Alphabet Option Alert: Dec, 2027 $180 Puts at the Ask: 600 vs 666 OI; Earnings 7/22 After Close [est] 

Alphabet Option Alert: Dec, 2027 $180 Puts at the Ask: 600 @ $32.45 vs 666 OI; Earnings 7/22 After Close [est] Ref=$171.64

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Alphabet is a holding company that wholly owns internet giant Google. The California-based company derives slightly less than 90% of its revenue from Google services, the vast majority of which is advertising sales. Alongside online ads, Google services houses sales stemming from Google's subscription services (YouTube TV, YouTube Music among others), platforms (sales and in-app purchases on Play Store), and devices (Chromebooks, Pixel smartphones, and smart home products such as Chromecast). Google's cloud computing platform, or GCP, accounts for roughly 10% of Alphabet's revenue with the firm's investments in up-and-coming technologies such as self-driving cars (Waymo), health (Verily), and internet access (Google Fiber) making up the rest.

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Tesla supera a Waymo en autonomía, gracias a su enfoque con cámaras y más de 3.000 millones de millas registradas, según Bloomberg.

Tesla se acerca a la autonomía total y deja atrás a Waymo, según Bloomberg

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Tras la WWDC, analistas apuntan a que Apple podría verse obligada a adquirir una plataforma de IA como Perplexity para no quedarse atrás.

Apple podría adquirir una startup de IA como Perplexity para competir en el sector

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Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old Scale AI founder now heading to Meta Platforms&#8217; (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) new "super-intelligence" lab says artificial-intelligence models already possess insights that science cannot match and that makes it &#8220;a strange time to be a scientist, but an exciting time for science.&#8221;
What Happened: Wang told a Y Combinator audience the advantage is clearest in biology, where &#8220;there's probably intuitions that the models have about biology that humans don't even have because they have this different form of intelligence.&#8221;
He narrated a story that predicted AI systems will soon run "all the frontiers of R&amp;D," leaving human researchers to "look at the discoveries the AIs make and try to understand them."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Alexandr Wang: Building Scale AI, Transforming Work With Agents &amp; Competing With China" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5noIKN8t69U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
The comments arrive days after Meta <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45919069/meta-invests-in-scale-ai-at-29-billion-valuation-taps-ceo-alexandr-wang-to-drive-internal-ai-push-as-part-of-deepening-partnership">paid about $14 billion</a> for a 49% stake in Scale and hired Wang to accelerate Mark Zuckerberg's push for artificial general intelligence. 
Meta's move follows a wider trend. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google unveiled a Gemini-powered "AI co-scientist" in February aimed at speeding biomedical breakthroughs. Academic work already shows AI models outperforming humans on protein-folding and genetic-sequence tasks, raising hopes for faster drug discovery.
"Areas like biology will fuel breakthroughs in medicine and healthcare," Wang said, adding that the rest of the economy will "chug along giving humans what they want."
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45965406/metas-superintelligence-lab-hire-alexandr-wang-says-hell-wait-for-elon-musks-neuralink-before-having-kids-heres-why">Meta&#8217;s &#8216;Superintelligence&#8217; Lab Hire Alexandr Wang Says He&#8217;ll Wait for Elon Musk&#8217;s Neuralink Before Having Kids — Here&#8217;s Why</a>
Why It Matters: Venture investors share that view. CB Insights counts 370 AI-biology startups worth a combined $60 billion, up 28% from 2023.
Meanwhile, Wang's arrival at Meta hihglights the company's escalating talent hunt. Reuters reported Meta recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45988600/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-dangled-100-million-signing-bonuses-to-openai-team-members-says-sam-altman-happy-none-of-our-best-people-took-them">dangled $100 million</a> signing bonuses to lure OpenAI staff. Y Combinator president Garry Tan called Wang "an inspiration to the next generation of founders" in a post on X.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Alexandr Wang has come a long way, from presenting Scale at Demo Day to being an inspiration to the next generation of founders everywhere At YC, we salute you <a href="https://twitter.com/alexandr_wang?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alexandr_wang</a> and can't wait to see what's next from Meta with your leadership <a href="https://t.co/mTvcIjZmA0">https://t.co/mTvcIjZmA0</a> <a href="https://t.co/2YHhbJdpsG">pic.twitter.com/2YHhbJdpsG</a>
&mdash; Garry Tan (@garrytan) <a href="https://twitter.com/garrytan/status/1935338335289200647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Even though critics warn dual-use risks rise as models master bio-engineering, prompting calls for guardrails even inside Meta's lab, Wang argues embracing the shift is essential.
Photo Courtesy: Gorodenkoff on Shutterstock.com
Read next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/management/25/06/46014776/he-makes-150k-she-makes-63k-so-why-did-they-use-a-heloc-to-pay-off-his-45k-debt-suze-orman-weighs-in">He Makes $150K, She Makes $63K — So Why Did They Use A HELOC To Pay Off His $45K Debt? Suze Orman Weighs In</a>

Why Meta's 'Superintelligence' Project Lead Alexandr Wang Says It Is A Strange Time To Be A Scientist

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/19/google-youtube-ai-training-veo-3.html" title="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/19/google-youtube-ai-training-veo-3.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/19/google-youtube-ai-training-veo-3.html</a>

'Google Is Using YouTube Videos To Train Its AI Video Generator' -CNBC

A June filing shows that Senator Jerry Moran reported a purchase in Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), valued between $4,004 and $60,000. The transaction date is listed as May 8, 2025, with the report published on June 18, 2025.
At present, Alphabet shares are trading down 1.48% at $174.6.
<h3>Senator's Recent Trading Activity</h3>
Over the previous three years, Jerry Moran conducted 54 trades, totaling more than $82 thousand. The largest of these were in Halliburton and Berkshire Hathaway Cl B stock. Some of the most notable transactions the Sen. has executed recently include: 
<ul>
<li>Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>): $1,001 - $15,000 Purchase</li>
<li>Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>): $1,001 - $15,000 Purchase</li>
<li>Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>): $1,001 - $15,000 Purchase</li>
</ul>
Here's a summary of Jerry Moran's most recent trades:
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Company</th>
<th>Ticker</th>
<th>Stock Type</th>
<th>Amount</th>
<th>Transaction Type</th>
<th>Transaction Date</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet</td>
<td>GOOG</td>
<td>STOCK</td>
<td>$1,001 - $15,000</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>2025-05-08</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet</td>
<td>GOOG</td>
<td>STOCK</td>
<td>$1,001 - $15,000</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>2025-05-08</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet</td>
<td>GOOG</td>
<td>STOCK</td>
<td>$1,001 - $15,000</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>2025-05-08</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet</td>
<td>GOOG</td>
<td>STOCK</td>
<td>$1,001 - $15,000</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>2025-05-08</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
To keep an eye on Jerry Moran's trades and other government stock activity, check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/members/jerry-moran">real-time tracking tool</a>!
<h3>Why Congressional Transactions Matter</h3>
A congressional transaction is when any representative or senator either buys or sells an individual stock.
Anyone working in Congress must file a Periodic Transaction Report to inform the public of their recent transaction within 30 days of being notified of the transaction and within 45 days of the transaction date.
In April 2012, Former President Barack Obama signed the STOCK Act into law. The act prohibits members of Congress from using private information given to them by their position for personal gain such as buying or selling a stock. The act also expanded disclosure requirements for members of Congress by requiring them to file a monthly disclosure.
<h3>The Importance of Congressional Transactions</h3>
Congressional transactions shouldn't be the primary reason for an investing decision, but they can be an important factor for an investor to consider.
When a senator or representative makes a new purchase, it could be an indication they expect the stock to rise.
A sale, on the other hand, can be made for a variety of reasons, and may not necessarily mean the seller thinks the stock will go down.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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A Congress Member Bought Up To $60K In Alphabet Stock: Here's What You Need To Know

