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Finance

U.S. Pentagon AI deputy who led Anthropic exclusion sells Perplexity and xAI stakes

Emil Michael, the U.S. Defense Department’s deputy undersecretary for research and engineering and chief technology officer, sold a stake in AI search startup Perplexity in June for $5 million to $25 million, according to reports citing disclosures. The sales followed earlier disposals of xAI and Brex stakes. The timing has drawn scrutiny because Michael played a key public role in the Pentagon process targeting Anthropic, while Perplexity and xAI compete for U.S. government AI contracts.

Industry

U.S. Pentagon expands online marketplace for counter-drone gear, adds AI recommendations

The U.S. Defense Department has expanded a private online marketplace for procuring counter-drone equipment, creating a centralized system accessible only to approved buyers. The platform is run by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and restricts visibility based on export-control classifications. Suppliers must pass vetting to list products. Developer Kaizen Laboratories is building the system under a $15 million prototype contract, with cumulative purchases rising from $13 million in April to $21 million in early August.

Industry

Apple\'s plan to source memory from China\'s CXMT and YMTC hits snags amid dual barriers

Apple\'s option to buy Chinese-made memory chips to ease a memory shortage is losing momentum, as U.S. regulatory risks and doubts over Chinese suppliers\' output emerge as obstacles. Apple has considered sourcing RAM from China\'s CXMT and YMTC, but dealing with firms on a U.S. Defense Department blacklist could bring political costs. Concerns were also raised about additional issues with the U.S. government if Chinese memory is used in iPhones.