Latest news for IZON Network (OTC:IZNN) Stock

IZON Network Inc is a provider of on-course technology and Global Positioning System services to golf course operators and golfers. The company has created a proprietary and private media platform that connects valued luxury consumers with advertisers. Using the Android tablets, golfers access a number of core useful applications and services such as accurate yardages, aerial hole views, and GPS-based course navigations. The tablets are installed on golf carts and connect wirelessly to the Web through Sprint's nationwide network. The company's GPS tools include Scorecard, Email Gathering, Beverage Cart Tools, Battery Consumption, and Advertising.

IZON Network Inc

– Parties urge the court to take immediate corrective action in response to renewed Request –
– Filing asserts that DEA is using authority in these proceedings to thwart a proposal it vehemently opposes –
– New evidence of widespread DEA wrongdoing necessitates Agency's removal from participation in proceedings –

News

Reported Earlier, Village Farms And Hemp For Victory Renew Effort To Disqualify DEA From Marijuana Rescheduling Hearings

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has committed to updating its AI feature following a complaint from the BBC.&nbsp;
What Happened: The tech giant acknowledged on Monday that its AI-generated news summaries on iPhones have been inaccurate, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge93de21n0o">reported</a> BBC.
The issue came to light last month after the BBC reported that an AI-generated summary falsely claimed that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/42808796/foxconn-posts-record-revenue-rides-high-on-ai-server-demand-and-nvidia-partnership">Apple Supplier Foxconn Posts Record Revenue, Rides High On AI Server Demand And Nvidia Partnership</a>
On Friday, Apple&#8217;s AI once again inaccurately summarized BBC app notifications, stating that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship before it began and that Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.
This is the first time Apple has formally addressed the BBC&#8217;s concerns, the report noted.
Apple did not immediately respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: This comes at a time when the company is navigating a significant shift towards AI and virtual reality.
In November 2024, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41773589/apple-signals-profit-risks-in-ai-and-vr-shift-what-it-means-for-investors">Apple warned investors</a> about potential profit risks associated with these emerging technologies, which may not match the revenue and profit margins of its flagship iPhone line.
Despite these challenges, analysts like Dan Ives from Wedbush remain optimistic about Apple&#8217;s future. In a December analysis, Ives predicted a &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42682230/tech-bull-predicts-26-upside-for-apple-stock-sees-golden-era-of-growth-for-cupertino-due-to-multi-year-ai-driven-iphone-upgrade-cycle">golden era of growth</a>&#8221; for Apple, driven by a multi-year AI-driven iPhone upgrade cycle.
Price Action: Apple&#8217;s stock rose 0.67% on Monday, closing at $245, as per <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data</a>. Latest analyst reports from Bernstein, B of A Securities, and Wedbush have set an average price target of $280.33, suggesting a potential upside of 14.43%.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/42803280/consumer-tech-news-dec-30-jan-3-apple-stops-selling-iphone-14-iphone-14-plus-iphone-se-trump-seeks-a-political-resolution-of-tiktok-ban-more">Consumer Tech News (Dec 30-Jan 3): Apple Stops Selling iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone SE, Trump Seeks A &#8216;Political Resolution&#8217; Of TikTok Ban &amp; More</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Tech

Media

AAPL

Apple Admits AI Flaws After BBC Complains, Vows Fix For Misleading News Summaries

For December 2024, the total number of terminal passengers at GAP's 12 Mexican airports increased by 3.4%, compared to December 2023. Guadalajara and Tijuana airports presented an increase in passenger traffic of 8.2% and 2.7% respectively, while Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos airports presented a decrease of 1.8% and 0.9% respectively, compared to December 2023. On the other hand, Montego Bay presented a decrease in passenger traffic of 5.6%, compared to&nbsp;December 2023.

