Former Meta global affairs chief Nick Clegg said Friday that tech companies should keep a distance from politics and people should feel "uneasy" about those firms intervening in the public space."I generally don't think that politics and tech innovation mixes very well," Clegg told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "I think it's quite good when they kind of keep each other at a certain, respectful distance."President Donald Trump's deal with China this week to keep TikTok alive in the U.S. includes heavy doses of both e ...

Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses - Display Technology - Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses utilize geometric waveguides, offering advantages in efficiency and brightness compared to surface relief gradings used in previous Orion prototypes [5][6] - The company has achieved a low light leakage of 2%, enhancing user privacy, and is exploring methods to further minimize visibility of the display to others [8] - Meta is researching methods to incorporate curvature into lenses or bend non-waveguide parts to support a wider range of vision corrections, aiming to support prescriptions from -4 to +4 [50][51] Neural Input Wristband - The neural input wristband employs a machine-learned model to map electrical signals to hand movements, with the potential to become a universal input platform [16] - Meta aims to personalize the neural input model over time, adapting to individual users' gestures and handwriting styles [17][18] - While currently focused on glasses, Meta intends to expand the wristband's functionality to control other devices, contingent on bandwidth and developer interest [19][20] - Miniaturization of components and increased signal sensitivity are planned to enhance the wristband's capabilities, potentially in conjunction with devices like smartwatches [40] - Typing is possible with two wristbands, but downward-facing cameras are an alternative, though they add cost, weight, and complexity to glasses design [41][42][43] Applications and Accessibility - Meta is developing an app framework for the glasses, envisioning applications in areas like immersive entertainment and industrial use, with AI playing a central role [52][53] - The company is exploring the potential of the neural interface for individuals with limited motor control or limb loss, though research is in early stages [45][46] - Meta recognizes the value of the glasses for low-vision and low-hearing individuals, offering assistance through audio and display capabilities [48] Market Strategy and Future Development - Meta is prioritizing features that address the top reasons people use their phones, such as photos, videos, music, calls, messaging, and navigation [29][30] - The company aims to minimize screen time and maximize user efficiency, adapting the user interface based on real-world usage patterns [32] - Meta is exploring partnerships with fitness companies like Garmin and Strava to integrate fitness tracking features into its wearables ecosystem [35] - The company envisions a future with various AI glasses and wearables, allowing users to choose devices that best fit their needs and preferences [24]

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market opened higher on September 26, with the Dow Jones up 0.49%, S&P 500 up 0.26%, and Nasdaq down 0.02% [1] - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell by 1.72% [2] Stock Performance - Major U.S. indices showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones at 46,174.23 (+226.91, +0.49%), S&P 500 at 6,622.17 (+17.45, +0.26%), and Nasdaq at 22,380.21 (-4.49, -0.02%) [3] - Chinese concept stocks experienced a downturn, with notable declines: Kingsoft Cloud down over 11%, Daqo New Energy down over 8%, Bilibili down over 5%, and NIO down over 6% [3] Technology Giants - Among the tech giants, Tesla rose by 0.43% to $425.215, Amazon increased by 0.37% to $218.960, while Nvidia fell by 0.90% to $176.091 [4] Precious Metals - Gold prices surged, reaching $3,780 per ounce, with a rise of approximately 0.8% [6] - Deutsche Bank noted that gold prices are driven by risk aversion, with predictions of gold potentially reaching $4,000 to $5,000 per ounce by 2026 under various scenarios [9] - Analysts suggest that despite recent price increases, gold remains a favorable long-term investment due to potential monetary policy changes and ongoing market risks [9]

