Will Trump Backtrack on Chip Curbs?

Will Trump Backtrack on Chip Curbs?

Global tech firms and US allies are pressuring the Trump administration to ease its artificial intelligence (AI) chip export restrictions, Bloomberg has detailed. The AI diffusion rule, which limits AI processor exports, has sparked backlash from Nvidia [NVDA] and countries like Israel and Poland. With a compliance deadline looming, companies and governments are pushing for revisions, but US officials seemingly remain divided on potential changes.

Investors Unfazed by Turmoil

Retail investors have poured $67bn into US stocks so far in 2025, nearly matching Q4 2024’s $71bn, the Financial Times reported, even as institutional investors cut exposure over Trump’s tariff moves and broader geopolitical uncertainty. Despite this bullish retail sentiment, the S&P 500 is down 2% this year, with tech stocks falling 8%. The turbulence contrasts with the 2023–24 Big Tech rally.

Are Tariffs Already Bearing Fruit?

“This investment is a clear demonstration that tariffs very strongly work,” said US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, announcing that Hyundai [HYMTF] is investing $21bn in the US ahead of new tariffs, including a $5.8bn steel plant in Louisiana. The company will also expand US vehicle production and invest in AI and autonomous driving, according to the BBC.

ARK: Tesla’s Better than Waymo

The latest Safety Report from Alphabet’s [GOOGL] Waymo suggests its robotaxis now average around 500,000 miles between police-reported collisions, ARK Invest noted in its weekly ARK Disrupt newsletter, a 25% improvement from Q3. However, ARK argues Tesla’s [TSLA] Full Self-Driving has the edge, as it’s not geofenced and already logging 10 million miles per day, vs Waymo’s 200,000. Read OPTO’s deep dive into the dynamic and cut-throat robotaxi sector.  

DeepSeek Ups the Ante, Again

Posted on Hugging Face without fanfare, DeepSeek’s V3-0324 update enhances programming capabilities, reinforcing its competitive edge, Bloomberg reported. In January, DeepSeek’s app overtook ChatGPT as the top free app on Apple’s [AAPL] US store, rattling markets. The start-up’s rapid progress has fueled debate over whether advanced AI can be built without the multibillion-dollar investments of US tech giants.

Top Nuclear Stock Reports

Oklo [OKLO] logged a $52.8m operating loss in 2024, including $7.8m in earn-out shares and $4.7m in stock-based compensation. However, CEO Jacob DeWitte highlighted a 12GW master power agreement with Switch. Oklo expanded its reactor capacity to 75MW per unit to meet AI and industrial demand. It also acquired Atomic Alchemy for $25m, entering the radioisotope market, with revenue generation expected in Q1 2026. 

Can GM Pivot to Become a Tech Leader?

These days, any stock news worth reading seems to involve AI — and General Motor’s [GM] recent activity is no exception. On March 18, the firm announced an expanded collaboration with existing partner Nvidia, highlighting the joint goal of developing next-generation vehicles, factories and robotics. But can an old hand like GM really reinvent itself as a leading tech player? Read OPTO’s deep dive to find out.