Nvidia Corporation's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) venture capital arm, NVentures, has joined a $650 million funding round for TerraPower, a nuclear energy company founded by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) co-founder Bill Gates.
What Happened: The investment also includes participation from HD Hyundai and aims to bring TerraPower's Natrium reactor <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39263769/bill-gates-terrapower-ventures-into-advanced-nuclear-plant-construction-aiming-to-combat-climate-cri">online in Wyoming by 2030</a>.
TerraPower's reactor design, developed with the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Project, features a 345-megawatt small modular reactor (SMR) coupled with a molten salt energy storage system that can scale up to 1 gigawatt.
Construction has begun on non-nuclear parts of the facility, but <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39263769/bill-gates-terrapower-ventures-into-advanced-nuclear-plant-construction-aiming-to-combat-climate-cri">full regulatory approval</a> from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not expected until 2026, <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/18/nvidia_ai_smr_investment/">reported</a> The Register.
See Also: &nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/06/45988656/elon-musk-warns-us-faces-de-facto-bankruptcy-if-37-trillion-debt-not-tackled-peter-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Warns US Faces ‘De Facto' Bankruptcy If $37 Trillion Debt Not Tackled, Peter Schiff Says, ‘We Are Already Bankrupt'</a>
The company originally planned to launch in 2028, but delays followed the loss of its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/12/30104492/bill-gates-backed-terrapowers-nuclear-plant-delayed-amid-limited-fuel-supply-from-russia">Russian fuel supply after</a> the Ukraine invasion.
Why It's Important: With generative AI models demanding massive computing power, data centers are struggling to find clean, scalable and reliable energy sources. Nuclear energy—particularly small modular reactors—is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/45335750/google-is-betting-big-on-nuclear-reactors-should-you">increasingly viewed by tech giants</a> as a long-term solution.
Head of NVentures, Mohamed Siddeek, said nuclear will be essential "as AI continues to transform industries."
TerraPower has already signed an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44438883/bill-gates-says-nuclear-energy-can-solve-ais-power-crisis-terrapowers-bold-deal-marks-a-new-era-for-u-s-data-centers">agreement to supply nuclear power</a> to Sabey Data Centers and joins a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36201383/microsofts-nuclear-power-play-can-ai-revolutionize-energy-for-tech-giants">growing list of nuclear efforts</a> across the tech sector. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Microsoft and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google have all <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41358363/nuclear-stocks-soar-as-amazon-becomes-latest-tech-giant-to-invest-in-nuclear-power">announced partnerships</a> or projects involving nuclear energy.
Price Action: Nvidia shares have risen 5.18% since the start of the year and are up 11.24% over the past 12 months. On Wednesday, the stock advanced 0.94% to close at $145.48, per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings indicate consistent upward momentum for Nvidia across short-, medium and long-term timeframes. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">Additional performance insights are available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19023716/Screenshot-2025-06-19-at-11.45.39%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-954818" /></a></figure>
Read More:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/44735140/most-people-dont-have-the-balls-to-do-it-says-mark-cuban-praising-musk-for-going-all-in-with-his-own-money-f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Most People Don&#8217;t Have The B&#x2A;&#x2A;ls To Do It,&#8217; Says Mark Cuban, Praising Musk For Going ‘All In&#8217; With His Own Money For His Startups</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Hepha1st0s On Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AMZN

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Bill Gates Lands Nvidia As Partner In $650 Million Nuclear Push To Power AI Revolution

YouTube, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google, is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45560919/everyones-losing-their-minds-over-googles-veo-3-ai-videos-and-everyones-also-annoyed-they-cant-actually-use-it-yet-here-are-some-wild-examples-of-the-magic-this-model-can-create">preparing to integrate</a> Veo 3 AI video generation model into Shorts.
What Happened: During a keynote at the Cannes Lions Festival posted on Tuesday, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced that the company will roll out Veo 3, Google's latest generative AI video model, to YouTube Shorts later this summer.
Mohan noted that Veo 3 offers higher video quality and audio integration, suggesting Shorts could soon support richer, AI-powered content creation.
However, it remains unclear whether the Veo 3 features will be free for Shorts creators. Currently, Veo 3 access requires a paid subscription to Google's AI Pro or AI Ultra plans. YouTube has not confirmed whether that requirement will apply within Shorts.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It's Important: The move comes as YouTube Shorts surpasses 200 billion daily views, underscoring the platform's rapid growth and its battle for short-form dominance against TikTok and Meta Platforms, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) Instagram Reels.
Google unveiled Veo 3 at its annual developer conference last month. The new version now features realistic audio, including sound effects, ambient noise, and spoken dialogue, setting it apart from competitors like OpenAI&#8217;s Sora, Runway ML Gen-4, Meta's MovieGen, Pika Labs and Stability AI's Stable Video 4D 2.0, none of which currently offer audio support.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings indicate a consistent upward trajectory for Alphabet over the short, medium and long term. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">More detailed performance insights can be found here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19004152/Screenshot-2025-06-19-at-10.08.02%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-954749" /></a></figure>
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45988600/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-dangled-100-million-signing-bonuses-to-openai-team-members-says-sam-altman-happy-none-of-our-best-people-took-them" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Dangled ‘$100 Million Signing Bonuses' To OpenAI Team Members, Says Sam Altman: Happy ‘None' Of Our Best People Took Them</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Media

YouTube Shorts Will Soon Feature Veo 3 AI Video Tools With Audio And Higher Quality — But Creators May Need A Paid Plan