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market opened higher on September 26, with the Dow Jones up 0.49% and the S&P 500 up 0.26%, while the Nasdaq experienced a slight decline of 0.02% [1] - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell by 1.72%, indicating a general pullback in Chinese concept stocks [2] Key Stock Movements - Major Chinese concept stocks saw significant declines, with Kingsoft Cloud down over 11%, Daqo New Energy down more than 8%, Bilibili down over 5%, and NIO down over 6% [2] - Among the tech giants, Tesla rose by 0.43%, Amazon by 0.37%, while Nvidia fell by 0.9% [3] Gold and Silver Market - Gold prices surged, reaching approximately $3,780 per ounce, with a rise of about 0.8%. By 23:00, London gold was up 0.79% at $3,778.475 per ounce, and silver increased by over 1% [3] - Deutsche Bank noted that gold prices reached record highs due to heightened risk aversion among investors, who are concerned about significant downside risks in the stock market [5] - Goldman Sachs projected that gold prices could soar to $4,000 per ounce by 2026 under baseline scenarios, and potentially reach $4,500 per ounce in tail risk scenarios. If just 1% of U.S. Treasury holdings were to flow into gold, prices could approach $5,000 per ounce [5] Long-term Outlook for Gold - Analysts from Huatai Securities indicated that despite short-term pressures from interest rate cuts, the long-term trend for gold prices remains bullish due to potential shifts in U.S. monetary policy after the current Fed Chair's term ends [5]

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the 10 Best AI Stocks to Buy According to Goldman Sachs. On September 18, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) received its first autonomous CA-1 robot deployment in Germany. Meta Platforms completed its first-ever deployment of the next-generation CA-1 robot from Circus SE. The deployment will begin with complete integration at Meta’s Munich offices and will be accompanied by a joint launch event. Meta Platforms Receives Its First Autonomous CA-1 Robot Deployme ...

Core Insights - The article provides a comprehensive comparison of Meta Platforms against its key competitors in the Interactive Media & Services industry, focusing on financial indicators, market position, and growth potential [1] Company Overview - Meta Platforms is the largest social media company globally, with nearly 4 billion monthly active users [2] - The core business, "Family of Apps," includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, which are used for various purposes, including social interaction and digital business [2] - Meta generates revenue primarily through advertising by leveraging customer data from its applications [2] Financial Performance - Meta's Price to Earnings (P/E) ratio is 27.17, which is below the industry average by 0.42x, indicating potential undervaluation [5] - The Price to Book (P/B) ratio stands at 9.64, suggesting the company may be overvalued based on its book value, as it is 2.13x higher than the industry average [5] - The Price to Sales (P/S) ratio is 10.87, which is 0.14x the industry average, indicating possible undervaluation based on sales performance [5] - Meta's Return on Equity (ROE) is 9.65%, which is 6.64% above the industry average, reflecting efficient use of equity to generate profits [5] - The Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) is $25.12 billion, which is 7.18x above the industry average, showcasing strong profitability [5] - Gross profit amounts to $39.02 billion, indicating 7.03x above the industry average, demonstrating robust earnings from core operations [5] - Revenue growth is at 21.61%, significantly higher than the industry average of 11.8%, indicating strong demand for its products or services [5] Debt Management - Meta's debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio is 0.25, indicating a favorable balance between debt and equity compared to its top 4 peers, which is a positive aspect for investors [10] - The D/E ratio is a critical measure for evaluating financial health and risk profile within the industry [8]

Meta plans to offer people in the United Kingdom the option to pay to gain an ad-free experience on its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.The company will ...

Core Viewpoint - The recent hiring of Yang Song, a key figure in diffusion models and an early contributor to DALL·E 2, by Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) signals a strategic move in the AI competition, enhancing MSL's talent pool and research capabilities [2][3][11]. Group 1: Talent Acquisition and Team Structure - Yang Song's addition to MSL strengthens the "dual-core" structure of the team, with one leader managing overall strategy and the other focusing on critical paths in research [16]. - The team composition is becoming clearer, with a more structured division of research responsibilities [17]. - Since summer, over 11 researchers from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic have joined MSL, indicating a high-frequency recruitment strategy [20]. Group 2: Industry Trends and Dynamics - The rapid turnover of talent among top AI labs is becoming more common, reflecting a shift towards project compatibility and team dynamics as key factors in employment decisions [25]. - The relationship between researchers and labs is evolving into a "mutual pursuit," where both parties seek alignment in goals and capabilities [47]. - The competition for AI talent is intensifying, with increasing demands on researchers to understand cross-modal capabilities and complete data workflows [48]. Group 3: Research Focus and Strategic Alignment - Yang Song's research on diffusion models aligns closely with MSL's strategic direction, aiming to develop universal models that can understand various data forms [28][30]. - The integration of Yang Song's expertise is expected to enhance MSL's ability to create a comprehensive AI product system, accelerating the formation of a complete technical loop from modeling to execution [32][41]. - Meta is not only attracting top talent but is also working to transform these capabilities into organizational and product-level resources [44].

Investment Rating - The report indicates a positive investment outlook for the ASIC industry, highlighting significant growth potential driven by increasing demand for AI applications and specialized chip designs [2]. Core Insights - The report emphasizes the distinct business models of ASIC and GPU, noting that ASICs are specialized chips tightly coupled with specific downstream applications, while GPUs are general-purpose chips [3][10]. - ASICs demonstrate superior cost-effectiveness and efficiency, with notable examples such as Google's TPU v5 achieving 1.46 times the energy efficiency of NVIDIA's H200, and Amazon's Trainium2 reducing training costs by 40% compared to GPU solutions [3][15]. - The report forecasts that the global AI ASIC market could reach $125 billion by 2028, with significant contributions from major players like Broadcom and Marvell [30]. Summary by Sections 1. AI Model Inference Driving ASIC Demand - The global AI chip market is projected to reach $500 billion by 2028-2030, with AI infrastructure spending expected to hit $3-4 trillion by 2030 [8]. - ASICs are recognized for their strong specialization, offering cost and efficiency advantages over GPUs, particularly in AI applications [9][14]. 2. High Complexity of ASIC Design and Value of Service Providers - ASIC design involves complex processes requiring specialized service providers, with Broadcom and Marvell being the leading companies in this space [41][42]. - The report highlights the importance of design service providers in optimizing performance and reducing time-to-market for ASIC products [55][60]. 3. Domestic Developments: Not Just Following Trends - Domestic cloud giants like Alibaba and Baidu have made significant strides in ASIC self-research, establishing independent ecosystems rather than merely following international trends [4][30]. - The report identifies key domestic design service providers such as Chipone, Aojie Technology, and Zhaoxin, which are well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for ASICs [41]. 4. Key Trends in Domestic ASIC Development - The report identifies PD separation and supernode architectures as two core trends in domestic ASIC development, with companies like Huawei and Haiguang leading the way [4][30]. - These trends reflect a shift towards more flexible and efficient chip designs that cater to diverse industry needs [4]. 5. Valuation of Key Companies - The report includes a valuation table for key companies in the ASIC sector, indicating strong growth prospects and market positioning for firms like Broadcom and Marvell [5].

Core Insights - Meta's hardware division, Reality Labs, has incurred over $68 billion in losses over the past four years, highlighting the challenges of hardware development [1] - Despite launching several products, Meta's hardware efforts have not significantly reversed these losses, with only about 2.8 million units of Ray-Ban smart glasses shipped in the past year, representing approximately 1% of Apple's iPhone sales [1] - Analysts predict that Reality Labs will face an operational loss of nearly $20 billion this year [1] AI Opportunities - Meta is positioning itself for the AI era, believing that Apple's dominance in consumer devices is not unassailable [2] - CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasizes the importance of smart glasses in achieving a vision of "super intelligence," which refers to AI surpassing human intelligence [2] - The latest Ray-Ban Display smart glasses feature enhanced functionalities, such as real-time subtitles, indicating a shift towards more advanced AI integration [2] Product Development - The new Ray-Ban Display smart glasses are priced at $799, significantly lower than Apple's Vision Pro headset priced at $3,500, but still require further refinement [3] - The glasses are designed to project data directly onto the lenses and include a wristband for gesture control, showcasing innovative features [3] Investment Strategy - Meta's substantial investment in AI is seen as a strategic move to explore new user interactions with AI, moving beyond traditional devices like smartphones and PCs [4] - The company has a competitive edge due to its vast user base of nearly 3.5 billion daily active users and strong profitability from its core advertising business, which supports ongoing investments [4] - Meta's operating profit margin of 44% as of June is 12 percentage points higher than Apple's, despite significant losses in Reality Labs [4] Competitive Landscape - Analysts note that Meta's new smart glasses reflect the company's "full-stack approach" to building an AI platform, leveraging its proprietary hardware and unique data sets [5] - The concept of a "facial computer" is proposed as a product that could naturally align with AI advancements, indicating potential future growth areas for Meta [6]