Alphabet Option Alert: Mar 21 $200 Puts at the Ask: 1565 vs 3722 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Mar 21 $200 Puts at the Ask: 1565 @ $15.85 vs 3722 OI; Ref=$184.9

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) Stock

Alphabet

Alphabet is a holding company that wholly owns internet giant Google. The California-based company derives slightly less than 90% of its revenue from Google services, the vast majority of which is advertising sales. Alongside online ads, Google services houses sales stemming from Google's subscription services (YouTube TV, YouTube Music among others), platforms (sales and in-app purchases on Play Store), and devices (Chromebooks, Pixel smartphones, and smart home products such as Chromecast). Google's cloud computing platform, or GCP, accounts for roughly 10% of Alphabet's revenue with the firm's investments in up-and-coming technologies such as self-driving cars (Waymo), health (Verily), and internet access (Google Fiber) making up the rest.

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Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, stated that Elon Musk has no plans to integrate Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA)&#39;s forthcoming robotaxis into Uber&#39;s platform.

Will Elon Musk&#39;s Tesla Team Up With Uber To Roll Out Robotaxis? CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Spills The Beans

Trump's Federal Workforce Downsizing Plan Gets Green Light From Judge, Appeal By Unions Dismissed

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Trump Moves To Impose Tariffs On Countries With Digital Taxes, Defending Apple, Amazon, Meta, Google And Other US Tech Giants

Apple TV Photo by oasisamuel on Shutterstock

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Analyst maintains Buy rating on Apple Inc with $265 price target. Apple TV App now available on Android, can increase revenue and brand awareness.

Apple Expands Apple TV+ to Android, Eyes Subscription Growth and Ecosystem Expansion, Analyst Says

Alphabet Inc

Uber Technologies Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) CEO,&nbsp;Dara Khosrowshahi, stated that&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;has no plans to integrate&nbsp;Tesla Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)&#8217;s forthcoming robotaxis into Uber&#8217;s platform.
What Happened: Speaking <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-21/uber-ceo-says-musk-wants-to-go-alone-on-tesla-robotaxi-rollout">with</a> Bloomberg TV at the FII conference in Miami on Friday, Khosrowshahi revealed that Musk plans to roll out Tesla's robotaxi service without external partnerships.
&#8220;They want to build it alone, so to some extent in Austin, we and Waymo will be competing with Tesla when they launch,&#8221; he said, referencing Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) autonomous vehicle unit.
Khosrowshahi believes that Uber would be a logical platform for Tesla drivers, as it introduces variable demand to the autonomous vehicle (AV) ecosystem. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/02/43899750/trump-team-threatens-to-cut-ukraines-access-to-elon-musks-starlink-over-minerals-dispute-report">Trump Team Threatens To Cut Ukraine&#8217;s Access To Elon Musk&#8217;s Starlink Over Minerals Dispute: Report</a>
Uber has intensified its focus on autonomous vehicle (AV) technology in recent years, forging over a dozen manufacturing partnerships and investing in multiple self-driving tech firms since 2023. The company is preparing to roll out autonomous rides with Waymo in Austin next month, followed by an expansion to Atlanta this summer.
Why It Matters: This revelation comes after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43724986/uber-ceo-looks-forward-to-tesla-partnership-for-robotaxis-no-one-wants-to-compete-against-tesla-or-elon">Khosrowshahi expressed optimism </a>about a potential partnership between Uber and Tesla for robotaxis. In a recent interview, he stated that he hoped to convince Tesla to work with Uber, emphasizing that no one wants to compete against Tesla if they can help it.
Uber halted its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/42801896/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-resigns-from-board-of-autonomous-vehicle-tech-company-aurora">in-house self-driving car development</a> in 2020, selling its autonomous vehicle division to Aurora. Reflecting on the decision, the CEO explained that during the pandemic, he prioritized capital efficiency, as the company was incurring massive losses in robotaxi development. He acknowledged that hardware was not Uber's core strength.
The launch of Tesla's robotaxis and Waymo's expanded operations could impact Uber's ride volume growth and reduce its commission rates, according to Bloomberg. Additionally, Waymo offers driverless rides through its app in key markets like San Francisco and is set to expand to Miami next year.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43582884/elon-musks-spacex-and-t-mobile-go-live-with-starlink-powered-satellite-to-cell-service-heres-how-much-it-will-cost" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk's SpaceX And T-Mobile Go Live With Starlink-Powered Satellite-To-Cell Service: Here's How Much It Will Cost</a></li>
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Tesla

Will Elon Musk's Tesla Team Up With Uber To Roll Out Robotaxis? CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Spills The Beans

