EU threatens Meta's AI monopoly dreams

🚨 EU Catches Meta Red-Handed Building an AI Monopoly

• Meta tried to make WhatsApp Meta AI-only (shocker), blocking all rival chatbots from 3 billion users. The EU said "absolutely not" and is threatening to legally body-slam them.

• Why it matters: Zuck thought he could use his messaging monopoly to win the AI race. The EU just said "nice try, bestie" and might force WhatsApp open to every AI assistant. RIP Meta's master plan. (source)

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📉 Software Stocks Down 50% Because AI Can Code Now

• Oracle cratered 50%, ServiceNow and AppLovin each down 40%+ since October. The entire software sector is 24 points below the S&P 500 - worst gap in THREE DECADES.

• Why it matters: Wall Street finally realized Claude can build entire apps in 30 seconds. Why pay for Salesforce when an AI can rebuild it over lunch?? Software companies are speedrunning obsolescence. (source)

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⚠️ AI Surgical Robot Goes Rogue, Hits Artery

• Johnson & Johnson's AI navigation system has 100+ malfunction reports since adding AI in 2021 (vs just 7 before). Two stroke victims are suing after the AI allegedly forgot to mention the surgeon was near their carotid artery. Oops!!

• Why it matters: There are 1,357 AI medical devices approved now (double from 2022) and the FDA just cut their AI review team by 40%. What could go wrong?? 😬 (source)

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🏈 Every AI Company Bought a Super Bowl Ad (Even Vodka??)

• Anthropic, Meta, Google, Amazon all ran ads. Anthropic's "no ads in AI" campaign triggered Sam Altman so hard he subtweeted them. Even Svedka vodka made an "AI-generated" commercial. The robots are selling us alcohol now.

• Why it matters: AI companies are burning tens of millions to become your default assistant. The AI wars just went mainstream - and apparently vodka brands are in on it too?? (source)

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💰 Someone Paid $70M for AI.com (Not Even Joking)

• Crypto.com founder dropped SEVENTY MILLION DOLLARS on a three-letter domain. Plans to launch an AI that trades stocks for you during the Super Bowl. Because nothing says "trust me with your money" like a $70M flex.

• Why it matters: This is either the smartest branding move ever or the dumbest purchase since someone bought a JPEG rock for $1.3M. Peak bubble energy. (source)

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💸 Australia Gets $10B to Build AI Infrastructure

• Firmus secured $10 BILLION from Blackstone and Coatue to build 1.6 gigawatts of AI data centers in Australia. That's enough power for like... all of Sydney.

• Why it matters: Countries are throwing GDP-level money at AI infrastructure. Australia just said "we're not letting the US and China have all the fun" and went ALL IN. (source)

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📈 Taiwan Chip Exports Up 152% (Not a Typo)

• Taiwan's exports hit a 16-year record at $65.77 billion. US imports up 151.8%!! Trump excluded semiconductors from tariffs because even he knows you can't build AI without TSMC.

• Why it matters: Taiwan is basically the entire world's AI chip dealer. If anything happens to that island, your ChatGPT subscription is DONE. (source)

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🛍️ Alibaba's Shopping AI Crashes from Success

• Qwen chatbot processed 10 million orders in 9 hours during a $433M promotion, then literally begged for mercy on social media: "Everyone's enthusiasm for AI shopping is too high!"

• Why it matters: Proof that people will absolutely let AI spend their money - but also that these systems aren't ready for Black Friday-level chaos. Yet. (source)

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🏭 Europe Drops €2.5B on Chip Research (Cute)

• Belgium opened "NanoIC" with ASML's fanciest machines to prototype beyond-2nm chips. EU wants 20% of global chip production by 2030. Currently at... 10%.

• Why it matters: Europe's trying to stay relevant in the chip wars with a "shared research" model. Meanwhile, TSMC is printing money and laughing. (source)

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⛸️ AI Judges Figure Skating Now (Finally)

• Six cameras + computer vision tracking jump rotations and heights in real-time. No more "that judge definitely took a bribe" controversies.

• Why it matters: AI handling technical scores while humans judge ~vibes~ could fix every subjective sport. Gymnastics, you're next. (source)

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🚀 Lightning Round

• Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 dropped with 2.5x "fast mode" - costs more tokens but apparently understands physics now (??)
• Goldman Sachs secretly using Anthropic for 6 months to build compliance bots (the most Goldman use case ever)
• Axiom's AI solved an unsolved math problem AND wrote its own proof - mathematicians in shambles
• Crypto.com's AI promises to autonomously trade stocks - what could possibly go wrong??

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