Workflow
Business Insider
icon
Search documents
Tesla takes another leap toward becoming a physical AI company: Here are the 6 biggest takeaways from its Q4 earnings call.
Business Insider· 2026-01-29 05:02
Core Viewpoint - Tesla is transitioning from an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer to a comprehensive AI and robotics company, with significant investments planned for the future [1][4]. Investment and Financials - Tesla plans to invest $20 billion in its future AI and robotics initiatives, significantly higher than the $8.5 billion in capital expenditures reported for the 2025 fiscal year [2]. - A $2 billion investment in Musk's xAI was announced, part of a larger $20 billion Series E funding round, aimed at enhancing collaboration and advancing Tesla's autonomous vehicle and robotics agenda [5][6]. - The energy segment achieved record gross profits, contributing to nearly $12.8 billion in revenue for the year [14]. Product Strategy - Production of the Model S and Model X will be discontinued to allocate resources for humanoid robot production, leaving Tesla with four models: Cybertruck, Model 3, Model Y, and the upcoming Cybercab [3][6][7]. - The Cybercab is expected to start production in April for integration into the Robotaxi fleet [8]. Robotaxi and Autonomous Driving - Tesla aims to expand its Robotaxi service to several cities, including Dallas, Houston, and Miami, by the first half of 2026 [9]. - Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology is reportedly operating "100% unsupervised," with limited unsupervised rides already offered in Austin [10]. Chip Development - Musk emphasized the importance of in-house chip manufacturing, referring to the Tesla "Terafab" concept, which aims to integrate logic, memory, and packaging to mitigate supply chain limitations [12]. Optimus Robot Development - The Optimus humanoid robot is still in the research and development phase, with no material contribution to manufacturing yet [13].
Microsoft says OpenAI is driving 45% of the backlog for Azure cloud computing
Business Insider· 2026-01-29 01:40
Core Insights - Microsoft is experiencing capacity constraints in its cloud computing business, significantly impacted by OpenAI, which accounts for approximately 45% of its commercial bookings backlog, which has increased by 110% year over year to $625 billion [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Microsoft reported a record capital expenditure of $37.5 billion in the second quarter, reflecting a 66% year-over-year increase, driven by the competitive landscape in AI [4] - Despite an overall earnings beat, Microsoft's shares fell over 6% in after-market trading, indicating market concerns about its dependency on OpenAI and slower growth in Azure revenue [3][4] Group 2: Strategic Focus - CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the importance of acquiring Azure clients while also maintaining focus on other services like M365, GitHub, and Dragon Copilot, indicating a balanced approach to business growth [2][3] - CFO Amy Hood highlighted the need to allocate resources effectively among various applications and research initiatives, while also addressing the growing demand for Azure capacity [5] Group 3: Partnership with OpenAI - OpenAI has committed to spending $250 billion on Azure services, but faces limitations due to a lack of compute resources, which affects its product and research capabilities [6] - Microsoft holds a 27% stake in OpenAI, and the partnership is viewed positively, contributing to innovation and leadership in app development [7]
Elon Musk says Tesla is discontinuing Model S and Model X giving them an 'honorable discharge'
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 22:46
Core Viewpoint - Tesla will discontinue the Model S and X in the next quarter, marking the end of its premium SUV and sedan models as the company shifts focus towards autonomy [1] Group 1: Company Strategy - The decision to end the Model S and X programs is described as an "honorable discharge," indicating a strategic pivot for Tesla towards future technologies [1] - CEO Elon Musk emphasized the importance of moving into a future based on autonomy, suggesting a significant shift in the company's product focus [1]
Microsoft CFO's memo to staff calls out AI deals, coding, and chips
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 22:09
Core Insights - Microsoft reported strong financial results for the second quarter, exceeding Wall Street expectations with a revenue growth of 17% and operating income growth of 21% in constant currency [4] Financial Performance - Microsoft Cloud revenue surpassed $50 billion for the first time, growing 26% and 24% in constant currency [4] - Commercial bookings increased by 230% year over year, driven by Azure commitments from OpenAI and Anthropic [3][6] - Capital expenditure on computing and datacenter infrastructure reached a record $37.5 billion [3] Product and Market Developments - The launch of the GitHub Copilot software development kit and the new Maia 200 AI chip were highlighted as significant developments in the AI coding tools market [2][7] - Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 39% and 38% in constant currency, indicating strong demand for larger and more complex workloads [6] - Microsoft 365 commercial cloud revenue grew 17% and 14% in constant currency, reflecting strong performance from Copilot [6] Strategic Focus - The company is focused on expanding its market share in areas with a growing total addressable market (TAM) [2][7] - Investments in GPUs, CPUs, and datacenter infrastructure are aimed at supporting growing Azure demand and enhancing product innovation [6]
ServiceNow CEO is sure AI won't eat software. He's betting big on his own stock to prove it.
