Sal Rodriguez 🕷️
@sal19.bsky.social
@CNBC Deputy Tech Editor. Previously: @WSJ reporter covering Meta.
DMs open
Signal: 281-409-3516
📧: [email protected]
DMs open
Signal: 281-409-3516
📧: [email protected]
Google was at risk of losing its dominance — until it promoted this AI executive www.cnbc.com/2025/12/20/j... excellent profile of Google's Josh Woodward by @jennelias.bsky.social
Google was at risk of losing its dominance — until it promoted this AI executive
Josh Woodward, a 16-year Google veteran, is tasked with running the Gemini app and going head-to-head with OpenAI in the booming generative AI market.
www.cnbc.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Google was at risk of losing its dominance — until it promoted this AI executive www.cnbc.com/2025/12/20/j... excellent profile of Google's Josh Woodward by @jennelias.bsky.social
Apple punted on AI this year. Next year will be critical www.cnbc.com/2025/12/17/a... by @kif.bsky.social
Apple punted on AI this year. Next year will be critical
Apple this year delayed its big Siri upgrade to 2026. As the company looks ahead, the pressure is on for the iPhone maker to show investors its AI strategy.
www.cnbc.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Apple punted on AI this year. Next year will be critical www.cnbc.com/2025/12/17/a... by @kif.bsky.social
Here's how the robotaxi market looks as we close out 2025 and look ahead at 2026, with Waymo ahead of the pack but Zoox and Tesla finally rolling to the starting line www.cnbc.com/2025/12/16/w... by @lorak.bsky.social @jennelias.bsky.social & @anniepalmer.bsky.social
Robotaxis in 2025: Waymo plots global expansion as Zoox, Tesla roll to the starting line
Robotaxis grew rapidly in 2025 with Waymo expanding fastest, Zoox debuting public rides and Tesla launching autonomous rides with human supervision.
www.cnbc.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Here's how the robotaxi market looks as we close out 2025 and look ahead at 2026, with Waymo ahead of the pack but Zoox and Tesla finally rolling to the starting line www.cnbc.com/2025/12/16/w... by @lorak.bsky.social @jennelias.bsky.social & @anniepalmer.bsky.social
Huge report today on the state of Meta's AI strategy, six months after Mark Zuckerberg's multi-billion dollar talent spending spree
A must-read by @jonathanvanian.bsky.social for anyone curious about Meta's next move. Hint: It's proprietary and codenamed Avocado www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
A must-read by @jonathanvanian.bsky.social for anyone curious about Meta's next move. Hint: It's proprietary and codenamed Avocado www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion
Meta’s push to develop its next frontier model, codenamed Avocado, under new AI leadership is creating internal friction as it races rivals OpenAI and Google.
www.cnbc.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Huge report today on the state of Meta's AI strategy, six months after Mark Zuckerberg's multi-billion dollar talent spending spree
A must-read by @jonathanvanian.bsky.social for anyone curious about Meta's next move. Hint: It's proprietary and codenamed Avocado www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
A must-read by @jonathanvanian.bsky.social for anyone curious about Meta's next move. Hint: It's proprietary and codenamed Avocado www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
Reposted by Sal Rodriguez 🕷️
From 🦙 to 🥑:
"Zuckerberg was so optimistic last year about his Llama family of artificial intelligence models that he predicted they would become the 'most advanced in the industry.'"
Now, "Meta is pursuing a new Llama successor, code-named Avocado."
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
"Zuckerberg was so optimistic last year about his Llama family of artificial intelligence models that he predicted they would become the 'most advanced in the industry.'"
Now, "Meta is pursuing a new Llama successor, code-named Avocado."
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion
Meta’s push to develop its next frontier model, codenamed Avocado, under new AI leadership is creating internal friction as it races rivals OpenAI and Google.
www.cnbc.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:32 PM
From 🦙 to 🥑:
"Zuckerberg was so optimistic last year about his Llama family of artificial intelligence models that he predicted they would become the 'most advanced in the industry.'"
Now, "Meta is pursuing a new Llama successor, code-named Avocado."
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
"Zuckerberg was so optimistic last year about his Llama family of artificial intelligence models that he predicted they would become the 'most advanced in the industry.'"
