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TechCheck

Where Silicon Valley meets Wall Street, TechCheck dives deep into stocks, trades, trends and opportunities focused on new technologies while highlighting news from mega-cap heavyweights, social media darlings, streaming giants, growth software and red-hot disruptors. Everyday TechCheck delivers investors what they need to know with compelling in-depth reporting and analysis from investors, analysts and leaders in the industry.
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Episodes

Alphabet’s Wiz deal signals signs of life in M&A 3/24/25

Alphabet’s $32 billion dollar acquisition of cyber security startup Wiz setting records. We look at why it could be a turning point for M&A markets. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 24, 20255 min

The shifting view of so-called AI ‘Wrappers’, Plus Starlink’s India expansion 3/21/25

AI search startup Perplexity is in funding talks that would double the company’s valuation to $18 billion. We look at how the focus in AI is shifting from model makers to so-called AI “Wrappers.” Plus, Starlink is expanding into India, but its success lies in the hands of two billionaires. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 21, 20257 min

Apple’s reported AI leadership shakeup and Softbank’s bet on AI infrastructure 3/20/25

Apple’s reported shakeup among its AI leadership has intensified the spotlight on the ongoing AI talent wars among mega-cap tech companies. And Softbank’s acquisition of Ampere deepens CEO Masayoshi Son’s bet on data centers. It’s a strategic move in one of the hottest battlegrounds in tech: AI infrastructure. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 20, 20256 min

Nvidia's Roadmap to Physical AI 3/19/25

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled his vision and roadmap to physical AI at the company's GTC event... Describing the robots, self-driving cars, and workplace automation that he suggests might enter our lives sooner than we think. But it's a cut-throat race against China, which has already seen companies release commercialized robots that are more affordable and accessible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f...

Mar 19, 20256 min

Google secures $32 billion deal for cybersecurity startup Wiz 3/18/25

Google parent Alphabet is sealing a $32 billion deal to acquire the cybersecurity startup Wiz. We dig into the acquisition, which is Alphabet’s largest, and look at why the company is willing to pay a premium— nearly $10 billion more than last summer’s failed bid – to bolster its security technology in the face of advancing AI and cybersecurity threats Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 18, 20257 min

Google expands access to AI image generator 3/17/25

Google is now expanding access to its powerful AI image generation model. We look at the buzz, and dig into new developments that show AI giants are moving to practicality over power. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 17, 20255 min

OpenAI calls for U.S. DeepSeek ban, Plus Silicon Valley’s startup showcase 03/14/25

Open AI is calling on the Trump White House to ban DeepSeek and other ‘PRC-Produced’ AI models. We look at how the Trump administration’s big tech policy could shape the future of American AI. Plus, a look inside Y Combinator’s newest batch of startups. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 14, 20259 min

Apple’s AI Stumbles weigh on shares 3/13/25

Alibaba rolling out an updated version of its AI assistant that could be a boon to Apple’s China business if it rolls out on iPhones later this year. We look at the growing concern over Apple’s stumbles in bringing AI to iPhones. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 13, 20256 min

Google’s “Gemma 3” rollout, Plus FTC delays Amazon trial 3/12/25

Google is rolling out its latest open-source model Gemma 3, capable of running on just a single GPU. We dig into the efficiency gains mean for the shifting AI trade. Plus the FTC is asking a federal judge to delay a September trial against Amazon, citing budgeting and staffing shortalls. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 12, 20256 min

Waymo expands into Silicon Valley, Plus OpenAI’s AI agent toolkit 3/11/25

Waymo is coming back to where it all began with a new expansion into Silicon Valley. We look at how the self-driving darling may be overlooked in Google’s valuation. Plus, we look at OpenAI’s new toolkit for developing AI agents. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 11, 20255 min

Manus: Overhyped or China’s second DeepSeek moment? 3/10/25

A Chinese startup unveiling a new AI Agent dubbed ‘Manus’ that some are hailing as the country’s next DeepSeek moment. We look into the hype and what it could mean for U.S. tech names already hammered by Monday’s selloff. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 10, 20256 min

Google unveils 'AI mode' in search 3/7/25

Google unveiling an upgrade to its Gemini-powered AI overviews, including a new feature promising to help users dig deeper in search. We look at what “AI mode’ signals about the efforts to monetize AI search. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 07, 20257 min

Meet Sesame: The Most Human AI Voice assistant Yet 3/5/25

A new AI voice assistant is pushing the frontiers of the technology. We look into startup Sesame and how it could change the race in AI voice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 05, 20257 min

Tech divided over crypto reserve 3/3/25

President Trump announcing a “Strategic Crypto Reserve” over the weekend, drawing quick backlash from some of his biggest supporters in Silicon Valley. We look at how the divide is taking shape and why critics are raising concerns. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 03, 20256 min

Megacaps enter the Quantum chip race 2/27/25

Amazon is jumping into the Quantum computing race with their first quantum chip ‘ocelot.’ We look at the latest Megacap staking their claim in quantum, and what it means for the future of the evolving technology. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 27, 20256 min

