#stupidamountsofmoney — Public Fediverse posts

TechCrunch: Google co-founder Sergey Brin has now spent $100 million to fight the billionaire tax. “Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated another $20 million to Build a Better California, an organization advocating against California’s proposed billionaire tax, according to a new filing. That means that the world’s fourth-richest man, whose net worth hovers around $267 billion, has now […]

TechCrunch: Google co-founder Sergey Brin has now spent $100 million to fight the billionaire tax. “Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated another $20 million to Build a Better California, an organization advocating against California’s proposed billionaire tax, according to a new filing. That means that the world’s fourth-richest man, whose net worth hovers around $267 billion, has now […]

New York Times: Larry Ellison Bet It All on the A.I. Boom. Will He Be the Face of the A.I. Bubble?. This link goes to a gift article. “Ellison, who was 80 and worth in the neighborhood of $200 billion, had an appointment at the White House. He didn’t bother to take a driver’s license — he needed to call someone on the president’s staff to vouch for him at the gate — but there he was, […]

New York Times: Larry Ellison Bet It All on the A.I. Boom. Will He Be the Face of the A.I. Bubble?. This link goes to a gift article. “Ellison, who was 80 and worth in the neighborhood of $200 billion, had an appointment at the White House. He didn’t bother to take a driver’s license — he needed to call someone on the president’s staff to vouch for him at the gate — but there he was, […]

CNBC: Dwindling cash and soaring memory costs: Tech’s AI buildout has ballooning price tag. “AI spending among the megacaps is projected to reach $765 billion this year, before rising to nearly $1.2 trillion in 2027, according to Goldman Sachs. Amazon boosted its capital spending forecast for the year on Thursday to $220 billion, the highest among the four hyperscalers.”

CNBC: Dwindling cash and soaring memory costs: Tech’s AI buildout has ballooning price tag. “AI spending among the megacaps is projected to reach $765 billion this year, before rising to nearly $1.2 trillion in 2027, according to Goldman Sachs. Amazon boosted its capital spending forecast for the year on Thursday to $220 billion, the highest among the four hyperscalers.”

Patch California: Corporate Owners Quietly Reshape Veterinary Care Across CA: Is Your Vet One Of Them?. “That reality is the focus of Private Equity Vet, an independent website that tracks ownership of veterinary hospitals across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. California dog owner Francis Wong created the database after he says his dachshund, Pluto, died following treatment […]

Patch California: Corporate Owners Quietly Reshape Veterinary Care Across CA: Is Your Vet One Of Them?. “That reality is the focus of Private Equity Vet, an independent website that tracks ownership of veterinary hospitals across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. California dog owner Francis Wong created the database after he says his dachshund, Pluto, died following treatment […]

The Register: Oracle faces $100M annual bill to back Wisconsin datacenter power promises. “Oracle says that it could face more than $100 million a year in financing costs to guarantee the power commitments behind a nearly 1 GW datacenter campus it is developing in Wisconsin with Vantage and OpenAI.”

The Register: Oracle faces $100M annual bill to back Wisconsin datacenter power promises. “Oracle says that it could face more than $100 million a year in financing costs to guarantee the power commitments behind a nearly 1 GW datacenter campus it is developing in Wisconsin with Vantage and OpenAI.”

Reuters: SoftBank’s Son says AI will need $5 trillion per year by 2040, dismisses bubble talk. “The development of AI will require investment of $5 trillion each year by 2040, and any talk ‌of a bubble forming around the technology is “absurd”, SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son said on Tuesday.”

Reuters: SoftBank’s Son says AI will need $5 trillion per year by 2040, dismisses bubble talk. “The development of AI will require investment of $5 trillion each year by 2040, and any talk ‌of a bubble forming around the technology is “absurd”, SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son said on Tuesday.”

TechSpot: Nvidia’s banned AI servers are selling for $1.1 million on China’s black market. “Think Nvidia products are expensive in the United States? In China, one system is being sold for the equivalent of $1.1 million. But that’s for the DGX B300 platform, which not only costs around $400,000 in the US but is also banned in the country. It’s those increasingly tight export restrictions that […]

TechSpot: Nvidia’s banned AI servers are selling for $1.1 million on China’s black market. “Think Nvidia products are expensive in the United States? In China, one system is being sold for the equivalent of $1.1 million. But that’s for the DGX B300 platform, which not only costs around $400,000 in the US but is also banned in the country. It’s those increasingly tight export restrictions that […]

The Independent: OpenAI to delay IPO after Sam Altman spooked by SpaceX tumble, report says. “OpenAI may delay going public until next year due to concerns that it will currently be unable to reach CEO Sam Altman’s target of a $1 trillion valuation, according to reports.”

The Independent: OpenAI to delay IPO after Sam Altman spooked by SpaceX tumble, report says. “OpenAI may delay going public until next year due to concerns that it will currently be unable to reach CEO Sam Altman’s target of a $1 trillion valuation, according to reports.”

NPR: AI and tech are trying to influence the midterm elections. “Around the country, groups associated with AI and tech are trying to influence elections from Senate races to local offices, even as Americans register increasing discomfort with the technology’s ramifications for jobs, energy bills and society. AI-focused super PACs have already spent $43.3 million on congressional races this […]

NPR: AI and tech are trying to influence the midterm elections. “Around the country, groups associated with AI and tech are trying to influence elections from Senate races to local offices, even as Americans register increasing discomfort with the technology’s ramifications for jobs, energy bills and society. AI-focused super PACs have already spent $43.3 million on congressional races this […]

SF Standard: The 5% freakout: Inside tech elites’ madcap war against the California billionaire tax. “The proposal was emblematic of the strategies the billionaire class has tested over the last eight months: unorthodox, expensive, and increasingly desperate. Since the union’s Billionaire Tax Act campaign was launched last fall, the tech elites have organized in secret, scheduling and […]

SF Standard: The 5% freakout: Inside tech elites’ madcap war against the California billionaire tax. “The proposal was emblematic of the strategies the billionaire class has tested over the last eight months: unorthodox, expensive, and increasingly desperate. Since the union’s Billionaire Tax Act campaign was launched last fall, the tech elites have organized in secret, scheduling and […]

CNBC: Trump administration, OpenAI discussing possible government stake in the AI startup. “OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the White House are in ongoing talks about a possible government stake in the artificial intelligence company, CNBC confirmed on Friday.”

CNBC: Trump administration, OpenAI discussing possible government stake in the AI startup. “OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the White House are in ongoing talks about a possible government stake in the artificial intelligence company, CNBC confirmed on Friday.”

CNBC: SoftBank’s OpenAI bet and rising debt are raising liquidity crunch concerns. “SoftBank’s ascent to becoming Japan’s most valuable company has put the spotlight on the conglomerate, raising questions about whether it is taking on too much risk through its highly leveraged bet on artificial intelligence.”

CNBC: SoftBank’s OpenAI bet and rising debt are raising liquidity crunch concerns. “SoftBank’s ascent to becoming Japan’s most valuable company has put the spotlight on the conglomerate, raising questions about whether it is taking on too much risk through its highly leveraged bet on artificial intelligence.”

The Guardian: Tech billionaires are spending unprecedented sums in California races. Experts say it’s the tip of the iceberg. “The industry has used a cover-all-bases approach, funding candidates and ballot measures big and small, contributing to what looks to be the most expensive primary season in California history. The goal, experts say, is to gain both political and regulatory leverage […]

The Guardian: Tech billionaires are spending unprecedented sums in California races. Experts say it’s the tip of the iceberg. “The industry has used a cover-all-bases approach, funding candidates and ballot measures big and small, contributing to what looks to be the most expensive primary season in California history. The goal, experts say, is to gain both political and regulatory leverage […]

Bay Area Local News Matters: Billionaire blitz: Silicon Valley elites funnel millions into key California political contests. “FROM A WIDE-OPEN GOVERNOR’S RACE to a bitter congressional contest, Santa Clara County has emerged as a key battleground in the tech industry’s bid to control California politics — and shield billionaires from a wealth tax.”

Bay Area Local News Matters: Billionaire blitz: Silicon Valley elites funnel millions into key California political contests. “FROM A WIDE-OPEN GOVERNOR’S RACE to a bitter congressional contest, Santa Clara County has emerged as a key battleground in the tech industry’s bid to control California politics — and shield billionaires from a wealth tax.”

TechSpot: Oracle is spending billions on AI data centers as cash flow turns negative. “The market has long questioned the sustainability of Oracle’s AI spending. The company has reportedly committed $100 billion to build and expand its new hyperscale infrastructure, much of it financed through debt. Unlike Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, Oracle lacks similarly massive revenue streams to fund what […]

TechSpot: Oracle is spending billions on AI data centers as cash flow turns negative. “The market has long questioned the sustainability of Oracle’s AI spending. The company has reportedly committed $100 billion to build and expand its new hyperscale infrastructure, much of it financed through debt. Unlike Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, Oracle lacks similarly massive revenue streams to fund what […]

Wall Street Journal: Trump administration set to receive $10 billion fee for brokering TikTok deal This is an MSN-syndicated version of the article and has no paywall. “The Trump administration is set to receive a roughly $10 billion fee from investors in the recently completed deal to take control of TikTok’s U.S. business, delivering it a windfall for keeping the popular social-media app […]

Wall Street Journal: Trump administration set to receive $10 billion fee for brokering TikTok deal This is an MSN-syndicated version of the article and has no paywall. “The Trump administration is set to receive a roughly $10 billion fee from investors in the recently completed deal to take control of TikTok’s U.S. business, delivering it a windfall for keeping the popular social-media app […]

Washington Post: Democrats ask what happened to millions earmarked for Trump’s library This article is MSN-syndicated and is not paywalled. “Congressional Democrats are opening a probe into millions of dollars private companies pledged to President Donald Trump’s planned presidential library, asking what happened to the money after the original fund was dissolved last year.”

Washington Post: Democrats ask what happened to millions earmarked for Trump’s library This article is MSN-syndicated and is not paywalled. “Congressional Democrats are opening a probe into millions of dollars private companies pledged to President Donald Trump’s planned presidential library, asking what happened to the money after the original fund was dissolved last year.”

Hollywood Reporter: YouTube Lays Claim to Another Crown: The World’s Largest Media Company. “YouTube had more than $60 billion in revenue in 2025, parent company Alphabet reported last month. Now, the influential financial research firm MoffettNathanson runs the numbers and comes to the conclusion that YouTube’s estimated $62 billion in 2025 will have allowed it to pass The Walt Disney […]

Hollywood Reporter: YouTube Lays Claim to Another Crown: The World’s Largest Media Company. “YouTube had more than $60 billion in revenue in 2025, parent company Alphabet reported last month. Now, the influential financial research firm MoffettNathanson runs the numbers and comes to the conclusion that YouTube’s estimated $62 billion in 2025 will have allowed it to pass The Walt Disney […]

Al Jazeera: OpenAI’s fund raising boom slows amid mounting debt. “‘OpenAI needs to generate $200bn in annual revenue by 2030 to justify their projections. That’s 15x growth in five years while costs keep exploding,’ George Noble, a veteran financial analyst, said in a post on X. ‘The diminishing returns are becoming impossible to hide. Competitors are catching up. The lawsuits are piling […]

Al Jazeera: OpenAI’s fund raising boom slows amid mounting debt. “‘OpenAI needs to generate $200bn in annual revenue by 2030 to justify their projections. That’s 15x growth in five years while costs keep exploding,’ George Noble, a veteran financial analyst, said in a post on X. ‘The diminishing returns are becoming impossible to hide. Competitors are catching up. The lawsuits are piling […]

Business Insider: Alphabet CEO could earn up to $692M under a new pay package linked to Waymo. “In an SEC filing posted on Friday, the company awarded CEO Sundar Pichai a three-year equity cycle that could be worth up to $692 million if the CEO meets the board’s performance targets.”

Business Insider: Alphabet CEO could earn up to $692M under a new pay package linked to Waymo. “In an SEC filing posted on Friday, the company awarded CEO Sundar Pichai a three-year equity cycle that could be worth up to $692 million if the CEO meets the board’s performance targets.”

CNBC: OpenAI resets spending expectations, tells investors compute target is around $600 billion by 2030. “OpenAI is telling investors that it’s now targeting roughly $600 billion in total compute spend by 2030, months after CEO Sam Altman touted $1.4 trillion in infrastructure commitments.”

CNBC: OpenAI resets spending expectations, tells investors compute target is around $600 billion by 2030. “OpenAI is telling investors that it’s now targeting roughly $600 billion in total compute spend by 2030, months after CEO Sam Altman touted $1.4 trillion in infrastructure commitments.”

The Register: Investors shove another $30B into the Anthropic money furnace. “The AI bubble continues to inflate with Anthropic’s announcement of $30 billion in Series G funding at a $380 billion post-money valuation. The figures offer insight into the mentality of investors in AI platforms. Anthropic, like its rival OpenAI, has yet to turn a profit, although there are hopes that it will do so […]

The Register: Investors shove another $30B into the Anthropic money furnace. “The AI bubble continues to inflate with Anthropic’s announcement of $30 billion in Series G funding at a $380 billion post-money valuation. The figures offer insight into the mentality of investors in AI platforms. Anthropic, like its rival OpenAI, has yet to turn a profit, although there are hopes that it will do so […]

Gizmodo: Crypto.com Founder Buys AI.com in ‘Largest Domain Purchase in History’. “The founder of Crypto.com is tackling AI next, and he spared no expense. Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek has launched a new AI agent platform under the brand AI.com, a domain he reportedly purchased for $70 million.”

Gizmodo: Crypto.com Founder Buys AI.com in ‘Largest Domain Purchase in History’. “The founder of Crypto.com is tackling AI next, and he spared no expense. Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek has launched a new AI agent platform under the brand AI.com, a domain he reportedly purchased for $70 million.”