Now, "Meta is pursuing a new Llama successor, code-named Avocado."
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/m...
YouTube is stuck between Google's AI ambitions & serving creators. No where is that fissure more palpable than YouTube's requirement that creators upload their gov ID and biometrics in exchange for a deepfake detection and removal tool www.cnbc.com/2025/12/02/y...
By @zachvallese.bsky.social
By @zachvallese.bsky.social
YouTube's new AI deepfake tracking tool is alarming experts and creators
A YouTube tool that uses creators' biometrics to remove AI-generated videos also allows Google to train its AI models on that sensitive data, experts told CNBC.
www.cnbc.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:43 PM
YouTube is stuck between Google's AI ambitions & serving creators. No where is that fissure more palpable than YouTube's requirement that creators upload their gov ID and biometrics in exchange for a deepfake detection and removal tool www.cnbc.com/2025/12/02/y...
By @zachvallese.bsky.social
By @zachvallese.bsky.social
Netflix appears to be suffering an outage on the night of the "Stranger Things" fifth season premiere www.cnbc.com/2025/11/26/n...
Social media users report Netflix outage during 'Stranger Things' premiere
Social media users said they were experiencing issues with Netflix on Wednesday, the night of the "Stranger Things" fifth season premiere.
www.cnbc.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Netflix appears to be suffering an outage on the night of the "Stranger Things" fifth season premiere www.cnbc.com/2025/11/26/n...
Late night scoop from @anniepalmer.bsky.social:
Amazon faces FAA probe after delivery drone snaps internet cable in Texas
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/a...
Amazon faces FAA probe after delivery drone snaps internet cable in Texas
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/a...
Amazon faces FAA probe after delivery drone snaps internet cable in Texas
The probe comes as Amazon faces stiffer competition from Walmart, which has also begun drone deliveries.
www.cnbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Late night scoop from @anniepalmer.bsky.social:
Amazon faces FAA probe after delivery drone snaps internet cable in Texas
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/a...
Amazon faces FAA probe after delivery drone snaps internet cable in Texas
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/a...
Looking for genAI hardware to gift your loved ones this holiday season? Here's @cnbc.com's roundup of the best options: www.cnbc.com/2025/11/22/a...
AI Christmas: The latest devices from Amazon, Meta, Google and more
This holiday shopping season features more advanced smart glasses, smart speakers with generative AI and a pendant users can wear to carry around an AI friend.
www.cnbc.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Looking for genAI hardware to gift your loved ones this holiday season? Here's @cnbc.com's roundup of the best options: www.cnbc.com/2025/11/22/a...
Waymo today added Minneapolis to its list of cities that it hopes to start serving in 2026. It's the latest sign that the Google sister company believes its robotaxis might soon be ready to brave cold weather www.cnbc.com/2025/11/20/w... by @jennelias.bsky.social
Waymo to begin manual drives in Minneapolis, Tampa and New Orleans, aims to open service in 2026
If Waymo does begin operating in those markets next year, that would bring the robotaxi company's list of 2026 planned expansions to 15 cities.
www.cnbc.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Waymo today added Minneapolis to its list of cities that it hopes to start serving in 2026. It's the latest sign that the Google sister company believes its robotaxis might soon be ready to brave cold weather www.cnbc.com/2025/11/20/w... by @jennelias.bsky.social
Zoox begins offering robotaxi rides in San Francisco, facing off with Waymo www.cnbc.com/2025/11/18/z... by @anniepalmer.bsky.social
Zoox begins offering robotaxi rides in San Francisco, facing off with Waymo
Riders can sign up to join the "Zoox Explorers" program to take free rides on the company's box-shaped vehicles in certain San Francisco neighborhoods.
www.cnbc.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Zoox begins offering robotaxi rides in San Francisco, facing off with Waymo www.cnbc.com/2025/11/18/z... by @anniepalmer.bsky.social
You can now take Waymos on freeways in SF, LA and PHX www.cnbc.com/2025/11/12/w... by @jennelias.bsky.social & @lorak.bsky.social
Waymo begins offering freeway robotaxi rides in San Francisco, LA and Phoenix
The Google sister company has been testing robotaxi freeway rides with employees for more than a year.
www.cnbc.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:37 PM
You can now take Waymos on freeways in SF, LA and PHX www.cnbc.com/2025/11/12/w... by @jennelias.bsky.social & @lorak.bsky.social
I recently had the opportunity to interview Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, and he told me he believes only biological beings are capable of consciousness.