Reported Earlier, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico December 2024 Passenger Traffic Increased 2.9% Compared To 2023

Upon closing, this transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings per share. The EPIC NGL business consists of two fractionators (170 MBD) near Corpus Christi, Texas, approximately 350 miles of purity distribution pipelines and an approximately 885-mile NGL pipeline (175 MBD) linking production supplies in the Delaware, Midland and Eagle Ford basins to such fractionation complexes and to the Phillips 66 Sweeny Hub. EPIC NGL is in the process of increasing its pipeline capacity to 225 MBD and has sanctioned a second expansion to increase capacity to 350 MBD. Phillips 66 does not expect to increase its recently announced 2025 capital program in connection with that expansion.

Reported Earlier, Phillips 66 Expands Permian Midstream Business With $2.2 Billion Acquisition Of EPIC NGL Assets

Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., a global leader in the battery industry, and Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>), maker of the world's most advanced electric vehicles, today announced the highly anticipated Lucid Gravity Grand Touring will be powered by Panasonic Energy's lithium-ion EV battery cells. With an EPA-estimated range of up to 450 miles1 from a battery pack that is up to 40 percent smaller than competitors', the collaborative efforts between Panasonic and Lucid have helped deliver an SUV with a previously impossible combination of outstanding range, performance and interior space.

LCID

PCRHY

Reported Earlier, Lucid Gravity SUV Combines Game-Changing Design And Panasonic Energy Batteries For Up to 450-Mile Range

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

U.K. Halifax House Price Index (YoY) For December 3.3% Vs. 4.7% (Revised) Prior

U.K. Halifax House Price Index (MoM) For December -0.2% Vs. 0.8% Est.; 1.2% (Revised) Prior

Argo Blockchain plc (LSE:ARB)(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/arbk#NASDAQ">ARBK</a>) is pleased to provide the following operational update for December 2024.During the month of December, the Company mined 39 Bitcoin ("BTC"), or 1.3 BTC per day, consistent with
Argo Blockchain plc (LSE:ARB)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARBK#NASDAQ">ARBK</a>) is pleased to provide the following operational update for December 2024.
During the month of December, the Company mined 39 Bitcoin ("BTC"), or 1.3 BTC per day, consistent with November's production.
Mining revenue in December 2024 amounted to $3.9 million, an increase from $3.4 million in November 2024 due to the higher hashprice and BTC price realized in December as compared to November. As at 31 December 2024, the Company held two BTC equivalent.
As previously announced, the Company's hosting agreement with Galaxy ended on December 28, 2024. The 23,619 S19J Pros at the Galaxy site will be refurbished so they can be used in an air cooled facility. The Company is currently evaluating alternative sites to rehost the machines.

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Earnings

Penny Stocks

Markets

ARBK

Argo Blockchain Reported Mining Revenue Of $3.9M In December Vs $3.4M In November

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UMC#NYSE">UMC</a>, TWSE: 2303))) ("UMC"), today reported unaudited net sales for the month of December 2024.
<figure class="table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" rowspan="1">Revenues for December 2024</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Period</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">2024</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">2023</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Y/Y Change</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Y/Y (%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">December</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">18,965,818</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">16,979,226</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">1,986,592</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">11.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Jan.-Dec.</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">232,302,584</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">222,533,000</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">9,769,584</td>
<td colspan="1" rowspan="1">4.39%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" rowspan="1">(&#x2A;) All figures in thousands of New Taiwan Dollars (NT$), except for percentages.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>

