Top stories today:

1. OpenAI said to become top private firm with $500B valuation
2. Google debuts $99 Home Speaker, new Nest gear to expand Gemini AI
3. Microsoft folds AI into Office with $19.99/mo plan to counter ChatGPT
4. Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines debuts Tinker for custom AI models
5. Supreme Court refuses to let Trump oust Fed’s Cook for now
6. Lighter Vision Pro paused by Apple to focus on smart glasses

0. Data and calendar

Listen to our AI-generated podcast summarizing today’s newsletter (beware of hallucinations):

1. OpenAI said to become top private firm with $500B valuation in share sale

• The deal vaults OpenAI past SpaceX’s $400B valuation.

• Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer, T. Rowe, and MGX were among the investors that bought shares from OpenAI employees.

• Eligible units reportedly fell short of the $10B+ OpenAI allowed, hinting at employee reluctance to sell.

• Tether is reportedly also raising at $500B.

2. Google debuts $99 Home Speaker, new Nest gear to expand Gemini AI

• Until spring 2026: the new Google Home Speaker won’t ship.

The lineup includes a $150 2nd-gen Nest Cam Outdoor, a $180 3rd-gen Nest Doorbell, and a $100 3rd-gen Nest Cam Indoor

• The new Nest devices are already available in the U.S.

Google also announced Gemini for Home, which will replace Google Assistant on smart home devices

• It’s accessed via the redesigned Google Home app and acts as a natural-language command center.

• A new $20/month Google Home Advanced subscription offers 60-day video clip storage and 10-day, 24/7 continuous video history.

4. Microsoft folds AI into Office with $19.99/mo plan to counter ChatGPT