President Donald Trump ordered his trade chief to reopen investigations into<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/10/41147159/netflix-disney-amazon-hit-by-philippines-new-12-tax-on-digital-providers"> digital service taxes</a> imposed on U.S. tech firms, a move that could result in new tariffs on affected countries. 
What Happened: Trump&#8217;s order, issued on Friday, is aimed at countering the DSTs,&nbsp;fines, practices, and policies that&nbsp;foreign governments impose on American companies. 
The directive calls on the U.S. Trade Representative&#8217;s office to reopen past digital service tax investigations from Trump's first term and examine any new cases where digital taxes may unfairly target U.S. companies.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43806703/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-platforms-dips-below-short-term-average-as-it-snaps-20-day-winning-run" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Stock Dips Below Short-Term Average As Mark Zuckerberg-Led Tech Giant Snaps 20-Day Winning Streak</a>
Digital service taxes, aimed at major U.S. tech firms like Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), and Amazon (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), have been a persistent trade issue for multiple U.S. administrations.
Countries including Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, India, Austria, and Canada have implemented these taxes on the local sales revenue of these and other digital service providers.
During Trump's first term, the U.S. Trade Representative's office launched Section 301 investigations into these policies, resulting in retaliatory tariffs on select imports.
Why It Matters: This move by Trump comes in the wake of his recent announcement to impose a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43805852/trump-shakes-global-trade-with-25-auto-chip-and-pharma-tariffs-announcement-asian-stocks-pare-their-five-day-rally">25% tariff on auto imports, chips, and pharmaceuticals</a>, causing a stir in international trade. The tariffs are expected to take effect as early as April 2, following a report from his cabinet members outlining options for import duties.
Amid escalating <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43876173/apple-ceo-tim-cook-reportedly-meets-trump-as-tariff-impact-looms-on-iphone-sales-and-companys-china-strategy">trade tensions between the U.S.</a> and China, Apple&#8217;s CEO Tim Cook is said to have met President Trump. According to Trump, Cook discussed investing &#8220;hundreds of billions of dollars&#8221; in the U.S. amid tariff threat.
Trump&#8217;s memo instructs his administration to assess whether any European Union or British policies encourage U.S. companies to adopt practices that restrict free speech or promote censorship. According to a White House fact sheet, special attention will be given to how U.S. firms are impacted by the EU&#8217;s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act.
This comes amid ongoing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/09/40915828/google-wins-1-7b-eu-antitrust-fine-appeal-over-5-year-old-online-search-advertising-case">tension between tech giants and the EU. </a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43810048/mark-zuckerberg-offloads-meta-shares-worth-14-4-million-in-february" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Zuckerberg Offloads Meta Shares Worth $14.4 Million In February</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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Shares of companies in the broader communication sector are trading lower amid overall market weakness on US consumer and economic concerns.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Says Would Love To Have Tesla's Robotaxis On The Uber Network; Says Uber, Waymo Will Compete With Tesla In Austin

BofA Securities analyst Wamsi Mohan maintained a Buy rating on Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AAPL/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">price target of $265</a>.
Apple recently announced that the Apple TV App <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/39077579/apple-tv-coming-to-android-iphone-maker-reportedly-seeks-senior-engineer-to-create-version-for-rival" rel="noreferrer noopener">will be available on</a> Android mobile devices (including phones, tablets, and foldables).
Instead of accessing Apple TV+ using a browser, Android users can have a better experience.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43882755/apple-iphone-faces-new-threat-in-china-oppo-launches-ai-powered-foldable-phones-at-lower-prices" rel="noreferrer noopener">China&#8217;s Oppo Heats Up Smartphone Landscape, Launches AI-Powered Foldable At Competitive Price</a>
From Apple&#8217;s standpoint, this announcement can help increase subscription revenue in the long term by making Apple TV+ more readily available and convenient to view on the Android installed base, which is much larger than the iOS installed base.
Beyond any financial benefit, it also helps make Apple more accessible to users of the Android installed base, which, over time, can help increase migrations into the iOS ecosystem.
The rerating reflects stable cash flows, earnings resiliency and potential beneficiary of AI use on edge devices.
Mohan assumed a Base case where, over time, Apple penetrates 1.5% of the Android installed base, which can support the Apple TV App. The analyst assumed users in emerging markets would pay a lower monthly charge. He estimated ~$2 billion in revenue and ~$0.02 EPS impact.
In addition, users can subscribe to the MLS season pass, which can drive some incremental revenue for Apple.
While the impact of mid-term revenue and EPS may not be significant, making more Apple Apps available on Android can help increase Apple brand awareness beyond the iOS ecosystem and drive future migrations.
The Android operating system (OS) has a dominant market share in emerging markets.
Mohan noted that iOS users tend to have higher ARPU for apps and subscriptions than Android users.
Moreover, Apple would have costs related to providing Apple TV+ on Android, including the platform fee paid to Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ&#8221; GOOGL) Google.
The analyst expects Apple to continue investing in original content to make Apple TV+ attractive to subscribers. Overall, he assumed a lower gross margin of 30% for the steaming subscription service versus an overall Apple Services gross margin of around 70%.
Mohan&#8217;s fiscal 2025E revenue and EPS remain at $411 billion and $7.30.
Price Action: AAPL stock is down 0.07% at $245.59 at last check Friday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43883619/uscellular-q4-earnings-3-99-million-postpaid-connections-churn-drops-to-1-29-withholds-2025-guidance-due-to-t-mobile-deal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UScellular Q4 Earnings: 3.99 Million Postpaid Connections, Churn Drops To 1.29%, Withholds 2025 Guidance Due To T-Mobile Deal</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by oasisamuel on Shutterstock

Legal

Alphabet's Google Set To Be Hit With EU Charges Of Infringing Digital Markets Act; EU Antitrust Regulators Not Happy With Google's Threat To Bring Back Old Blue Links In Search Results