United Microelectronics Reported December Revenue Growth Of 11.7% YoY

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against Vanderbilt Mortgage &amp; Finance on Monday, alleging the Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) subsidiary systematically approved unaffordable manufactured home loans that set borrowers up for failure.
What Happened: According to the CFPB complaint, Vanderbilt, a unit of Clayton Homes, allegedly manipulated lending standards and used artificially low living expense estimates to approve loans for borrowers who clearly couldn&#8217;t afford them. 
In one case, the regulator cited a family of five was left with only $57.78 in monthly disposable income after mortgage payments.
&#8220;Vanderbilt knowingly traps people in risky loans in order to close the deal on selling a manufactured home,&#8221; CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said in a statement.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims Vanderbilt violated the Truth in Lending Act by disregarding evidence of insufficient income and approving loans for already struggling borrowers. 
The CFPB cited an example where Vanderbilt approved a mortgage for a family with 33 debts in collection, who defaulted within eight months.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42836119/gary-blacks-fund-moves-tesla-to-3rd-largest-holding-behind-nvidia-and-alphabet-despite-delivery-miss">Gary Black&#8217;s The Future Fund Lists Tesla As 3rd-Largest Holding, Behind Nvidia And Alphabet, Despite Delivery Miss</a>
Why It Matters: Manufactured homes serve as crucial affordable housing, particularly for low-income and rural Americans. However, CFPB research shows these loans typically carry higher interest rates and limited refinancing options compared to traditional mortgages.
The regulator is seeking to halt Vanderbilt&#8217;s alleged illegal practices and secure relief for affected homeowners. Vanderbilt operates nationwide from its Maryville, Tennessee headquarters as part of Clayton Homes, the largest U.S. manufactured home builder and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.
The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of lending practices in the manufactured housing sector following Congress&#8217;s 2010 mandate requiring lenders to verify borrowers&#8217; ability to repay loans &#8211; a response to the 2008 foreclosure crisis that saw over six million families lose their homes.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/01/42836461/nvidias-ces-2025-vision-sparks-mixed-reactions-ross-gerber-hails-incredible-things-to-come-while-analysts-debate-ai-and-autonomous-driving-ambitions">Jensen Huang&#8217;s CES 2025 Vision Sparks Mixed Reactions: Ross Gerber Says Nvidia Has &#8216;Changed The World,&#8217; While Analysts Debate AI And Autonomous Driving Ambitions</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Real Estate

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Sued Over Unaffordable Loans, 2008-Style Predatory Loan Approval Tactics

QXO expects to begin trading on the NYSE on January 17, 2025, when Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brad Jacobs will ring the Opening Bell. The company's stock will continue to trade on Nasdaq until the transfer is complete.

Reported Earlier, QXO To Transfer Stock Listing To New York Stock Exchange, Retains Ticker Symbol

DRIVE Hyperion&#x2122; is the industry's first and only end-to-end autonomous driving platform. It includes the DRIVE AGX&#x2122; system-on-a-chip (SoC) and reference board design, the NVIDIA DriveOS automotive operating system, a sensor suite, and an active safety and level 2+ driving stack.&nbsp;
Automotive safety pioneers such as Mercedes-Benz, JLR and Volvo Cars are adopting the platform, which is designed to be modular, so customers can easily use what they need. It is also scalable and built to be upgradeable and compatible across future DRIVE SoC generations.
Available in the first half of this year, the latest iteration of DRIVE Hyperion — designed for both passenger and commercial vehicles — will feature the high-performance DRIVE AGX Thor SoC built on the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture.&nbsp;

NVDA

Reported Earlier, NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion Receives TÜV Safety Nod, Poised To Accelerate Autonomous Vehicle

Long-term manufacturing deal will power thousands of driverless trucks with NVIDIA DRIVE Thor

Reported Earlier, Aurora Partners With Continental And NVIDIA To Launch Next-Generation Driverless Trucks By 2027

