menu_open Columnists
Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Observer

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Tesla Warns of ‘Rough Quarters’ Ahead Amid Shifting EV Policies

Tesla Warns of ‘Rough Quarters’ Ahead Amid Shifting EV Policies

The Trump administration's spending bill "has a lot of changes that would affect our business in the near term," said Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla's chief...

thursday 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Alphabet’s $85 Billion A.I. Blitz Puts Silicon Valley on Notice

Alphabet’s $85 Billion A.I. Blitz Puts Silicon Valley on Notice

"We'll continue investing in the people, talent and compute needed to make sure that we are set up for the opportunity ahead," said CEO Sundar Pichai.

thursday 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

The Second Life of Notre Dame: Microsoft Backs a Digital Resurrection

The Second Life of Notre Dame: Microsoft Backs a Digital Resurrection

In 2018, Yves Ubelmann declined to digitize Notre Dame. Months later, it burned. Now, with Microsoft's backing, his startup Iconem is building a...

22.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

5 Billionaire Philanthropists Pool $1B to Help Low-Income Americans with A.I.

5 Billionaire Philanthropists Pool $1B to Help Low-Income Americans with A.I.

Five major philanthropists team up to invest in tech-driven solutions for struggling Americans.

19.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

PepsiCo Focuses on Healthier Snacks Amid Trump-Era Policy Changes

PepsiCo Focuses on Healthier Snacks Amid Trump-Era Policy Changes

From portion control to prebiotics, PepsiCo is revamping its portfolio for a cleaner, healthier future.

18.07.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Tariff-Related Volatility Is Fueling Trading Revenue Across Wall Street Banks

Tariff-Related Volatility Is Fueling Trading Revenue Across Wall Street Banks

Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and other major banks post massive trading gains as market volatility defines Trump’s economic landscape.

18.07.2025 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Jeff Bezos Names Ex-Amazon Exec Tom Taylor as CEO of $10B Earth Fund

Jeff Bezos Names Ex-Amazon Exec Tom Taylor as CEO of $10B Earth Fund

Taylor, a longtime Bezos lieutenant, will oversee one of the world’s largest climate funds.

17.07.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s A.I. Startup Hits $12B Valuation in Just 5 Months

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s A.I. Startup Hits $12B Valuation in Just 5 Months

Thinking Machines Lab is the latest high-profile A.I. venture launched by an OpenAI alum.

17.07.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Tesla Enters India at Last, Navigating High Tariffs and Trade Tensions

Tesla Enters India at Last, Navigating High Tariffs and Trade Tensions

Tesla’s long-awaited India debut comes as the government considers lowering EV import duties in a U.S. trade deal.

16.07.2025 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Trump Reverses China Chip Ban After Jensen Huang’s Quiet Diplomacy

Trump Reverses China Chip Ban After Jensen Huang’s Quiet Diplomacy

The U.S. reverses its export restrictions on China-bound A.I. chips after quiet lobbying by Nvidia’s CEO.

16.07.2025 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Who Is Ruoming Pang, Apple’s Top A.I. Engineer Poached by Meta for $200M?

Who Is Ruoming Pang, Apple’s Top A.I. Engineer Poached by Meta for $200M?

At Apple, Pang led the foundation model team, which develops the A.I. systems behind Apple Intelligence.

15.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Google Hires Top Talent From Windsurf in Silicon Valley’s Latest ‘Acqui-Hire’ Deal

Google Hires Top Talent From Windsurf in Silicon Valley’s Latest ‘Acqui-Hire’ Deal

Google’s latest A.I. play shows how acqui-hires are reshaping Silicon Valley power.

15.07.2025 8

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Jensen Huang’s Family Foundation Could Be Worth Over $10B as Nvidia Stock Soars

Jensen Huang’s Family Foundation Could Be Worth Over $10B as Nvidia Stock Soars

The Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Foundation is among the the world's fastest-growing family foundations. 

14.07.2025 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Yoshua Bengio Wants to Curb the Technology He Helped Usher In

Yoshua Bengio Wants to Curb the Technology He Helped Usher In

Yoshua Bengio, an acclaimed A.I. researcher, is growing increasingly concerned by agentic A.I.'s unchecked behavior.