China&#8217;s Oppo showcased its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/smartphones" rel="noreferrer noopener">new flagship folding phone</a> with artificial intelligence-focused features Thursday, intensifying rivalry with premium smartphone companies like Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Samsung&nbsp;Electronics (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) and Huawei.
The iPhone captured an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/01/42951487/apples-iphone-market-share-declines-in-china-huawei-and-xiaomi-gain-momentum-in-2024-counterpoint" rel="noreferrer noopener">18% global market share</a> in 2024, down from 19% in 2023, due to its smartphones&#8217; lack of AI features. Samsung&nbsp;led with a market share of 19% in 2024, down from 20% in 2023.
Oppo, akin to its rivals, remains committed to artificial intelligence-focused features on the device.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43847808/lenovo-q3-earnings-20-revenue-jump-ai-pcs-and-smartphones-power-market-expansion" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lenovo Q3 Earnings: 20% Revenue Jump, AI PCs and Smartphones Power Market Expansion</a>
Oppo&#8217;s ultra-thin design, the Find N5 phone, with a 6.62-inch display and a half foldable, will retail for 2,499 Singapore dollars ($1,867.70), according to CNBC <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/20/oppo-find-n5-folding-phone-specs-price-availability-.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>.
Find N5&#8217;s 5,600 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, which is made of silicon-carbon material and is the size of a credit card. Oppo Find N5 has a triple-camera setup with a telephoto lens that can zoom in up to 30 times thanks to AI Telescope Zoom.
The phone also has a personal AI assistant that can interpret and summarize documents, generate summaries of phone calls, and translate video calls.
Oppo&#8217;s O+ Connect lets users connect their phones to a Mac computer. Oppo uses Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google as its AI partner in international markets.
Recently,&nbsp;Huawei launched the Mate XT, a &#8220;trifold&#8221; phone with three screens, for the international market. Samsung recently launched additional AI capabilities on its&nbsp;new flagship Galaxy S25 series.
Apple tapped Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43631776/apple-teams-up-with-alibaba-for-ai-innovation-in-china-submits-ai-features-for-regulatory-approval" rel="noreferrer noopener">integrate AI features</a> into iPhones in China as it fights to regain lost market share from
China-backed players like Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Huawei, whose smartphones with AI features were available at a considerable discount compared to Apple.
Apple also has a partnership with Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>). Recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43820197/apple-unveils-iphone-16e-with-a18-chip-ai-features-599-price-tag" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple showcased its</a> $599 iPhone 16e with OLED display, A18 chip, and custom modem.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846533/alibaba-q3-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-eyes-global-e-commerce-profitability-in-fy25-increase-investments-in-ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alibaba Q3 Earnings: Revenue And EPS Beat, Eyes Global E-Commerce Profitability In FY25, Increase Investments In AI</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Oppo

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China's Oppo Heats Up Smartphone Landscape, Launches AI-Powered Foldable At Competitive Price

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Economics

Bloomberg: President Trump Expected To Sign Memorandum That Opens The Door To Levies In Response To Digital Services Taxes Some Countries Impose On US Tech Companies

Mark Zuckerberg&#8216;s Meta&nbsp;Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)&nbsp;have voiced their concerns over Europe&#8217;s stringent artificial intelligence (AI) regulations, arguing that these rules are hampering the growth of the region&#8217;s tech industry.
What Happened: The public policy chiefs of these tech giants expressed their concerns&nbsp;at the Techarena tech conference&nbsp;in Stockholm, Sweden, reported <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/21/google-meta-execs-blast-europe-over-strict-ai-regulation.html">CNBC</a>. They contended that Europe&#8217;s rigorous approach to regulating technologies like AI and machine learning is suppressing innovation.
Meta&#8217;s director of public policy, Chris Yiu stated that the European regulation around technology is sometimes too fragmented or goes too far, resulting in product delays or watered-down versions. "I think there is now broad consensus that European regulation around technology has its issues, and sometimes it's too fragmented, like GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation], sometimes it goes too far, like the AI Act."
 He mentioned Meta&#8217;s recently released Ray-Ban smart glasses as an example, highlighting their AI-powered ability to translate speech or describe images for individuals with visual impairments. The product&#8217;s launch in Europe was delayed due to regulatory issues.
Google DeepMind&#8217;s head&nbsp;of public policy, Dorothy Chou also echoed Yiu&#8217;s sentiments, She pointed out that the AI Act was created before some technologies even existed and emphasized that policy should foster a better investment environment rather than hinder technological advancement.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43780318/trumps-executive-order-on-corruption-what-it-means-for-u-s-companies">Trump&#8217;s Executive Order On Corruption: What It Means For U.S. Companies</a>
Why It Matters: These criticisms come amidst growing concerns from Big Tech firms about&nbsp;the EU&#8217;s approach to tech&nbsp;regulation. Google and Meta have intensified their lobbying efforts to influence and ease certain aspects of the AI Act. 
In January, Google contested a record <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43274659/google-fights-record-eu-android-fine-claims-users-choose-its-services-over-rivals">EU antitrust fine </a>over its Android operating system, arguing that users preferred its services. In February, Meta announced its plans <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/02/43581128/consumer-tech-news-feb-3-feb-7-meta-plans-not-to-comply-with-the-eu-ai-code-of-practice-apple-raises-applecare-service-subscription-cost-more">not to comply</a> with the EU AI Code of Practice.
Meta also hinted that it will turn to President Donald Trump if the EU doesn&#8217;t relent. However, EU antitrust chief&nbsp;Teresa Ribera refused to change her stance and told Reuters on Tuesday that the team will make key decisions regarding Meta and Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), based on evidence, as scheduled in March.
Since March last year, both the tech giants have been under the EU&#8217;s scrutiny and could incur substantial fines of up to 10% of their global annual revenue if found in violation of the Digital Markets Act.
Despite the EU drawing a lot of criticism from the Trump Administration, Ribera said, &#8220;We need to be flexible but we cannot transact on human rights nor are we going to transact on the unity of Europe, and we are not going to transact on democracy and values.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43878760/dogecoins-journey-from-memecoin-to-real-money-crazy-but-cool-says-elon-musk-i-am-living-the-meme">Dogecoin&#8217;s Journey From Memecoin To &#8216;Real&#8217; Money &#8216;Crazy But Cool,&#8217; Says Elon Musk: &#8216;I Am Living The Meme&#8217;</a>