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 21:13
No matter how much profit and revenue growth ServiceNow generates, Wall Street has been too worried about the threat of AI to notice or care. Bill McDermott has had enough. The ServiceNow CEO is so sure AI won't eat software that he's betting more on his own stock and committing to stay on as the company's leader through 2030."We're building a trillion-dollar company here," McDermott told Business Insider in an interview on Wednesday. The company, which sells software to businesses, once again reported qu ...
3 key takeaways from Powell at January's Fed meeting
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 21:05
The first Federal Reserve meeting of 2026 is in the books, and Chair Jerome Powell stayed tight-lipped on the central bank's biggest controversies. From the job market to political tensions, here are Business Insider's biggest takeaways from the January call to hold rates steady.Economic optimismThe Fed appeared more optimistic about the economic picture on Wednesday. While recent Fed press releases after interest rate decisions included a warning of "downside risks to the labor market," that comment was r ...
Home Depot is laying off 800 employees and bringing staff back to the office 5 days a week
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 21:03
Home Depot laid off about 800 corporate employees on Wednesday — and called those who still have jobs back to its offices. The layoffs affected positions at the home improvement chain's store support center near Atlanta, a company spokesperson told Business Insider."We're simplifying our corporate operations to better support our stores and our customers," the spokesperson said. "Our goal is to drive greater agility and position the company to move faster and stay even more closely connected with our front ...
Amazon execs say layoffs are part of turning the company into the 'world's largest startup,' leaked memos show
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 18:28
Internal memos from Amazon executives explained the company's decision to lay off 16,000 corporate workers as necessary to become the "world's largest startup," according to the messages viewed by Business Insider. "Our ambition is to be the world's largest startup," Amazon executives wrote in two such memos viewed by Business Insider. "That means doubling down on a culture of ownership, speed, and experimentation — which requires us to continue evolving how we're structured."The "world's largest startup" ...
Paramount+ is planning a major move into short-form video, leaked documents reveal
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 17:33
Core Insights - Paramount+ is planning to enhance its streaming service by incorporating short-form video content, aiming to create a more engaging user experience similar to platforms like TikTok [1][2][4] - The initiative, referred to as "Project Eagle," is focused on rapidly integrating a million short-form clips into the service, with an emphasis on personalized content delivery [2][3] - Paramount+ is exploring user-generated content (UGC) as a cost-effective way to attract viewers, which aligns with trends seen in other successful platforms [4][5] Group 1 - The short-form video initiative is a top priority for Paramount+ in the first quarter, particularly for its mobile app [3] - Existing content will be repurposed for short-form clips, and there is interest in incorporating UGC to enhance viewer engagement [4][6] - The move into short-form video aligns with broader industry trends, as competitors like Disney and Netflix are also investing in similar content strategies [7][8] Group 2 - The shift towards short-form video is driven by changing audience preferences, especially among younger viewers who favor platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels [9] - Paramount's leadership is testing various products and initiatives in the streaming space, with the outcomes influencing future strategic priorities [5] - The company has previously had limited short-form video offerings, indicating a significant shift in its content strategy [6]
American Airlines is offering some flight attendants double pay as it scrambles to get back to normal
Business Insider· 2026-01-28 17:19
Core Insights - American Airlines is facing significant operational challenges due to Winter Storm Fern, resulting in over 9,000 flight cancellations, marking the largest weather-related disruption in its history [3] - The airline estimates the financial impact of the storm to be between $150 million and $200 million [3] - The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, American's main hub, was heavily affected, experiencing nearly six hours of ice pellets and over three hours of snow, with a total of four inches of snow falling in 48 hours [4] Operational Impact - As of Wednesday morning, American Airlines canceled over 400 flights, approximately 15% of its schedule, while competitors like United and Delta had minimal cancellations [1] - Flight attendants are particularly affected, facing issues such as being stranded without hotel accommodations and disrupted flight sequences [2] - The airline's CEO acknowledged the operational difficulties and expressed optimism about recovery within the next few days as conditions improve [5]