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New court filing shows that Meta execs agreed that Facebook was losing to TikTok
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 18:24
Core Insights - Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, acknowledged that TikTok is outperforming Meta in the social media landscape, indicating a significant shift in market dynamics [1][2][6] Group 1: Internal Discussions on Competition - Zuckerberg described Facebook as a "challenger" that has "lost the mindshare and momentum," highlighting TikTok's ability to create a "feeling of shared context" among users [2][8] - Mosseri noted that Facebook is no longer the default discovery engine, suggesting that YouTube currently holds that position, but he anticipated TikTok would eventually surpass it [3][4] - The executives recognized TikTok's dominance in video content, with Mosseri stating that TikTok is "100% video and beating us badly," and that it is growing the social mobile market at the expense of traditional media [4][10] Group 2: User Engagement and Market Trends - TikTok surpassed YouTube in average watch time in the U.S. in 2021, and a study indicated that children aged 4 to 18 spent 60% more time on TikTok than on YouTube in 2023 [4] - Netflix has introduced a TikTok-like feature in its app, indicating a broader trend of traditional media companies adapting to the success of short-form video platforms [5] - Zuckerberg emphasized that while Facebook may have the largest user base, it is no longer the leader in time spent on the app, further illustrating the competitive pressure from TikTok [8] Group 3: Strategic Responses and Challenges - Meta executives expressed concerns about the fragmentation of the social media landscape, with many platforms competing for user attention, making it difficult for Facebook to maintain its growth [10][12] - John Hegeman, then VP of Ads, acknowledged TikTok's lead in short-form video content and creation tools, but believed Meta could close the gap by encouraging creators to use Reels [11] - The internal documents reveal a perception within Meta that Facebook is the underdog in the social media market, with TikTok's success posing a significant risk to Meta's business growth [12]
New court filing shows that Meta execs agreed that the company was losing to TikTok
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 18:24
Core Insights - Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, acknowledged that TikTok is outperforming Meta in the social media landscape, indicating a significant competitive threat [1][2][6] - Internal discussions revealed that Meta views Facebook as a "challenger" in the market, having lost both "mindshare" and "momentum" to TikTok [2][8] - TikTok's unique ability to create a "shared context" among users is seen as a key factor in its success, allowing friends to engage with similar content [8][9] Group 1: Competitive Landscape - Zuckerberg noted that while Facebook remains the largest app by user engagement, it is no longer the leader in time spent, with TikTok surpassing YouTube in average watch time in the U.S. in 2021 [4][8] - Mosseri highlighted that TikTok is growing the social mobile market and encroaching on traditional media like TV and long-form video platforms [4][10] - The rise of TikTok has prompted Netflix to introduce a similar vertical video feed in its mobile app, indicating a shift in content consumption trends [5] Group 2: Internal Perspectives - Meta executives expressed concerns about the fragmentation of the social media space, with numerous platforms competing for user attention, making it challenging for Facebook to maintain its growth [10][12] - John Hegeman, then VP of Ads, acknowledged TikTok's leadership in short-form video content and creation tools, while expressing optimism that Meta could close the gap through its Reels feature [11][12] - The document suggests that Meta perceives itself as the underdog in the social media market, with TikTok's success posing a risk to its business and growth [12]
Apple is looking to add AI search engines to Safari
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 16:53
Group 1 - Apple is considering integrating AI search engines from OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic into its Safari browser [1] - Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, mentioned this during his testimony in the U.S. Justice Department's lawsuit against Alphabet [1] - The discussion is linked to Apple's and Google's estimated $20 billion-a-year deal that designates Google as the default search engine on Safari [1] Group 2 - Searches on Safari experienced a decline for the first time last month, attributed to the rise in AI usage [2] - Cue expressed the belief that AI search providers may eventually replace traditional search engines like Google, prompting Apple's interest in these services [2] - Although Apple is exploring these AI search options, Cue indicated that they are unlikely to become the default due to the need for further improvements [2] - Apple has already initiated discussions with Perplexity regarding this potential integration [2]
Uber invests $100M in WeRide to fuel robotaxi expansion across 15 more cities
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 15:14
Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle technology company WeRide plan to expand a commercial robotaxi partnership and bring the service to another 15 cities over the next five years. The expansion comes five months after the two companies launched a commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi. As part of that expansion, Uber will increase its investment into WeRide by $100 million, according to a Wednesday regulatory filing. WeRide said it expects the cash to come through by the second half of 2025. The compani ...
Amazon to invest $4B in Chile to launch AWS infrastructure region
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 15:08
Amazon is making a sizable investment to support new and existing Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers in Chile.The tech conglomerate announced on Wednesday that it will pour more than $4 billion into building an AWS infrastructure region of data centers in Chile by the end of 2026. The investment will go toward establishing three availability zones, or groups of isolated data centers, in the new AWS region. Amazon said it also plans to hire and develop local talent to operate and support its region in Chil ...
CrowdStrike says it will lay off 500 workers
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 14:25
Group 1 - CrowdStrike announced a layoff of 5% of its global workforce, approximately 500 employees, as part of a strategic plan to enhance operational efficiency [1] - The company aims to achieve $10 billion in Annual Recurring Revenue and plans to hire in key strategic areas throughout its fiscal year ending January 31, 2026 [1] - CEO George Kurtz emphasized that these changes will enable the company to operate more efficiently and maintain its leadership in cybersecurity [1] Group 2 - CrowdStrike gained prominence in 2016 for investigating the Democratic National Committee hack, attributing it to the Russian government [2] - The company faced negative publicity in the previous summer due to a faulty software update that affected 8.5 million Windows devices globally, causing significant outages and disruptions across various sectors [2]
Amazon is working on an AI code generation tool
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 10:01
Core Insights - Amazon Web Services is developing a new AI-powered code generation tool named "Kiro" which can generate code in near real-time using prompts and existing data [1] - Kiro is designed to create technical design documents, identify potential issues, and optimize code, enhancing its functionality beyond existing tools like Q Developer [2] - The AI-powered coding tools market is experiencing significant activity, with companies like Anysphere achieving a $9 billion valuation and Windsurf nearing a $3 billion acquisition by OpenAI [3] Company Developments - Kiro will feature web and desktop applications, multimodal capabilities, and compatibility with third-party AI agents, indicating a versatile approach to code generation [1] - The launch timeline for Kiro was initially considered for the end of June, but there may have been changes to this schedule [2] Industry Trends - The demand for AI-powered coding tools is increasing, as evidenced by substantial funding and acquisition activities within the sector [3]
OpenAI expects to cut share of revenue it pays Microsoft by 2030
TechCrunch· 2025-05-07 07:47
Group 1 - OpenAI plans to reduce its revenue share to Microsoft from 20% to 10% by 2030 [1][2] - The company is restructuring to become a public benefit corporation while remaining under the control of its nonprofit division [1] - Microsoft has invested tens of billions in OpenAI and has a contract that includes revenue sharing and rights to OpenAI's IP [3] Group 2 - Microsoft has not yet approved OpenAI's proposed corporate structure, seeking to protect its investment [3] - The current agreement between OpenAI and Microsoft is set to last until 2030 [3] - OpenAI's new plan aims to align its financial interests with its business partners [2]
Rivian earnings: EV maker cuts delivery guidance because of Trump's tariffs and trade wars
TechCrunch· 2025-05-06 21:37
Core Viewpoint - Rivian is expected to deliver fewer electric vehicles (EVs) this year than previously forecasted, primarily due to the impact of President Trump's tariffs and regulatory changes, reflecting broader challenges faced by the automotive industry under the current administration [1][3]. Delivery and Production Forecast - Rivian now anticipates delivering between 40,000 and 46,000 EVs by the end of 2025, a reduction from the earlier estimate of 46,000 to 51,000 vehicles for this year [2]. - Delivering fewer than 46,000 EVs would mark a setback for Rivian, which has already been experiencing stagnant volume growth, having delivered 51,579 vehicles in 2024 and 50,122 in 2023 [5]. Financial Performance - In the first quarter of 2025, Rivian generated a gross profit of $206 million from 8,640 deliveries, marking the second consecutive quarter of gross profit [6]. - Despite the gross profit, Rivian reported a net income loss of $541 million for the quarter, an improvement from a loss of $1.4 billion in the same period the previous year [7]. Revenue Insights - Automotive revenue decreased to $922 million from $1.12 billion in the first quarter of 2024, although total revenues saw a slight year-over-year increase due to a significant rise in software and services revenue [9]. - Software and services revenue reached $318 million in the first quarter of 2025, nearly a fourfold increase from $88 million in the same period last year, attributed to advancements in vehicle electrical architecture and software development services [9]. Capital Expenditure Guidance - Rivian raised its capital expenditure guidance to between $1.8 billion and $1.9 billion, up from the previous guidance of $1.6 billion to $1.7 billion, due to anticipated impacts from tariffs [2]. Industry Context - Rivian's earnings report follows similar actions from Ford and General Motors, both of which withdrew their guidance for the year due to economic uncertainties linked to Trump's tariffs, with Ford estimating an additional $2.5 billion in costs and GM around $5 billion [3]. - Rivian has previously warned that changes in government policies and a challenging demand environment could threaten vehicle demand, particularly if the federal tax credit for EVs is eliminated [4].
Rivian cuts delivery guidance because of Trump's tariffs and trade wars
TechCrunch· 2025-05-06 20:06
Core Viewpoint - Rivian is likely to deliver fewer electric vehicles (EVs) in 2025 than previously forecasted due to the impact of President Trump's tariffs and regulatory changes, reflecting broader challenges faced by the automotive industry under the current administration [1][2]. Group 1: Delivery Forecast - Rivian expects to deliver between 40,000 and 46,000 EVs by the end of 2025, a reduction from the earlier estimate of 46,000 to 51,000 vehicles [1]. - This marks a setback for Rivian, which has already been experiencing no volume growth for three consecutive years, having delivered 51,579 vehicles in 2024 and 50,122 in 2023 [4]. Group 2: Financial Performance - In the first quarter of 2025, Rivian generated a gross profit of $206 million from 8,640 deliveries, marking the second consecutive quarter of gross profit [5]. - However, the company reported a net income loss of over $540 million for the same quarter, with automotive revenue decreasing to $922 million from $1.12 billion in the first quarter of 2024 [6]. Group 3: Industry Context - Rivian's announcement follows Ford and General Motors withdrawing their guidance for the year due to economic uncertainty linked to Trump's tariffs, with Ford estimating an additional $2.5 billion in costs and GM around $5 billion [2]. - Rivian has previously warned that changes in government policies and a challenging demand environment could threaten vehicle demand, particularly if the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs is eliminated [3].