This week, tech firms had been both melting down in actual time or promising a future the place computer systems are smarter than we’re. Buyers panicked, calmed down, panicked once more, after which purchased T-shirts for sea otters. We noticed an enormous web outage that reminded everybody simply how dependent the trendy world is on one firm. We additionally noticed a inventory that most individuals had principally pronounced lifeless all of the sudden rip greater prefer it was 2021 once more.
There was drama in Washington, too. The White Home leaned even more durable into AI content material as a political weapon, elevating a query that has been constructing all 12 months, which is: Are we getting into the AI misinformation period for actual, or are we already in it and pretending we aren’t? On the similar time, Meta reduce jobs within the identify of shifting quicker on artificial intelligence, and Apple gave Wall Road one thing to cheer about by proving that, sure, individuals will nonetheless purchase a brand new iPhone should you make it quick, skinny, and costly.
However the greatest optimism play of the week got here from someplace completely totally different. Taylor Swift wore a classic aquarium T-shirt, and her followers turned that into hundreds of thousands of {dollars} for sea otter rescue in a matter of hours. There are only a few forces on Earth that may transfer cash that quick. Central banks. Oil markets. Taylor Swift.
AWS outage hits a lot of the web
An in a single day outage at Amazon Web Services took down massive elements of the web, together with apps and websites like Reddit, Lyft, and McDonald’s. The issue was tied to AWS programs in a single U.S. area, however as a result of so many firms run by means of that very same infrastructure, the influence went international. Amazon stated the basis difficulty was a DNS drawback that it has largely fastened, however quite a lot of customers nonetheless noticed slowdowns and random errors lengthy after the primary alert. The outage was one other reminder that a large quantity of the trendy economic system sits on prime of another person’s server.
Past Meat inventory all of the sudden rips greater
Past Meat’s inventory shot up more than 60 percent after spending the previous few weeks in penny inventory territory. The spike doesn’t imply the enterprise is all of the sudden wholesome. Demand for plant-based meat has cooled, gross sales have dropped, and the corporate remains to be deep in hassle. What truly occurred is a traditional brief squeeze wherein merchants who had been betting towards the inventory received pressured to purchase shares again quick, which pushed the worth greater.
Trump responds to protests with AI video
After the nationwide “No Kings” protests, President Trump posted an AI-generated video of himself in a fighter jet dumping sewage on protesters. He additionally dismissed the almost 7 million individuals who confirmed up, saying they don’t symbolize the nation. Vice President JD Vance boosted an identical AI-style meme of Trump in a crown. Critics say this sort of content material is principally making the protesters’ level for them and in addition exhibits how snug the administration is with pushing AI-altered media at scale.
Meta cuts 600 jobs from its AI lab
Meta stated it’s cutting about 600 jobs within the new AI superintelligence lab that it launched this 12 months. Management says the smaller crew will be capable of transfer quicker and make selections with much less inside debate. The corporate has been pouring tens of billions of {dollars} into synthetic intelligence and high-end infrastructure, together with new knowledge facilities and advert instruments. The layoff information barely moved the inventory, which suggests buyers see this as regular value management for a corporation that’s nonetheless planning to spend closely on AI.
Quantum computing shares pop on takeover rumors
Shares of a number of U.S. quantum computing firms jumped after reports that the Commerce Department is talking to them about potential authorities investments. The fundamental thought is that Washington could need a monetary stake in these companies in change for federal funding. Merchants learn that as an indication that quantum is getting handled like strategic tech, much like chips and uncommon earth minerals. The outcome was a quick rebound for names like IonQ and Rigetti after a tough day within the broader market.
Gold and silver costs fall onerous
Gold and silver each dropped sharply after hitting file ranges earlier within the week. Costs for gold fell again towards the low $4,100 vary per ounce, and silver slid below $50. The pullback suggests buyers are feeling barely much less panicked about issues like tariffs, inflation, and the federal government shutdown. In plain phrases, cash moved out of disaster mode and again towards danger.
Iceland finds mosquitoes for the primary time
Scientists confirmed that mosquitoes have now shown up in Iceland, a rustic that’s principally by no means had them in human historical past. Hotter common temperatures are making the island friendlier to bugs that might not survive there earlier than. The precise species they discovered is cold-tolerant, which suggests it’d be capable of final by means of Icelandic winters and stick round. It’s a small discovery with massive implications as a result of mosquitoes carry illness, and local weather change helps them increase north.
Egg recollects continue to grow
Greater than 6 million eggs have now been pulled over salmonella concerns tied to Black Sheep Egg Firm and others. The FDA escalated the recall to its highest danger tier and retains including new affected tons and types. Specialists say the spike in recollects just isn’t solely about farms doing one thing improper. It’s also about higher, quicker testing that may spot contamination earlier and drive merchandise off cabinets earlier than individuals get sick.
Apple hits a file excessive on iPhone 17
Apple inventory hit an all-time high, at round $264 a share, after early knowledge steered the iPhone 17 lineup is promoting quicker than final 12 months’s iPhone 16 launch. The standout this cycle is the brand new iPhone Air, which is thinner, lighter, and nonetheless priced as a flagship. Robust demand in each the U.S. and China helped gasoline the rally and gave buyers contemporary confidence heading into Apple’s subsequent earnings report.
Taylor Swift raises hundreds of thousands for sea otters
Taylor Swift wore a vintage Monterey Bay Aquarium T-shirt in her newest live performance movie, and her followers did the remainder. The aquarium introduced the shirt again, priced it at $65.13, and raised greater than $2.3 million for sea otter rescue and rehab. The marketing campaign ran on Tiltify, which let the aquarium course of tens of hundreds of orders nearly immediately. It was a case research in what occurs when fandom, nostalgia, and e-commerce all hit without delay.
