Good morning. It’s Thursday, July 2. OpenAI wants Washington to hold a direct stake in the company, and the $42.6 billion price tag turns a policy debate into a headline everyone will be talking about today.
Today we are covering:
OpenAI proposes handing the US government a 5% stake to ease political pressure
Google ordered to pay a record €4.1 billion EU fine over Android antitrust practices
Apple reportedly readies new iPad Pro and redesigned entry MacBook Pro for 2027
Amazon declares its Leo satellite broadband network ready for service
X launches Live Studio, a new livestreaming command center for creators
Let’s dive in
OpenAI proposes 5% stake to Trump administration to ease Washington pressure
By Robert Hart via The Verge
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has proposed giving the US government a 5% stake in the company as part of talks with the Trump administration, a holding that would be worth roughly $42.6 billion at OpenAI’s $852 billion valuation.
Rather than a conventional equity stake, OpenAI would donate shares to seed a Public Wealth Fund, an idea from its April 2026 policy paper meant to invest in long term assets and distribute returns directly to citizens.
The proposal envisions other major AI developers, including Anthropic, Google and Meta, ceding similar 5% stakes to Washington, though it is unclear whether any of them would agree.
𝕏: I don’t know about this path. Rather than equity stakes, why not make companies pay ~20% of all pre-tax income to the federal government? And then instead of exercising shareholder influence, politicians and regulators could set rules on corporate conduct across industries. - Joe Weisenthal (@TheStalwart)
Google must pay €4.1bn fine for using Android to block rivals
By Laura Cress via BBC
Europe’s top court upheld a €4.1 billion fine against Google for using Android to block rivals, dismissing the company’s appeal and closing out a case that began in 2018.
The European Commission found Google required phone makers to pre install Google Search and Chrome, paid manufacturers to keep search exclusive, and threatened to block device makers using forked versions of Android.
It is the largest fine the Commission has ever handed Google, and the third major EU antitrust penalty against the company since 2024, following a €2.4 billion shopping comparison fine and a €2.95 billion ad tech fine.
𝕏: Google loses fight over record $4.7 billion EU antitrust fine The European Court of Justice dismissed Google’s appeal against a €4.1 billion fine imposed by the EU for antitrust violations related to the Android operating system. The original €4.34 billion fine was levied in 2018 for forcing phone manufacturers to pre-install Google apps and preventing them from using rival Android systems. - jonny (@TheeOutpost)
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Apple readies new iPad Pro, redesigned entry MacBook Pro for first half of 2027
By Mark Gurman via Bloomberg
Apple is testing four new iPad Pro models and a redesigned entry level MacBook Pro, both targeted for the first half of 2027.
The iPad Pro updates keep the current 11 inch and 13 inch sizes but focus on faster processors and a vapor chamber cooling system, while the 14 inch MacBook Pro gets a new design built around the base M7 chip.
The refresh is part of a broader slate of major products Apple is planning for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary year, alongside touchscreen MacBook models expected between late 2026 and early 2027.
𝕏: Apple is planning a refreshed iPad Pro line in spring 2027, as well as a redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro. It’s also planning its first M7 chip for around the same time. - Mark Gurman (@markgurman)
Amazon is ready to deploy the Leo satellite broadband service
By Mariella Moon via Engadget
A ULA Atlas V rocket launched 29 more Amazon Leo satellites on July 2, pushing the constellation past 390 operational satellites, enough to support continuous broadband service across initial latitudes.
Amazon still needs to raise the new satellites to their operational altitude of 392 miles, and will shift future launches to ULA’s heavier Vulcan rocket, which can carry more than 40 satellites per flight.
Leo remains far behind Starlink, which already has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit, though Amazon also plans to use Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket once its launchpad repairs are complete later this year.
𝕏: You might call this the At-last 551. The Atlas V 551 takes off one final time carrying Amazon Leo internet satellites to orbit. The only Atlas vehicles remaining are all assigned for Starliner missions where the future is already questionable. - Sawyer R. (@thenasaman)
X launches Live Studio, a new livestreaming command center
By Shannon Connellan via Mashable
X unveiled Live Studio, a new livestreaming command center inside Creator Studio that lets streamers set titles, upload thumbnails, and manage broadcasts from one dashboard.
The updated live composer simplifies the desktop setup process and gives creators real time audience insights once they go live, including viewer peaks, comment activity, and demographics.
Live streaming remains limited to X Premium subscribers, and the company is allocating $1 million to reward creators who go live in the upcoming cycle as it pushes further into video.
𝕏: Today we’re announcing Live Studio, a brand new livestreaming command center on X. This is where everything is happening now. So we’re launching the best tools for pro streamers to go live, connect with their followers & manage their streams Check it out on 𝕏.com in Creator Studio - Nikita Bier (@nikitabier)
Trending in AI
Today’s big AI theme: Washington wants a piece of the AI boom, from OpenAI’s government stake proposal to a fresh reckoning over what all that compute is costing the planet.
SpaceX showed investors a prototype of Elon Musk’s new AI device
Z.ai launches ZCode to challenge Cursor, Claude Code and GitHub Copilot in AI coding
Germany’s AI push collides with its skilled worker shortage at SAP
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