As a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/01/42769181/natural-gas-prices-surge-as-arctic-blast-freezes-us-3-stocks-on-the-move">winter storm</a> hit the central U.S. on Sunday afternoon, let&#8217;s look at the top five winter-proof stocks expected to shield investors amid extreme winter uncertainties.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Winter Storm Hits Kansas City</h3>
A blizzard warning was issued to remain in effect till midnight on Sunday, Jan. 5, however, the National Weather Service of Kansas City expired the blizzard warning at 10 p.m. ET with a prediction of light to occasional moderate snow in a few pockets around the area.
<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">10 pm: We are expiring the blizzard warning across the KC metro. That being said, quite a few pockets of light to occasionally moderate snow are hanging around. Some areas could pick up another inch or so before all is said and done. <a href="https://t.co/TGEwr45EAO">pic.twitter.com/TGEwr45EAO</a>
&mdash; NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity/status/1876117176656310528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
As the U.S. is in the thick of the winter season, natural gas demand is expected to increase to meet the heating needs, and winter tiremakers apparel makers will also be in focus. Here is a list of the top 5 winter-proof stocks that can shield investors as temperature drops.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/01/42769181/natural-gas-prices-surge-as-arctic-blast-freezes-us-3-stocks-on-the-move">Natural Gas Prices Surge As Arctic Blast Freezes US: 3 Stocks On The Move</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top Five Winter Stocks</h3>
Following are the stock&#8217;s quarterly performance along with the positive and negative earnings surprises for the December quarter of the previous fiscal.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks</td>
<td>December 2023 Quarter EPS Surprise</td>
<td>December 2023 Quarter Revenue Surprise</td>
<td>Q4 2023 Stock Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Range Resources</td>
<td>31.30%</td>
<td>2.25%</td>
<td>0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Goodyear</td>
<td>30.60%</td>
<td>-5.08%</td>
<td>29.27%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Antero Resources</td>
<td>4.55%</td>
<td>2.93%</td>
<td>-6.24%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VF Corp</td>
<td>-28.70%</td>
<td>-9.20%</td>
<td>13.32%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Comstock Resources</td>
<td>-23.10%</td>
<td>3.04%</td>
<td>-16.43%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06042212/Stock-Performance-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-719143" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06042212/Stock-Performance-1024x576.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06042212/Stock-Performance-300x169.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06042212/Stock-Performance-768x432.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06042212/Stock-Performance-1536x864.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06042212/Stock-Performance.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Range Resources
<ul>
<li>Range Resources Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RRC#NYSE">RRC</a>) is one of the top natural gas producers in the U.S. The company&#8217;s shares have risen by 16.44% over the last year.</li>
<li>It has several drilling locations with a significant presence in the Appalachian basin.</li>
<li>According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RRC/analyst-ratings">Benzinga</a>, 20 analysts tracking the company have a price target of $36.33 per share with a consensus &#8216;hold&#8217; rating.</li>
<li>The most recent ratings from Wells Fargo, Mizuho, and UBS, imply a 13.25% upside for Range Resources.</li>
<li>During the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal, Range&#8217;s earnings per share were 31.3% above expectations at $0.63 and its revenue was 2.25% above Benzinga&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RRC/earnings">estimates</a> of $699.60 million at $715.31 million.</li>
</ul>
Goodyear
<ul>
<li>Goodyear Tire And Rubber Co (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GT#NASDAQ">GT</a>) is an American tire manufacturer headquartered in Akron, Ohio. However, the stock has fallen by 36.11% over the last year.</li>
