WSJ Tech News Briefing

We’re hearing from our reporters and columnists about some of the biggest companies, trends and people in tech and what could be in store for 2025. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has put himself firmly in the center of U.S. politics, thanks to his close association with President-elect Donald Trump. WSJ columnist Tim Higgins joins us to talk about what his approach to co-leading the new Department of Government Efficiency could be, and what challenges lie ahead in 2025. James Rundle hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, China’s EV sector is set to grow in 2025, according to an analyst at CCB International. And tech stocks MicroStrategy and Palantir join the Nasdaq-100. Cordilia James hosts. TNB Tech Minute will release its next episode on Monday, December 30. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI has delayed the launch of its highly-anticipated GPT-5 model. WSJ tech reporter Deepa Seetharaman explains why and what this means for the company at ground zero of the AI boom. Plus, why a thoughtful digital gift might be the way to go if you’re still doing your Christmas shopping. Danny Lewis hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, EU regulators clear Nvidia’s merger with Run:ai. And Italy’s privacy regulator fines OpenAI $15.5 million. Danny Lewis hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mixed-reality devices like Apple’s Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3 make the pitch that the future of computing is in devices that bring the user into the internet. But WSJ senior personal tech columnist Joanna Stern says that the real future of this technology is in more streamlined devices like Meta’s Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. Plus, Oreo-maker Mondelez is using artificial intelligence tools to create new recipes. We explain how and what that means for the grocery store snack aisle. Danny Lewis hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Apple says its rivals may try to abuse European regulations to gain access to key iPhone software tools. And the FAA temporarily bans civilian drone flights in some parts of New Jersey. Danny Lewis hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legacy media companies like Fox News and NBC are experimenting with TikTok to reach new audiences despite the platform’s potential ban in the U.S. WSJ reporter Isabella Simonetti explains why. Plus, Apple iPhones include Lockdown Mode, a tool that could help protect users from cybersecurity threats. We explain how the tool works and how it could help you. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, cloud startup Vultr raises $333 million for AI chips. And the Netherlands privacy regulator fines Netflix $4.8 million. Danny Lewis hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In order to guard against bad actors using its artificial intelligence models to take over computers or use them to create bioweapons, startup Anthropic has a team of researchers push its chatbots to their limits. WSJ tech reporter Sam Schechner explains how Anthropic’s Frontier Red Team aims to make AI safer by asking it to do dangerous things. Plus, Chicago is trying to become the Silicon Valley of quantum computing with a new tech hub on the city’s South Side. Danny Lewis hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Grubhub agrees to pay $25 million over charges it inflated delivery costs and other deceptive practices. And the European Union is investigating TikTok over alleged Russian interference in the Romanian presidential election. Danny Lewis hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As SpaceX deepened its ties with national-security agencies in recent years, the company’s lawyers advised senior executives not to seek a higher security clearance for Elon Musk, the rocket company's founder and CEO, according to people familiar with the matter. WSJ investigations reporter Joe Palazzolo joins Tech News Briefing to explain why and what this means now that Musk has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency. Plus, internet plans now come with “nutrition labels” that disclose prices and speeds. But consumers can’t find them or understand them. Julie Chang hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, TikTok asks the Supreme Court to delay enforcement of a law forcing its sale or banning the social-media app in the U.S. And state officials are pushing the federal government for answers about mysterious drone sightings. Danny Lewis hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech investor David Sacks made his money through early bets on Uber and other startups, and has built his reputation as a conservative provocateur. WSJ reporter Rolfe Winkler joins host Belle Lin to talk about how Sacks could influence White House tech policy. Plus, why Google’s quantum boost doesn’t seem to compute. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waymo, the self-driving car startup owned by Google parent Alphabet, may be the front-runner in the race to lead the driverless car industry, but it’s got competition. Elon Musk’s Tesla and Amazon’s Zoox are also building out robotaxi technology and services to get riders in self-driving cars. On the second episode of our special series on the growing driverless car industry, host Danny Lewis looks at these companies’ efforts to catch up and where Waymo’s success could take it and its tech into the future. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: General Motors Scraps Cruise Robotaxi Program Musk Shows Off Driverless Robotaxi to Be Priced Under $30,000 Waymo, Uber, Lyft Are Biggest Winners From Tesla’s Robotaxi Flop Elon Musk Plays a Familiar Song: Robot Cars Are Coming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, messages show that Elon Musk wanted to make OpenAI a for-profit company he controlled. And Amazon union members vote to authorize strikes at two New York warehouses. Belle Lin hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new generation of artificial intelligence models will take its time to reason, providing more reliable answers to increasingly complex questions. WSJ bureau chief and columnist Steven Rosenbush joins host Belle Lin to talk about why ‘long thinking’ could be part of the long game for AI. Plus, what General Motors’s decision to scrap its Cruise robotaxi program means for Waymo, the robotaxi company owned by Google parent Alphabet. WSJ’s Danny Lewis looked into it as part of a special podcast series “Driverless: Waymo and the Robototaxi Race.” Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Australia plans tech-platform charge to shore up local news media. And YouTube raises the price for its TV streaming service. Belle Lin hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social-media company Reddit profits from feeding artificial-intelligence companies’ insatiable appetite for conversational text. WSJ reporter Sarah Needleman joins host Belle Lin to talk about why Reddit’s posts are so valuable and interesting to AI companies. Plus, why Amazon’s new robotic warehouse still relies heavily on humans. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, the Supreme Court declines to rule on an Nvidia investor case. And Japanese crypto exchange Coincheck rallies on its first day of trading. Belle Lin hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s not just demographics weighing on the tech and search giant—Google’s core search and advertising business is under siege. WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims joins host Belle Lin to talk about the various pressures that threaten Google’s dominance. Plus, why the coolest job in tech might actually be in a bank. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices