WSJ Tech News Briefing

Since Facebook became Meta in 2021, the company has invested billions of dollars to develop the metaverse to where it is today. But the competitive landscape is changing as companies like Apple come out with their own headsets. Plus, artificial intelligence is becoming a more important part of Meta’s business. What could this mean for Meta’s goal of creating a mature metaverse? And what will that mean for the company? Join host Alex Ossola on this final installment of our series to see how the metaverse could evolve in the future. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, AI cloud-computing startup raises one of the largest-ever private debt financings. And Elon Musk’s X completes its rebrand. Zoe Thomas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Job seekers and employers are deploying artificial intelligence bots to help in the application process. It's leading to a bot versus bot battle. WSJ reporter Lindsay Ellis tells host Zoe Thomas why both sides say it’s hurting the hiring process. Plus, what if your doctor could test a treatment on a digital version of your heart before surgery? WSJ senior special writer Stephanie Armour explains how the technology works and the ways it could improve medical treatment. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, bargain retail app Temu is under fire from European consumer groups. And Meta faces a European Union probe into its child-protection policies. Zoe Thomas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Famed car designer Henrik Fisker set out to build a company that could upend the auto industry. But, Fisker Inc. is struggling to keep its promise to investors and could be close to shutting down. WSJ reporter Sean McLain joins host Zoe Thomas to explain what happened. Plus, cybersecurity threats increased for businesses along with scrutiny of how they handle those attacks, according to a new WSJ survey. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD launches a new pickup truck. And Microsoft imposes climate requirements on suppliers. Zoe Thomas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google plans to show artificial-intelligence-powered answers on its search engine starting this week in the U.S. WSJ reporter Miles Kruppa joins host Zoe Thomas to explain why the tech giant is making the change and how it could reshape the lucrative internet-search business. Plus, defense technology startups are seeing a surge in funding. But some of their Silicon Valley backers have deep ties to China. WSJ reporter Heather Somerville discusses investors’ conflicting strategies. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, regulators probe Waymo after self-driving car incidents. And Amazon appoints a new head of its cloud-computing unit. Zoe Thomas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bargain app Temu, owned by Chinese e-commerce giant PDD, is working to reduce its reliance on American shoppers as growth slows and scrutiny of TikTok grows. WSJ reporter Shen Lu joins host Zoe Thomas to explain Temu’s strategy. Plus, some governments are scaling back commitments to electric vehicles, afraid they could add to problems like inflation, job losses and high public debt. We’ll explore why EVs need to help the economy as well as the environment. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Squarespace plans to go private in a $6.6 billion deal. And France secures $16 billion in investment from tech giants. Zoe Thomas hosts. Correction: The firm taking Squarespace private is Permira. An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly said the firm was named Permia. (Corrected on May 14) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Education tech company 2U set out to bridge the divide between for-profit online learning and highly reputable universities. Now it’s mired in debt and facing competition from former clients. WSJ higher education reporter Melissa Korn joins host Zoe Thomas to explain 2U’s long, steep fall. Plus, WSJ contributor Bart Ziegler shares strategies for getting the best answers from AI chatbots. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg laid out his vision in October 2021 for the metaverse as a futuristic, more connected internet. In the years after that, the company now known as Meta had to build it. On the second episode of our special series about the metaverse, host Alex Ossola talks to employees who worked on developing the metaverse, explores how the user experience has changed since those early days and digs into the financial headwinds that have threatened to throw Meta’s mission off course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Tesla expands its Supercharger network. And Life360 could give new ad revenue guidance. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Binance, the world’s largest digital currency exchange, had been under scrutiny from regulators. To stay on the right side, Binance created a market-surveillance team to clean up its digital-currency exchange. But when investigators found a top client was manipulating markets, Binance kept the client... and fired its lead investigator. WSJ reporter Angus Berwick tells host Alex Ossola about the investigation, and what it means for the future of the company. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: AI startup Mistral is set to triple its valuation in six months. And T-Mobile and Verizon eye deals to carve up U.S. Cellular. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google answers about 90% of all internet search queries worldwide. In 2020, the Justice Department filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit alleging that Google uses anticompetitive tactics to preserve a monopoly for its search engine and related advertising business. The trial began last year, and closing arguments wrapped last week. WSJ reporter Miles Kruppa is here to talk about what the looming verdict might mean for Google, and for other big tech companies. Plus, visions for how artificial intelligence can change work don’t have to be in the far future—WSJ contributor Alexandra Samuel has been experimenting with a number of AI tools that she says are already bringing practical benefits to her work. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Uber reports a loss for the first quarter. And Meta is offering new generative AI tools to advertisers. Alex Ossola hosts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is betting big on making robotaxis a centerpiece of the company’s long-term strategy. This summer, Tesla plans to show a future model. But the company will need to overcome technological and regulatory hurdles before its fully autonomous vehicles become a reality. WSJ reporter Ryan Felton tells host Alex Ossola what we know about the vehicle, and what it will take to get it on the road. Plus, online marketplaces like eBay and Etsy are turbo-charging their searches with artificial intelligence. WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Jinjoo Lee talks about how AI could make these platforms better for users and sellers. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Self-driving car startup Wayve raises more than $1 billion. And Reddit posts higher revenue and wider loss in its first earnings as a public company. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climate change is making products like chocolate and coffee more expensive, even as demand grows. WSJ technology columnist Christopher Mims tells host Alex Ossola how companies are looking to recreate them in the lab using biotechnology. Plus, TikTok is courting advertisers, in spite of the platform’s looming ban or sale. WSJ reporter Katie Deighton talks about what continues to make TikTok appealing for advertisers. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices