Tech News Briefing

Tech News Briefing

Tech News Briefing is your guide to what people in tech are talking about. Every weekday, we’ll bring you breaking tech news and scoops from the pros at the Wall Street Journal, insight into new innovations and policy debates, tips from our personal tech team, and exclusive interviews with movers and shakers in the industry. Hosted by Zoe Thomas

RECENT EPISODES

4/19/2024 3:01:00 AM

Why the World’s Biggest Bitcoin Fund Is Bleeding Assets

For years, the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust was one of the few ways to invest in bitcoin without buying the cryptocurrency itself. But in recent months, more than a dozen competing funds have popped up. Now the trust, which is still the world’s largest bitcoin fund, is bleeding. WSJ reporter Vicky Ge Huang tells host Alex Ossola how Grayscale is fighting to compete. Plus, Meta has released its latest AI model. WSJ social media business reporter Salvador Rodriguez talks about what’s new, and how it might change the user experience on the company’s platforms.


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4/18/2024 4:47:00 PM

TNB Tech Minute: Google Fires Employees for Protesting Cloud Deal with Israel

Plus: Meta releases its newest AI model. And Netflix adds millions of subscribers. Alex Ossola hosts.


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4/18/2024 3:01:00 AM

Inside Amazon’s Secret Project to Gather Intel on Competitors

In 2015, Amazon launched an operation called Project Curiosity to gather information about its competitors’ operations. The company took extraordinary measures to keep it secret. WSJ reporter Dana Mattioli tells host Alex Ossola more about the project. Plus, big tech companies that spent years expanding their office space are now cutting back. WSJ reporter Konrad Putzier talks about what’s going on, and why it’s leaving property owners in the lurch.


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4/17/2024 4:58:00 PM

TNB Tech Minute: Apple Considers Manufacturing in Indonesia

Plus: ASML posts lower-than-expected orders for the first quarter. And Tesla shareholders are once again set to vote on CEO Elon Musk’s pay package. Alex Ossola hosts.


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4/17/2024 3:01:00 AM

What Does It Take to Start Your Own AI-Powered Content Farm? $105

Disinformation is rampant online, and generative artificial intelligence makes it all the more powerful. WSJ contributor Jack Brewster wanted to see just how easy it would be to make his own fully automated AI-generated news website. He tells host Alex Ossola about the experiment, and what it reveals about how disinformation is spread on the internet. Plus, China has for years wanted to wean its telecommunications systems off foreign-made chips. Now, it looks like that’s finally happening—and, as WSJ China tech editor Liza Lin discusses, it could have a big impact on American chip companies.


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4/16/2024 4:12:00 PM

TNB Tech Minute: SpaceX Cracks Down on Starlink Access

Plus: Microsoft invests in an Abu Dhabi-based tech company. And Tesla delays shipments of its Cybertruck, according to buyers. Alex Ossola hosts.


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4/16/2024 3:01:00 AM

Could Tesla’s Robotaxi Finally Be Coming?

For almost a decade, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been promising that fully driverless vehicles are coming soon. Now, Musk says he plans to reveal the company’s first robotaxi in August. WSJ columnist Tim Higgins tells host Alex Ossola why Musk says Tesla has an advantage over its competitors… and why some investors are skeptical. Plus, under pressure to become more efficient, the meatpacking industry is embracing—and investing in—automation. WSJ reporter Patrick Thomas talks about what more automation could mean for companies and workers.


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4/15/2024 4:14:00 PM

TNB Tech Minute: Tesla Will Lay Off More Than 10% of Workforce

Plus: The U.S. government grants Samsung $6.4 billion to expand its facilities in Texas. And Samsung overtakes Apple as the number one seller of smartphones worldwide. Alex Ossola hosts.


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4/15/2024 3:01:00 AM

The Internet May Be Too Small for the AI Boom, Researchers Say

Powerful artificial intelligence systems require huge amounts of data. But some researchers and executives say the need for high-quality text data could exceed the supply within two years. WSJ reporter Deepa Seetharaman tells Alex Ossola how AI companies are preparing for the potential data shortage. Plus, the race is on to build new chip-making facilities. WSJ reporter Belle Lin explains why one Brooklyn-based startup is betting on smaller, modular chip plants that are designed to be shipped anywhere. Julie Chang hosts.


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4/12/2024 5:29:00 PM

TNB Tech Minute: China to Phase Out Foreign Chips, Like Intel and AMD

Plus: Hackers gained access to 576,000 Roku accounts. And Elon Musk meets with Argentina’s president. Julie Chang hosts.


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HOSTED BY

Host and Producer, WSJ Tech News Briefing, The Wall Street Journal

Zoe Thomas is the host of Tech News Briefing. Before joining The Wall Street Journal, she was a producer and reporter for BBC News. Zoe has covered business, economics and technology stories across North and South America and Asia. She has been based out of bureaus in San Francisco, Mumbai and her hometown of New York. When not at work, you can often find her searching for new culinary delights or food trends to test out.

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