<li>WinterCommand Ultra is a winter tire made to be used in ice and snow conditions. Available in studded and non-studded versions, it is adaptable to various winter driving conditions.</li>
<li>According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GT/analyst-ratings">Benzinga</a>, the most recent ratings from Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC, imply a 50.62% upside for Goodyear.</li>
<li>Seasonally, during the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal, Goodyear reported earnings per share of $0.47, beating Benzinga&#8217;s consensus <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GT/earnings">estimate </a>of $.036, implying a 30.6% surprise on the upside. </li>
<li>On the other hand, its actual revenue missed the estimated revenue by 5.08% at $5.12 billion.</li>
</ul>
Antero Resources
<ul>
<li>Antero Resources Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AR#NYSE">AR</a>) mainly engaged in hydrocarbon exploration is also a natural gas producer.</li>
<li>The company has an investment-grade credit rating, indicating strong debt repayment positioning and liquidity. The shares have risen by 51.85% over the last year.</li>
<li>About 22 analysts tracked by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AR/analyst-ratings">Benzinga </a>have a &#8216;hold&#8217; rating with a price target of $35.86 apiece.</li>
<li>The most recent ratings from Wells Fargo, Mizuho, and UBS, imply a 2.64% upside for Antero Resources.</li>
<li>During the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal, Antero&#8217;s earnings per share was 4.55% above expectations at $0.23 and its revenue was 2.93% above Benzinga&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AR/earnings">estimates </a>of $1.16 billion at $1.19 billion.</li>
</ul>
VF Corp
<ul>
<li>Winter clothing brand, the North Face owner VF Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VFC#NYSE">VFC</a>) is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.</li>
<li>The company also owns brands like Vans, Timberland, Supreme, Dickies, JanSport, Nautica, etc. The shares have returned 22.10% over the last year.</li>
<li>According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/VFC/analyst-ratings">Benzinga</a>, 23 analysts tracking the company have a price target of $19.45 per share with a consensus &#8216;hold&#8217; rating.</li>
<li>The most recent ratings from Argus Research, Guggenheim, and Truist Securities, imply a 13.48% upside for VF Cor.</li>
<li>Despite seasonality, in the third quarter of the previous fiscal, which includes the winter months, VFC&#8217;s earnings per share were 28.7% below expectations at $0.57 and its revenue was 9.20% below Benzinga&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/VFC/earnings">estimates </a>of $3.26 billion at $2.96 billion.</li>
</ul>
Comstock Resources
<ul>
<li>Comstock Resources Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRK#NYSE">CRK</a>) is yet another producer of natural gas with its operations spread across Haynesville Shale in North Louisiana and East Texas.</li>
<li>Comstock Oil and Gas, Pinnacle Gas Services, and Convey Park Management are a few of its subsidiaries. The company&#8217;s shares have risen by 98.43% over the last year.</li>
<li>About 15 analysts tracked by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CRK/analyst-ratings">Benzinga </a>have a &#8216;hold&#8217; rating with a price target of $13.21 apiece.</li>
<li>According to Benzinga, the most recent ratings from Mizuho, Citigroup, and BofA Securities, imply a 9.16% downside for Comstock.</li>
<li>Seasonally, during the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal, Comstock reported earnings per share of $0.10, missing Benzinga&#8217;s consensus <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CRK/earnings">estimate </a>of $0.13, implying a 23.1% surprise on the downside. </li>
<li>On the other hand, its actual revenue was best the estimated revenue by 3.04% at $410.58 million.</li>
</ul>
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/42757901/elon-musk-fireworks-or-explosive-device-caused-fatal-cybertruck-incident-at-las-vegas-trump-hotel-vehicle-was-rented" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk: Fireworks Or Explosive Device Caused Fatal Cybertruck Incident At Las Vegas Trump Hotel</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Trading Ideas

