Interconnected

Interconnected explores the intricate dynamics between technology, investing, geopolitics, and US-Asia relations. It delves into issues like generative AI, the semiconductor industry, corporate strategies, and economic trends, highlighting the interplay of tech development and geopolitical strategies between the US and Asia, particularly China.

Technology and Innovation Geopolitics and US-Asia Relations Investing in Tech Companies Economic Trends and Analysis Corporate Strategy and Challenges Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Semiconductor Industry Societal and Policy Impacts on Tech

The hottest Substack posts of Interconnected

And their main takeaways

Nebius Part 1: the Smooth (Developer) Operator

277 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Cloud Computing Developer Tools Investment Tech Companies
  1. Nebius is focused on creating a smooth experience for developers. They make it easy for developers to start using their platform without unnecessary steps, which is important for building cool AI projects.
  2. The company has a strong background thanks to its roots in Yandex, which gives it experience in running cloud services effectively. This experience helps Nebius offer a wide range of cloud solutions, not just GPU rentals.
  3. While some may worry about Nebius's Russian connections, the company has distanced itself from that past. With significant funding and a solid road ahead, it seems ready to grow and succeed free from those burdens.

Nebius Part 2: Cash, Optionalities, Challenges

200 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
💼 Business Investment Startups Technology AI Market Trends
  1. Nebius has a strong cash position with around $3 billion and no debt, which helps it stand out in the competitive AI market. This cash allows the company to potentially grow without heavy financial pressure.
  2. The company's various assets, like Toloka and Avride, provide unique opportunities that could enhance Nebius's offerings and market position. Keeping some of these assets might lead to greater strategic advantages.
  3. Nebius faces challenges in a crowded market, especially in understanding how to best utilize its subsidiaries and in competing against larger cloud service providers. Its future success will depend on careful geographic and strategic planning.

Was Zuck Right about Chinese AI Models?

4751 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Cloud Computing Data Privacy Censorship Global Competition
  1. Chinese AI models can answer sensitive questions when run locally, but they often censor answers in cloud settings. This shows a difference in behavior based on where the models are hosted.
  2. Censorship in AI models is more about the cloud platforms than the models themselves. This poses challenges for Chinese cloud providers wanting to compete internationally.
  3. Even though some see Chinese AI as censored, it can still be powerful and competitive. Users may prefer to download and run these models locally to avoid censorship and make the most of their capabilities.

2024 Annual Letter: Generational Company, Generational Wealth

354 implied HN points • 02 Feb 25
💰 Finance Investment Wealth Economics Market Trends Portfolio Management
  1. Investing in technology, especially in areas like AI and cloud infrastructure, can be a promising way to build wealth over time. It's important to focus on companies with strong fundamentals that are expected to grow for many years.
  2. Tariffs and geopolitical events can greatly impact investment strategies, so it's crucial to seek out portfolio positions that are less sensitive to such changes. This helps in managing risks and stabilizing returns.
  3. Building generational wealth means finding robust companies that will still thrive in the future. Personal experiences can shape how we view long-term investments and what makes a company worth investing in.

($) DeepSeek Diffusion

123 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Open Source Geopolitics Cloud Computing Cybersecurity
  1. The ongoing discussion about DeepSeek focuses too much on the rivalry between the U.S. and China. It's more about whether technology is open source or closed source.
  2. Open source technology, like DeepSeek, can spread quickly and widely, getting adopted by various companies across the globe.
  3. Major cloud providers, including U.S. companies, are offering DeepSeek models to their customers, showing its significant impact in the tech world.
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($) Stargate is America’s Sovereign AI

138 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Data Security Automation
  1. Stargate is seen as a key AI technology for America, focusing on improving national capabilities. It aims to make the U.S. more self-sufficient in AI development.
  2. The project emphasizes the importance of sovereign technology, meaning that the U.S. can control and utilize its own AI resources without relying heavily on foreign technologies.
  3. Community support and subscriptions play a crucial role in sharing insights about such technologies, encouraging more people to get involved and informed.

