Nvidia's CES Announcements - Nvidia announced a new media system and advancements in humanoid robotics during the CES keynote [1] - The company introduced Media 2, an AI-powered system transforming content creation, streaming, and live media experiences [2] - Nvidia unveiled a new chip, desktop computer, and Cosmos platform for developing physical AI systems like robots and self-driving vehicles [3] Nvidia's Market Position and Partnerships - Nvidia has reached a $3.5 trillion market capitalization under CEO Jensen Huang's leadership [1] - Hollywood sectors like visual effects and animation heavily rely on Nvidia's products and services [1] - Partners including Shutterstock, Getty Images, Verizon, and Comcast's Sky are utilizing Nvidia technology [3] AI and Robotics Industry Outlook - Nvidia's CEO highlighted the potential of autonomous vehicles, predicting it to be the first multi-trillion-dollar robotics industry [4] - The company's advancements in AI and robotics are expected to drive greater interactivity and accessibility for customers worldwide [3]

Disney is boosting its advertising capabilities for live events, with third-party partnerships, a new certification program for live sports and entertainment as well as biddable deals for live sports. Google’s Display & Video 360, The Trade Desk, and Yahoo DSP are the first demand-side platforms to be certified by Disney. Magnite is the only third-party supply-side partner at launch.  Disney made the announcement at CES in Las Vegas, where is getting set for its annual Tech + Data Showcase on Wednesday. Th ...

Group 1 - Netflix is making the upcoming video game "Squid Game: Unleashed" available to everyone, regardless of subscription status, for a limited time [1] - The game will be released next Tuesday and is part of Netflix's strategy to expand into the casual gaming segment, linking releases to popular series and films [2][4] - "Squid Game" is Netflix's most watched series ever, and the company aims to engage a global audience with the game's release coinciding with the show's second season debut on December 26 [3] Group 2 - The game promises "fast, heart-pounding action and brutal competition," featuring challenges inspired by the series and classic childhood activities [4] - Netflix also announced another exclusive title, "Steel Paws," set to release in 2025, developed by renowned game creator Yu Suzuki [4]

With a big question looming over HBO distribution in the UK, Germany and Italy as Warner Bros. Discovery rolls out Max globally, WBD’s JB Perrette floated a potential new partner in the territories: Amazon. HBO’s longtime distributor, Sky, could well stay in business with WBD, Perrette said during an appearance at the Wells Fargo TMT Summit, echoing comments last spring by international chief Gerhard Zeiler. And yet, the CEO of streaming and games ventured, “there’s also great alternatives. Amazon is great ...

Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts just sold $20.4 million worth of stock in the media giant. The circa 469.5 million Class A common shares were divested on Tuesday, according to an SEC filing. It’s not a significant part of his holdings and Deadline hears the sale is for year-end planning purposes, which is not unusual. Most of the shares sold were from awards of restricted stock units that were part of Robert’s compensation package this year, with a smaller portion from exercising options. Along with ...

Bob Iger, who is in the home stretch of his two-chapter run as CEO of the Walt Disney Co., is selling $42.7 million in stock. The move, disclosed in an SEC filing on Friday, makes good on a plan detailed by the company earlier this month for Iger to exercise an option to sell shares. The most recent filing said Iger is selling 372,412 shares, the maximum allowed under an option plan adopted earlier this year. The plan was set to expire in December. Shares in Disney have experienced volatility this year as ...

Investment Overview - Amazon will invest an additional $8 billion in AI firm Anthropic, bringing its total investment to $8 billion over the past few months [1] - The partnership began in September, with an initial investment of $4 billion from Amazon, which also designated Anthropic as its primary cloud provider [1] Partnership Details - Anthropic will continue to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary training partner and cloud provider, utilizing AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips for future AI model training and deployment [1] - AWS customers will gain early access to fine-tuning their own data on Anthropic models [2] Market Context - The deal aligns with a broader trend of significant investments in AI across various sectors, particularly in technology [3] Customer Engagement - AWS CEO Matt Garman highlighted the positive response from AWS customers developing generative AI applications powered by Anthropic in Amazon Bedrock, indicating a strong demand for these technologies [4] - Tens of thousands of customers, including startups, enterprises, and government institutions, are utilizing Anthropic's AI models for diverse applications such as customer service, coding assistance, translation, drug discovery, and engineering design [4] Growth and Innovation - Anthropic's co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei noted that the collaboration with Amazon has been crucial for the growth of Claude, Anthropic's large-language model, reaching millions of end users [5] - The partnership aims to enhance the capabilities of Anthropic's advanced AI models using AWS Trainium technology [5]

Shares of mighty Alphabet are down about 7% today after the U.S. Department of Justice said it should sell its Chrome web browser among other remedies after the tech giant lost a landmark antitrust case last summer. Government lawyers said in a filing that splitting Google’s dominant search engine from Chrome, which controls about two-thirds of the browser market, as well as from its Android operating system, is necessary to ensure a competitive Internet. The filing comes after U.S. District Judge Amit Meh ...

After a few bumpy outings due to Covid and less-than-optimal host cities, the Olympics flourished last summer in Paris, with viewership gains and advertising records. With more happy returns expected from the 2026 Winter Games in Italy and the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, NBCUniversal may need to develop some new muscles in order to maintain the synergistic mojo. Next year, parent company Comcast plans to spin off NBCU’s cable networks into a separate, publicly traded entity. The transaction, formally ...

Corporate Restructuring - Comcast plans to spin off cable channels MSNBC, CNBC, E!, Syfy, Golf Channel, Oxygen, and USA into a new separate company, with the process expected to be completed by late 2025 [1] - The new company will be led by Mark Lazarus as CEO and Anand Kini as CFO and COO [1] - NBC, Peacock, and Bravo will remain with NBCUniversal as part of the streamlining effort [1] - The potential $7 billion new company has already positively impacted Comcast's stock in after-hours trading [1] Leadership Changes - Donna Langley will become chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and Studios, reflecting her pivotal role in the company's future growth [4][5] - Frances Berwick, previously reporting to both Langley and Lazarus, will now report solely to Langley [5] - Langley's promotion is seen as a recognition of her leadership capabilities and success with projects like Oppenheimer and Wicked [5] Industry Context - The decision to spin off cable channels is driven by the declining value and viewership of cable, with a focus on creating a leaner and more streamlined core business [3] - Comcast's move aligns with industry trends, as peers like Paramount Global and Warner Bros Discovery have also taken significant write-downs on their cable businesses [5] - The new company aims to capitalize on opportunities in the evolving media landscape and create value for shareholders [5] Strategic Rationale - The restructuring is part of Comcast's broader strategy to adapt to the transition in video businesses and optimize its asset portfolio [5] - The new company will be well-capitalized and owned by shareholders, positioning it to leverage its strong portfolio of cable networks [5]