🍜 Meta's new AI app..

Welcome, Noodle Networkers.

Microsoft is urging Trump to ease AI chip export restrictions 🏛️, warning that keeping cutting-edge tech locked down might just push allies straight into China’s open arms. Microsoft’s Brad Smith argued that if the U.S. keeps hoarding the good chips, countries like Israel and India might start shopping elsewhere. Turns out, no one likes a semiconductor gatekeeper. Meta is cooking up a standalone AI app 🤖 to take on ChatGPT, because apparently, Zuckerberg was not content with just controlling your social feed—he wants to be your chatbot too. The app is expected to launch in Q2, with Meta betting big that users want a new AI best friend. Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang says AI now needs 100 times more computation 📈 than before, which is great news for Nvidia's stock and terrifying news for the planet’s energy bill. At this rate, training the next AI model might require its own dedicated power plant. Over in China, DeepSeek is scrambling to launch a new AI model 🇨🇳 as the country goes all in on AI. With the speed China is moving, by the time the West finishes debating regulations, they might already have sent their AI to Mars. Meanwhile, Ocado is cutting 500 jobs as AI slashes costs 💰, proving once again that robots do not ask for raises, take coffee breaks, or call in sick. The company is leaning heavily into automation, leaving many wondering if job security is now just a fancy way of saying “until the AI learns your role.”

Are we witnessing an AI-powered revolution or just speeding toward a future where machines call all the shots? Let’s get into it...

In today’s AI digest:

• Microsoft pushes Trump to ease AI chip export restrictions 🏛️

• Meta plans a standalone AI app to take on ChatGPT 🤖

• Nvidia CEO says AI now needs 100 times more computation 📈

• DeepSeek rushes to launch a new model as China goes all in 🇨🇳

• Ocado cuts 500 jobs as AI slashes costs 💰

Read time: 8 minutes

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

Microsoft

Microsoft pushes Trump to ease AI chip export restrictions 🏛️

(source: usatoday)

The Digest: Microsoft is knocking on Trump's door (figuratively, we assume) to urge a rethink of the U.S.’s AI chip export restrictions. Their argument? The current rules don’t just keep AI hardware away from China—they also make life unnecessarily difficult for America’s actual allies. And while Uncle Sam is busy locking up tech, China is out here throwing open the AI floodgates.

Key Details:

• Policy Concerns: Microsoft President Brad Smith pointed out that the AI Diffusion Rule places key allies—like India, Israel, and Switzerland—in “Tier Two” status, which sounds a lot like getting seated at the kids' table at Thanksgiving. This classification limits how many AI chips they can receive, potentially pushing them to—gasp—shop elsewhere.

• Strategic Implications: Microsoft is basically saying, “Hey, remember when China took over the 5G market because we dragged our feet? Let’s not do that again.” By keeping a stranglehold on AI chips, the U.S. risks driving its friends straight into China’s open arms, where they’ll be handed AI hardware with no awkward restrictions.

• Industry Impact: Nvidia is also raising a concerned eyebrow, warning that excessive export controls could kneecap America’s AI dominance. If the U.S. plays too much defense, China could run off with the AI trophy, and we all know how much Wall Street loves when that happens.

Why It Matters: The AI race isn’t slowing down, and while protecting national security is a top priority, making AI chips too exclusive might just leave the U.S. trailing behind. If the U.S. keeps this up, it might be handing China a technological golden ticket—while American tech giants sit in the corner, wondering why their sales reports suddenly look like a sad PowerPoint slide.

HubSpot

200+ ways to make money with AI 💸

Turn AI into Your Income Engine

Ready to transform artificial intelligence from a buzzword into your personal revenue generator? Our groundbreaking guide "200+ AI-Powered Income Ideas" is your gateway to financial innovation in the digital age.

Inside you'll discover:

• A curated collection of 200+ profitable opportunities spanning content creation, e-commerce, gaming, and emerging digital markets—each vetted for real-world potential

• Step-by-step implementation guides designed for beginners, making AI accessible regardless of your technical background

• Cutting-edge strategies aligned with current market trends, ensuring your ventures stay ahead of the curve

Download your guide today and unlock a future where artificial intelligence powers your success. Your next income stream is waiting.

Meta

Meta plans a standalone AI app to take on ChatGPT 🤖

(source: CNBC)

The Digest: Meta is rolling up its sleeves and diving headfirst into the AI battlefield with a new standalone chatbot app set to go toe-to-toe with ChatGPT. Mark Zuckerberg is clearly not interested in sitting on the sidelines, especially after investing a casual $65 billion in AI infrastructure. With Llama 3 rumored to power this new AI assistant, Meta is hoping its bot will be smarter, faster, and maybe even better at ghosting your unread messages than you are.

