Trump Wants to Vet AI Models, Apple Eyes Intel & Samsung, and OpenAI's Phone Gambit

In today's episode: Sources: the Trump administration is discussing an EO to create an AI working group to examine AI oversight procedures, including vetting models before release Sources: Apple held exploratory talks with Intel and Apple executives visited a Samsung plant in Texas to explore producing core chips for its devices in the US Letter: UK-based Google DeepMind workers voted to unionize with the Communication Workers Union and Unite in April, representing 1K+ staff, amid the US DOD deal Source: YC owns ~0.6% of OpenAI, which was seeded by a YC offshoot called YC Research in 2016; at OpenAI's current $852B valuation, the stake is worth $5B+ Kuo: OpenAI appears to be fast-tracking its AI agent phone with two NPUs and a custom MediaTek Dimensity 9600 SoC, targeting mass production as early as H1 2027 In Q1, the iPhone 17 was the world's best-selling smartphone, with 6% of global sales; the iPhone 17 Pro Max and 17 Pro were 2nd and 3rd, and Galaxy A07 was 4th