GEOPOLITICS
DID CHINA STEAL OPENAI’s INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TO DEPLOY DEEPSEEK? Microsoft is investigating whether DeepSeek, Beijing’s hottest AI startup, stole OpenAI’s tech—and if true, it’s not just corporate espionage, it’s a national security crisis. First TikTok, then routers, now AI—tech and national security are colliding fast.
—> AI IS THE NEW ARMS RACE. This isn’t just about chatbots—it’s about who controls the future. AI is the backbone of cyber warfare, financial markets, and military defense. If China leapfrogs the U.S. in AI, expect more deepfake disinformation, AI-driven hacking, and automated propaganda.
—> CHINA AND RUSSIA ARE EXPLOITING U.S. FREEDOMS. America’s open innovation system is being turned against it. China and Russia steal tech, inject chaos, and manipulate online discourse—all while U.S. companies focus on quarterly profits. This is asymmetric warfare, and AI is the new frontline.
—> OPENAI UNDER ATTACK? The concern is that former OpenAI employees may have helped DeepSeek replicate its models. If true, this could trigger strict national security laws on AI, cutting off research collaborations between the U.S. and China.
—> BIG TECH'S WORST NIGHTMARE. If China gets its hands on top-tier AI, Silicon Valley is in trouble. Investors are already jittery—AI stocks took a hit this week. The U.S. government might have to step in, restrict AI exports, and regulate AI talent flow like it did with semiconductors.
—> THE FUTURE IS A TECH WAR. TikTok, Huawei, quantum computing, now AI—the battle for digital supremacy is here. If DeepSeek really stole OpenAI’s secrets, expect sanctions, legal crackdowns, and an AI cold war.
Source: Reuters.
hello, future. it’s me, kev.
…and this is a dispatch from the digital frontier. It’s time to meet the future NOW — with the latest on markets, tech, and freedom. The day is 29. The year is 2025. The planet is Earth. My name is Kevin Cirilli —> LinkedIn. Sign-up to receive the future in your inbox here.
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FUTURES
POWELL HOLDS THE LINE: NO RUSH FOR RATE CUTS. Fed Chair Jerome Powell isn’t budging—rate cuts are on hold. The Fed voted to keep interest rates at 4.25%-4.5%, signaling they need more proof inflation is cooling before making a move.
—> TRUMP VS. THE FED: Trump wasted no time slamming the Fed, saying he’ll handle inflation himself through energy, trade, and manufacturing policies. Powell? Not taking the bait. He hasn’t spoken to Trump and is keeping policy “data-driven.”
—> MARKETS ON EDGE: Investors had been banking on March rate cuts. Now? Not looking likely. Powell says he wants “serial readings” proving inflation is headed toward 2% before making a move.
—> POWELL BACKTRACKS? The Fed removed language about inflation progress, spooking markets. Powell later shrugged it off as a “sentence tweak,” not a signal. Wall Street isn’t convinced.
Source: USA Today.
FUTURES
FED HOLDS, TECH WHIPSAWS, MARKETS ON EDGE. Markets slipped as the Fed held rates. Stocks tumbled early, but Big Tech fought back—Tesla and Meta rebounded, while Microsoft slumped on slowing cloud growth.
—> BIG TECH’S WILD RIDE: The Nasdaq 100 swung wildly, with Tesla and Meta bouncing back, while Nvidia remains battered by China’s DeepSeek shake-up. IBM? Soaring on strong sales.
Source: MarketWatch.com.
CRYPTO
TRUMP MEDIA GOES FINTECH: LAUNCHES TRUTH.FI. Trump Media is making a power move into financial services with Truth.Fi, a new investment platform pushing “America First” ETFs and crypto. Backed by $250M custodied at Charles Schwab, it’s set to launch later this year.
—> THE PATRIOT ECONOMY PLAY: Truth.Fi will focus on American growth, manufacturing, and energy companies—targeting conservatives who feel locked out by traditional banks. Devin Nunes calls it a shield against “Big Tech and woke corporations.”
—> BANK WARS & CRYPTO MOVES: Trump is doubling down on his fight against “de-banking” conservatives, calling out Bank of America and JPMorgan. Meanwhile, Truth.Fi’s crypto ambitions could put it in direct competition with Elon Musk’s X, which just inked a payments deal with Visa.
Source: CNBC.
SPACE
SPACEX TO THE RESCUE: MUSK, TRUMP ORDER ISS RESCUE MISSION. Elon Musk says SpaceX will bring home two NASA astronauts stuck on the ISS—at Trump’s request. The crew, who arrived on Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule, were never “stranded,” according to NASA, but Trump is making it a headline rescue.
—> BOEING’S STARLINER: A SPACE LEMON? The capsule was supposed to be an eight-day test mission. Instead, propulsion issues left it grounded, forcing NASA to rely on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for the return trip.
—> TRUMP: ‘GO GET’ ‘EM, MUSK. Trump said on Truth Social, saying Musk would "go get" the astronauts. NASA insists everything was already under control, but the move puts Musk front and center in U.S. space dominance.
—> SPACEX: AMERICA’S SPACE SAFETY NET? The astronauts will return next month aboard Crew-9’s Dragon capsule, but SpaceX is also prepping Crew-10, which has been delayed. With Boeing fumbling, Musk’s SpaceX keeps proving why it’s NASA’s go-to for real space travel.
Source: NPR.
QUANTUM // ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
MRBEAST-BACKED GROUP SECURES $20B TO BUY TIKTOK—BUT BYTEBANCE WON’T PICK UP THE PHONE. A group of U.S. investors led by tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley has locked in $20 billion+ for a TikTok buyout bid—with Roblox CEO David Baszucki and Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley joining the mix. And yes, MrBeast is in the room, though he hasn’t committed to one bid just yet.
—> BIDDING WAR HEATS UP: Tinsley’s group is competing against Frank McCourt & Kevin O’Leary’s Project Liberty, which estimates TikTok’s U.S. arm is worth at least $25 billion.
—> BUT IS IT FOR SALE? Despite Trump’s push to force a divestment, ByteDance is ghosting buyers—not responding to Tinsley’s team, while China’s government remains radio silent on whether it’ll allow a deal.
—> WHO IS MRBEAST? Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, is the most-followed YouTuber on the planet and a content empire builder with 230M+ subscribers. His involvement could bring TikTok’s biggest creators on board—but for now, he’s keeping his options open.
With TikTok caught in a U.S.-China trade war chess match, all eyes are on Beijing. Will ByteDance cash out—or dig in? Stay tuned.
Source: Bloomberg.
ONE MORE THING
SUPERSONIC FLIGHTS ARE COMING BACK—FASTER THAN EVER. Boom Supersonic just broke the sound barrier, hitting 750 mph with its XB-1 jet. That’s a big step toward bringing back ultra-fast air travel for everyone.
—> WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU: Remember Concorde, the jet that flew from NYC to London in just 3 hours? Boom’s next passenger plane, Overture, aims to cut flight times in half—with flights from LA to Tokyo in 6 hours instead of 12.
—> WHEN CAN YOU FLY? If all goes to plan, Overture will start carrying passengers in the early 2030s. Airlines have already pre-ordered 130+ jets, so supersonic travel could be making a serious comeback. It’s still a few years away, but the future of fast travel is finally taking off.
Source: Extreme Tech.
Can’t we just make the Acela to NYC faster?…. and run on time?…. PLEASE!
With gratitude,
Kev
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