Business
How will OpenAI compete? I am not a fan of Ben Evans, but he got it right in this case. OpenAI may grab the headlines and move stock prices every day with its enormous user base, but that user base doesn’t necessarily lead to engagement, revenue or better yet, profits. There is only so much that you can charge consumer users before they pause for a second and wonder what they get in return is worth the monthly fee and where else they can get similar value for less. OpenAI is exactly on this boat. The problem for them is that they don’t have a popular product to function as a distribution vehicle. Building one is not their strength. And it will just become increasingly expensive to produce models. Unfortunately for OpenAI, they can’t just stop announcing new models. That’s the only way to keep the music going.
How Jeff Bezos Upended The Washington Post. As the owner of the paper, Jeff Bezos can do whatever he wants with the Washington Post. However, I find it baffling that while he tries to stay away from influencing what the outlet publishes, he decidedly only allowed opinion pieces that align with his view to be posted. It doesn’t seem very consistent to me. From a business perspective, only the management at the Post can tell whether their logic to let a significant portion of the staff is driven by business acumen or data. And only time can tell whether the move will change the business for the better. But the fact that the former CEO left shortly after the layoff and that Bezos did not approve the first proposal doesn’t instill confidence. Neither does the reluctance to publicly endorse the paper by its very owner.
Introducing Apple Business — a new all‑in‑one platform for businesses of all sizes. Apple is bringing its world-class hardware to the corporate world and accelerating additional streams while others are burning money on AI bets with little to show in return. Guess which one is constantly called “behind in AI”.
Red Lobster’s Last Gasp. An interesting read on the history of a great American brand. That iconic brand, though, is in a lot of trouble and I don’t believe that it will survive. The owners already show that they are unwilling to spend more cash on the struggling business. The environment now is tough for a dine-in restaurant chain like Red Lobster with high inflation and fierce competition.
Apple’s “Nice Guy” Heir Apparent. This is the most in-depth piece on John Ternus that I have read so far. I think the CEO job is John’s to lose. Tim Cook thinks about who will be in the room to lead Apple to the next level in the next 10 or 15 years. Most of his direct reports do not have that timeline in them as they are all above 60 years old. John is the youngest of the leadership team. And he has the track record to show. I don’t think Sabih Khan or the new CFO will be in the running. They recently just took on current roles and that’s not a lot of time to be elevated to the top job. Apple has shown that it can survive the departures of key executives over the years. Likely it can survive the retirement of Tim Cook, who is going to stay on as Executive Chairman. Likely, not guaranteed.
Why Tech Giants Are Ditching the Power Grid. “Going off grid was no one’s first choice. Off-grid power generally costs a lot more, partly because developers need to install more equipment than will be used at any one time in case machines break or need servicing. A lot of this gear is also less efficient than the airplane-size machines used at big power plants, meaning it needs to burn more gas to generate the same amount of electricity. By the end of 2025, an estimated 39 percent of the gas power capacity being developed in the United States was designed to serve data centers on-site, according to the Global Energy Monitor, a nonprofit organization that tracks energy projects. That is up from 5 percent at the end of 2024. The tech industry’s appetite for energy has become almost insatiable because of artificial intelligence, and there are only so many places where companies can draw large amounts of power from the grid quickly. Wait times vary by region, but it now takes an average of four years or more for data centers to connect to U.S. grids, according to JLL, a real estate services firm.“
Other Stuff I Find Interesting
From the Hills of Nepal to the Colombian Jungle: A Migrant’s Story. My journey to the US was not easy, but it was not as dramatic or dangerous as what some migrants experienced, as depicted in this story. I feel for them. Everyone wants to have a better life for themselves and their families. On the other hand, I get that some Americans oppose the illegality in this article. They have a point. We have laws around here that must be respected and followed. However, if migrants like Ramesh come here, work, contribute to the society and follow the rules, shouldn’t they be given a chance?
The Southern Cone Thesis. This blogger has lived for 12 years in South America and been to every country in the region. He lays out arguments why South America is the place to be in the next 10 years. Three biggest hurdles for me would be 1/ Spanish; 2/ distance from the US, Asia and Europe; and 3/ job markets.
The secret superpower of Brazil’s vast savanna. This is the first time I have heard of this concentrated carbon called peat that is hugely important to the ecosystem of Brazil’s vast savanna. Sadly and unsuprisingly, climate change and deforestation aimed at increasing land for soy productions are putting peat at risk. I hope the Brazilian government will listen to scientists and consider the long-term impact of its policies on not only the country, but also the world.
Meta, YouTube verdict can ripple through social media markets worldwide. Meta and YouTube were found to be liable for getting a 20-year-old addicted to their platforms. I can see why this ruling could inspire many more all over the world, but it’s not a guarantee. Each case is different. We understand that social platforms are addictive, but I feel that alone is not enough to get these companies on the hook.
Austin’s Surge of New Housing Construction Drove Down Rents. “A key piece of Austin’s strategy has been to encourage the construction of affordable housing. The city pursued this goal through density bonuses—allowing taller buildings with more units when they include income-restricted units—and bond levies to build more affordable homes. In 2018, for example, city voters approved a $250 million bond measure to support the construction of affordable housing. A year later, the City Council approved a program called Affordability Unlocked that eased building height and unit number restrictions, parking requirements, and other development regulations for projects in which at least 50% of units are income-restricted. Austin city and metropolitan-area construction has surged since 2015, helping to make the Texas capital one of the only major cities where rent has fallen since the pandemic. Asking rents decreased 4% in both the city and the surrounding suburbs from 2021 to 2025. (See Figure 1.) In real terms, inflation-adjusted rents in the city of Austin fell 19% from the 2021 average to the 2025 average. This trend contrasts favorably with the national rent growth of 10% and the 6% increase in high-growth Texas.”
Stats
“The average monthly new-car payment reached $774 in January, up from $588 in January 2021”
Minh Quang Duong 
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