Amazon.com Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) robotaxi company, Zoox, has announced its first serial production facility in Hayward, California.
What Happened: The facility can produce over 10,000 Robotaxis annually and spans an area of 220,000 square feet, Zoox said in a statement released on Wednesday. This is the company's second production facility after Fremont in California.
Zoox's robotaxis lack a steering wheel as well as any pedals and feature a pod-like design, which can autonomously transport up to 4 passengers at a time. Zoox rivals Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) robotaxi service Waymo.
Zoox is currently operating in a limited capacity in Las Vegas, San Francisco and Foster City in California for company employees.
Why It Matters: The news comes in as the self-driving taxi sector in the U.S. is growing with multiple players in the mix. Recently, Waymo announced it was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45988738/tesla-robotaxi-rival-waymo-expands-services-in-california-amid-us-autonomous-vehicle-push">expanding its services</a> in California and will now operate across more neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and the SF Bay Area.
This comes days after the company had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45853688/tesla-robotaxi-rival-waymo-suspends-services-in-downtown-la-following-vandalism-during-anti-ice-protests">halted operations</a> in Downtown Los Angeles over bouts of vandalism against its fleet during the Anti-ICE protests in the city.
Tesla, on the other hand, is gearing up to launch its Robotaxi service in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45876375/elon-musk-says-tesla-robotaxi-rides-begin-june-22-in-austin-full-self-driving-to-enable-home-delivery-by-june-28-were-being-super-paranoid">Austin on June 22. </a>However, Elon Musk's EV giant has been called upon by lawmakers in Texas to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46010756/texas-lawmakers-urge-elon-musks-tesla-to-delay-june-22-robotaxi-launch-till-september-report">delay the launch</a>, citing updated regulations.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="208" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19010745/AMZN-JUN-19-2025-1024x208.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-954767" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19010745/AMZN-JUN-19-2025-1024x208.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19010745/AMZN-JUN-19-2025-300x61.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19010745/AMZN-JUN-19-2025-768x156.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19010745/AMZN-JUN-19-2025-1536x312.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/19010745/AMZN-JUN-19-2025.jpg 1562w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
AMZN scores well on Growth and Quality metrics and offers satisfactory Momentum and Value. For more such insights, sign up for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"> Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45599598/amazons-zoox-issues-second-robotaxi-recall-in-a-month-after-san-francisco-crash">Amazon&#8217;s Zoox Issues Second Robotaxi Recall in a Month After San Francisco Crash</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com

Amazon-Backed Zoox Launches California Robotaxi Plant: Tesla Rival Targets 10,000 Vehicles A Year

A group of Texas lawmakers has urged Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) to delay its Robotaxi launch in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45876375/elon-musk-says-tesla-robotaxi-rides-begin-june-22-in-austin-full-self-driving-to-enable-home-delivery-by-june-28-were-being-super-paranoid">Austin, scheduled for June 22</a>.
What Happened: In a letter addressed to Elon Musk's electric vehicle giant, lawmakers state that the state's legislature updated its regulations on autonomous vehicles in 2017, which will take effect in September of this year, KXAN reported <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/texas-lawmakers-send-letter-to-tesla-asking-to-delay-robotaxi-rollout-in-austin/">on</a> Wednesday.
"As members of the Austin delegation in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, we are formally requesting that Tesla delay autonomous robotaxi operations until the new law takes effect on September 1, 2025," the lawmakers said in the letter.
New regulations state that all AV operators transporting passengers or property "must receive prior authorization from the Department of Motor Vehicles before operating on public streets without a human driver," the report suggests.
Regulations suggest that compliance requires all AVs must obey state traffic laws, have registered and titled insurance under Texas law, have recording devices and "a minimal risk condition if the automated driving system is rendered inoperable."
Additionally, AV operators are also required to have a first responder interaction plan in place, highlighting how first responders interact with AVs.
Why It Matters: The news comes in as Tesla was officially named as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45854273/elon-musks-tesla-officially-named-av-operator-in-austin-ahead-of-robotaxi-launch">an AV operator</a> in Austin, ahead of June 22's Robotaxi launch, which Musk says will have over 10 Tesla Model Ys initially.
The automaker also recently received a major boost for its Cybercab ambitions as the NHTSA announced it would be updating its regulatory framework to provide <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45942936/elon-musks-cybercab-ambitions-just-got-a-boost-as-nhtsa-eases-regulations-for-autonomous-vehicles">exemptions to AVs </a>from safety standards.
However, questions are being raised about the company's FSD tech, a crucial element in the Robotaxi plan, after incidents involving Tesla vehicles driving in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45991698/tesla-cybertruck-caught-driving-in-wrong-lane-on-fsd-just-days-before-robotaxi-launch">the wrong lane</a>, as well as getting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45945298/tesla-model-3-on-fsd-mode-struck-by-train-after-getting-trapped-on-railroad-tracks-report">struck by a train</a> after getting stuck on railroad tracks, while in self-driving mode.&nbsp;
Robotaxis are steadily growing in the U.S., as Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Waymo announced it will be further <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45988738/tesla-robotaxi-rival-waymo-expands-services-in-california-amid-us-autonomous-vehicle-push">expanding its presence</a> in California.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="196" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18234145/TSLA-JUN-19-2025-1024x196.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-954710" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18234145/TSLA-JUN-19-2025-1024x196.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18234145/TSLA-JUN-19-2025-300x57.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18234145/TSLA-JUN-19-2025-768x147.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18234145/TSLA-JUN-19-2025-1536x294.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18234145/TSLA-JUN-19-2025.jpg 1557w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Tesla scores well on Momentum, Quality and Growth metrics, but offers poor Value. For more such insights, sign up for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"> Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45991403/teslas-robotaxi-launch-could-be-key-to-310-price-target-says-gary-black">Tesla&#8217;s Robotaxi Launch Could Be Key To $310 Price Target, Says Gary Black</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Texas Lawmakers Urge Elon Musk's Tesla To Delay June 22 Robotaxi Launch Till September: Report

Bank of America Securities analyst Justin Post highlighted<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/ai" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Agentic AI</a> as one of his top themes for 2025 in a research note issued on Wednesday.
This prediction comes on the heels of significant first-half launches, specifically OpenAI&#8217;s Operator and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Google&#8217;s Mariner, which Post considers essential steps in the evolving Agentic AI timeline.
Agentic AI refers to&nbsp;AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making and action, operating with a degree of independence from direct human control.
The analyst noted Agentic AI would favor consumers, and all transactional-based Internet companies would need to adapt strategies to compete for changing purchase behavior.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/06/45855580/uber-softbank-backed-wayve-to-test-self-driving-cars-on-public-roads-in-uk" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uber, SoftBank-Backed Wayve To Test Self-Driving Cars On Public Roads In UK</a>
The analyst stated that leading AI tech companies, including Google, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), and OpenAI, are in intense competition to be the starting point &#8220;Agent&#8221; to help consumers navigate their lives.
Within Online media, Post expects two major monetization shifts driven by Agentic AI: users are increasingly willing to pay (subscribe) for added AI functionality, and an ad model shift from CPC (Cost Per Click) to CPA (Cost Per Action/Acquisition).
While the analyst expects Google to see rapidly growing subscription revenue from new AI capabilities in Gemini and Workspace, he noted Meta is best positioned given potential incremental Agentic AI opportunity for its Meta AI assistant and expected core ad business benefit from new AI capabilities.
Post expects Agentic AI to compress the multi-step shopping discovery process in eCommerce as consumers increasingly trust AI to deliver choices and outcomes.
Also, AI engines are likely personalized, factoring in subscription benefits, favoring Amazon, he noted. Also, Amazon has Prime lock-in, and is building a 1-stop shopping agent that can buy from other sites, the analyst added.
He said that agentic AI will likely function as a personal travel agent, handling everything from trip planning to booking and potentially providing on-trip assistance.
Gen AI chatbots can enhance travel planning, but Agentic AI will go further, making personalized booking decisions and automating the booking process, Post noted.
While Uber Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) remains the analyst&#8217;s top pick in the broader travel and transportation sector, driven by AI&#8217;s potential to open up the competitive autonomous vehicle (AV) market, the near-term outlook positions Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKNG#NASDAQ">BKNG</a>) as the most favorably situated.
This is because Agentic AI companies, such as OpenAI&#8217;s Operator, will heavily rely on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Booking for their extensive data and vast inventory to facilitate seamless booking processes, potentially at a lower cost than traditional paid search advertisements.
Furthermore, Post highlighted Booking&#8217;s highly successful Genius program, which accounts for over 50% of its bookings, as a key advantage, expecting AI Agents to favor such loyalty programs when making price comparisons for consumers.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/06/45967745/honeywell-near-earth-autonomy-test-pilot-free-helicopter-for-faster-safer-marine-supply" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Honeywell, Near Earth Autonomy Test Pilot-Free Helicopter For Faster, Safer Marine Supply</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Analyst Ratings