Why AI prices are in a race to the bottom 2/26/25

DeepSeek’s impact being felt as more free AI offerings make their way to consumers, in a battle for users between the biggest AI names. We look at what the trend means as more names enter the crowded chatbot field. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 26, 20257 min

TechCheck Takes: How DeepSeek supercharged AI’s distillation problem 2/25/25

Silicon Valley is reckoning with an AI development technique that could upend the leaderboard. Distillation is the idea that a small team can make an advanced AI model by extracting knowledge from a larger one. DeepSeek didn’t invent the method, but its use roiled the markets and woke the AI world up to its potential. It’s now enabling startups to compete at the cutting edge, and is deadly for the biggest AI players’ competitive edges. This video includes an interview with Glean CEO Arvind Jain....

Feb 25, 202534 min

How stricter chip restrictions could backfire to benefit Huawei 2/25/25

The Trump administration is reportedly considering tightening the restrictions on U.S. chip exports to China even further. But that could end up unintentionally benefiting Huawei. The state-backed chipmaker’s products have been getting better, and additional tariffs out of Washington could push Chinese companies to adopt Huawei’s chips faster. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 25, 20255 min

Distillation and the boom in Chinese tech stocks, Plus Masa Son on Stargate 2/21/25

U.S. tech companies facing headwinds post-DeepSeek even as Chinese tech stocks have soared. Raising questions about whether the biggest winers may not be the ones building the largest AI models, but those who scale it the most effectively. Plus, Masayoshi Son talks the future of OpenAI, Softbank partnership. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 21, 20257 min

Microsoft’s Quantum breakthrough, plus OpenAI touts user growth 2/20/25

Shares of Quantum computing stocks are spiking after Microsoft announced a new Quantum breakthrough yesterday, and Microsoft isn’t the only tech giant betting on the technology. Plus, OpenAI telling CNBC the AI company is saw 400 million weekly active users in February in a major jump since December. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 20, 20255 min

Sequoia backs AI health startup 2/19/25

AI startup OpenEvidence is now raising a fresh round of capital from Sequoia at a $1 Billion valuation. We look at the latest big funding round in AI healthcare and why investors are increasingly drawn towards the sector. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 19, 20258 min

Startup Investing for the Masses, Plus xAI Unveils New AI Model 2/18/25

Silicon Valley startups have generally been off-limits to the public, cutting ordinary investors out of peak value creation. But now, those rules are getting a second look under President Trump’s new SEC. Plus, Elon Musk’s startup xAI is now showing off its new model called Grok 3, and said the deep research tool is outperforming comparable offerings from OpenAI and China’s DeepSeek. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of per...

Feb 18, 20257 min

Wall Street cools on AI spending spree 2/14/25

Big Tech expecting to spend as much as $320B in capital expenditures in 2025, as much as 40% higher than even last-year’s stratospheric spend. We look at how investor sentiment is cooling towards the soaring AI investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 14, 20255 min

Musk OpenAI bid, Plus Apple’s Alibaba teamup 2/13/25

Elon Musk adding a new layer to his escalating legal fight with OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. Plus, Apple is teaming up with Alibaba to bring Apple Intelligence to China as the iPhone maker faces fierce domestic competition. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 13, 20258 min

High-stakes Paris AI summit sees calls for less regulation 2/11/25

Tech executives and world leaders convening in Paris this week to discuss AI, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, French President Emmanual Macron, and Vice President JD Vance. We look at the key takeaways as calls for looser AI regulation grow. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 11, 20253 min

Why OpenAI has a Microsoft problem 2/10/25

New Reporting reveals that OpenAI is closer than ever to having their own custom AI chips. We look at what the startup’s push for their own chips reveals about its increasingly complex relationship with Microsoft. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 10, 20256 min

Big Tech hunts for AGI at any cost 02/07/25

Sources telling CNBC’s David Faber that Softbank plans to invest $40B in OpenAI in a deal that would place the generative AI startup at a $300B post-money valuation. We look at the latest sign that big tech is not slowing down on their AI investment post-DeepSeek, and their strategy going forward. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 07, 20257 min

Why a stronger dollar could spell trouble for Big Tech 02/06/25

The dollar is up nearly 5% over the past six months, causing headwinds for tech giants who make a substantial portion of their revenue overseas. We look at what the shift means and what we’re hearing about it from the Magnificent 7 as they report earnings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 06, 20257 min

Perplexity’s case for U.S. TikTok ownership, Plus DeepSeek security concerns 2/5/25

Perplexity CEO and Co-Founder Aravind Srinivas is making the case for why his startup is the best positioned to take over TikTok U.S. operations. Plus, what people get wrong about the difference between DeepSeek the app, and DeepSeek the model as security concerns grow. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 05, 20259 min

Google faces uphill AI battle in 2025 2/4/2025

Google parent company Alphabet hitting a record high ahead of reporting today even as China hits the tech giant with an antitrust probe. We look at what investors will be looking for in Q4 results, including AI plans as the race for the best AI product rapidly changes shape. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 04, 20258 min
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