Source: Microsoft's and Nvidia's investments in Anthropic push its valuation to the range of $350B, up from its $183B valuation after raising $13B in September (CNBC)

The U.S. Commerce Department has eased restrictions, allowing Nvidia to sell its H200 AI chips to approved customers in China, following a significant policy shift initiated by the Trump administration that lifted a previous export ban due to national security concerns. This decision marks a pivotal moment for Nvidia as it re-enters a crucial market after extensive lobbying efforts.

President Trump has signed an order imposing a 25% tariff on certain semiconductor imports, specifically targeting chips transshipped through the United States to other countries, as part of the Nvidia H200 deal. This tariff is a significant step in the U.S. government's strategy regarding semiconductor exports and trade relations.

In 2026, significant initial public offerings (IPOs) are anticipated from major tech companies, including SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic, potentially transforming the financial landscape of Silicon Valley and Wall Street. SpaceX is reportedly aiming to raise over $30 billion, with a valuation target of approximately $1.5 trillion, which could make it the largest IPO in history.

Elon Musk is facing backlash over the misuse of Grok, an AI tool that has been implicated in generating sexualized images, prompting investigations by California's attorney general and a firm stance from the UK government against inappropriate content on social media platforms.

Salesforce has enhanced Slack's AI capabilities by integrating an upgraded Slackbot powered by Anthropic's Claude model, as announced by Rob Seaman, Slack's chief product officer and interim CEO, during an appearance on Bloomberg Tech.

In 2026, significant initial public offerings (IPOs) are anticipated from major tech companies such as Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX, marking a potential watershed moment for the artificial intelligence sector. These companies have reportedly taken early steps towards going public, which could reshape the financial landscape of Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

Anthropic has announced a significant restructuring of its Labs team, appointing Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger to lead the experimental AI unit alongside Ben Mann. This team has already achieved notable successes with products like Claude Code and the Model Context Protocol, indicating a strong focus on advancing AI capabilities.

Microsoft is reportedly spending nearly $500 million annually on Anthropic's AI models, positioning itself as one of Anthropic's largest customers despite its existing partnership with OpenAI. This strategic investment is likely aimed at enhancing Microsoft's negotiating power with OpenAI in the competitive AI landscape.