The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica E. Lessin and the team at The Information

Five times/week

The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica E. Lessin and the team at The Information

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy

Recent Editions

The “Canal Qiyuan DeepSeek Home” located in Changqing Street, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China on June 16, 2026. Photo by CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images.

DeepSeek’s Revenue Reaches $70 Million as of July, Tenfold Jump from 2025

By Juro Osawa and Qianer Liu · Aug 25, 2026 11:50pm PDT

DeepSeek generated about 475 million yuan ($70.7 million) in revenue in the first seven months of this year, roughly tenfold its full-year 2025 revenue, as the Chinese AI lab goes full steam ahead in its second round of funding, according to two people with knowledge of the company’s financial data. DeepSeek recorded a net loss of about 715... DeepSeek generated about 475 million yuan ($70.7 million) in revenue in the first seven months of...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Getty Images.

Why OpenAI’s Jalapeño Might Sicken Nvidia

By Martin Peers · Aug 25, 2026 5:00pm PDT

Exactly who at OpenAI decided to name the company’s first internally designed chip Jalapeño? That might have seemed like a good idea a few months ago—perhaps OpenAI imagined that name would serve as a subtle indicator that the chip is a hot property. But it’s not ideal right now, when the Food and Drug Administration is warning that products... Exactly who at OpenAI decided to name the company’s first internally designed chip Jalapeño? That...

Art by Clark Miiller, Google's Nano Banana.

Why Revenue Is Hopping at Data Observability Startups

By Alix Coutures · Aug 25, 2026 4:33pm PDT

A cluster of startups taking on database giants Snowflake, Databricks and Datadog are experiencing a revenue windfall thanks to rising adoption of AI agents. That could lead to a wave of startup dealmaking, from new investments to M&A. Earlier Tuesday, I reported that ClickHouse’s annual recurring revenue jumped 40% from May to $350... A cluster of startups taking on database giants Snowflake, Databricks and Datadog are...

Art via Getty Images

Atlassian Rides the Knowledge Graph Boom

By Laura Bratton, Aaron Holmes and Kevin McLaughlin · Aug 25, 2026 2:24pm PDT

Art via Getty Images

Atlassian Rides the Knowledge Graph Boom

By Laura Bratton, Aaron Holmes and Kevin McLaughlin · Aug 25, 2026 2:24pm PDT

The rise of AI agents that automate coding projects and other white-collar tasks has prompted software firms such as Atlassian to offer so-called knowledge graphs or graph databases, which help the AI analyze the relationships between different types of data inside an organization. Software firms typically promote these new data management... The rise of AI agents that automate coding projects and other white-collar tasks has prompted...

Art by Clark Miller

Why Big Tech is Suddenly Paying Up for Startups

By Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 25, 2026 1:06pm PDT

When The Information broke the news that OpenRouter was in talks to sell the company last month, a shock wave rippled across Silicon Valley. My phone lit up with bankers asking me if I had also heard that there had been a record nine suitors for the company, which helps customers switch between different AI models and centralize billing. I got... When The Information broke the news that OpenRouter was in talks to sell the company last month,...

Art via Getty Images.

The Information Special Report

The Big Opportunity in Wrangling AI Payments

By Yueqi Yang · Aug 25, 2026 8:00am PDT

Greetings!AI payments are getting complicated fast—spurring the development of new billing technology. Providers of payments and corporate expense services built big businesses helping companies process bills and track and control major costs like travel and software subscriptions. Now, as spending on AI soars, there’s a new opportunity to... Greetings!AI payments are getting complicated fast—spurring the development of new billing...

John Higgins, CuriosityStream’s Vice President of Content Partnerships. Photo via Businesswire

A Video Subscription Site Gets a New Life From Licensing Videos to AI

By Alix Coutures · Aug 25, 2026 7:00am PDT

A streaming service called CuriosityStream, which offers documentaries on ancient Egypt, the Persian Gulf and other topics, was nearly delisted by the Nasdaq Stock Market three years ago. Squeezed by a post-pandemic glut of online streaming services, its revenue dove 27% in 2023 to a four-year-low. The service’s decision last fall to license... A streaming service called CuriosityStream, which offers documentaries on ancient Egypt, the...