10.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Geoffrey Hinton Warns Current A.I. May Soon Grow Past Its ‘Cute Tiger Cub’ Phase

Geoffrey Hinton Warns Current A.I. May Soon Grow Past Its ‘Cute Tiger Cub’ Phase

Geoffrey Hinton warns that machine self-preservation may soon pose an existential threat without urgent regulation.

10.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Tech CEOs and Finance Moguls at 2025 Sun Valley: So Far in Photos

Tech CEOs and Finance Moguls at 2025 Sun Valley: So Far in Photos

The annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference is in full swing in Idaho.

09.07.2025 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X After Two Turbulent Years

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X After Two Turbulent Years

Linda Yaccarino steered X through a turbulent period marked by financial struggles and reputational challenges.

09.07.2025 1

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Signal Chief Meredith Whittaker Sounds Alarm On Agentic A.I.’s Privacy Threat

Signal Chief Meredith Whittaker Sounds Alarm On Agentic A.I.’s Privacy Threat

Signal Foundation President Meredith Whittaker warns that agentic A.I. could breach app-level security, threatening privacy for millions of users.

09.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Tech and Media Titans Touch Down in Sun Valley for the Allen & Co. Conference

Tech and Media Titans Touch Down in Sun Valley for the Allen & Co. Conference

Sam Altman, Bob Iger and David Zaslav are among the first attendees spotted at this year’s “summer camp for billionaires.”

09.07.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Salesforce Pauses Hiring Engineers and Lawyers Due to A.I., Says CEO Marc Benioff

Salesforce Pauses Hiring Engineers and Lawyers Due to A.I., Says CEO Marc Benioff

Marc Benioff says Salesforce’s 9,000 A.I. agents now match humans in output and will transform hiring across industries.

08.07.2025 4

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

A.I. Drives Job Cuts Across Silicon Valley Giants: By the Numbers

A.I. Drives Job Cuts Across Silicon Valley Giants: By the Numbers

Nearly 400 tech firms cut staff in 2025, with A.I. cited as the reason for workforce shifts, from Salesforce to Duolingo and Amazon.

08.07.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Ilya Sutskever Will Lead Safe Superintelligence After Meta Poaches His CEO

With Daniel Gross joining Meta, Ilya Sutskever assumes leadership of SSI and reaffirms the company’s mission to build safe superintelligence.

07.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

How Sun Valley’s Local Airport Prepares for the Annual ‘Billionaire Summer Camp’

Each July, the skies over Sun Valley fill with private jets for the secretive mogul summit.

07.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Robinhood’s OpenAI ‘Tokens’ Are Not Actual Equity, OpenAI Warns

Aiming to democratize access to private markets, Robinhood’s move raised questions about approval and investor transparency.

03.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Tesla Reports Worst-Ever Delivery Drop as Musk Faces Political Heat

Elon Musk’s EV empire posts its worst delivery decline ever as political entanglements and Chinese rivals weigh on performance.

02.07.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Here Are the Top A.I. Researchers Who Just Joined Meta’s Superintelligence Team

Meta accelerates its A.I. ambitions with a new team built from Silicon Valley’s top talent.

02.07.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Netflix Reaches for the Stars with NASA Content Deal

Netflix will stream NASA rocket launches, spacewalks and ISS footage as part of a new live content deal launching later this year.

01.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

GoFundMe Wants to Popularize a Philanthropic Tool Favored by the Ultra-Wealthy

GoFundMe is setting its sights on a philanthropic product historically favored by the ultra-wealthy as it looks to expand beyond its crowdfunding...

01.07.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Warren Buffett Gives Record Annual Summer Gift to Gates Foundation, Family Nonprofits

The investor’s summer tradition continues as he prepares to step down as CEO.

30.06.2025 5

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

What Do Meta and Anthropic’s ‘Fair Use’ Wins Mean for A.I. Copyright Cases?

Judges ruled in favor of Meta and Anthropic over fair use in A.I. training, but future cases may hinge on market harm to creators.

28.06.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Jensen Huang Declares Nvidia Has Outgrown Its Chipmaking Roots

Nvidia’s CEO says the company has outgrown its chipmaker identity and is now building the infrastructure for a robotic future.