New York Times: Jeffrey Epstein’s Money Mingled With Silicon Valley Start-Ups. This link goes to a gift article. “The documents illustrate not only Mr. Epstein’s deep relationships in Silicon Valley but also his ability to gain access to hot deals and buzzy start-ups, some of which would become pillars of today’s tech industry. Along the way, Mr. Epstein was aided by venture capitalists, […]

New York Times: Jeffrey Epstein’s Money Mingled With Silicon Valley Start-Ups. This link goes to a gift article. “The documents illustrate not only Mr. Epstein’s deep relationships in Silicon Valley but also his ability to gain access to hot deals and buzzy start-ups, some of which would become pillars of today’s tech industry. Along the way, Mr. Epstein was aided by venture capitalists, […]

Futurism: Tech Companies Showing Signs of Distress as They Run Out of Money for AI Infrastructure. “AI companies have accrued at least $200 billion in debt, per [Bloomberg]. A more realistic figure is likely considerably higher, as that estimate doesn’t count undisclosed private deals.”

Futurism: Tech Companies Showing Signs of Distress as They Run Out of Money for AI Infrastructure. “AI companies have accrued at least $200 billion in debt, per [Bloomberg]. A more realistic figure is likely considerably higher, as that estimate doesn’t count undisclosed private deals.”

Ars Technica: Nvidia’s $100 billion OpenAI deal has seemingly vanished. “In September 2025, Nvidia and OpenAI announced a letter of intent for Nvidia to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI’s AI infrastructure. At the time, the companies said they expected to finalize details ‘in the coming weeks.’ Five months later, no deal has closed, Nvidia’s CEO now says the $100 billion figure was […]

Ars Technica: Nvidia’s $100 billion OpenAI deal has seemingly vanished. “In September 2025, Nvidia and OpenAI announced a letter of intent for Nvidia to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI’s AI infrastructure. At the time, the companies said they expected to finalize details ‘in the coming weeks.’ Five months later, no deal has closed, Nvidia’s CEO now says the $100 billion figure was […]

TechSpot: Meta Reality Labs posts worst quarter ever: losses hit $6 billion, pushing total to $80 billion. “If there’s one reassuringly familiar sight every time companies release their financial results, it’s Meta’s Reality Labs posting operating losses in the billions of dollars. The fourth quarter was no different, with losses growing 21% year over year to a massive $6.02 billion. It means […]

TechSpot: Meta Reality Labs posts worst quarter ever: losses hit $6 billion, pushing total to $80 billion. “If there’s one reassuringly familiar sight every time companies release their financial results, it’s Meta’s Reality Labs posting operating losses in the billions of dollars. The fourth quarter was no different, with losses growing 21% year over year to a massive $6.02 billion. It means […]

Mashable: OpenAI reportedly readies lengthy Super Bowl commercial. “OpenAI is planning to run a Super Bowl ad again this year — reportedly shelling out millions of dollars in an effort to win the budding AI wars. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing ‘people familiar with the matter,’ that the company was set to purchase a 60-second ad during the big game in February. That is surely an […]

Mashable: OpenAI reportedly readies lengthy Super Bowl commercial. “OpenAI is planning to run a Super Bowl ad again this year — reportedly shelling out millions of dollars in an effort to win the budding AI wars. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing ‘people familiar with the matter,’ that the company was set to purchase a 60-second ad during the big game in February. That is surely an […]

The Guardian: AI boom adds more than half a trillion dollars to wealth of US tech barons in 2025. “A stock market boom in artificial intelligence companies has added more than half a trillion dollars to the wealth of America’s tech barons in the past year, data shows. The top 10 US founders and bosses of some of the world’s largest technology companies saw their finances swell to nearly […]

The Guardian: AI boom adds more than half a trillion dollars to wealth of US tech barons in 2025. “A stock market boom in artificial intelligence companies has added more than half a trillion dollars to the wealth of America’s tech barons in the past year, data shows. The top 10 US founders and bosses of some of the world’s largest technology companies saw their finances swell to nearly […]

The Register: AI faces closing time at the cash buffet. “Between 2001 and 2014, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost the US an estimated $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion in direct spending. Global AI spending, according to Gartner, is forecast to reach nearly $1.5 trillion this year, putting today’s AI boom in the same cash-burning league as two major wars.”

The Register: AI faces closing time at the cash buffet. “Between 2001 and 2014, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost the US an estimated $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion in direct spending. Global AI spending, according to Gartner, is forecast to reach nearly $1.5 trillion this year, putting today’s AI boom in the same cash-burning league as two major wars.”