ClickHouse CEO Aaron Katz.

ClickHouse’s Recurring Revenue Passes $350 Million as OpenAI, Agent Use Jumps

By Alix Coutures · Aug 25, 2026 6:04am PDT

ClickHouse CEO Aaron Katz.

ClickHouse’s Recurring Revenue Passes $350 Million as OpenAI, Agent Use Jumps

By Alix Coutures · Aug 25, 2026 6:04am PDT

Excitement for artificial intelligence agents is benefitting businesses whose software manages and monitors the databases that the AI bots use to accomplish their tasks. ClickHouse, which sells a kind of database that can quickly analyze large volumes of data, such as website visitor activity, recently generated more than $350 million in annual... Excitement for artificial intelligence agents is benefitting businesses whose software manages...

John Malone and Jensen Huang. Getty Images.

Nvidia's John Malone Dealmaking Opportunity

By Martin Peers · Aug 24, 2026 5:01pm PDT · 1 comment

Here’s a thought about Nvidia’s future: All the equity stakes it’s accumulating in AI companies—including, as we reported on Sunday, an expanded stake in Perplexity—could become more useful in ways other than simply guaranteeing demand for its chips. Over time the stakes could end up being worth a lot of money and could also make CEO Jensen... Here’s a thought about Nvidia’s future: All the equity stakes it’s accumulating in AI companies—...

Meta Plans to Launch ‘Hatch’ AI Agent Platform in Coming Weeks

By Jyoti Mann · Aug 24, 2026 3:40pm PDT

Meta Platforms plans to launch its consumer version of the OpenClaw AI agent, dubbed Hatch internally, as soon as the next several weeks and is targeting October for its latest AI model, called Watermelon, according to internal documents reviewed by The Information. Hatch is part of Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitions to monetize... Meta Platforms plans to launch its consumer version of the OpenClaw AI agent, dubbed Hatch...

Tim Cook in July. Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images.

At Apple CEO’s Farewell, Tributes and an Unusually Personal Tim Cook

By Aaron Tilley · Aug 24, 2026 12:38pm PDT

Next Tuesday, Tim Cook will officially pass the baton as Apple CEO to his successor, John Ternus. But in his final days as the company’s top executive, Apple and luminaries associated with the company are sending the executive off in style. The hyper-private Cook has even opened an uncharacteristic window into his personal life. On Sunday, Apple... Next Tuesday, Tim Cook will officially pass the baton as Apple CEO to his successor, John Ternus....

Elon Musk, left, and Michael Truell. Photo via Getty Images; art by Mike Sullivan

Inside Musk’s First Address to Cursor: Grok Is Falling Behind

By Grace Kay · Aug 24, 2026 12:04pm PDT

Elon Musk, left, and Michael Truell. Photo via Getty Images; art by Mike Sullivan

Inside Musk’s First Address to Cursor: Grok Is Falling Behind

By Grace Kay · Aug 24, 2026 12:04pm PDT

Earlier this month, on the day SpaceX announced it had completed its $60 billion acquisition of Cursor, Elon Musk called into an all-hands video meeting with the coding startup’s staff. Musk told them that SpaceX’s AI unit had fallen behind competitors and that he wasn’t used to losing. Unlike Tesla or SpaceX, which have dominant positions in... Earlier this month, on the day SpaceX announced it had completed its $60 billion acquisition of...

Art via Getty Images.

The Information Special Report

Filling In the Gaps in Nvidia’s $500 Billion Financing Pitch

By Dakin Campbell · Aug 24, 2026 8:06am PDT · 2 comments

Nvidia shocked the market earlier this month when it lined up half a dozen financial giants, including Blackstone, Apollo and Goldman Sachs, to finance $500 billion of AI infrastructure purchases. The eye-popping figure was a signal to the market that Nvidia is moving away from acting as the financier of last resort for AI firms. Nvidia CEO... Nvidia shocked the market earlier this month when it lined up half a dozen financial giants,...

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Photo by Josh Edelson/ Getty Images.