BKNG

UBER

Meta, Amazon, Booking Best Positioned For Agentic AI Opportunity, Says Analyst

Uber Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) and Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LYFT#NASDAQ">LYFT</a>) shares are trading lower Wednesday following reports that Waymo applied for a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45979328/weride-partners-with-uber-dubais-road-and-transport-authority-for-autonomous-vehicle-pilot">New York City testing permit</a>.
What To Know: Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-18/waymo-applies-for-nyc-testing-permit-in-hopes-of-eventual-launch">reported</a> Wednesday that Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), has applied for a permit to test its self-driving taxis in New York City.
Waymo has requested permission from the city's Department of Transportation to begin autonomous testing in Manhattan, though the cars would still be operated with a human safety driver behind the wheel. The company said it plans to begin manual driving with human drivers next month to collect road data and assess the viability of its technology in New York's complex traffic environment.
Currently, Waymo provides fully autonomous rides in markets such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and San Francisco, and has announced plans to offer rides through Uber's platform in Atlanta later this summer, with further expansion into Miami and Washington slated for next year.
Despite these developments, commercial autonomous ride-hailing is not yet permitted under current New York City or state law. Waymo emphasized that its efforts are geared toward laying the groundwork for future operations by engaging with regulators and testing in harsh urban conditions. The city's regulatory framework for ride-hailing services remains strict, and companies like Uber and Lyft have long struggled with vehicle caps and labor regulations.
The prospect of Waymo entering New York has added pressure to ride-hailing platforms. Investors appear concerned that autonomous services could eventually undercut traditional rideshare models in high-value markets.
Price Action: Uber shares were down 1.44% at $83.57 and Lyft shares were down 1.51% at $14.73 at the time of publication Wednesday, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?new_user=False&amp;backend=google-oauth2">Benzinga Pro.</a>
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Image: JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock.

Movers

LYFT

Uber, Lyft Shares Slide As Waymo Applies For NYC Testing Permit

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-18/waymo-applies-for-nyc-testing-permit-in-hopes-of-eventual-launch" title="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-18/waymo-applies-for-nyc-testing-permit-in-hopes-of-eventual-launch">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-18/waymo-applies-for-nyc-testing-permit-in-hopes-of-eventual-launch</a>

'Waymo Applies for NYC Testing Permit in Hopes of Eventual Launch' - Bloomberg News

Future Fund LLC's managing director, Gary Black, set a $310 price target for Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) ahead of the company's Robotaxi launch in Austin on June 22.
What Happened: The investor gave a breakdown of positive and negative factors that could affect Elon Musk's EV giant's stock performance in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday.
As far as positive catalysts go, the investor shared that the Trump administration's decision to "streamline" federal processes will allow Tesla to "secure general unsupervised autonomy license nationally," he said.
Other factors include an affordable model in the company lineup, as well as possible FSD licensing opportunities. Black also outlined the Cybercab as well as the Optimus line of humanoid robots, both of which are slated for a 2026 production date.
However, he did highlight some negative factors as well, like the government <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45965638/amid-trumps-anti-ev-push-senate-republicans-propose-tax-bill-to-axe-7500-ev-credit">axing the $7500 EV credit</a>, as well as the failure to update the lineup and reliance on discounts. "Trump admin restricts state efforts to control carbon emissions, which could significantly reduce TSLA ZEV sales," Black said.
The investor also highlighted Tesla's declining EPS as well as delivery estimates for 2025 as a negative factor. "TSLA 2025 P/E of 170x too high relative to FY'25-‘30 EPS growth of +25% CGR. Avg forward P/E past 3 years 80x," Black said.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> Summary &#8211; 6/17/2025 Positive Catalysts: 1/ Trump streamlines federal process allowing TSLA to secure general unsupervised autonomy license nationally 2/ More affordable vehicle launch in 2025/3Q can expand TAM if it's a different form factor (e.g. hatchback, smaller M-Y).…
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1935114681405841489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: The investor's thoughts come as Tesla, which is reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45989148/tesla-will-shut-down-production-at-the-texas-gigafactory-over-the-4th-of-july-weekend">shutting down its Texas gigafactory</a> over the Fourth of July weekend, is preparing for its Robotaxi launch. The company was recently also officially named as an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45854273/elon-musks-tesla-officially-named-av-operator-in-austin-ahead-of-robotaxi-launch">AV operator in Austin</a>.
In what could prove to be a boost for Tesla, Senate republicans have axed the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/06/45988847/senate-republicans-axe-250-annual-fee-on-evs-100-fee-on-hybrids-in-tax-bill-proposal-report">$250 annual fee</a> on EV owners from their tax bill proposal despite U.S. President Donald Trump's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/06/45943245/trump-says-he-was-amazed-that-tesla-ceo-elon-musk-endorsed-him-despite-his-anti-ev-stance">anti-EV push</a>.
Elsewhere, recent data shows that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45966726/tesla-vehicle-production-cost-1-7-that-of-waymo-elon-musks-ev-giant-closer-to-full-autonomy-than-competition-report">Tesla's vehicles cost 1/7</a> that of Robotaxi rival Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Waymo and that the EV giant has collected data from over 3 billion miles.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="206" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18055318/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1-1024x206.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-953601" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18055318/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1-1024x206.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18055318/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1-300x60.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18055318/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1-768x155.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18055318/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1-1536x309.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18055318/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1.jpg 1549w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Tesla scores well on Momentum, Quality and Growth metrics, but offers poor Value. For more such insights, sign up for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"> Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tesla's Robotaxi Launch Could Be Key To $310 Price Target, Says Gary Black