Key Details:

• Big Money, Bigger Ambitions: Meta is spending $65 billion on AI in 2025, which is roughly the GDP of a small country. Clearly, Zuck is betting that AI is the future—or at the very least, that his chatbot will be more useful than that one friend who only texts when they need a favor.

• Heavy Competition: It’s not just ChatGPT standing in the way—Elon Musk’s Grok-3 is making waves after topping AI leaderboards and climbing App Store rankings. Musk’s AI has already shown up in X and might soon be integrated into Teslas. If this keeps up, we’ll probably see AI giving stock tips and debating politics in your group chat by next year.

• China Enters the Chat: Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has already shaken up the market, dethroning ChatGPT in app downloads and causing Nvidia’s stock to wobble. Tech investors are not enjoying the rollercoaster. At this rate, we might need an AI bot just to keep track of which AI bot is currently winning.

Why It Matters: Meta’s standalone AI app signals a major shake-up in the chatbot world. With billions on the line and every tech giant scrambling to dominate AI, the competition is getting fierce. Whether Meta’s AI ends up as the next big thing or just another bot nobody talks to, one thing is certain—our future is looking increasingly automated, chatty, and possibly smarter than us.

Rundown AI

Start learning AI in 2025

Everyone talks about AI, but no one has the time to learn it. So, we found the easiest way to learn AI in as little time as possible: The Rundown AI.

It's a free AI newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest AI news, and teaches you how to apply it in just 5 minutes a day.

Plus, complete the quiz after signing up and they’ll recommend the best AI tools, guides, and courses – tailored to your needs.

Sign up to start learning.

Nvidia

Nvidia CEO says AI now needs 100 times more computation 📈

(source: CNBC)

The Digest: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has declared that AI models now require 100 times more computational power than their predecessors. Translation? If you thought GPUs were expensive before, just wait. This revelation is fantastic news for Nvidia’s bottom line and a nightmare for anyone still trying to buy a graphics card without selling a kidney.

Key Details:

• AI’s Growing Appetite: Huang explained that AI models, especially those focusing on reasoning (yes, AI is now trying to think), need an absurd amount of computing power. We’re talking about the kind of energy that could probably fuel a small country—or at least power a gamer’s dream setup for five minutes.

• Nvidia’s Cash Machine: In the last quarter alone, Nvidia raked in a cool $39.3 billion, a 78% revenue increase. Of that, $11 billion came from their AI processor, Blackwell, which sounds less like a chip and more like a secret agent. Despite this financial flex, Nvidia’s stock wobbled in after-hours trading, because apparently, making billions still isn’t enough to keep investors happy.

• Competition Lurks: Nvidia may be the king of AI hardware, but challengers are lining up. Google, Amazon, and other tech giants are cooking up their own AI chips, aiming to chip away (pun intended) at Nvidia’s dominance. Analysts predict that Nvidia’s grip on AI inference computing could drop to 50%, which is basically the tech equivalent of losing your championship belt.

Why It Matters: AI’s insatiable need for computing power is turning Nvidia into a trillion-dollar powerhouse, but competition is heating up. As AI advances, the race to build the fastest, most efficient chips is getting brutal. For Nvidia, it’s a high-stakes game of staying ahead—or risk becoming the Blockbuster of AI chips. And for everyone else? Maybe start stockpiling GPUs before they become as rare as a PS5 in 2020.

DeepSeek

DeepSeek rushes to launch a new model as China goes all in 🇨🇳

(source: Reuters)

The Digest: DeepSeek, China’s rising AI star, is rushing out its next-generation model, R2, because apparently, waiting is for countries without a trillion-dollar AI ambition. After R1 shook up global markets, DeepSeek is doubling down, hoping to cement itself as the AI powerhouse that gives Silicon Valley executives sleepless nights. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is throwing cash at AI like a gambler on a winning streak, making it clear they’re not here to play second fiddle to the U.S.

Key Details:

• R1’s Market Mayhem: DeepSeek’s R1 model didn’t just impress—it terrified Wall Street. The AI’s rapid adoption sent shivers down the spines of Nvidia investors and triggered some serious stock swings. If AI models were boxers, R1 just landed a knockout punch, and now R2 is stepping into the ring.