($) DeepSeek's Three Idiosyncratic Advantages

138 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Open Source Machine Learning Global Competition Data science
  1. DeepSeek-V3 is an AI model that is performing as well or better than other top models while costing much less to train. This means they're getting great results without spending a lot of money.
  2. The AI community is buzzing about DeepSeek's advancements, but there seems to be less excitement about it in China compared to outside countries. This might show a difference in how AI news is perceived globally.
  3. DeepSeek has a few unique advantages that set it apart from other AI labs. Understanding these can help clarify what their success means for the broader AI competition between the US and China.

Self Re-Introduction – 2024 Edition

231 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Government Public Policy Political Analysis Political History
  1. The writer has changed careers multiple times, starting in politics and then moving to tech and investing. This shows that it's possible to reinvent yourself and follow new passions.
  2. The newsletter covers important topics where technology, business, and geopolitics meet. It's a space for learning about how these areas influence each other.
  3. Becoming a premium member of the newsletter provides extra benefits, like in-depth investment analysis and personalized discussions. This can help readers gain more insights and connect with the writer.

See the World Accurately

354 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Governance Public Policy Political Analysis International relations
  1. Seeing the world accurately is important for investors; it's easy to get lost in wishful thinking. Understanding reality helps make better decisions.
  2. Trump and Obama had similar strategies in their electoral victories, but they aim to govern differently, with Obama favoring institutions and Trump challenging them. This difference is crucial for the political landscape.
  3. China's economic policies are largely based on internal issues, not influenced by US elections. Their approach to managing the economy is quite different and focuses more on state control and gradual adjustments.

What Does Hitting Scaling Law Limit Mean for US-China AI Competition

246 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning International relations Global Competition Data science
  1. The scaling law for AI models might be losing effectiveness, meaning that simply using more data and compute power may not lead to significant improvements like it did before.
  2. US export controls on AI technology may become less impactful over time, as diminishing returns on AI model scaling could lessen the advantages of having the most advanced hardware.
  3. If AI development slows down, the urgency for a potential 'AI doomsday' scenario may decrease, allowing for a more balanced competition between the US and China in AI advancements.

($) 2025: Year of (Software) Picks and Shovels

92 implied HN points • 22 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Infrastructure Investing Databases
  1. In 2025, software tools like API platforms, databases, and GPU clouds will be key for AI applications. They are becoming just as important as hardware for building AI solutions.
  2. The focus on AI is shifting from just hardware to include software infrastructure that supports the creation of smarter, more useful AI agents.
  3. Investors should pay attention to emerging software tools and platforms as they will drive the next wave of innovation in AI. Recognizing which ones will succeed is crucial.

($) Why is China Investigating Nvidia: Blackwell

77 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Regulation Market International Economics
  1. China's government is investigating Nvidia, which is unusual because they haven't gone after a foreign company like this before. This shows a shift in how they are handling international businesses.
  2. The timing of the investigation is interesting since it came shortly after Nvidia's CEO received an honorary degree and had meetings with Chinese officials. It may not be all negative for Nvidia.
  3. Despite the investigation, Nvidia plans to increase its workforce in China, focusing on research and development. This suggests they want to continue growing their presence there.

Japan's Semiconductor Red Carpet

447 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Manufacturing Government support Global expansion Workforce
  1. Japan's semiconductor industry is making a strong effort to attract TSMC and boost chip manufacturing through government support and strategic investments.
  2. Kumamoto in Japan is proving to be a successful hub for TSMC with speedy construction, substantial government subsidies, and efforts to welcome and retain Taiwanese employees.
  3. Soft touches like cultural support, language programs, and local community integration are enhancing the success of TSMC's venture in Kumamoto, highlighting the importance of human factors in high-tech industries.

Q3 2024: Clock Starts Anew

46 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
💰 Finance Investing Market Trends Economic Policy Investment Strategies
  1. The new fund started on October 1, focusing on technology related to cloud computing and AI. This means the fresh investments will reflect the latest strategies and insights.
  2. Big tech companies like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud are showing strong growth, indicating a possible recovery in the cloud market. This is an exciting time for investing in these sectors.
  3. With the upcoming U.S. elections and economic changes, there may be market fluctuations. It's better to stay calm and stick to long-term investing rather than reacting to short-term news.