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has criticized China for its export restrictions on vital raw materials used in the production of cars, batteries, and wind turbines. The move, she says, is disrupting global trade and undermining competition.
What Happened:&nbsp;Von der Leyen, during&nbsp;a session on the global&nbsp;economy at the G7 summit&nbsp;in Kananaskis, Canada, on Monday, condemned China for using subsidies to bolster its companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-china-ursula-von-der-leyen/">Politico</a>&nbsp;reported. She accused China of &#8220;weaponizing&#8221; its dominant position in the production and refining of critical raw materials and flouting global trade regulations to undercut rivals.
Since April, China has sharply reduced exports of permanent magnets and the critical minerals needed to manufacture them. This action—retaliation against tariffs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump—has had far-reaching consequences, affecting not just the U.S. but also Europe.
"On this point, Donald is right — there is a serious problem," stated Von der Leyen as she urged Trump to collaborate with allies to address China&#8217;s trade imbalances rather than imposing tariffs on them. She also warned of a &#8220;new China shock,&#8221; accusing Beijing of saturating global markets with low-cost, state-backed goods and urged G7 nations to confront its growing dominance in the raw materials industry.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/25/06/45988123/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-dip-as-investors-jittery-over-us-involvement-in-iran-israel-conflict-analyst-says-btcs-reclaim-of-106000-is-where-the-party-happens" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Dip As Investors Jittery Over US Involvement In Iran-Israel Conflict : Analyst Says BTC&#8217;s Reclaim Of $106,000 Is &#8216;Where The Party Happens&#8217; </a>
Why It Matters: The EU&#8217;s stance on China&#8217;s trade practices is a significant shift from its previous position. In April, there were concerns that&nbsp;China might exploit the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44892820/xi-jinping-could-woo-europe-with-a-potential-china-deal-to-undercut-trumps-tariff-strategy-expert-warns">strained U.S.-EU </a>relations&nbsp;to its advantage. However, the EU&#8217;s strong stance against China&#8217;s trade practices suggests a potential alignment with the U.S. on this issue.
Trump&#8217;s trade war with China has also strained U.S.-EU relations. In May, Trump referred to the&nbsp;European Union as<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45368461/trump-calls-eu-nastier-than-china-days-after-praising-ursula-von-der-leyen-as-fantastic-says-us-holds-all-the-cards-in-trade-standoff"> &#8220;nastier than China,&#8221;</a> asserting that the U.S. holds the upper hand in trade agreements with the EU. This statement came just days after he had praised von der Leyen as &#8220;fantastic.&#8221;
The EU has also taken a firm stance in its trade negotiations with the U.S. In April, von der Leyen&nbsp;threatened to impose levies on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/44784857/eu-threatens-additional-taxes-on-us-tech-giants-amid-ongoing-tariff-war-we-are-developing-retaliatory-measures-says-von-der-leyen">U.S. tech giants</a>&nbsp;such as Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) if the ongoing tariff negotiations with the Trump administration failed to be resolved. This firm stance by the EU, coupled with its current position on China&#8217;s trade practices, suggests a significant shift in global trade dynamics.
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</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

'On This Point, Donald Is Right,' Says EU Chief As She Slams China's Trade Practices At G7, Urges Trump To Join Forces

Elon Musk says today's artificial-intelligence gold rush has inflated startup prices to &#8220;eye-watering&#8221; heights, creating &#8220;a herd of unicorns&#8221; whose valuations often eclipse their track records.
What Happened: "The minimum impulse bid for an AI startup is like $1 billion … There are so many frickin-unicorns," the billionaire told Y Combinator's AI Startup School, adding that companies "less than a year old" routinely fetch multibillion-dollar tags.
Musk contrasted the frenzy with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45985302/elon-musk-shares-best-advice-with-ai-engineers-do-this">his own experience</a> selling Zip2 for $300 million in 1999: "That was a lot at the time." Now, he said, venture investors throw ten-figure sums at fledgling firms on the mere promise of generative AI.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Elon Musk tonight on crazy AI startup valuations: &quot;It (Zip2) sold for like $300M, which was a lot at the time. These days I think the minimum impulse bid for an AI startup is like $1 billion dollars. There&#39;s so many frickin unicorns it&#39;s like a herd of unicorns; The hype of AI is… <a href="https://t.co/e4hfm4QE38">pic.twitter.com/e4hfm4QE38</a>
&mdash; Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1934844432362135699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Market data backs him up. Research site Thunderbit counts more than 370 AI unicorns worth a combined $1 trillion, a 74 percent jump in one year. Crunchbase, on the other hand, shows early-stage startups reaching unicorn status at triple the pre-pandemic pace.
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45988833/iran-says-whatsapp-a-tool-for-israeli-surveillance-meta-hits-back-calling-it-false-reports">Iran Says WhatsApp A Tool For Israeli Surveillance — Meta Hits Back, Calling It &#8216;False Reports&#8217;</a>
The boom has minted micro-teams with macro price tags, as chronicled in a recent Business Insider report, which profiled a dozen AI firms valued above $1 billion despite having fewer than 50 employees. Investors justify the premiums by pointing to breakout successes such as Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)-backed Anthropic, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44099466/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-nosedive-as-trumps-tariff-moves-wipe-out-crypto-reserve-fueled-gains-analyst-says-breaking-through-this-barrier-will-help-btc-touch-new-highs">now worth $61.5 billion</a> after a year of product launches and Musk's own xAI, which is already valued at $80 billion, according to Reuters.
Why It Matters: Skeptics warn the stampede could end badly. IPO analysts at PitchBook say unicorn ranks keep swelling even as public-market debuts languish. Meanwhile, Foundation Capital research shows unicorn creation up 14-fold in a decade, fueled largely by cheap money and AI hype.
Musk&#8217;s comments arrive weeks after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei predicted at the company's Code with Claude summit that a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45602384/jeff-bezos-backed-anthropics-ceo-says-the-first-billion-dollar-company-staffed-by-one-person-will-appear-next-year-hallucinations-unlikely-to-delay-lean-startups">single-employee startup</a> will reach a $1 billion valuation by 2026. His forecast excited founders who hope large-language-model agents can replace entire departments.
Photo Courtesy: Frederic Legrand &#8211; COMEO On Shutterstock.com
Read next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45988862/trump-extends-tiktok-divestment-deadline-again-says-xi-will-ultimately-approve-the-deal-amid-stalled-us-spinoff-talks">Trump Extends TikTok Divestment Deadline Again, Says &#8216;Xi Will Ultimately Approve&#8217; The Deal Amid Stalled US Spinoff Talks</a>

Elon Musk Blames AI Hype For $1 Billion Startup Valutions: 'There Are So Many Frickin-Unicorns'

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) will shut down production at the Texas Gigafactory, which manufactures the Cybertruck and the Model Y, over the Independence Day weekend.
What Happened: The planned shutdown would begin on June 30, which was decided after a meeting with workers at the factory. All production activities would begin the following week, Business Insider reported <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-model-y-cybertruck-production-pause-july-4-2025-6">on</a> Tuesday.
The report suggests that the halt would help Tesla carry out some maintenance work on its production line. This is the third such halt of production lines in the past year at Elon Musk's EV giant.
The company has told the employees that they can use their paid time off or come in for voluntary training and cleaning during the production shutdown, the report said.
Why It Matters: News of the production shutdown comes as Tesla is gearing up to roll out the Robotaxi in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45942936/elon-musks-cybercab-ambitions-just-got-a-boost-as-nhtsa-eases-regulations-for-autonomous-vehicles">Austin on June 22</a>, with CEO Elon Musk saying that Tesla vehicles would drive right up to customers' houses starting June 28.
Tesla is a key player in the U.S. autonomous driving sector, as the company, with recent data suggesting that the company's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45966726/tesla-vehicle-production-cost-1-7-that-of-waymo-elon-musks-ev-giant-closer-to-full-autonomy-than-competition-report">cost for the robotaxi</a> is 1/7 that of Robotaxi rival Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Waymo.
However, despite developments in the self-driving taxi sector as well as autonomous driving as a whole, Tesla is still dealing with<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45969242/elon-musk-has-a-new-problem-byd-beats-tesla-in-global-ev-sales-amid-europe-expansion"> falling sales figures </a>throughout the globe.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="206" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18012007/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1024x206.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-953280" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18012007/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1024x206.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18012007/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-300x60.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18012007/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-768x155.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18012007/TSLA-JUN-18-2025-1536x309.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/18012007/TSLA-JUN-18-2025.jpg 1549w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Tesla scores well on Momentum, Quality and Growth metrics. However, the stock offers poor Value. For more such insights, sign up for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"> Benzinga Edge</a> today!
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
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Photo courtesy: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Tesla Will Shut Down Production At The Texas Gigafactory Over The 4th Of July Weekend

Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) self-driving taxi service, Waymo, has announced it will serve multiple new areas in California.
What Happened: The company took to social media platform X to announce the expansion of its services on Tuesday. "Starting today in SF, with new areas coming to LA later this week," Waymo said in the post.
Areas in the Bay Area include Brisbane, South SF, Millbrae, Burlingame and San Bruno, as well as Menlo Park in Silicon Valley. While in Los Angeles, the service would now be available in the Inglewood and Silverlake areas.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Ride to more places in the Bay and LA. &#x2728; Starting today in SF, with new areas coming to LA later this week. Download the Waymo One app to see our new service areas. <a href="https://t.co/delkMqkO4k">pic.twitter.com/delkMqkO4k</a>
&mdash; Waymo (@Waymo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/1935012059806061025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: The expansion comes after Waymo <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45853688/tesla-robotaxi-rival-waymo-suspends-services-in-downtown-la-following-vandalism-during-anti-ice-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporarily ceased operations </a>in Downtown Los Angeles following the Anti-ICE protests, which led to vandalism of the Waymo fleet, with over five autonomous taxis damaged.
Despite this, Waymo remains a key player in the U.S. Robotaxi race, having recently reached the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45539621/tesla-robotaxi-rival-waymo-reaches-10-million-paid-rides-milestone-as-robotaxis-step-into-the-spotlight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 million paid autonomous rides</a> milestone.
Elsewhere, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is gearing up to launch its own Robotaxi service in Austin on June 22 as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45966726/tesla-vehicle-production-cost-1-7-that-of-waymo-elon-musks-ev-giant-closer-to-full-autonomy-than-competition-report">Elon Musk's Cybercab ambitions</a> begin to take shape.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="189" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232824/GOOGL-JUN-18-2025-1024x189.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-953201" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232824/GOOGL-JUN-18-2025-1024x189.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232824/GOOGL-JUN-18-2025-300x55.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232824/GOOGL-JUN-18-2025-768x142.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232824/GOOGL-JUN-18-2025-1536x284.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232824/GOOGL-JUN-18-2025.jpg 1558w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Alphabet scores well on Quality and Growth metrics, while offering satisfactory Value and Momentum. For more such insights, sign up for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"> Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!
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Photo courtesy: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com

Tesla Robotaxi Rival Waymo Expands Services In California Amid US Autonomous Vehicle Push

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) reportedly offered $100 million compensation <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/05/45711103/metas-llama-ai-team-suffers-talent-exodus-as-top-researchers-join-2b-mistral-ai-backed-by-andreessen-horowitz-and-salesforce">packages to lure top</a> OpenAI talent but CEO Sam Altman says the company's best people are staying put because they believe more in achieving AGI.
What Happened: Speaking on a podcast with his brother, Jack Altman, which was released on Tuesday, Altman confirmed recent reports that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37928164/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-woos-ai-talent-from-googles-deepmind-with-personal-emails-meta-ceo-offers">Meta tried to recruit</a> researchers from his company and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google DeepMind as part of its AI talent push.
The offers, Altman said, included nine-figure compensation deals.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45680165/meta-hits-1-billion-monthly-ai-users-eyes-future-with-subscriptions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Hits 1 Billion Monthly AI Users, Eyes Future With Subscriptions</a>
"They [Meta] started making these giant offers to a lot of people on our team," Altman said. "Like $100 million signing bonuses, more than that [compensation] per year."
"I'm really happy that, at least so far, none of our best people have decided to take them up on that," the OpenAI CEO added.
He went on to say that OpenAI staffers believe the company has a better shot at achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) and that Meta's approach—focusing on compensation over mission—won't foster the kind of innovation necessary for success.
"We&#8217;re set up such that if we succeed at that and a lot of people on our research team believe we will or we have a good chance at it, then everybody will do great financially," Altman said.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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Why It's Important: Despite offering million-dollar salaries, Meta is reportedly facing a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45899037/metas-mark-zuckerberg-is-losing-top-ai-talent-to-openai-and-anthropic-even-as-it-shells-out-millions-in-salaries-report">talent exodus from its AI division</a>, with employees increasingly moving to rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic.
According to the 2025 SignalFire State of Talent Report, the demand for AI talent is surging, and companies are struggling to retain skilled workers. Anthropic stands out with an industry-leading 80% retention rate, DeepMind retains 78% of its staff, while OpenAI and Meta lag behind at 67% and 64%, respectively.
Last week, it was announced that Meta has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45919069/meta-invests-in-scale-ai-at-29-billion-valuation-taps-ceo-alexandr-wang-to-drive-internal-ai-push-as-part-of-deepening-partnership">made a strategic minority investment</a> in Scale AI, valuing the company at over $29 billion. As part of the partnership, Scale AI&#8217;s founder Alexandr Wang will join Meta to support its AI efforts while remaining on Scale's board.
Price Action: Meta shares have gained 16.35% so far this year. On Tuesday, the stock declined 0.70% during regular trading and slipped an additional 0.38% after hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate a continued upward trend for META across short, medium and long-term periods. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">Further performance details can be found here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/17232010/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-8.48.07%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-953193" /></a></figure>
 Photo Courtesy: Primakov on Shutterstock.com Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Dangled '$100 Million Signing Bonuses' To OpenAI Team Members, Says Sam Altman: Happy 'None' Of Our Best People Took Them