Here’s my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/11/02/m...
Here’s my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/11/02/m...
Microsoft AI chief says only biological beings can be conscious
Mustafa Suleyman has become one of the most influential voices in tech to come out against building seemingly conscious AI.
www.cnbc.com
November 2, 2025 at 3:46 PM
I recently had the opportunity to interview Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, and he told me he believes only biological beings are capable of consciousness.
Here’s my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/11/02/m...
Here’s my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/11/02/m...
Meta has been paying creators to populate its Vibes feed of AI-generated video www.cnbc.com/2025/10/28/m... by @vancityreynolds.bsky.social & @zachvallese.bsky.social
Meta's AI app has seen growth soar since launch of Vibes, but trails OpenAI's Sora
The Meta AI app has seen a major jolt in downloads since the company launched Vibes and began paying creators to make AI-generated videos.
www.cnbc.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Meta has been paying creators to populate its Vibes feed of AI-generated video www.cnbc.com/2025/10/28/m... by @vancityreynolds.bsky.social & @zachvallese.bsky.social
A philosophical divide on how to build AI chatbots is emerging among tech heavy weights -- those willing to indulge AI erotica & seemingly conscious AI (OpenAI) & those against it (Microsoft)
Here's my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/m...
Here's my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/m...
Microsoft AI chief says company won’t build chatbots for erotica
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman said the software company won't build erotica AI services, the latest break with rival-partner OpenAI.
www.cnbc.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:29 PM
A philosophical divide on how to build AI chatbots is emerging among tech heavy weights -- those willing to indulge AI erotica & seemingly conscious AI (OpenAI) & those against it (Microsoft)
Here's my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/m...
Here's my latest for CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/m...
Just two days after Toronto denied the Mariners a World Series appearance, Seattle-based Amazon has announced a new robotics system called... Blue Jay www.cnbc.com/2025/10/22/a... by @anniepalmer.bsky.social
Amazon introduces 'Blue Jay' warehouse robot that performs multiple tasks at once
The robotics system is called Blue Jay, and Amazon said it's already being deployed in one of its South Carolina warehouses.
www.cnbc.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Just two days after Toronto denied the Mariners a World Series appearance, Seattle-based Amazon has announced a new robotics system called... Blue Jay www.cnbc.com/2025/10/22/a... by @anniepalmer.bsky.social
How Google shifted from a bastion of accurate information to a steward of free expression www.cnbc.com/2025/09/26/h...
Excellent news analysis by @jennelias.bsky.social
Excellent news analysis by @jennelias.bsky.social
How Google shifted from a bastion of accurate information to a steward of free expression
After years of rolling out features designed to provide users with factual and accurate information, Google is now touting its commitment to "free expression."
www.cnbc.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:36 PM
How Google shifted from a bastion of accurate information to a steward of free expression www.cnbc.com/2025/09/26/h...
Excellent news analysis by @jennelias.bsky.social
Excellent news analysis by @jennelias.bsky.social
Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement with FTC over ‘deceptive’ Prime program www.cnbc.com/2025/09/25/a... by @anniepalmer.bsky.social
Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement with FTC over 'deceptive' Prime program
www.cnbc.com
September 25, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement with FTC over ‘deceptive’ Prime program www.cnbc.com/2025/09/25/a... by @anniepalmer.bsky.social
Nvidia just spent over $900 million to hire Enfabrica CEO, license AI startup’s technology www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/n... Scoop by @lorak.bsky.social @jordannovet.bsky.social & @kif.bsky.social
Nvidia just spent over $900 million to hire Enfabrica CEO, license AI startup's technology
In a deal reminiscent of acquihires by Meta and Google, Nvidia hired Enfabrica's CEO and other employees of the startup, and licensed its technology.
www.cnbc.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Nvidia just spent over $900 million to hire Enfabrica CEO, license AI startup’s technology www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/n... Scoop by @lorak.bsky.social @jordannovet.bsky.social & @kif.bsky.social
Another good one from @ashleycapoot.cnbc.com: Alphabet’s Verily covered up HIPAA violations, whistleblower says in lawsuit www.cnbc.com/2025/09/11/a...
