The S&P said Thursday that it's not changing its rules to fast-track mega-cap IPOs onto its marquee stock index, the S&P 500.
Why it matters: S&P's decision doesn't mention SpaceX, but it means that Elon Musk's company — as well as Anthropic and OpenAI, if they go public as expected — won't be making it into the index for at least a year.
And it's a surprise, coming after other major indexes drew fire for changing their rules to more quickly accommodate Elon Musk's company.
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a proposal to regulate AI that would override some state laws.
Why it matters: The draft's release is a major step in what will be a difficult path forward for a bipartisan AI bill that can pass the House and the Senate.
AI development is moving so rapidly that soon it will be able to advance itself without human involvement, per a new blog post from Anthropic.
Why it matters: "Recursive self-improvement," a process in which AI systems build, test and improve themselves, is a phenomenon which may come sooner than expected, Anthropic says its research shows.
BenchmarkCapital has effectively closed two new funds: $750 million for its 12th flagship early-stage strategy, and $1.25b for its first growth fund.
Why it matters: Both funds are major departures from historical precedent for Benchmark, which has long been considered one of Silicon Valley's most successful VC firms.
Anne Neuberger, the former U.S. deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, has joined Andreessen Horowitz as a fulltime partner and the firm's first head of global affairs, Axios has learned exclusively.
Why it matters: This reflects the growing interconnectivity of tech and geopolitics, particularly as sectors like defense-tech become key to venture portfolios.
Americans are letting it ride, with a record share of their wealth in the stock market.
Why it matters: It means that the AI-driven rally is enriching Americans more than usual and exposing them to potentially painful losses from a reversal.
Whether you want a thriller, rom-com, documentary or reality show, there's something new to watch on streaming this week. A few highlights:
"Cape Fear" — limited series available Friday on Apple TV
Married attorneys (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) have their lives upended when the killer they helped put away (Javier Bardem) gets out of prison and comes looking for revenge.
As AI changes the way the world gathers information, some critics say that it is perpetuating stereotypes and erasing cultural nuances for Indigenous groups and people of color.
Why it matters: Most mainstream models are trained on the work of Western writers — particularly white men — and regularly mimic those values, writing styles, viewpoints and biases.
President Trump has expanded military operations across multiple regions during his second term, with U.S. forces targeting drug-smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific even as American and Iranian officials pursue a peace deal.
Why it matters: Trump's expanding military operations are testing whether his America First doctrine can accommodate a growing U.S. military footprint overseas.