Markets

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta And Google Slam Europe's Strict AI Rules: 'Sometimes It Goes Too Far'

AI startup&nbsp;DeepSeek&nbsp;announced plans to open-source five of its code repositories, a move aimed at fostering transparency and community-driven innovation.
What Happened: On Friday, Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) DeepMind AI rival revealed on X that it will be open-sourcing five of its repositories, sharing its progress with the public. The company stated, &#8220;Starting next week, we&#8217;ll be open-sourcing 5 repos, sharing our small but sincere progress with full transparency.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f680; Day 0: Warming up for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpenSourceWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpenSourceWeek</a>! We&#39;re a tiny team <a href="https://twitter.com/deepseek_ai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deepseek_ai</a> exploring AGI. Starting next week, we&#39;ll be open-sourcing 5 repos, sharing our small but sincere progress with full transparency. These humble building blocks in our online service have been documented,…
&mdash; DeepSeek (@deepseek_ai) <a href="https://twitter.com/deepseek_ai/status/1892786555494019098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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A code repository is a centralized storage space where developers can access, manage, and collaborate on software projects. DeepSeek&#8217;s decision to open-source its code repositories is a testament to its commitment to transparency and community-driven innovation. The company believes that &#8220;every line shared becomes collective&nbsp;momentum that accelerates the journey.&#8221;
SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43871609/trumps-federal-workforce-downsizing-plan-gets-green-light-from-judge-appeal-by-unions-dismissed"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43871609/trumps-federal-workforce-downsizing-plan-gets-green-light-from-judge-appeal-by-unions-dismissed">Trump&#8217;s Federal Workforce Downsizing Plan Gets Green Light From Judge, Appeal By Unions Dismissed</a>
Why It Matters: Open-sourcing code repositories is a significant move for any tech company, as these repositories often contain key company assets. However, for DeepSeek, the open-source nature of its V3 and R1 models has been instrumental in its recent success. 
The launch of DeepSeek&#8217;s R1 model in January caused the biggest sell-off in AI stocks with Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) seeing an erosion of $593 billion in its market value. 
According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299597/ai-start-deepseek-open-source-5-code-repositories-next-week-full-transparency">South China Morning Post</a>, DeepSeek&#8217;s commitment to open-source is not just about transparency, but also about &#8220;garage-energy&#8221; and community-driven innovation. The company&#8217;s approach has resonated with the tech community, contributing to its meteoric rise in recent months.
In another significant development on Thursday, DeepSeek outlined its upcoming development priorities in a new technical study, co-authored by founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng along with 14 others. The study explores &#8220;native sparse attention&#8221; (NSA), a system designed to enhance the efficiency of artificial intelligence (AI) models in processing large volumes of data.
DeepSeek&#8217;s open-source policy is in sharp contrast to OpenAI which has kept its technology closed-source. Notably, ChatGPT&#8217;s popularity hasn&#8217;t faded despite tough competition from DeepSeek. OpenAI&#8217;s Chief Operating officer, Brad Lightcap, told CNBC, that the platform recorded a 33% increase in its user base from December, and has over 400 million weekly active users as of February.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43872745/bitcoin-breaches-98k-ethereum-dogecoin-flat-as-sec-relaxes-crypto-enforcement-top-analysts-are-focused-on-this-level-for-a-potential-btc-upside">Bitcoin Breaches $98K, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As SEC Relaxes Crypto Enforcement: Top Analysts Are Focused On This Level For A Potential BTC Upside</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

China's DeepSeek To Open-Source Key Code Repositories In A Bid For Full Transparency

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Bloomberg: 'YouTube Plans Lower-Priced, Ad-Free Version of Paid Video Tier'

MSFT

U.S. FTC Says It Launches Inquiry On Tech Censorship

<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/salesforce-in-talks-with-microsoft-oracle-and-google-about-cloud-deal-to-handle-ai" title="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/salesforce-in-talks-with-microsoft-oracle-and-google-about-cloud-deal-to-handle-ai">https://www.theinformation.com/articles/salesforce-in-talks-with-microsoft-oracle-and-google-about-cloud-deal-to-handle-ai</a>

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'Salesforce In Talks With Microsoft, Oracle And Google About Cloud Deal To Handle AI' - The Information

As the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Satya Nadella announced the world's first-of-a-kind quantum chip &#8211; Majorana 1, quantum computing stocks jumped with the euphoria surrounding the discovery.
What Happened: Even as skeptics raised questions on the usage of the word "breakthrough," Nadella in a podcast with Dwarkesh Patel reiterated that this was a "physics and fabrication breakthrough" and not a "quantum computing breakthrough".
Describing a new phase of matter that was used to conduct information in the new chip, Nadella in an X post said, "We've created an entirely new state of matter, unlocked by a new class of materials, topoconductors, that enable a fundamental leap in computing."
He termed this discovery as the "the transistor moment of quantum computing," in the podcast.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A couple reflections on the quantum computing breakthrough we just announced&#8230; Most of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed. After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we've created an entirely new state of… <a href="https://t.co/Vp4sxMHNjc">pic.twitter.com/Vp4sxMHNjc</a>
&mdash; Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1892242895094313420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Following this, the quantum computing stocks edged higher on Wednesday. The stocks were also trading higher in the premarket on Thursday. On a year-to-date basis, these stocks had underperformed the benchmarks.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks</td>
<td>Wednesday&#8217;s Performance</td>
<td>Thursday&#8217;s Pre-Market Performance</td>
<td>YTD Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rigetti Computing Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>)</td>
<td>4.58%</td>
<td>11.06%</td>
<td>-44.85%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Quantum Computing Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QUBT#NASDAQ">QUBT</a>)</td>
<td>7.86%</td>
<td>9.80%</td>
<td>-57.57%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>D-Wave Quantum Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QBTS#NYSE">QBTS</a>)</td>
<td>8.28%</td>
<td>9.48%</td>
<td>-31.95%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IonQ Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IONQ#NYSE">IONQ</a>)</td>
<td>0.59%</td>
<td>4.51%</td>
<td>-20.79%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QTUM#NASDAQ">QTUM</a>)</td>
<td>0.18%</td>
<td>0.73%</td>
<td>3.57%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43839198/reduce-deficits-and-debt-full-stop-says-this-economist-as-trump-mulls-doge-dividend-by-giving-away-20-of-its-savings-to-public">&#8216;Reduce Deficits And Debt… Full Stop,&#8217; Says Craig Shapiro As Trump Mulls &#8216;DOGE Dividend&#8217; By Giving Away 20% Of Its Savings To Public</a>
Why It Matters: Investor and businessman Martin Shkreli criticized IonQ and Rigetti Computing&#8217;s stock valuations, claiming quantum computing isn&#8217;t commercially viable.
He suggested Microsoft&#8217;s new ‘Majorana 1' chip, despite its &#8220;breakthrough&#8221; claims, could hurt its market positions. Shkreli also alleged attempts to suppress the publication of Microsoft&#8217;s quantum research.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">There was a fairly vicious battle to disqualify the Microsoft quantum paper from publication. The word &#39;breakthrough&#39; should be used very carefully. <a href="https://t.co/pDHiRcsh4w">pic.twitter.com/pDHiRcsh4w</a>
&mdash; Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/1892384299329958344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) backed Google&#8217;s Willow chip which was announced on Dec. 9, 2024. It achieved a quantum memory milestone, solving a problem in minutes that would take a supercomputer longer than the universe&#8217;s age. Despite this, high error rates still limited its practical quantum memory applications.
Nadella, on the other hand, in the conversation with Patel also said "We have also got some fantastic breakthroughs on error correction."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43839505/occidental-petroleum-achieves-near-term-debt-reduction-target-7-months-early-in-q4-continuing-this-momentum-management-sets-12-billion-target-for-q1">Warren Buffett&#8217;s Favorite Energy Stock Occidental Petroleum Achieves Near-Term Debt Reduction Target 7 Months Early In Q4: Management Sets $1.2 Billion Target For Q1</a>
Price Action: MSFT rose 1.25% on Wednesday, contrasting with a slight 0.028% uptick in the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which tracks the Nasdaq 100 index.
In premarket on Thursday, it was up 0.38% whereas QQQ was down 0.20%. MSFT remains 0.91% lower on a year-to-date basis and only 2.97% up over the year.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MSFT/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks 31 analysts</a> with an average price target of $509.23 for the stock, reflecting a &#8220;buy&#8221; rating. Estimates range widely from $425 to $600. Recent ratings from UBS, DA Davidson, and RBC Capital average $478.33, suggesting a potential 14.80% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MSFT/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="388" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20070830/MSFT-stock-ANR-1024x388.png" alt="" class="wp-image-790724" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20070830/MSFT-stock-ANR-1024x388.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20070830/MSFT-stock-ANR-300x114.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20070830/MSFT-stock-ANR-768x291.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20070830/MSFT-stock-ANR.png 1069w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Equities

Sector ETFs

IONQ

QBTS

QTUM

QUBT

RGTI

Quantum Computing Stocks RGTI, QUBT, IONQ, QBTS Cheer Microsoft's 'Majorana 1' Launch: Satya Nadella Calls It A 'Physics And Fabrication Breakthrough'

Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) remains strong, with shares recovering double digits a month after the DeepSeek-led selloff.
What Happened: Renowned investor Michael Del Monte is optimistic about Nvidia&#8217;s growth trajectory. He stated that no hyperscaler has reduced its capital outlay for computer and data centers, which bodes well for Nvidia, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/blue-skies-ahead-says-investor-about-nvidia-stock-1034378048">reported</a> Market Insider. Del Monte also highlighted the industry&#8217;s current focus on model optimization, which he expects will encourage domestic AI developers to speed up growth and sustain their leadership in AI.
Del Monte further emphasizes the need for more AI data centers to meet enterprise demand. He predicts&nbsp;that AI capital expenditures will increase&nbsp;by nearly 40% year-over-year to reach $313 billion this year, with growth expected to stabilize at these levels in subsequent years.
The investor stated that the industry is going through the "model optimization" stage. "I expect that the emergence of these models will ignite the necessity of domestic AI developers to accelerate growth and development to maintain their leadership in AI," Del Monte explained. 
Looking ahead, Del Monte anticipates a strong performance from Nvidia&#8217;s fourth-quarter earnings, scheduled for release on February 26. He rates Nvidia stock as a Buy.
"Nvidia's q4'25 earnings have a strong potential to outperform driven by strong data center growth and hyperscalers' continued investment in compute capacity," added the investor.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43809552/top-2-energy-stocks-that-may-explode-this-month">Top 2 Energy Stocks That May Explode This Month</a>
Why It Matters: Investors initially feared that a decrease in capex spending on AI infrastructure would impact the AI giant&#8217;s revenues and margins. However, these fears appear to be unfounded as major tech companies continue to invest heavily in AI infrastructure. For instance, Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) have announced a capital outlay of <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/content/43534579/alphabet-stock-dip-a-prime-ai-powered-buying-opportunity">$75 billion </a>and $60 to $65 billion respectively in 2025.
The bullish sentiment surrounding Nvidia is not isolated. UBS maintained its bullish stance and noted that Nvidia stands strong against other AI stocks. Nvidia should deliver ‘solid' results amid ‘mixed' sentiment, stated UBS. 
Furthermore, Wedbush&nbsp;analyst&nbsp;Dan Ives&nbsp;on CNBC&#8217;s Squawk Street <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43837526/top-analyst-predicts-apple-will-hit-4-trillion-first-followed-by-nvidia-says-ai-demand-is-exploding-despite-tariffs-and-deepseek-fears-the-bears-cant-see-ai-in-the-spreadsheets">reaffirmed his confidence in Nvidia</a>, describing it as a &#8220;table pounder&#8221; and forecasting that its market cap will eventually reach $5 trillion.
This context underscores the significance of Del Monte&#8217;s predictions and the potential growth trajectory for Nvidia.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Nvidia Stock Poised To Rise Amid Strong AI Investments By Hyperscalers, Says Top Investor

Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI's Grok, has surpassed OpenAI's ChatGPT, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) subsidiary Google&#8217;s Gemini, and China's DeepSeek to become the leading productivity app on Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) App Store.
What Happened: On Thursday, Musk shared a screenshot highlighting the achievement of Grok on X. He noted that Grok secured the top position without even launching its voice mode and additional upcoming features.
"This is without voice mode and many other features coming out in the next few days," Musk wrote.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This is without voice mode and many other features coming out in the next few days <a href="https://t.co/yofueZ7bmA">pic.twitter.com/yofueZ7bmA</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1892452789042757709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: The ranking follows xAI's release of Grok 3 on Feb. 18, which introduced enhanced AI capabilities, including image analysis.
Its debut follows DeepSeek's release of a powerful open-source model, that <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43685601/after-deepseek-shook-wall-street-chinas-baidu-gears-up-for-ai-battle-with-next-gen-ernie-5-0-launch-in-late-2025">shook Wall Street</a> in January 2025.
Grok 3 is now available to Premium+ subscribers on X, Musk's social media platform. xAI is also introducing a new subscription plan, SuperGrok, for users accessing the chatbot through its mobile app and Grok.com.
Last year in November, Musk's AI venture reached <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/11/42235738/in-just-16-months-elon-musk-achieved-with-xai-what-took-openai-nearly-nine-years-to-accomplish">$50 billion in valuation</a>.
Meanwhile, Musk&#8217;s investor group offered $97.4 billion to acquire OpenAI&#8217;s nonprofit assets. However, the ChatGPT-maker t<a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43755069/openai-board-rejects-elon-musks-97-billion-acquisition-proposal-days-after-sam-altman-calls-it-a-move-to-slow-down-a-competitor">urned down the proposal</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Elon Musk's Grok Overtakes OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini, And China's DeepSeek As The Leading Productivity App On Apple's App Store

Former hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli cast doubt on recent quantum computing advances and stock valuations, particularly targeting IonQ Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IONQ#NYSE">IONQ</a>) and Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>) in a series of posts on X on Wednesday.
What Happened: &#8220;IONQ and RGTI are both worth low single digits vs. their $33 and $10 prices today. quantum computing is not commercially viable in any serious way,&#8221; Shkreli wrote, suggesting Microsoft Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) recent quantum announcement could negatively impact both companies&#8217; market positions.
His comments come as Microsoft unveiled its Majorana 1 quantum chip, featuring a new Topological Core architecture that the company claims could eventually scale to one million qubits. The chip utilizes topoconductor technology, enabling more reliable and scalable quantum bits through <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43830761/microsoft-unveils-majorana-1-quantum-chip-races-against-google-and-nvidia-in-quantum-computing">controlled Majorana particles</a>.
Shkreli claimed there was an intense effort to prevent Microsoft&#8217;s quantum paper from being published, cautioning that the term &#8220;breakthrough&#8221; should be used with caution.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">There was a fairly vicious battle to disqualify the Microsoft quantum paper from publication. The word &#39;breakthrough&#39; should be used very carefully. <a href="https://t.co/pDHiRcsh4w">pic.twitter.com/pDHiRcsh4w</a>
&mdash; Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/1892384299329958344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Despite Shkreli&#8217;s bearish outlook, both quantum computing stocks have seen remarkable gains. IONQ shares have surged 221% over the past year, while RGTI stock has soared more than 572%. However, Shkreli previously pointed to operational challenges, sharing an Amazon Web Services Braket dashboard showing multiple quantum <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43119243/martin-shkreli-calls-ionq-and-rigetti-best-shorts-despite-recent-stock-gains-cites-offline-quantum-systems">processing units offline</a> from both companies.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">just a reminder that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24IONQ&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$IONQ</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24RGTI&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$RGTI</a> are both worth low single digits vs. their $33 and $10 prices today. quantum computing is great but it&#39;s not commercially viable in any serious way.
&mdash; Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/1892227181582946466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43837526/top-analyst-predicts-apple-will-hit-4-trillion-first-followed-by-nvidia-says-ai-demand-is-exploding-despite-tariffs-and-deepseek-fears-the-bears-cant-see-ai-in-the-spreadsheets">Top Analyst Predicts Apple Will Hit $4 Trillion First Followed By Nvidia — Says AI Demand Is &#8216;Exploding&#8217; Despite Tariffs And DeepSeek Fears: &#8216;The Bears Can&#8217;t See AI In The Spreadsheets&#8230;&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The debate over quantum computing&#8217;s commercial viability extends beyond Shkreli&#8217;s criticism. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang has suggested practical quantum applications may be 15 to 20 years away, while Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42397333/google-quantum-ais-new-willow-chip-can-do-in-minutes-that-supercomputers-would-take-10-septillion-years">maintains a more optimistic</a> five-year timeline with its Willow quantum chip.
Microsoft&#8217;s entry into the quantum computing race has earned backing from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The company has also partnered with Quantinuum and Atom Computing, integrating these quantum capabilities into its Azure cloud platform.
Shkreli, who gained notoriety as &#8220;Pharma Bro&#8221; and was convicted of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/21/11/23904774/wall-street-crime-and-punishment-martin-shkreli-the-self-destructive-pharma-bro">securities fraud in 2017</a>, remains banned from the pharmaceutical industry but has recently emerged as a vocal critic in the quantum computing sector.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