Tebi, the Amsterdam-based startup founded by Adyen co-founder Arnout Schuijff,<a href="https://tebi.com/blog/fundraise-announcement"> announced</a> on June 10 that it raised €30 million ($34 million) in fresh funding led by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43550696/amazon-to-pour-nearly-100-billion-into-ai-in-2025-surpassing-microsoft-and-alphabet-andy-jassy-says-cost-of-inference-will-meaningfully-come-down-amid-deepseek-worries">Alphabet</a>'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>, GOOGL)) growth fund, CapitalG, to scale its AI-powered platform for hospitality businesses. The round brings Tebi's total funding to €56 million, following an earlier Series A led by Index Ventures.
The new capital will drive Tebi's international expansion beyond the Netherlands, where it already supports <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/04/44776559/the-end-of-casual-dining-chain-restaurants-shutter-by-the-hundreds-as-prices-increase-by-34">restaurants</a>, bars, and hospitality venues with payments, reservations, inventory, and analytics on one unified platform. Tebi says it plans to double its headcount by year-end and enter the U.K. market before scaling across additional European countries.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Built From Code, Backed By Alphabet</h2>
Schuijff stepped down from his role at Adyen in 2021 to return to his engineering roots, building Tebi during the COVID-19 lockdown to solve value-added tax and reporting inefficiencies for local businesses,<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/10/tebi-the-new-startup-by-adyens-departed-cofounder-raises-a-fresh-30m-from-alphabets-capitalg/"> TechCrunch</a> reports. What started as a tool to help his favorite bar became a scalable software as a service solution, co-founded with bar owner Mazdak Nasori and three other industry veterans.
According to Tebi, its executive team includes Rob Vonk, former executive vice president of technology at Adyen, now serving as chief technology officer; Aki Tas, former head of business strategy and operations at Notion, now serving as chief operating officer; and Patrick Studener, former chief operating officer at Wolt, now serving as chief commercial officer.
TechCrunch says that Tebi&#8217;s team is steering the company through a transition from engineering-led development to commercial growth, product scaling, and global market entry.
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According to TechCrunch, CapitalG partner Alex Nichols identified Tebi as a breakout player in modernizing Europe's bank-dominated small- and medium-sized businesses payments sector, comparing the market to the U.S. before software-embedded solutions gained traction.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tebi Puts AI at the Core of Hospitality Operations</h2>
Tebi says it has already enabled merchants to process hundreds of millions in payments and introduced AI onboarding features that automatically pull menus, branding, and reservation settings for new clients. The next development phase will use AI to streamline operations and deliver actionable insights to business owners.
Schuijff said the company is reimagining workflows with AI, aiming to help hospitality owners automate tasks and make smarter, real-time decisions using the Tebi platform. He told TechCrunch that there's a broader trend toward regulatory requirements like real-time tax reporting, further driving demand for automation in hospitality.
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Alphabet's involvement offers more than capital, according to Schuijff, citing synergies with Android, Google Cloud, Gemini, and Google Maps, all of which could be integrated into Tebi's platform in the future, TechCrunch reports. While Tebi was not actively seeking investment, the alignment with CapitalG's strategic resources made the deal too valuable to pass up.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tebi is Expanding Europe's Hospitality Infrastructure and Beyond</h2>
Tebi's product is live across the Netherlands, where merchants process nine figures in payments annually using its integrated platform, according to the startup. The company built its tools by working closely with small hospitality businesses, helping refine the product through real-world feedback.
With a focus on automation and hospitality-specific features, Tebi says it aims to replace fragmented legacy systems with a unified platform tailored to the service industry. A U.S. expansion is on the roadmap once the company secures a significant market share across Europe.
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Billionaire Adyen Co-Founder Arnout Schuijff Launches Tebi, Secures $34M From Google's CapitalG To Transform Hospitality Tech Across Europe

Streaming viewership for movies, shows, and sports hit a major milestone in May, surpassing the combined audience of broadcast and cable TV for the first time—a shift that underscores the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/streaming">medium's growing dominance.</a>
What Happened: Consumers are likely not surprised to hear that streaming is the most popular monthly viewing option for content, as the sector has taken viewers away from traditional broadcast television and cable television.
However, it may be surprising to hear that streaming's 44.8% market share in May beat the combined total of broadcast and cable television, which had a 44.2% market share, according to Nielsen data.
The remaining 10.9% was listed as miscellaneous categories.
This marked the first time streaming has passed the other two mediums combined, according to a Variety report.
Gauge, Nielsen's monthly TV consumption report, has tracked streaming data since May 2021. Since then, streaming usage has increased 71%. Comparatively, broadcast viewership is down 21%, and cable television viewership is down 39%.
Among the winners in streaming&#8217;s growth is YouTube, the video platform owned by Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>). In May, YouTube made up 12.5% of Nielsen&#8217;s viewership, the highest monthly total for a streamer over the four years of tracking.
YouTube viewership is up 120% over the four years and the platform is regularly the monthly streaming leader.
The other streaming leader mentioned in the monthly report was Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>). According to the report, Netflix viewership has increased 27% between May 2021 and now. Netflix has been the leading SVOD over the past four years.
The biggest streaming program in May was Netflix's "You," with the final season released on April 23. Over four billion minutes of multiple seasons of "You" were watched during the month.
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Why It's Important: Streaming continues to grow significantly and take over viewership from cable and broadcast television.
Nielsen's report emphasizes that streaming passed the other two entities combined for the first time in May when football and other key sports were not on.
Live sports, particularly NCAA Football and NFL, remain keys for broadcast and cable television during the fall and winter months and keys to grabbing strong viewership and lucrative advertising dollars.
Netflix and other streamers have shown interest in landing more live sports and are taking more market share away during the football months.
On Christmas Day 2024, Netflix streamed two NFL games and posted the biggest streaming day in history.
With streaming platforms securing more sports rights in addition to original series and movies, May may mark just the beginning of streaming surpassing the combined viewership of broadcast and cable TV.
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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Entertainment