Alphabet's Verily covered up HIPAA violations, whistleblower says in lawsuit
Verily hired Sloan in 2020 to serve as the chief commercial officer of its diabetes and hypertension business, Onduo.
www.cnbc.com
September 11, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Another good one from @ashleycapoot.cnbc.com: Alphabet’s Verily covered up HIPAA violations, whistleblower says in lawsuit www.cnbc.com/2025/09/11/a...
Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, xAI & Snap face FTC probe over AI chatbot safety for kids www.cnbc.com/2025/09/11/a... by @ashleycapoot.cnbc.com
This probe comes after reports of humans falling in love with AI companions. Here's my piece on the subject from last month: www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/h...
This probe comes after reports of humans falling in love with AI companions. Here's my piece on the subject from last month: www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/h...
Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Snap face FTC probe over AI chatbot safety for kids
The Federal Trade Commission is issuing orders to seven companies to understand how their AI chatbots potentially negatively affect kids and teenagers.
www.cnbc.com
September 11, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, xAI & Snap face FTC probe over AI chatbot safety for kids www.cnbc.com/2025/09/11/a... by @ashleycapoot.cnbc.com
This probe comes after reports of humans falling in love with AI companions. Here's my piece on the subject from last month: www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/h...
This probe comes after reports of humans falling in love with AI companions. Here's my piece on the subject from last month: www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/h...
Zoox today launched its service to the public in Las Vegas, marking the start of the robotaxi race between Amazon & Alphabet, which owns Waymo.
We got to do an early ride of Zoox's service, which you can watch here www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/a... with @anniepalmer.bsky.social & @jeniecep.bsky.social
We got to do an early ride of Zoox's service, which you can watch here www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/a... with @anniepalmer.bsky.social & @jeniecep.bsky.social
Amazon's Zoox jumps into U.S. robotaxi race with Las Vegas launch
Amazon's Zoox robotaxi unit is offering free rides in Las Vegas from a few locations, with plans to expand in the city.
www.cnbc.com
September 10, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Zoox today launched its service to the public in Las Vegas, marking the start of the robotaxi race between Amazon & Alphabet, which owns Waymo.
We got to do an early ride of Zoox's service, which you can watch here www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/a... with @anniepalmer.bsky.social & @jeniecep.bsky.social
We got to do an early ride of Zoox's service, which you can watch here www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/a... with @anniepalmer.bsky.social & @jeniecep.bsky.social
Quite the busy one today with our coverage of Apple's iPhone event and editing for a big piece we've got coming tomorrow, but I wanted to note it's been one year since my return to CNBC. So happy I came back and took the leap to editing (while still getting to keep reporting!) 🎉
September 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Quite the busy one today with our coverage of Apple's iPhone event and editing for a big piece we've got coming tomorrow, but I wanted to note it's been one year since my return to CNBC. So happy I came back and took the leap to editing (while still getting to keep reporting!) 🎉
You can tune in to follow our live coverage of Apple's iPhone event right here www.cnbc.com/2025/09/09/l...
Apple event live updates: New iPhone 17 release expected today
Apple CEO Tim Cook and his team are set to unveil the iPhone 17 line of devices, Apple Watches, new AirPods Pro, and the release date for iOS 26.
www.cnbc.com
September 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
You can tune in to follow our live coverage of Apple's iPhone event right here www.cnbc.com/2025/09/09/l...
Google gets to keep Chrome but is barred from exclusive search deals, judge rules www.cnbc.com/2025/09/02/g... by @jennelias.bsky.social
Google gets to keep Chrome but is barred from exclusive search deals, judge rules
The ruling comes nearly a year after a U.S. judge ruled that Google holds an illegal monopoly in its core market of internet search.
www.cnbc.com
September 2, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Google gets to keep Chrome but is barred from exclusive search deals, judge rules www.cnbc.com/2025/09/02/g... by @jennelias.bsky.social