'Pharma Bro' Martin Shkreli Slams Microsoft's Quantum 'Breakthrough,' Predicts IONQ And RGTI Will Plummet As Tech Falls Behind

Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Google has decided to remove its AI assistant, Gemini, from the main app on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41891904/googles-standalone-gemini-app-for-iphone-spotted-with-live-activity-what-it-could-mean-for-your-ai-experience">iOS devices</a>.
What Happened: The tech giant informed users via email, stating, &#8220;Gemini is no longer available in the Google app.&#8221; The email advised users to download the Gemini app from the App Store to continue using the AI assistant on iOS.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The Gemini toggle is being removed -&gt; Google search app on iOS removing Gemini as it pushes users to full app <a href="https://t.co/UfCf6ZjyQp">https://t.co/UfCf6ZjyQp</a> <a href="https://t.co/8hb94iUkTc">pic.twitter.com/8hb94iUkTc</a>
&mdash; Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) <a href="https://twitter.com/glenngabe/status/1892198260057559540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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As per media speculations, this appears to be a strategic move to encourage users to download the standalone Gemini app. However, the decision could limit Gemini&#8217;s reach, as the main Google app is widely used.&nbsp;
Google did not immediately respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Alphabet posted $96.5 billion in <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43479274/alphabet-q4-earnings-highlights-ai-cloud-youtube-momentum-continues-capex-guidance-sends-shares-lower">fourth-quarter revenue</a>, marking a 12% annual rise. However, it narrowly missed Wall Street's $96.6 billion estimate.
During the earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai spoke about <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43488268/googles-gemini-ai-could-soon-include-adssundar-pichai-hints-at-future-monetization-beyond-subscriptions">Google's vast reach</a>, revealing that seven products, each with over two billion users, now feature Gemini.
He also highlighted Google's AI dominance, stating that its generative media models and Gemini lead industry benchmarks. Currently, over 4.4 million developers use Gemini models—twice as many as six months ago.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Alphabet&#8217;s Class A shares dipped 0.086% in after-hours trading, while Class C shares plunged 70.069%. On Wednesday's regular session, Class A shares closed up 0.82% at $185.27, and Class C shares gained 0.72% to $187.13, according to the data from <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent020425&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>.
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Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Google Takes Away Gemini From Main iOS App, Users Forced To Download Standalone AI Chatbot

