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Corporate Responsibility

AAPL

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has introduced a 10% royalty bonus for artists who release their music in Spatial Audio on Apple Music. This incentive, effective from January's payouts, aims to encourage more artists to adopt Spatial Audio and is calculated based on the proportion of Spatial to Non-Spatial plays. The move comes amid a significant increase in Spatial Audio tracks on Apple Music and the European Parliament's call for fair music streaming industry rules.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 24, 2024 | 9:50 am

ORAN

Orange Business has partnered with Tēnaka to scale up coral reef restoration in a Marine Protected Area of the Coral Triangle in Malaysia. This collaboration aims to enhance the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 24, 2024 | 9:01 am

INFY

Infosys has enhanced the Australian Open 2024 experience by implementing AI-first technologies, aiming to provide a more immersive experience for fans. This advancement showcases Infosys' commitment to innovation and its capabilities in AI technology, potentially attracting more clients interested in similar solutions.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 24, 2024 | 7:25 am

TSLA

Kimbal Musk, Tesla Inc board member and brother of Elon Musk, shared his spiritual experiences with the 'voice of God' during a near-death experience and after taking ayahuasca. He discussed these transformative moments in an interview, highlighting his non-religious but spiritually connected beliefs. The growing interest in psychedelics for spiritual and therapeutic purposes is noted, with celebrities and high performers exploring ayahuasca's potential benefits.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 24, 2024 | 4:52 am

TSLA

Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed skepticism with a 'Sigh' in response to Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda's view that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will only secure up to 30% of the global automotive market. Toyoda believes in a diverse approach to reducing CO2 emissions, including hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, and combustion engines. Musk, who is focused on BEVs at Tesla, has previously stated that electric cars will replace combustion cars, much like cars replaced horses, and has criticized hydrogen as an inefficient energy source for vehicles.

Portfolio Pulse from Anan Ashraf

January 24, 2024 | 4:24 am

AAPL

AMZN

GOOG

GOOGL

META

MSFT

Alphabet Inc. has ended its contract with Appen, the AI firm that has been instrumental in training Google's Chatbot Bard and contributing to Google Search results. This decision, effective March 19, follows a strategic review by Alphabet and will impact around two thousand subcontracted workers. Appen, which has been facing challenges such as client attrition and declining financials, relied on Alphabet for about one-third of its revenue. Alphabet's move aligns with its focus on developing proprietary AI technology, amidst defending a $7 billion lawsuit over AI patent infringement.

Portfolio Pulse from Ananya Gairola

January 24, 2024 | 3:45 am

ALK

UAL

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is scheduled to meet with U.S. senators including Ted Cruz and Mark Warner to discuss the grounding of the 737 MAX 9, following a cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Air jet. The FAA has grounded 171 MAX 9 airplanes and recommended expanded checks on the 737-900ER fleet. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has concerns about the MAX 10 jets, which are vital for Boeing's recovery. Boeing has also announced a quality stand down at its Seattle-area location to address safety concerns.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 24, 2024 | 1:50 am

MSFT

SONY

Sony Group Corp.'s CEO Kenichiro Yoshida outlined the future of PlayStation, indicating expansion to PC, mobile, and cloud while maintaining PlayStation's core status. He expressed skepticism about the value of gaming subscription services compared to video streaming, preferring a hybrid service model on PlayStation Network. Yoshida also commented on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, emphasizing Sony's commitment to providing diverse gaming options and maintaining healthy competition in the industry.

Portfolio Pulse from Franca Quarneti

January 24, 2024 | 12:09 am

ARKK

ARKQ

ARKW

HTZ

TSLA

UBER

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood supports Elon Musk's desire to increase his ownership of Tesla to 25% to lead AI and robotics initiatives. Wood praised Musk's vision and criticized the market's short-term focus. She also commented on Hertz scaling back its EV plans, noting the maintenance cost benefits of EVs over traditional cars. Wood mentioned Uber's encouragement for drivers to use Tesla vehicles. Tesla is a significant holding in several Ark ETFs, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives views Musk's potential AI projects outside Tesla as a negative for the company.

Portfolio Pulse from Chris Katje

January 23, 2024 | 11:01 pm

SAP

SAP announced a company-wide restructuring program set to take place in 2024, which will affect approximately 8,000 positions. The majority of these positions are expected to be managed through voluntary leave programs and internal re-skilling measures.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 23, 2024 | 10:24 pm