Meta also face investor skepticism as capital expenditures rise, with the Magnificent Seven index dropping 4.8% following Alphabet's report.

Alphabet is increasing its AI spending, with Capex trends becoming a key focus as Big Tech earnings approach. Club portfolio director Jeff Marks highlighted capital expenditure as the primary area of attention ahead of upcoming earnings reports.

Moody's warns that significant AI spending is threatening the credit quality of major corporations like Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet. The report highlights that even cash-rich companies are increasingly relying on debt, stock sales, and off-balance-sheet strategies to fund AI initiatives.

Google was fined €890 million by the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) for prioritizing its own services in search results and failing to inform users about alternative app stores in its Play store. This surpasses Alibaba's previous record fine, with the total amount equivalent to less than 1% of Alphabet's annual profits.