• R2's Power-Up: The next-gen model promises superior reasoning, better coding skills, and multilingual capabilities—because speaking only English is so 2023. Founder Liang Wenfeng isn’t holding back, pumping resources into making DeepSeek a serious competitor to Western AI giants. Forget playing catch-up—China wants to lead the AI race.

• China’s AI War Chest: Beijing is backing AI development with a casual $8.2 billion fund, aiming to cut ties with foreign tech reliance and dominate AI from chips to chatbots. If that wasn’t enough, they’re also setting up massive data centers to fuel the next wave of AI breakthroughs. Basically, if AI were the Olympics, China just built the best training facility money can buy.

Why It Matters: DeepSeek’s rapid rise isn’t just another AI success story—it’s a wake-up call. China isn’t waiting around for regulatory debates or investor hesitation; they’re throwing everything at AI development while the rest of the world argues about ethics and GPU shortages. If the U.S. and Europe don’t speed up, they might find themselves learning Mandarin just to keep up with the latest AI breakthroughs.

Ocado

Ocado cuts 500 jobs as AI slashes costs 💰

(source: TheGuardian)

The Digest: Ocado, the UK’s online grocery giant, is showing 500 employees the exit door, citing AI-driven efficiency as the reason. The company says that automation has made some human roles redundant—because apparently, robots don’t take sick days or ask for raises. This marks the second major round of job cuts after a similar move last year, proving that Ocado’s cost-cutting strategy is as consistent as its grocery deliveries.

Key Details:

• AI Efficiency Flex: CEO Tim Steiner boasted that Ocado’s AI tools have made engineers so productive that the company can cut back on research and development spending. Translation? The robots are doing their jobs too well. Meanwhile, at Ocado’s most advanced warehouse in Luton, robotic arms are already handling over a third of all item picking, with expectations to hit 70% automation soon. By 2030, we’ll probably see the robots unionizing.

• Money Moves: Ocado saw a 14% sales increase but still managed to report a £374.5 million loss. While that’s slightly better than last year’s £394 million loss, investors were unimpressed—shares dropped 17% faster than a bag of overripe avocados. The reason? Slower-than-expected tech sales and warehouse project delays in the U.S. You’d think a company leading the AI revolution would figure out how to keep their profits from vanishing like a pack of biscuits at a staff meeting.

• Grocery Store Hunger Games: Ocado isn’t alone in the mass layoff trend—Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Aldi have also been trimming their workforce. Between self-checkouts replacing cashiers and AI-powered logistics teams, grocery store employees might need to start applying for jobs at the AI companies replacing them.

Why It Matters: AI is rapidly reshaping industries, and Ocado’s latest move is just another sign that human jobs are increasingly vulnerable to automation. While efficiency is great, companies will eventually have to ask themselves—who’s going to buy all these AI-optimized groceries if the AI took everyone’s job?

THE NOODLE LAB

AI Hacks & How-Tos

Analyze Market Trends Using IBM Watson 📈

The Digest: IBM Watson offers AI-powered tools that enable businesses to analyze vast amounts of data, uncover hidden patterns, and predict future market trends. By leveraging machine learning and natural language processing, Watson provides actionable insights to inform strategic decision-making.

How-to:

1. Access IBM Watson:

   • Visit the IBM Watson website and sign up for an account.

2. Prepare Your Data:

   • Gather relevant data, such as sales figures, customer feedback, and social media metrics.

   • Ensure your data is clean and formatted correctly for analysis.

3. Utilize Watson Discovery:

   • Navigate to Watson Discovery, IBM's AI-powered data analysis tool.

   • Upload your datasets to the platform.

   • Use natural language queries to explore data and identify trends.

4. Apply Predictive Analytics:

   • Leverage Watson's machine learning capabilities to build models that forecast future market behaviors.

   • Analyze historical data to predict customer preferences and market conditions.

5. Visualize Insights:

   • Use Watson's visualization tools to create dashboards and reports.

   • Share these visualizations with stakeholders to inform business strategies.

Explore More: Use Follow-up Mode to dive deeper into a specific industry and fine-tune your niche selection. We just covered AI-powered niche discovery in a workshop—access it at the top of this email! 🚀

Trending AI Tools

• Soundraw: AI-powered music generator that creates unique royalty-free tracks based on mood and style preferences.

• Pika Labs: AI-powered video generator that converts text prompts into animated visuals, great for content creators.

• Supernormal: AI meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes video calls automatically.

• Galileo AI: AI-powered UI design assistant that generates stunning user interface components from text descriptions.

• Booth AI: AI-driven tool that creates professional product photos instantly without the need for a photoshoot.