General

Baby, It's Cold Outside: These 5 Winter-Ready Stocks Have What It Takes To Make You Feel Warm And Cozy

The lead product for 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 AI Studio has voiced concerns over the U.S. government&#8217;s approach to artificial intelligence.
What Happened: Taking to X, formerly Twitter, over the weekend, Logan Kilpatrick said that despite the national security rhetoric, many people are fine with adopting Chinese AI models.
"Everyone: America America America, we must win AI, national security, etc etc," he posted, adding that the moment decent models from China come, people start supporting the model on their platforms.&nbsp;
"It's so great! So cheap, so fast, such good rate limits," he concluded the post sarcastically noting the appeal of Chinese models.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42775636/ces-2025-preview-nvidia-amd-in-spotlight-other-trends-and-stocks-to-watch?itm_source=parsely-api">CES 2025 Preview: Nvidia And AMD Grab Spotlight, Other Trends And Stocks To Watch</a>
<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">Everyone: America America America, we must win AI, national security, etc etc &#x2A;Decent models come out from China&#x2A; Everyone: We now support XYZ model on our platform (from China), come use it right now, it's so great! So cheap, so fast, such good rate limits!
&mdash; Logan Kilpatrick (@OfficialLoganK) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialLoganK/status/1875662813559128242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: The concerns raised by the Google executive come amid China&#8217;s rapid advancements in AI technology.
A survey conducted in July 2024 revealed that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39702149/china-dominates-global-generative-ai-adoption-as-local-startups-face-fierce-competition-from-the-lik">83% of Chinese companies</a> are using generative AI, far surpassing the global average. China has also established a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/11/42144915/china-unveils-global-ai-governance-committee-with-alibaba-cloud-founder-at-the-helm">Global AI Governance Committee</a> to influence AI&#8217;s global development.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
In July 2024, the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/one-of-americas-hottest-entertainment-apps-is-chinese-owned-04257355?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reported</a> that Talkie, an English-language app tied to a Singapore-based company, is a subsidiary of Shanghai-based MiniMax, one of China's prominent tech unicorns. Talkie was among America&#8217;s more popular entertainment apps.
Rather than using MiniMax&#8217;s proprietary engine, it relied on ChatGPT-maker OpenAI&#8217;s foundation model. However, it generates tangible revenue for MiniMax.
Despite U.S. restrictions on advanced chip sales, Open-source AI models developed in China, like DeepSeek and Alibaba Group Holdings&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) Qwen, have seen remarkable global adoption, including among developers in the U.S.
Last year, Alibaba&#8217;s Qwen emerged as the most downloaded open-source AI model, with its platform hosting more than 75,000 derivative models, <a href="https://www.thewirechina.com/2024/12/08/chinese-ai-companies-are-catching-up-despite-u-s-restrictions-chinas-ai-models/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reported</a> The Wire China.
At the close of 2024, Alibaba Cloud made its third generative AI price cut of the year, reducing costs by an astonishing 85%. Alibaba Cloud's new multimodal AI is 83.6% more affordable than OpenAI's GPT-4o, priced at $2.50 per million input tokens while delivering comparable performance.
Moreover, Chinese large language models rank among the most widely used on Hugging Face, a leading platform for AI models.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/42781607/microsofts-copilot-plus-set-to-expand-to-mini-pcs-at-ces-as-windows-maker-looks-to-take-on-apples-mac-mini?itm_source=parsely-api">Microsoft&#8217;s Copilot Plus Set To Expand To Mini PCs At CES As Windows-Maker Looks To Take On Apple&#8217;s Mac Mini</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

BABA

GOOG

GOOGL

Google AI Studio Lead Criticizes America's AI Strategy For Embracing Chinese Models Amid Security Concerns: 'It's So Great! So Cheap, So Fast, Such Good Rate Limits'

Logitech G's Streamlabs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOGI#NASDAQ">LOGI</a>) a leading innovator of gaming software, technologies and gear, today announced it is collaborating with NVIDIA and Inworld AI to unveil an artificial intelligent streaming assistant. This AI agent simplifies and enhances the live streaming experience by providing streamers with their very own 3D sidekick, producer, and technical assistant.

LOGI

Reported Earlier, Logitech G's Streamlabs Partners With NVIDIA And Inworld To Launch Intelligent 3D Streaming Assistant

Project DIGITS features the new NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, offering a petaflop of AI computing performance for prototyping, fine-tuning and running large AI models.
With Project DIGITS, users can develop and run inference on models using their own desktop system, then seamlessly deploy the models on accelerated cloud or data center infrastructure.
"AI will be mainstream in every application for every industry. With Project DIGITS, the Grace Blackwell Superchip comes to millions of developers," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "Placing an AI supercomputer on the desks of every data scientist, AI researcher and student empowers them to engage and shape the age of AI."