Sports

NFLX

Streaming Dethrones TV Giants: Netflix, YouTube Lead The Takeover

Waymo's self-driving taxis may not yet deliver the low-cost promise often associated with autonomous vehicles, but that isn't stopping riders from paying a premium — or worrying about safety.
A new pricing study by ride data platform Obi, found 74% of riders cite safety as their top concern around robotaxis — even as they continue to choose Waymo's higher-priced service. In San Francisco, Waymo rides averaged $20.43, compared to $15.58 for UberX and $14.44 for Lyft Standard — a 31% to 41% markup over traditional ride-hailing options.
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The data, drawn from nearly 90,000 ride offers collected between March 25 and April 25, compared real-time quotes and ETAs for matched trips across Waymo, Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>), and Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LYFT#NASDAQ">LYFT</a>).
Despite the higher fares, the survey component of the report reveals that 70% of riders who've tried Waymo prefer it over a traditional rideshare, and a surprising share are even willing to pay more for the driverless experience.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Demand Remains Strong Despite High Prices</h2>
The Obi report, titled "The Road Ahead: Pricing Insights On Waymo, Uber and Lyft", is being described as the first in-depth analysis of Waymo's pricing strategy by <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/12/waymo-rides-cost-more-than-uber-or-lyft-and-people-are-paying-anyway/">TechCrunch</a>. Among key findings, Waymo's pricing was significantly higher not only on average, but also at specific times, especially during peak hours.
At evening rush hour – 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Waymo rides were $11 more than Lyft and $9.50 more than Uber, according to the study. For short trips under 1.4 kilometers, Waymo charged up to $26.46 per kilometer, roughly 41.5% more than Uber and 31.1% more than Lyft on comparable routes.
Still, riders don't seem to mind.
In a survey of 507 riders conducted by Obi across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, 70% of those who had used Waymo said they preferred driverless rides to traditional taxi or rideshare services.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">But Safety Remains a Major Concern</h2>
Obi's survey also found that 74% of respondents cited safety as their biggest concern around autonomous vehicles. Despite having a positive ride experience, more than two-thirds said driverless cars should still have remote human monitoring, a practice Waymo currently employs.
"There's something about being in the car alone," Obi's chief revenue officer, Ashwini Anburajan, told TechCrunch. "It is there for you to, like, kind of live in a little bubble and get from point A to point B, and be very comfortable doing so."
Safety concerns were particularly high among older adults and women, with only 34% of women saying they would trust a Waymo to transport their child, compared to 48% of men, according to Obi's findings.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pricing Patterns Suggest Limited Supply, Basic Algorithms</h2>
Anburajan explained that Waymo's higher prices and variability may be driven by a less sophisticated pricing model than Uber or Lyft, whose platforms benefit from a decade of real-time data and driver fluctuations. With Waymo's fixed and slowly expanding fleet, pricing appears more directly influenced by supply-demand imbalances.
The study found a positive correlation between price and wait time, especially during high-demand periods like Friday and Saturday evenings. Longer ETA often translated directly to higher fares, with Waymo showing the highest elasticity in its afternoon time window.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mixed Regional Anecdotes Add Nuance</h2>
While Obi's data is focused primarily on San Francisco, Reddit users chimed in with region-specific insights, suggesting Waymo's pricing model might be more variable elsewhere.
"In Phoenix, I found Waymo to be cheaper than Uber and Lyft," wrote one user on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1l9lmwa/waymo_rides_cost_more_than_uber_or_lyft_and/">r/technology</a>. Another noted, "In LA, about half the time Waymo was on par or cheaper — but the 15+ minute wait time occasionally pushed me back to traditional ride shares."
"Safety issue too. The chances of getting raped in a Waymo are much lower than in an Uber because of the lack of drivers," one more user noted.
These anecdotes hint that Waymo's pricing and adoption trends may vary by city.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Big Picture: Premium, Not Mass-Market (Yet)</h2>
For now, Waymo, owned by Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>, GOOGL)), is reportedly handling over 250,000 paid rides weekly across multiple cities — and claims over 20% market share in San Francisco service zones, according to <a href="https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/waymo-stats-2025-funding-growth-coverage">The Driverless Digest</a>.
The Obi data shows that despite fears, consumer behavior is leaning toward premium autonomous experiences, at least in urban tech hubs. Whether this translates into sustained market dominance or niche adoption remains to be seen, but the willingness to pay more for a driverless ride is here.
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Image: Shutterstock

Nearly 75% of Riders Fear Robotaxi Safety – Yet Pay More for Waymo's Driverless Experience

President Donald Trump has proposed giving <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/management/25/06/45853025/trump-account-promises-1000-for-every-kid-but-not-everyone-thinks-its-the-smartest-idea-out-there">parents $1,000 to invest </a>for their children at birth. A Benzinga reader poll asks which of the Magnificent 7 stocks parents should consider buying and holding for 18 years under the new plan.
What Happened: Trump's plan for $1,000 investment accounts for parents of newborns could give them a head start on investing in mutual funds, ETFs, and individual stocks, including fast-growing names like<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/magnificent-seven"> the Magnificent Seven stocks.</a>
Benzinga recently asked readers which Mag 7 stock they would invest the $1,000 in.
"Under Trump's $1,000 baby investment plan, which Mag 7 stock would you invest the money in for the best 18-year return?" Benzing asked.
The results were:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>): 21%</li>
<li>Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>): 17%</li>
<li>Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>): 14%</li>
<li>Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>): 14%</li>
<li>Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>): 12%</li>
<li>Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>): 12%</li>
<li>Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>): 10%</li>
</ul>
The winner of the poll was Nvidia with 21% of readers picking this stock as the one they would invest in and hold for the next 18 years to add wealth to their children's investment account. Apple was a close second at 17%, with Alphabet and Meta tied for third at 14%.
Tesla ranked last in the poll of the Mag 7 stocks with 10% of the vote, while Microsoft and Amazon tied for fifth with 12%.
Did You Know?
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent061625">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>
Why It's Important: Trump's plan for $1,000 investment accounts could have a bullish impact on the stock markets as it would create consistent new investment sources for top stocks and ETFs with every child born between Jan. 1, 2025 (retroactively) and Jan. 1, 2029
Parents could be faced with the tough choice of investing in a broad market fund like the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) that produces annual returns of 10% to 12% or to be more aggressive and pick some growth stocks.
Choosing just one Magnificent 7 stock is probablyn't the best recommendation as it would provide less diversification and be high-risk, high-reward.
A look at past returns shows the Mag 7 stocks have been high performers and outperformed the market. Here are the five-year returns:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Apple: +126.6%</li>
<li>Alphabet: +147.4%</li>
<li>Amazon: +61.7%</li>
<li>Microsoft: +145.0%</li>
<li>Meta: +193.6%</li>
<li>Nvidia: +1,466.5%</li>
<li>Tesla: +392.4%</li>
</ul>
All of these stocks, except for Amazon, outperformed the five-year gain of 95.1% for the SPY. 
For those looking for diversification between the Mag 7 stocks, the Roundill Magnificent Seven ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#BATS">MAGS</a>) offers exposure to all seven stocks.
If the investing accounts idea goes through, it would be interesting to see if any parents publicly track the holdings and their performance over an 18-year time frame.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/06/45932660/exclusive-sp-500-new-all-time-highs-again-2025">EXCLUSIVE: S&amp;P 500 To Hit New All-Time Highs Again In 2025? Majority Say Yes, 27% Predict This Range</a></li>
</ul>
The study was conducted by Benzinga from June 13, 2025, through June 16, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 170 adults.
Photo: Shutterstock

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