China May Stay Permanently Behind the US in Generative AI

447 implied HN points • 12 Nov 23
🕹 Technology AI Data Regulations China US
  1. China may be permanently behind the US in Generative AI due to factors like blocking quality datasets.
  2. Unique attributes of Chinese Internet data, like linguistic challenges, present additional hurdles for AI developers in China.
  3. New regulatory burdens in China around AI development may hinder progress and keep the country behind the US in generative AI.

When the Houthis Found “the Cloud"

231 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics International relations Cybersecurity Terrorism Global Economy
  1. The Houthis damaged four undersea cables in the Red Sea, disrupting 25% of data traffic in that area, showing the vulnerability of global data connectivity.
  2. More than 20 countries are involved in the ownership and operation of these damaged undersea cables, highlighting the geopolitical implications of such incidents.
  3. A Hong Kong company, HGC Global Communications, played a central role in addressing the cable damages, emphasizing the fragility of the global data network despite its powerful infrastructure.

A Thankful Note

231 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Newsletter
  1. The author expresses gratitude for support from subscribers and readers.
  2. Thanksgiving holds personal significance for the author, combining birthday celebrations and favorite food.
  3. Energy and support from readers have fueled the author's entrepreneurial pursuits and encouraged growth.

Re-Introduction

385 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Politics Cloud Startup Global
  1. The author provides a re-introduction of their background in three phases: US Politics, Foreign Policy, Washington DC; Cloud Infrastructure, Open Source, Startup Operator; Global Lens, GitHub, Investing and Writing.
  2. Their experience ranges from working in the Obama administration, studying law and computer science, to engaging in early stage investing and working at GitHub.
  3. They emphasize the importance of achieving bilingual information symmetry between English and Chinese through their writing.

🔋Is Ford’s Pause on CATL Plant Really About China?

185 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Unions China Automotive Industry Economic Impact
  1. Ford's pause on the CATL plant is not primarily about China, but rather about leverage between Ford and the UAW in a labor strike.
  2. Multiple incentives and support were provided for the CATL-powered plant, despite CATL being a Chinese company.
  3. The uncomfortable reliance on Chinese technology by US EV makers like Ford is a mutual issue, not just a one-sided concern.

🏴‍☠️Traitors or Treasures: the Semiconductor Talent Conundrum

231 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Chip Manufacturing Global Competition
  1. South Korea is facing a conundrum in the fight for semiconductor talent, treating engineers suspiciously instead of as treasures.
  2. The case of Choi Jin-seok highlights the challenges faced by talented semiconductor executives, like being caught up in geopolitical tensions.
  3. There is a mismatch between demand and supply of semiconductor talent globally, with countries not properly valuing and nurturing their home-grown talent.

🔊Capital Allocators China - Generative AI Panel

200 implied HN points • 14 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Cloud Data Centers Open Source Geopolitics
  1. Generative AI requires a significant amount of electricity and power for training, leading to data centers being located near cheap energy sources.
  2. Open source technologies are challenging closed source in the generative AI space, with implications for competition and innovation.
  3. Chinese AI model makers are emerging in unexpected places like niche internet companies and academic research institutes, showing diversity in the AI landscape.

($) Do We Need Sovereign AI?

77 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Cloud Computing Data Governance
  1. Sovereign AI is a concept gaining attention, especially with Nvidia's involvement, and raises questions about AI infrastructure and global talent flow.
  2. The idea of sovereign AI has potential benefits in addressing issues like hallucination and data governance that plague generative AI.
  3. Global discussions are evolving around the necessity of sovereign AI to tackle complex AI challenges and leverage economies of scale.

($) Tracking Global AI Talent Flow

77 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Analysis Data Visualization
  1. China is producing a significant amount of AI talent at the undergraduate level, with many choosing to stay in the country for graduate studies and work.
  2. Tracking AI talent flow through conferences like NeurIPS provides valuable insights into global trends and migration patterns.
  3. Understanding the definition and limitations of how AI talent is measured is crucial when interpreting and drawing conclusions from talent tracking analyses.