Reported Earlier, NVIDIA Introduces Personal AI Supercomputing With Grace Blackwell-Powered Project DIGITS

Panasonic Energy, a key supplier for Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), is aiming to cut its reliance on China for electric vehicle battery supplies in the U.S. Allan Swan, President of Panasonic Energy of North America, emphasized that this transition is the company&#8217;s &#8220;No.1 objective.&#8221;
What Happened: The strategic move comes in response to incoming President Donald Trump&#8217;s promise to increase tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting global companies to reevaluate their manufacturing strategies. Swan stated that the primary task is to avoid a supply chain heavily reliant on China, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
Panasonic Energy, a division of the Japanese electronics conglomerate Panasonic Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PCRFF#OTC">PCRFF</a>), supplies batteries not only to Tesla but also to other automakers. The company currently operates a battery plant in Nevada and has plans to inaugurate another U.S. facility in Kansas within the year. This initiative aligns with the broader industry trend of diversifying supply chains amid geopolitical tensions.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/42808507/chinese-exchanges-reportedly-urge-fund-managers-to-limit-stock-sales-as-market-braces-for-trumps-return">Chinese Exchanges Reportedly Urge Fund Managers To Limit Stock Sales As Market Braces For Trump&#8217;s Return</a>
Why It Matters: The decision by Panasonic Energy to reduce its dependency on China for battery supplies is significant in the context of the ongoing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42761825/ev-price-war-heats-up-as-chinese-automakers-extend-subsidies">EV price war</a> and the competitive landscape in the electric vehicle market. Chinese automakers, including Nio Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>) and Li Auto Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LI#NASDAQ">LI</a>), have been extending financial incentives to attract buyers, intensifying competition. This move is part of a broader strategy by companies to mitigate risks associated with geopolitical tensions and trade policies.
Moreover, the shift comes at a time when BYD Co Ltd (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDY#OTC">BYDDY</a>) has overtaken Tesla as the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42780142/chinese-player-byd-overtakes-tesla-yet-again-as-worlds-biggest-ev-seller-in-q4">world&#8217;s largest battery</a> electric vehicle seller in the fourth quarter of 2024. Despite this, Tesla continues to maintain its position as the top-selling pure EV brand for the year.
Additionally, Tesla has achieved record sales in China with approximately <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42782683/tesla-hits-record-ev-sales-in-china-despite-global-dip">83,000 units sold</a> in December alone. This underscores the importance of the Chinese market for Tesla, even as Panasonic seeks to diversify its supply chain away from China.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42637260/elon-musk-accused-of-bullying-republicans-to-scrap-us-china-investment-safeguards-to-protect-teslas-interests?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Accused Of Bullying Republicans To Scrap US-China Investment Safeguards To Protect Tesla's Interests</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock

BYDDY

PCRFF

TSLA

Tesla-Supplier Panasonic Energy Targets Reduced Reliance On China For US Battery Supplies, Says It Is 'No.1 Objective'

<ul>
<li>Medtronic will act as the exclusive sales agent of MagnetOsTM for Kuros Biosciences USA, Inc. in mutually agreed upon sales territories for use in spine surgeries</li>
<li>Kuros will work collaboratively to sell, market and provide support services to Medtronic's sales force</li>
<li>Kuros will keep responsibility for contracts, hospital partnerships and the recognition of revenue from sales</li>
<li>Kuros will continue to sell directly in non-contracted territories as well as in markets outside of spine</li>
<li>This agreement transforms an initial trial agreement into a strategic alliance</li>
</ul>

CSBTF

Kuros Biosciences Secures Exclusive Five-Year Agreement With Medtronic For MagnetOs Bone Graft Sales

<ul>
<li>The three companies jointly showcase the warehouse of the future at CES 2025</li>
<li>Rob Smith, CEO of KION GROUP AG: "We're leveraging physical AI—making supply chains smarter, faster, and ready for the future."</li>
<li>Building physical AI-powered digital twins used to improve productivity and functional design of warehouses with NVIDIA software</li>
</ul>

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