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives remains bullish on AI stocks, predicting Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) will be the first to reach a $4 trillion market cap, followed by Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), despite concerns over tariffs and <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43685601/after-deepseek-shook-wall-street-chinas-baidu-gears-up-for-ai-battle-with-next-gen-ernie-5-0-launch-in-late-2025">rising competition</a> from China's DeepSeek.
What Happened: On Wednesday, Ives took to X, formerly Twitter, and reiterated his bullish stance on AI stocks and shared a link to his appearance on CNBC's Squawk Street.
&#8220;The bears can't see AI in the spreadsheets while in their hibernation caves… we focus on $325 billion of Big Tech Capex fueling this AI Revolution as the tech leaders of the future like Nvidia and Palantir lead tech higher in 2025,&#8221; he posted.
On CNBC's Squawk Street, Ives reiterated his confidence in Nvidia, calling it "a table pounder" and predicting it will reach a $5 trillion market cap in the future.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43685791/taiwan-semiconductor-could-be-the-lifeline-intel-needs-as-rumors-swirl-of-a-us-backed-joint-venture">Taiwan Semiconductor Could Be The Lifeline Intel Needs As Rumors Swirl Of A US-Backed Joint Venture</a>
Ives noted a significant 12% to 15% increase in semiconductor demand since October. &#8220;I think it just shows these enterprise use cases are exploding and that is really accelerating demand because no one wants to sort of lose their spot in line,&#8221; he said.
Despite <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/02/43827658/exclusive-apple-nvidia-tesla-or-boeing-which-company-faces-the-biggest-risk-from-trumps-china-tariffs-35-say-this-stock">concerns over tariffs</a> and valuation worries, Ives remains optimistic about the tech sector&#8217;s growth, predicting a 25% increase in tech stocks this year.
When asked about AI adoption in enterprise software, Ives pointed to Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) as the "golden child" of AI-driven monetization.
Ives also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43350126/dan-ives-says-chinese-startup-deepseeks-6-million-ai-development-assertion-is-likely-a-fictional-sto">dismissed concerns</a> of China's DeepSeek R1 model undercutting U.S. firms. "From a DeepSeek perspective, 45-50 enterprises—not one has changed plans," he noted.
On Apple, Ives said, "The first one to hit $4 trillion will be Apple in our opinion, followed by Nvidia." He attributed this to Apple&#8217;s strategic focus on emerging markets and its partnership with Alibaba in China.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The bears can't see AI in the spreadsheets while in their hibernation caves &#x1f43b;…we focus on $325 billion of Big Tech Capex fueling this AI Revolution as the tech leaders of the future like Nvidia and Palantir and Mag 7 lead tech higher in 2025&#x1f525;&#x1f3c6;&#x1f402;&#x1f37f;&#x1f30e; <a href="https://twitter.com/SquawkStreet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SquawkStreet</a> <a href="https://t.co/k3ML6YdTjW">https://t.co/k3ML6YdTjW</a>
&mdash; Dan Ives (@DivesTech) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech/status/1892308017875505372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: Major tech companies are heavily investing in artificial intelligence. Companies like Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) are expected to <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43564458/big-techs-2025-ai-bill-is-320-billion-and-counting-can-investors-stomach-it">spend a record $320 billion</a> on AI infrastructure by 2025, up from $246 billion in 2024.
Nvidia is expected to report its fiscal <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43655881/nvidia-a-strong-buy-with-42-upside-says-analyst-predicting-positive-report-and-outlook-ahead-of-earnings">fourth-quarter earnings</a> on Thursday, Feb. 26 following the market close.
Price Action: Nvidia's stock declined 0.17% in after-hours trading to $139, following a 0.12% drop earlier on Wednesday, closing at $139.23, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>. Apple's stock dipped 0.029% after hours to $244.80, after gaining 0.16% during regular trading, closing at $244.87.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

PLTR

Top Analyst Predicts Apple Will Hit $4 Trillion First Followed By Nvidia — Says AI Demand Is 'Exploding' Despite Tariffs And DeepSeek Fears: 'The Bears Can't See AI In The Spreadsheets...'

On Wednesday, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) launched Majorana 1, making its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/quantum-computing" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum chip debut</a> powered by a new Topological Core architecture that it expects to realize quantum computers capable of solving meaningful, <a target="_blank" href="https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/microsofts-majorana-1-chip-carves-new-path-for-quantum-computing/" rel="noreferrer noopener">industrial-scale problems in years</a>.
The chip leverages topoconductor, a material which can observe and control Majorana particles to produce more reliable and scalable qubits, which are the building blocks for quantum computers.
Topoconductors and Microsoft&#8217;s new type of chip&nbsp;offer a path to developing quantum systems that can scale to a million qubits and tackle the most complex industrial and societal problems.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43815333/muddy-waters-carson-block-warns-against-chinese-stocks-despite-recent-market-surge-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy Waters&#8217; Carson Block Warns Against Chinese Stocks Despite Recent Market Surge: Report</a>
This new architecture offers a clear path to fit a million qubits on a single chip that can fit in the palm of one&#8217;s hand, delivering solutions like breaking down microplastics into harmless byproducts or inventing self-healing materials for construction, manufacturing, or healthcare.
The topoconductor, or topological superconductor, is a unique material category that can create a topological state that can produce a more stable qubit that is fast, small, and digitally controlled.
The topoconductor required developing an entirely new materials stack made of indium arsenide and aluminum, much of which Microsoft designed and fabricated atom by atom.
Microsoft aimed to coax new quantum particles called Majoranas into existence and take advantage of their unique properties to reach the next horizon of quantum computing.&nbsp;
The world&#8217;s first Topological Core, powering the Majorana 1, is reliable by design. It incorporates error resistance at the hardware level, making it more stable.
The Microsoft team&#8217;s new measurement approach enables qubits to be controlled digitally.
Microsoft has placed eight topological qubits on a chip designed to scale to one million.
That approach led the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to include Microsoft in a program to evaluate innovative quantum computing technologies.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In addition to making its quantum hardware, Microsoft has partnered with Quantinuum and Atom Computing to reach&nbsp;scientific and engineering breakthroughs&nbsp;with today&#8217;s qubits.
Now, Azure Quantum offers a&nbsp;suite of integrated solutions&nbsp;that allow customers to leverage these leading AI, high-performance computing, and quantum platforms in Azure to advance scientific discovery.
Last December, Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google announced its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42397333/google-quantum-ais-new-willow-chip-can-do-in-minutes-that-supercomputers-would-take-10-septillion-years" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum chip&nbsp;Willow</a>. The company said Willow could reduce errors exponentially as it scaled up&nbsp;using&nbsp;more&nbsp;qubits.
In November,&nbsp;Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) tapped Quantum AI to drive the development of next-generation&nbsp;quantum computing devices to reduce week-long processes and advance quantum hardware innovation.
Google&nbsp;looks to introduce&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43552657/google-to-launch-commercial-quantum-computing-applications-in-five-years-challenges-nvdia-on-the-timeline" rel="noreferrer noopener">commercial quantum computing applications</a> within&nbsp;the next five years, challenging&nbsp;Nvidia chief&nbsp;Jensen Huang&#8217;s&nbsp;20-year prediction.
Price Action: MSFT stock closed up by 1.25% to $414.77 on Wednesday.
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