🔹 Introduction
Mid-July sees tech giants in a fierce browser and AI talent race, semiconductor innovation gaining ground, and fresh insights from space policy—while Amazon peels back launch delays on its flagship AI assistant. Let’s explore the key developments shaping this week.
🌐 Browser & AI Competition
OpenAI & Perplexity Intensify AI Browser Battle
OpenAI is poised to release its Chromium-based AI browser, powered by its “Operator” agent, in the coming weeks—threatening Chrome’s dominance by enabling chat-driven browsing, task automation, and proactive suggestions.
Meanwhile, Perplexity’s newly launched “Comet” browser—with direct AI integration—signals a warming arms race in intelligent browsing tools.
🧑💼 AI Talent Acquisition
OpenAI Targets Wall Street’s Quant Stars
OpenAI, alongside Anthropic and xAI, has been offering seven-figure salaries ($1.5–3M) to lure quantitative talents from trading firms like Citadel and Jane Street. Motivated by AGI ambitions and intense internal competition, quants are making bold career pivots.
🛡 Amazon’s Alexa+ Browser Comes Up Short
“Alexa.com” Delay
Amazon has postponed its web-based AI assistant launch, originally scheduled for late June, to no earlier than July 31. Known as “Project Metis,” the Alexa+ browser integration faces usability hurdles. The assistant is now in limited preview, offering document summarization and event planning, but suffers from navigation and responsiveness issues.
🔬 Semiconductor Innovation
LG Enters HBM Hybrid Bonder Race
LG Electronics is developing hybrid bonding technology for HBM stacks—key for next-gen high-bandwidth memory—positioning itself against industry leaders like Samsung, SK hynix, BESI, and Applied Materials for mass-production readiness by 2028.
🛰 Space Policy Update
FY2026 Defense Bill Flags Space Force Funding
In Washington, both House and Senate committees are reviewing the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes $3 billion in funding for the U.S. Space Force. Senate deliberations continue this week alongside Commerce-Justice-Science funding proposals.
🧭 Snapshot Table
| Area | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Browser Wars | OpenAI to launch AI browser soon; Perplexity’s Comet intensifies competition |
| AI Hiring Surge | OpenAI and peers offer multi-million packages to Wall Street quants |
| Amazon AI Delay | Alexa.com launch postponed due to early-stage interface challenges |
| Semiconductor Tech | LG joins hybrid bonding race for HBM production by 2028 |
| Space Funding | U.S. Congress advancing $3B for Space Force in FY2026 defense bill |
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