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AI policy debates heat up in Biden’s final days

Author

Alex Wilhelm
January 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Top News

  • AI policy heats up: The Biden administration is leaving office, but not before it finishes up some work. Including new rules on chip exports and other pieces of AI policy that have engendered a sharply negative review from major technology companies. Also today, OpenAI dropped an AI policy document detailing how it would approach AI regulation and government support. On the docket? Federal rules over state-led regulations and more access to Federal data. (Alex has notes here if you want more.)

  • TikTok’s replacements: As TikTok’s divest-or-ban date approaches, users of the social services are hunting for replacements. But instead of flocking directly to US-built options, Wired reports that Chinese apps Xiaohongshu and Lemon8 appear to be soaking up a good portion of TikTok’s soon-to-be-bereft users. That ByteDance owns Lemon8 as well as TikTok is ironic.

  • Is that a SPAC? After raising $106 million in capital last April, Blaize is looking for more. The startup builds AI chips for the edge — as opposed to building chips for centralized data centers — and is looking to list through a SPAC. SPACs became popular during the last tech boom but quickly became derided for more capital incineration than accumulation. Still, they can offer a quick way to fundraise. Let’s see if other chip companies follow Blaize to list this year — have more than a few on the TWiST500 in mind.

TWiST500

Today on the podcast TWiST spoke with the co-founders and CEOs of Profound and Resistant AI. That show should be out not long after you read this email. And we have another half-dozen TWiST500 interviews cooking that you will see soon. Much is afoot!

But today, for the newsletter, let’s take a look at a news item. Here’s Fox Business:

Crypto payments platform MoonPay has acquired blockchain payment processor Helio for $175 million, marking the start of what could be a series of strategic mergers in the digital asset space under the crypto-friendly Trump administration, FOX Business has learned.

MoonPay is a recent addition to the TWiST500, but it is certainly living up to its inclusion by making headlines in such short order. The Helio purchase — and the chance for more similar dealmaking — make it plain that MoonPay has greater plans than merely being known as a crypto on-ramp.

The crypto industry is once again on firmer footing after a period of being out of favor, thanks in part to rapidly appreciating token prices and an election in the United States that many expect to yield a more accommodative crypto policy. Expect a lot more news like this this year. — Alex


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This Week in Startups

E2071: Alex opens the show and dives into Mark Zuckerberg's Joe Rogan interview, OpenAI's economic pitch, and the pending IPO of India’s Groww. Alex interviews two of our TWiST500 members, James Cadwallader (Profound) and Martin Rehak (Resistant AI), who discuss their companies' innovative approaches to SEO and fraud detection. The episode also covers the Biden administration's AI diffusion plan and shifts in the global tech landscape.

E2070: Jason shares highlights from his recent trip to Japan before tackling pressing issues like the LA wildfire crisis, federal aid challenges, and the potential for lawsuits against California over damages. The conversation shifts to the economic impact of inflation, the latest job report, and how automation and AI are transforming the labor market. Plus, they cover TikTok’s Supreme Court case and highlight wildfire relief efforts through the LA Fire Department Wildfire Fund.

E2069: Jason and Alex kick off the episode with a discussion about the recent fires in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, exploring the implications for insurance and startup opportunities. They dive into Meta's new content moderation strategy, analyzing Zuckerberg's motivations and potential actions from leadership. The conversation shifts to NVIDIA's AI supercomputer chip, Lenovo's rollable laptop, and Slack's iOS integration, showcasing cutting-edge innovations in tech. The episode wraps with a look at BYD's new supercar, Anthropic's valuation, and Jason’s experience with luxury Japanese minivans.

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