Welcome back to your daily dossier talking AI, robotics, crypto and the future of tech. 👾

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

💰 Oracle to buy $40 billion of Nvidia chips for OpenAI's US data center.
🇰🇷 OpenAI to set up shop in South Korea to spur further growth.
🧠 Chinese tech giants reveal how they're dealing with U.S. chip curbs.
📉 Bitcoin drops below $107.5K as Trump tariff threat triggers crypto sell-off.
❌ Synthetix and Derive call off $27 Million merger proposal.

AI

• Oracle to buy $40 billion of Nvidia chips for OpenAI's US data center

  • Oracle will spend $40 billion on Nvidia chips to power OpenAI’s new data center in Texas.

  • The data center, part of the Stargate Project, aims to boost U.S. AI capabilities amid global competition.

  • Oracle’s data center reduces OpenAI’s reliance on Microsoft and helps Oracle compete in cloud computing.

• OpenAI to set up shop in South Korea to spur further growth

  • OpenAI will set up its first office in Seoul and has established an entity in South Korea as demand in the country jumps for its ChatGPT service.

  • South Korea has the largest number of paying ChatGPT subscribers after the United States, according to OpenAI.

  • OpenAI has also begun hiring staff to support partnerships with the country and expects to announce further details on this.

• Chinese tech giants reveal how they're dealing with U.S. chip curbs to stay in the AI race

  • Chinese tech giants Tencent and Baidu revealed how they're keeping in the global artificial intelligence race even as the U.S. tightens.

  • Methods include stockpiling chips, making AI models more efficient and even using homegrown semiconductors.

  • Washington has continued to restrict China's access to Nvidia and AMD chips for AI.

ROBOTICS

• Why Intempus thinks robots should have a human physiological state

  • Intempus is building tech to retrofit existing robots with human-like emotional expressions to help humans better interact.

  • Giving these robots human-like reactions will also produce data that can be used to better train AI models.

  • These robots will show expression through kinetic movements, Warner told TechCrunch.

• World’s first humanoid robot boxing match kicks off in China, showcasing tech prowess

  • The world’s first humanoid robot fighting tournament, Mecha Fighting Series, featuring robots with advanced combat skills developed.

  • The event marks a milestone in integrating AI into combat sports, with both autonomous demonstrations and human-controlled matches.

  • All participating battlebots were built using domestically developed Chinese technologies, showcasing the country's robotics capabilities.

• Hong Kong surgical robot start-up Cornerstone eyes funds to take on da Vinci

  • Cornerstone Robotics, which competes with rival products such as the da Vinci Surgical System, aims to raise more than US$70 million.

  • Since its founding in 2019, the firm had a deliberate strategy to localise parts production, said founder and CEO Samuel Au Kwok-wai.

  • The objective predates the Covid-19 pandemic’s supply chain problems and the US-China trade war, he said.

CRYPTO

• Bitcoin drops below $107.5K as Trump tariff threat triggers crypto sell-off

  • Bitcoin fell to $107,117 after Trump’s 50% EU tariff warning sparked a market-wide sell-off.

  • Despite the dip, institutional investors poured over $1.5B into Bitcoin ETFs in just two days.

  • Technical indicators suggest a volatile path ahead, with key support around $106,700.

• Synthetix and Derive call off $27 Million merger proposal

  • Synthetix and Derive mutually canceled a $27 million acquisition deal under which Synthetix would have acquired Derive.

  • The acquisition involved a token swap, 27 DRV for 1 SNX, and required Synthetix to mint 29.3 million new SNX tokens.

  • With the deal now off, Derive said the development reaffirmed its independent trajectory.

• Ethereum surges after holding $2,477 fueled by very heavy trading volume

  • Ethereum rebounded from a low of $2,477, supported by exceptional trading volume nearly three times the average.

  • Strong inflows into spot Ethereum ETFs indicate rising institutional interest despite market volatility.

  • ETH is testing resistance between $2,500 and $2,530, with bullish momentum suggesting a potential breakout.

CONTENT

• Growth tactics from OpenAI and Stripe with Krithika Shankarraman

  • Krithika Shankarraman, former marketing leader at OpenAI, Stripe, and Retool, shares her approach to building high-impact marketing.

  • With a background as an engineer-turned-marketer, she blends deep analytical thinking with strong brand strategy.

  • In this episode, she explains why most playbooks fail, how to prioritize the right marketing levers, and craft messaging that converts.

• How to design better AI apps with Pete Koomen

  • In this episode of The Breakdown, YC partners Tom, Dave, and Pete Koomen explore a new vision for AI.

  • They discuss editable system prompts, the power of user-customized agents, and why future AI products must feel more like collaborators.

  • Drawing from Pete’s essay “AI Horseless Carriages,” they argue that the winning products won’t mimic old workflows.

• Sovereign AI: Why nations are building their own models

  • In this episode of the a16z Podcast, Anjney Midha and Guido Appenzeller discuss the rise of sovereign AI.

  • They also discussed the idea that AI is no longer just infrastructure, but a matter of national identity and geopolitical power.

  • They explore why countries are racing to build local “AI factories,” how foundation models serve as tools of soft power.

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• The oldest Fire TV devices will soon lose Netflix support entirely

  • Netflix will stop supporting first-generation Fire TV devices starting June 3rd in the US.

  • Affected devices include original Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire TV Stick with Voice Remote.

  • Users may get discounts on newer Fire TV Sticks; Netflix cites inability to update app features.

• Tesla opened cybertruck trade-ins but depreciation rates are surprisingly steep

  • Tesla now allows Cybertruck trade-ins, but owners face steep depreciation losses up to 45%.

  • Two owners reported 37-38% value drops after months, showing heavy trade-in depreciation impact.

  • Tesla’s initial resale ban likely aimed to curb scalping and delay backlash from quality issues.

• Android Auto will get Spotify Jam and support for video apps and web browsers

  • Android Auto is getting more than just Google’s Gemini assistant after the Google I/O developer conference.

  • The company has also announced changes coming to the infotainment operating system, including an updated Spotify app.

  • Google says it’s adding support for Quick Share to cars with Google built-in soon, letting users do things like add stops to in-progress.