The Weekly Intel - Sept 6 2025

We're watching the most significant reshaping of technology power structures in decades. This week brought $13 billion funding rounds, retreats from ambitious promises, and research that should make every leader pause before deploying their next AI tool.

Anthropic Raises $13B Series F: Anthropic secured $13 billion in Series F funding led by ICONIQ, Fidelity Management & Research Company, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, reaching a $183 billion post-money valuation. This massive round signals enterprise AI demand has moved far beyond pilot programs. For leaders evaluating AI partnerships or competitive positioning, this funding level indicates Anthropic is building for scale that matches the largest enterprise deployments. Read more

Google Can Keep Chrome Browser Despite Antitrust Ruling: U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Google can retain Chrome and Android despite its antitrust defeat in search monopoly cases. The Department of Justice pushed for forced divestiture but failed. Google keeps its data collection infrastructure intact while facing lighter remedies than expected. This tells other tech giants that antitrust enforcement has practical limits when breaking up integrated platforms. Read more

Stripe Launches L1 Blockchain: Tempo: Stripe partnered with crypto firm Paradigm to launch Tempo, a Layer 1 blockchain platform built with input from Deutsche Bank, Visa, OpenAI, and Shopify. Traditional financial players are creating enterprise-focused blockchain solutions for large-scale transactions. This move by established financial infrastructure providers suggests blockchain adoption is shifting from speculation to operational necessity for mainstream business. Read more

MIT Study Finds AI Use Reprograms the Brain, Leading to Cognitive Decline: MIT researchers have found that regular use of ChatGPT for writing tasks causes measurable cognitive decline. EEG scans revealed weakened neural connectivity, impaired memory recall, and reduced ownership of written work. For leaders implementing AI tools across teams, this research suggests that over-reliance on AI assistance could diminish cognitive capabilities and creative problem-solving skills over time. The productivity gains may come with hidden costs. Read more

Atlassian to Acquire The Browser Company: Atlassian has announced a $610 million cash acquisition of The Browser Company, the maker of the Arc browser, which features built-in AI capabilities and collaborative tools. This acquisition marks Atlassian's entry into the browser market, which Google and Apple currently dominate. For business leaders, this signals potential changes in workplace collaboration tools and web browsing infrastructure, especially as AI features become standard browser capabilities. Read more

Tesla Changes Meaning of Full Self-Driving, Abandons Autonomy Promise: Tesla officially backed away from its promise that vehicles would achieve unsupervised autonomous driving. The company acknowledged that cars produced between 2016 and 2023 lack the necessary hardware despite selling a "Full Self-Driving Capability" package for up to $15,000. This retreat from one of the most ambitious autonomous vehicle promises raises questions about consumer trust and liability for companies making similar technological claims. Read more

Amazon Has Mostly Sat Out the AI Talent War: According to internal HR documents, Amazon has remained largely inactive in competitive AI hiring due to its compensation structure, weak AI reputation, and strict return-to-office policies. This demonstrates how traditional corporate policies can hinder talent acquisition in rapidly evolving tech landscapes, even for industry giants. Leaders should assess whether their current policies facilitate or hinder competition for critical AI talent. Read more

Google Removes Net-Zero Pledge from Sustainability Website: Google quietly removed its prominent 2030 net-zero emissions pledge from its Sustainability website, contradicting CEO Sundar Pichai's 2020 announcement that Google would become the first major company to operate completely carbon-free. This reversal demonstrates how even tech giants struggle to meet ambitious environmental targets, potentially signaling a broader corporate retreat from climate goals and impacting stakeholder expectations. Read more

Evidence that AI is Destroying Jobs for Young People: New York Federal Reserve data shows deteriorating work opportunities for recent college graduates, potentially linked to companies adopting AI tools like ChatGPT for entry-level tasks. This trend signals a fundamental shift in entry-level hiring practices and workforce development. Business leaders may need to adopt new strategies for talent pipeline management and should reevaluate the role of junior roles in an AI-enhanced workplace. Read more

OpenAI Implements User Message Scanning and Law Enforcement Reporting: OpenAI announced active monitoring of user conversations with AI chatbots and will report concerning content to law enforcement, following incidents where users experienced mental health crises and harmful outcomes, including a recent murder-suicide case linked to "AI psychosis." This signals growing accountability and regulatory scrutiny in the AI industry, potentially setting new precedents for how companies must manage AI safety and user monitoring while raising important considerations about liability and duty of care when deploying AI technologies. Read more

That's what I'm watching. What caught your attention this week?

-Eric

If you found this post helpful, consider sharing it with another executive grappling with AI, technology, and data. If you want to explore AI and other Technology strategies, grab some time on my calendar, and let's chat.

Newsletter Recommendations