Jensen Huang's Manic Moves

By Amir Efrati · Aug 24, 2026 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang continues to not rest on his laurels, particularly as clouds continue forming over the AI buildout. On Sunday, Phoebe, Valida and I reported that Nvidia was planning to lead a multibillion-dollar investment in Perplexity, the search firm-turned-AI agent provider whose revenue growth has been pretty great this year.A few... Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang continues to not rest on his laurels, particularly as clouds continue...

Inside an Amazon fulfillment center. Photo by Michael Nagle/ Getty Images

Amazon Becomes Vital Sales Outlet For Independent Merchants

By Catherine Perloff · Aug 24, 2026 6:00am PDT

When Lauren Wang started Flex in Los Angeles a decade ago, she wanted to create a new type of menstrual care product that wasn’t already on the market—a disposable disc that lasts longer than traditional tampons or pads. Flex sold through its own website early on; it was one of a number of brands going the direct-to-consumer route at the... When Lauren Wang started Flex in Los Angeles a decade ago, she wanted to create a new type of...

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas. Photo via Getty.

Nvidia Discusses Perplexity Investment at $30 Billion-Plus Valuation

By Phoebe Liu, Valida Pau and Amir Efrati · Aug 23, 2026 8:06pm PDT

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas. Photo via Getty.

Nvidia Discusses Perplexity Investment at $30 Billion-Plus Valuation

By Phoebe Liu, Valida Pau and Amir Efrati · Aug 23, 2026 8:06pm PDT

Nvidia is discussing investing in Perplexity as part of an equity round that would value the AI startup at more than $30 billion, according to people with knowledge of the discussion. The round would be worth billions of dollars and boost the startup’s valuation more than 50% from its last financing a year ago, the people said. The proposed deal... Nvidia is discussing investing in Perplexity as part of an equity round that would value the AI...

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Nvidia, Salesforce Are in Spotlight This Week

By Martin Peers · Aug 23, 2026 3:01pm PDT

Some of the hardest-working people in tech right now have to be the corporate communications folks at Nvidia, which is pretty much never out of the news. Aside from updates on its latest AI chips, Nvidia seems to be investing in almost every part of the AI sector, from data center developers to AI model makers to data-labeling providers. And... Some of the hardest-working people in tech right now have to be the corporate communications...

China's SAIC will sell the MG4 Urban, powered by a semisolid-state battery, in the U.K. Photo: Li Yingmin/China News Service/VCG/Getty

China's Geely Has a Jump in Solid-State Batteries. Should the U.S. Care?

By Steve LeVine · Aug 23, 2026 2:01pm PDT

Earlier this month, China’s Geely Group said it would deploy semisolid-state batteries in electric vehicles it is piloting next year, joining a slew of Chinese car companies preparing to commercialize the long-pursued battery technology. Earlier this month, China’s Geely Group said it would deploy semisolid-state batteries in...

Getty Images.

Sunday Insights

Why Unitree’s 460% IPO Stock Pop Wasn’t Unusual in China

By Jing Yang and Juro Osawa · Aug 23, 2026 8:00am PDT

Humanoid robot maker Unitree’s 460% surge in its Shanghai stock market debut on Wednesday was the latest in a series of eye-watering first trading-day pops fetched by some recent tech initial public offerings in mainland China’s stock market. It followed last month’s debut of ChangXin Memory Technologies, also known as CXMT, whose stock shot up... Humanoid robot maker Unitree’s 460% surge in its Shanghai stock market debut on Wednesday was the...

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presenting information about Vera Rubin chip systems this year. Photo via Getty

Nvidia AI Chip Prices to Rise About 17%, Server Makers Tell Customers

By Phoebe Liu and Amir Efrati · Aug 22, 2026 4:45pm PDT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presenting information about Vera Rubin chip systems this year. Photo via Getty

Nvidia AI Chip Prices to Rise About 17%, Server Makers Tell Customers

By Phoebe Liu and Amir Efrati · Aug 22, 2026 4:45pm PDT

Prices for some of Nvidia’s flagship AI server chip systems are set to rise about 17%, according to two people whose firms were notified by server makers that provide such systems. The price hikes generally apply to Grace Blackwell 300 and Vera Rubin 200 chip systems that are due to be delivered next year, these people said. The changes could... Prices for some of Nvidia’s flagship AI server chip systems are set to rise about 17%, according...