27.06.2025 20

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Mark Zuckerberg’s A.I. Hiring Spree Targets OpenAI and DeepMind

Meta has successfully poached three OpenAI researchers as Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on hiring top A.I. experts.

26.06.2025 8

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

FedEx Execs Are Bracing for a $170M Tariff Hit

FedEx cites China tariffs and end of de minimis rule as key drivers of a $170 million hit, prompting it to cut its annual forecast for the year.

26.06.2025 7

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Despite Elon Musk’s Return from Washington, Tesla’s Struggle in Europe Continues

Despite Elon Musk’s renewed focus, Tesla’s European market share shrinks as Chinese EVs surge and Model Y refresh falls flat.

25.06.2025 8

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Perplexity AI and Databricks Co-Founder Andy Konwinski Launches $100M A.I. Institute

The Laude Institute will offer grants, labs and infrastructure to empower computer scientists solving real-world A.I. problems.

25.06.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

OpenAI-Backed Legal A.I. Startup Harvey Reaches $5B Valuation

Harvey AI’s $300 million funding is set to ignite a legal revolution, one A.I. tool at a time.

24.06.2025 7

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

How $1.9B A.I. Startup Writer Won Over the Fortune 500: CEO Interview

Writer CEO May Habib sees a future where generative A.I. transforms traditional labor through smart automation. None of its 300 clients has cut jobs...

24.06.2025 7

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Draws Wall Street Praise—But Scaling Doubts Linger

Tesla begins testing its self-driving robotaxi service in Austin with safety monitors onboard and cautious optimism from investors.

24.06.2025 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

World’s Largest Astronomy Camera Releases Its First Images

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has released its first images, unveiling galaxies, nebulae and over 2,000 new asteroids.

23.06.2025 7

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Reddit Turns 20: Where Are Its Founders and Early Employees Today?

Reddit's story began two decades ago in the same place as many legendary Silicon Valley startups: a college dorm room.

23.06.2025 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

The 7 Executives Running Reddit’s $26B Online Community

Two of Reddit's top executives have been with the company since the very beginning.

23.06.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Sam Altman Says Mark Zuckerberg Tries to Poach OpenAI Staffers with $100M Bonuses

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Meta’s lavish signing bonuses won’t build a great A.I. culture, despite Zuckerberg’s intense recruitment blitz.

19.06.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Spotify’s Billionaire CEO Daniel Ek Is Betting Big on Europe’s Defense Sector

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek's investment firm led a $690 million round in Helsing, a leading European A.I. defense startup.

18.06.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Meet Elizabeth Rhodes, the Scholar Who Led Sam Altman’s UBI Experiment: Interview

The social scientist led a three-year study, backed by Sam Altman, to explore the real-world impact of unconditional cash transfers on work and...

17.06.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Reddit, a Treasure Trove for A.I. Companies, Launches Its Own A.I. Tools

"These new products are features I've wanted to build since my first day at Reddit," said Jen Wong, Reddit's chief operating officer.

17.06.2025 20

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

The Hidden History of Sun Valley, the Mountain Retreat of Moguls and Icons

From Hemingway to Buffett, Sun Valley has been a quiet backdrop for legends, landmark deals and literary history for nearly 90 years.

16.06.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang Leaves to Join Meta Following $14.3B Deal

Wang leaves Scale AI to join Meta's elite team aiming to develop superhuman A.I.

14.06.2025 9

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

ChatGPT Barbie? Mattel and OpenAI Join Forces on New A.I.-Infused Toys

Mattel’s next wave of toys could talk back, thanks to its new A.I. partnership with OpenAI.

13.06.2025 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Clashes with Anthropic’s Dario Amodei Over A.I.’s Job Impact

A.I. debates heat up as tech leaders like Huang, Amodei, and Schmidt weigh in on its impact on jobs and productivity.

12.06.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Sun Valley 2025 Guest List: Who Is Invited to the ‘Billionaire Summer Camp?’

The annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley conference returns this July with a high-powered guest list of tech CEOs, media bosses and billionaire dealmakers.

11.06.2025 3

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly