Alphabet Option Alert: Mar 21 $200 Puts at the Ask: 1565 vs 3722 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Mar 21 $200 Puts at the Ask: 1565 @ $15.85 vs 3722 OI; Ref=$184.9

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) 株価情報

Alphabet

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.

Alphabet Inc

On Wednesday, Sam Altman-led OpenAI launched Codex CLI, a new open-source coding agent, along with two AI reasoning models.
What Happened: The newly launched open-source coding agent is OpenAI's most notable open-source release since 2019.
The AI startup also unveiled the full-scale version of its "o3" model—described as its most advanced AI system to date—and a more compact, efficient variant known as "o4-mini."
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Altman said, "o3 and o4-mini are super good at coding, so we are releasing a new product, Codex CLI, to make them easier to use. This is a coding agent that runs on your computer. It is fully open source and available today; we expect it to rapidly improve."
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44566020/arm-aims-for-50-data-center-cpu-market-share-by-2025-challenging-intel-and-amd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arm Aims for 50% Data Center CPU Market Share by 2025, Challenging Intel and AMD</a>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">o3 and o4-mini are super good at coding, so we are releasing a new product, Codex CLI, to make them easier to use. this is a coding agent that runs on your computer. it is fully open source and available today; we expect it to rapidly improve.
&mdash; Sam Altman (@sama) <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1912558495997784441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Codex CLI is built to operate directly on a user's machine while connecting to the cloud to leverage the reasoning capabilities of its o3 and o4-mini models. Beyond generating code snippets, it can independently determine which tools to use locally to carry out tasks.
The company also noted that Codex CLI will soon support features from its recently released GPT-4.1 model.
To drive adoption, OpenAI has launched a $1 million grant program, offering selected developers $25,000 in API credits to build innovative projects using Codex CLI.
Moreover, according to OpenAI, training the o3 model required roughly ten times more computational resources than its earlier o1 model, previously considered its top performer in reasoning.
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: This launch comes at a time when OpenAI faces mounting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/03/44474850/chinas-deepseek-ups-the-heat-in-openai-rivalry-upgrades-v3-model-improving-coding-and-reasoning-capability">pressure from competitors</a> such as China's DeepSeek, which in January launched its R1 model, an open-source AI, reportedly capable of mimicking OpenAI's advanced reasoning abilities.&nbsp;
In February, Anthropic also introduced a model capable of delivering both rapid, instinctive responses and more deliberate, step-by-step reasoning when necessary—a level of adaptive flexibility that OpenAI's models have yet to fully replicate.
Last month, 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 released its Gemini 2.5 Pro, a reasoning-focused model that outperformed OpenAI's o3-mini <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44487389/sundar-pichai-shows-off-googles-most-intelligent-ai-ever-with-a-dinosaur-video-game-that-even-you-could-make-with-a-simple-prompt">across several benchmark tests</a>.
OpenAI has also completed a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44580172/openai-finalizes-historic-40-billion-funding-round-valuing-company-at-300-billion-with-backing-from-softbank-and-microsoft">historic $40 billion funding round</a>, raising its valuation to $300 billion. Major contributors to the round include SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
This reportedly marks the largest funding round ever recorded and nearly doubles OpenAI's earlier valuation of $157 billion.
Photo Courtesy: Meir Chaimowitz on Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/25/03/44554189/openai-and-microsoft-back-mcp-standard-in-major-shift-toward-interoperable-ai-agents-that-can-think-click-and-navigate-the-web-but-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-appears-to-be-mulling-over-it-in-shakespearean-fashion-to-mcp-or-not-to-mcp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI And Microsoft Back MCP Standard For Web-Surfing AI Agents; Google&#8217;s Sundar Pichai Asks A Shakespearean Question</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

News

Tech

GOOG

GOOGL

MSFT

SFTBF

SFTBY

Facing Heat From China's DeepSeek And US Rivals, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Launches Codex CLI: 'A Coding Agent That Runs On Your Computer'

The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/department-of-justice" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Justice</a> has won its antitrust case against 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 for operating a monopoly in advertising technology.&nbsp;
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema <a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25900111-google-ad-antitrust-ruling/" rel="noreferrer noopener">concluded that</a> Google has engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising.
For over ten years, Google has bundled its publisher ad server and ad exchange to help it maintain monopoly power in these two markets.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44497080/qualcomm-accuses-arm-of-antitrust-violations-across-us-eu-and-korea-over-chip-access" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qualcomm Accuses Arm Of Antitrust Violations Across US, EU, And Korea Over Chip Access</a>
However, Judge Brinkema dismissed allegations against Google for monopolizing ad networks. In August, U.S. District Judge&nbsp;Amit Mehta ruled that&nbsp;Google&#8217;s dominant search engine is an unlawful monopoly.
Judge Brinkema, like Judge Mehta, warned Google for failing to preserve internal communications, citing an internal messaging app that deleted records of chats between employees.
Google VP Lee-Anne Mulholland told&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.theverge.com/news/650665/google-loses-ad-tech-antitrust-monopoly-lawsuit" rel="noreferrer noopener">the</a> Verge that Google has won half of this case and will appeal the other half. The Court found that Google&#8217;s advertiser tools and acquisitions, like DoubleClick, did not breach antitrust rules. Google disagreed with the Court&#8217;s decision regarding its publisher tools.
The U.S. Big Tech giants have drawn global regulatory attention for alleged antitrust violations.
Google is facing a £5 billion ($6.6 billion) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44857710/google-faces-a-mammoth-66-billion-lawsuit-in-the-uk-over-suspected-market-dominance-abuse" rel="noreferrer noopener">class action lawsuit</a> in the U.K. for allegedly exploiting&nbsp;its dominant market position in&nbsp;the online search industry.
In January, Google&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43274659/google-fights-record-eu-android-fine-claims-users-choose-its-services-over-rivals" rel="noreferrer noopener">contested the&nbsp;European Commission</a> in Luxembourg against the record European Union antitrust fine over its Android operating system. The European Union regulator penalized Google by 4.34 billion euros ($4.55 billion) in 2018 for allegedly exploiting its influence to drive traffic from Android devices to Google&#8217;s search engine.
Reportedly, the Justice Department has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/03/44208199/googles-monopoly-fight-just-got-more-intense-justice-department-reaffirms-plan-to-split-up-the-tech-giant-in-historic-antitrust-battle" rel="noreferrer noopener">doubled down on</a> its demand to break up&nbsp;Google, pushing for the sale of&nbsp;Chrome&nbsp;and&nbsp;restrictions on its search&nbsp;business. As per a court filing in March, the Justice Department reaffirmed its call for Google to divest Chrome and end its exclusive search engine deals with&nbsp;Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>),&nbsp;Mozilla, and smartphone manufacturers.
Google held $95.66 billion in cash and equivalents as of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1652044/000165204425000010/googexhibit991q42024.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener">December 31, 2024</a>.
Separately, the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to take&nbsp;Meta Platforms, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) for allegedly stifling competition with acquisitions&nbsp;of&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and&nbsp;WhatsApp. It is also alleged Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) is&nbsp;illegally maintaining its dominance&nbsp;in online retail.
Price Action: GOOGL stock is down 1.40% at $151.22 at last check Thursday.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/downgrades/25/04/44874447/microsoft-analyst-lowers-rating-flags-slower-growth-flat-valuation-outlook">Microsoft Analyst Lowers Rating, Flags Slower Growth, Flat Valuation Outlook</a></li>
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Photo Courtesy: JHVEPhoto On Shutterstock.com

Legal

Media

AAPL

AMZN

Google Scores Partial Win In Antitrust Case But Faces Setback On Publisher Tools

<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/judge-rules-google-operates-illegal-ad-monopoly-1d955ed4">https://www.wsj.com/business/media/judge-rules-google-operates-illegal-ad-monopoly-1d955ed4</a>

General

Judge Rules Google Operates Illegal Ad Monopoly- WSJ

In a sea of red across Big Tech, Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) is the rare green beacon. While the rest of the Enormous Eight flounder under the weight of a broad tech correction, Netflix has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/NFLX/news">quietly notched gains</a> across every major timeframe — up 1.22% over the past month, 8.45% year-to-date and a solid 56.70% over the past year.
That's no small feat. Consider this: Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has cratered over 36% YTD, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has shed over 20%, 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>) is down more than 19%. Even Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), the market&#8217;s AI darling, is off about 25% YTD. Yet Netflix? Still climbing.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/04/44856564/former-cable-exec-says-netflixs-1-trillion-goal-is-very-realistic-heres-why-its-not-far-fetched">Netflix&#8217;s $1 Trillion Goal &#8216;Very Realistic&#8217;, Says Former Cable Executive: &#8216;It&#8217;s Not That Hard To Get There&#8217;</a>
The Enormous Eight — comprising Apple, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Alphabet, Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Nvidia, Tesla, and Netflix &#8211; have been the backbone of the S&amp;P 500 for years. But so far in 2025, they&#8217;ve turned into an anchor. All but one (Netflix) are flashing red across the board, weighed down by valuation resets, softening demand and, in some cases, brutal earnings.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0417"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="627" height="489" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/17083626/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-6.06.07-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-876599" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/17083626/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-6.06.07-PM.png 627w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/17083626/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-6.06.07-PM-300x234.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /></a></figure>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0417">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>
The technical chart above indicates that Netflix's bullish momentum has staying power. The stock is above its eight, 20, 50 and 200-day simple moving averages, indicating bullish momentum. Oscillators are also bullish, with the MACD (moving average convergence/divergence) indicator at 0.12 and the RSI (relative strength index) at 54.39, implying that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. So, the broader trend remains strongly bullish.
For context, the S&amp;P 500 itself is down 10% YTD and over 7% for the month. So when a heavyweight like Netflix manages to deliver green in a market this unforgiving, it sends a message.
Whether the rally has legs remains to be seen, but for now, Netflix has flipped the script — from streaming wars to stock market standout.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44857684/nasdaq-dips-3-amid-plunge-in-nvidia-amd-shares-fear-among-us-investors-increases-fear-greed-index-remains-in-extreme-fear-zone">Nasdaq Dips 3% Amid Plunge In Nvidia, AMD: Greed Index Remains In &#8216;Extreme Fear&#8217; Zone</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

Technicals

Trading Ideas

NFLX

NVDA

TSLA

Netflix Vs. The Enormous Eight: One Stock's Bull Run Amid Big Tech Blues

Rumors

Alphabet Shares Move Lower; Hearing Judge Rules Against Google In Illegal Monopolies In Online Advertising Technology Case

BMO Capital analyst Brian Pitz reiterates Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) with a Outperform and lowers the price target from $230 to $200.

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

BMO Capital Reiterates Outperform on Alphabet, Lowers Price Target to $200

Truist Securities analyst Youssef Squali maintains Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $220 to $200.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Alphabet, Lowers Price Target to $200

Comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan has praised Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology for its accuracy as the podcaster shared an instance of using the tech on his drive home.
What Happened: On Tuesday, X user Mario Nawful posted a video that showcased their Model S navigating a tight spot on the road while using FSD.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">TESLA FSD IS CRAZY GOOD It even auto-folds the mirrors when you go through tight gaps. <a href="https://t.co/Sq9Bqt3spp">https://t.co/Sq9Bqt3spp</a> <a href="https://t.co/5TpvMBoATG">pic.twitter.com/5TpvMBoATG</a>
&mdash; Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1912038133782151194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rogan quoted the post and shared his own experience with the company's FSD tech, calling it ‘bananas.'
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I had my Tesla model S drive me home the other day with FSD, and it's fucking wild. Changes lanes to avoid slow traffic, stops at red lights and stop signs, hits the blinkers and turns for you. It's bananas. <a href="https://t.co/Ir8dU9Zopg">https://t.co/Ir8dU9Zopg</a>
&mdash; Joe Rogan (@joerogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/joerogan/status/1912144763307901394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The podcaster praised the technology and said that it ‘changes lanes to avoid slow traffic, ' ‘hits the blinkers and turns for you,' and ‘stops at red lights and stop signs.'
Why It Matters: Rogan's praise for Tesla's FSD comes as the company is showcasing the development of the technology. The company had recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44787364/tesla-deploys-unsupervised-fsd-at-giga-texas-to-move-cars-from-factory-to-lot">released a video </a>that showcased a Tesla Model Y as well as a Cybertruck navigating a 1.4-mile and 0.6-mile course via FSD, respectively.
Elon Musk had recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44834045/tesla-touts-fsd-capabilities-elon-says-predicts-cars-will-soon-drive-itself-right-to-your-house">predicted Tesla cars </a>would be able to drive themselves to people's houses ‘this year,&#8217; sharing his optimism for the company's self-driving technology.
However, Musk's company still lags behind competitors like 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>) Waymo, which has logged in well over 20 million autonomous driving miles.
Waymo, which is a competitor to Musk's planned Cybercab ride-hailing services, has also logged <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44349240/googles-waymo-leads-robotaxi-race-with-2-millon-paid-rides-zoox-challenges-tesla-for-second-spot-as-unsupervised-autonomy-becomes-table-stakes-says-gary-black">2 million autonomous</a> paid rides, leading the segment by a healthy margin.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44831960/dan-ives-says-tesla-best-positioned-to-deal-with-tariffs-it-will-ultimately-be-finished-cars-vs-auto-parts">Dan Ives Says Tesla &#8216;Best Positioned&#8217; To Deal With Tariffs: &#8216;It Will Ultimately Be Finished Cars Vs Auto Parts&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock

Joe Rogan Hails Tesla's FSD As He Uses It To Drive Home: Calls It 'F***ing Wild'

Google, a part of&nbsp;Alphabet Inc.&nbsp;(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>), is confronted with a £5 billion ($6.6 billion) class action lawsuit in the U.K. The company is accused of exploiting&nbsp;its dominant market position in&nbsp;the online search industry.
What Happened: The lawsuit was lodged at the Competition Appeal Tribunal earlier this week. The claimants contend that Google&#8217;s practices allowed it to inflate the prices for advertisements displayed in search inquiries, beyond what a competitive market would allow, Reuters reported.
The lawsuit states that Google entered into agreements with phone manufacturers to have Google Search and the Chrome browser pre-installed on Android devices. It also states that Google paid&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) to make Google&nbsp;the default search engine on&nbsp;iPhones, in a bid to suppress competition.
The claim, submitted by competition law expert Or Brook on behalf of thousands of businesses, asserts that Google gave its own advertising services an unfair advantage by equipping its search engine with superior functionality and additional features compared to those of its competitors.
Google has dismissed the lawsuit as &#8220;yet another speculative and opportunistic case,&#8221; pledging to &#8220;argue against it vigorously.&#8221; Brook, however, insists that businesses had little option but to use Google ads, labeling Google as a monopoly and emphasizing that securing a spot on Google&#8217;s top pages is crucial for visibility.
SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44830819/big-short-fame-steve-eisman-says-nvidias-best-days-are-not-behind-it-but-trump-is-the-wild-card-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;Big Short&#8217; Fame Steve Eisman Says Nvidia&#8217;s &#8216;Best Days Are Not Behind It&#8217; But Trump Is The Wild Card In Current Market</a>
Why It Matters: In 2020, a market study conducted by the U.K.'s competition regulator revealed that Google earned 90% of the total revenue in the search advertising market.
This lawsuit follows a&nbsp;report from January 2025, which revealed that Google was under <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42983711/google-faces-uk-investigation-over-search-dominance">investigation </a>by UK officials over its search dominance. The Competition and Markets Authority expressed concerns about how Google&#8217;s dominant position in search could impact competition in the UK. 
Notably, the Sundar Pichai-led company is still appealing an antitrust penalty of €4.3 billion ($4.9 billion) fine imposed by the European Union for exploiting the dominance of its Android mobile operating system by requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Chrome and Search alongside its Play app store.
The current lawsuit seems to be a continuation of these concerns, with businesses now taking legal action against the tech giant&#8217;s alleged anti-competitive practices.
Google&#8217;s lawsuit comes at a time when another tech giant, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), is facing a landmark trial in court by the Federal Trade Commission, which could eventually compel the social media giant to divest its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Rankings&nbsp;highlight strong quality and growth rankings for Alphabet in the 87th and 65th percentiles, respectively. Curious how other stocks stack up?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here</a>&nbsp;to uncover growth and momentum scores for top stocks.
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<li>Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/44844540/peter-schiff-china-is-selling-dollars-and-treasuries-to-buy-euros-and-bunds-crashing-the-markets-not-part-of-a-ge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Schiff: &#8216;China Is Selling Dollars And Treasuries To Buy Euros And Bunds.&#8217; Crashing The Markets Not Part Of A &#8216;Genius Master Plan&#8217;</a></li>
</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.

Equities

Markets

Google Faces A Mammoth $6.6 Billion UK Class Action Lawsuit Over Reported Ad Price Inflation, Market Abuse

On Wednesday, in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44780047/mark-zuckerbergs-empire-in-jeopardy-as-meta-faces-antitrust-battle-in-court">ongoing antitrust trial</a> against Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), former COO Sheryl Sandberg testified about the company's efforts to block advertisements from potential competitors like 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 Plus, KakaoTalk, and LINE.
What Happened: During the trial, Sandberg addressed internal communications from 2011 and 2012 that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) claims show Meta's efforts to block competitors from advertising on its platform, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/04/16/meta-sheryl-sandberg-ftc/">reported</a> the Washington Post.
The FTC's lawyer, Susan Musser, questioned Sandberg about an email she sent to staff after Google launched Google Plus, in which she acknowledged that the new platform was Meta&#8217;s &#8220;real competition.&#8221;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44778760/netflix-debuts-openai-backed-search-engine-that-lets-you-discover-movies-and-tv-shows-based-on-emotions-not-just-titles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix Debuts OpenAI-Backed Search Engine That Lets You Discover Movies And TV Shows Based On Emotions, Not Just Titles</a>
Sandberg explained that her comments were intended to "rally the troops" in response to a much larger tech company launching a product strikingly similar to Facebook.
When questioned by Meta's lawyers, she added that she believed Meta faced other competitors both then and now, naming platforms like YouTube, Pinterest (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PINS#NYSE">PINS</a>), and eventually TikTok.
Earlier in the day, Zuckerberg <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44807557/mark-zuckerberg-proposed-wiping-all-friends-connections-and-make-users-start-again-to-keep-facebook-culturally-relevant-antitrust-trial-reveals">returned to the witness stand</a> for the third time in as many days. He admitted that Meta's short-form video feature, Reels, is "pretty good," but quickly pointed out that TikTok still outpaces both Facebook and Instagram combined.
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&#8217;s Important: The trial also revealed confidential conversations between Sandberg and Zuckerberg during their deliberations over the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38163559/if-you-invested-1000-in-meta-platforms-when-mark-zuckerberg-acquired-instagram-for-1b-in-2012-he">$1 billion purchase of Instagram</a>.
In a text message from spring 2012, Zuckerberg asked Sandberg if she believed the price was excessive, to which she replied, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;
When questioned by a Meta attorney about whether she still held that view, Sandberg said, "I think I was wrong. I think I was very wrong."
The FTC&#8217;s case against Meta is rooted in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44821791/meta-platforms-used-buy-or-bury-strategy-to-monopolize-social-media-ftc-says">allegations of a &#8220;buy or bury&#8221; strategy</a>.&nbsp;
The trial also revisited Meta&#8217;s past acquisition attempts, such as the $6 billion offer to acquire Snap Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>), <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44832468/snapchat-rejection-resurfaces-as-mark-zuckerberg-defends-meta-in-ftc-trial-and-the-tech-mogul-still-thinks-he-couldve-done-it-better-we-would-have-accelerated-their-growth">which Zuckerberg defended</a>.
Price Action: On Wednesday, Meta shares dropped 3.68%, ending the trading day at $502.31, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
The company currently holds a momentum score of 55.37% and a growth score of 74.89%, based on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META">Benzinga's exclusive Edge Rankings</a>.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how Meta stacks up against</a> Snapchat, Alphabet, and other leading tech firms.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/17012650/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-10.56.44%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-875668" /></a></figure>
Read More:
<ul>
<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't Have The Balls To Do It,' Says Mark Cuban, Praising Musk For Going ‘All In' With His Own Money For His Startups</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Markus Wissmann on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

PINS

SNAP

Sheryl Sandberg Testimony In Meta Antitrust Trial Touches On Efforts To Stifle Ads From Google Plus, KakaoTalk — Mark Zuckerberg Says TikTok Bigger Than Facebook, Instagram Combined

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Shares of companies within the broader tech sector are trading lower after Fed Chair Powell made remarks at the Economic Club. Also, the broader tech industry may be weighed down by NVIDIA after the United States informed the company that it may require a license to export chips to China

Among the so-called <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/magnificent-seven">Magnificent Seven tech giants</a>, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) holds a rare and ironic distinction: it's been beaten the hardest so far this year, yet it's the only one still standing with gains for the month.
While 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>), Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) all sport negative month-to-date performances in 2025, Tesla is the lone green candle.
The electric vehicle giant is up 6.76% MTD, but that's after being down 33% so far this year.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44834045/tesla-touts-fsd-capabilities-elon-says-predicts-cars-will-soon-drive-itself-right-to-your-house">Tesla Touts FSD Capabilities, Elon Says Predicts Cars Will Soon &#8216;Drive Itself Right To Your House&#8217;</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">From Worst To (Sort Of) First</h2>
Tesla's YTD performance reads like a comeback arc written for a Wall Street soap opera. No other Magnificent Seven stock has come close to the rollercoaster volatility that CEO Elon Musk's empire has endured. Nvidia stock, for instance, is down 18.88% YTD. Meta stockholders have been slapped with a nearly 12.97% loss. And even Apple, the tech titan with the largest market cap on Earth, is nursing a 17.10% drop YTD.
However, despite Tesla's shaky fundamentals, sky-high valuation (forward P/E of 100), ongoing scrutiny over demand, pricing and Musk's Twitter antics, the market seems unwilling to count the company out.
On a month-to-date basis, it is the only Mag 7 stock that is up 6.76%. Apple stock is down 5.54% MTD, Meta stock is 13.78%, and Microsoft stock is 0.76%.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Musk's Mojo Vs. Market Malaise</h2>
What gives? Some of Tesla's rebound can be chalked up to short covering, speculative trading and renewed optimism over the company's AI and robotics ambitions.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Mag 7 are getting dragged down by tariff troubles.
In a month where every other Mag 7 member is nursing wounds, Tesla somehow managed to walk away bloodied &#8211; but technically victorious. 
It's not the kind of win investors dream of, but in this market, staying green might just be the new gold.
Disclaimer: Price information as of 9 AM ET, Wednesday
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44831960/dan-ives-says-tesla-best-positioned-to-deal-with-tariffs-it-will-ultimately-be-finished-cars-vs-auto-parts">Dan Ives Says Tesla &#8216;Best Positioned&#8217; To Deal With Tariffs: &#8216;It Will Ultimately Be Finished Cars Vs Auto Parts&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Tesla Is 2025's Biggest Mag 7 Bruise So Far, But Also The Only One Still In The Green

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk has made a bold prediction in light of Tesla's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44787364/tesla-deploys-unsupervised-fsd-at-giga-texas-to-move-cars-from-factory-to-lot">Full Self-Driving (FSD)</a> technology.
What Happened: In a post on social media platform X by Tesla's official handle on Tuesday, the company hailed its vehicles' FSD capabilities and said, ‘One day, it'll drive itself right to your house.'
<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">One day it'll drive itself right to your house <a href="https://t.co/FGXwgWomHs">https://t.co/FGXwgWomHs</a>
&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1912225160507400611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Elon Musk reposted the post with a quote, saying, ‘This year.'
<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">This year <a href="https://t.co/2eCadrXYfd">https://t.co/2eCadrXYfd</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1912243208421023763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: Musk's prediction comes in when Tesla has showcased how its vehicles have logged in over 50,000 driverless miles between its manufacturing facilities in California and Texas.
However, others do not share the billionaire&#8217;s optimism regarding FSD, with Tesla Bull Ross Gerber calling FSD <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44068902/tesla-fsd-like-a-12-year-old-driving-compared-to-waymo-says-ross-gerber-warning-uber-has-got-to-be-hurting">‘Like a 12-year-old driving'</a>, compared to the likes of Alphabet'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.
Waymo has logged more than 20 million autonomous miles and boasts over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44349240/googles-waymo-leads-robotaxi-race-with-2-millon-paid-rides-zoox-challenges-tesla-for-second-spot-as-unsupervised-autonomy-becomes-table-stakes-says-gary-black">2 million paid autonomous rides</a>, establishing a healthy lead in the self-driving race. While Tesla lags behind Waymo, Musk has teased the arrival of Cybercab ride-hailing services in Austin, Texas.
Elsewhere, the Trump administration's tariffs on China could prove to be a problem for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44831422/donald-trumps-145-tariffs-on-china-could-disrupt-teslas-cybercab-semi-production-report">Tesla's Cybercab ambitions</a>. Tesla has also suspended taking new orders for its Model S and X in China.
Price Action: TSLA has experienced a 33% YTD decline in stock value and currently trades for $254.11, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
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/tech/25/04/44831960/dan-ives-says-tesla-best-positioned-to-deal-with-tariffs-it-will-ultimately-be-finished-cars-vs-auto-parts">Dan Ives Says Tesla &#8216;Best Positioned&#8217; To Deal With Tariffs: &#8216;It Will Ultimately Be Finished Cars Vs Auto Parts&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Tesla Touts FSD Capabilities, Elon Says Predicts Cars Will Soon 'Drive Itself Right To Your House'

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's DeepMind is diving into marine science with a new AI model designed to help researchers decode dolphin communication.
What Happened: Earlier this week, Google DeepMind introduced DolphinGemma, an AI model trained to generate and interpret dolphin-like vocalizations.
Built on Google's open-source Gemma architecture, DolphinGemma was developed in collaboration with the Wild Dolphin Project (WDP), a nonprofit that studies Atlantic spotted dolphins in their natural habitat.
Using data collected from decades of dolphin field recordings, the model can produce sequences that mimic real dolphin sounds.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44031714/google-implements-layoffs-in-hr-and-cloud-divisions-as-ai-investment-accelerates-report">Google Implements Layoffs In HR And Cloud Divisions As AI Investment Accelerates: Report</a>
Google says DolphinGemma is efficient enough to run on mobile devices, and WDP plans to test it on the Pixel 9 smartphone. The team previously used a Pixel 6 to collect and analyze dolphin vocalizations, but the Pixel 9 will allow simultaneous execution of AI models and audio-matching algorithms in the field.
The goal is to create a system capable of generating synthetic dolphin vocalizations and listening for a matching "reply," potentially paving the way for two-way interaction with dolphins.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="DolphinGemma: How Google AI is helping decode dolphin communication" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T8GdEVVvXyE?start=89&#038;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>
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: Previously, a 2024 Nature <a href="https://www.nature.com/immersive/d41586-024-04050-5/index.html">report</a> highlighted that AI-powered research has revealed that African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) and common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) use unique "names" for their peers.
Scientists are also applying machine learning to decode the vocalizations of crows.
Despite recent advances, experts caution that an animal equivalent of Google Translate is still a long way off. According to marine biologist David Gruber, founder of the Cetacean Translation Initiative (CETI), the impressive progress in AI language models stems largely from access to massive datasets where the meanings of human language are already well-established.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44031320/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-wants-to-do-an-ai-app-but-sam-altman-wants-to-pull-a-reverse-uno-card-maybe-well-do-a-social-app" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Wants To Do An AI App But Sam Altman Wants To Pull A ‘Reverse Uno' Card: ‘Maybe We'll Do A Social App'</a></li>
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Photo For Everything / Shutterstock.com

Can AI Talk To Dolphins? Google's DeepMind Creates DolphinGemma To Explore Animal Language

Amid rising global trade turmoil, U.S. Vice-President&nbsp;JD Vance&nbsp;has voiced his positive outlook on a potential trade agreement with the U.K.
What Happened: Vance, during an interview with the UnHerd website, mentioned that there is a &#8220;good chance&#8221; of finalizing a trade pact with the U.K. &#8220;We're working very hard on a trade deal with the Starmer government&#8230;.I think there's a good chance that, yes, we'll come to a great agreement that's in the best interest of both countries,&#8221; JD Vance <a href="https://unherd.com/2025/04/transcript-unherds-interview-with-jd-vance/">told </a>UnHerd.
The U.S. Vice President is also optimistic about stronger relations with Europe. &#8220;We just want it to be an alliance where Europeans are a little more independent, and our security and trade relationships are gonna reflect that,&#8221; Vance stated.
Vance proposed that a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement would be simpler to secure than with other European countries due to a &#8220;much more reciprocal relationship&#8221;. He pointed to Germany as an example of a country that exports extensively to the U.S. but is &#8220;pretty tough&#8221; on a lot of American exports.
However, an ally of the Vice President told The Independent that Mr. Vance believes that free speech is under threat in Britain – and that he will insist the Keir Starmer government repeal laws against hateful comments, including those targeting LGBT+ groups or other minorities, as a condition for any agreement. 
"No free speech, no deal. It is as simple as that,"&nbsp;the source told the publication.
SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44655841/if-youre-going-to-do-dumb-things-because-your-stock-goes-down-warren-buffetts-old-warning-gains-steam-as-us-stocks-wipe-out-5-trillion-after-trump-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;If You&#8217;re Going To Do Dumb Things Because Your Stock Goes Down…:&#8217; Warren Buffett&#8217;s Old Warning Gains Steam As US Stocks Wipe Out $5 Trillion After Trump Tariffs &#8211; Benzinga</a>
Why It Matters: This statement comes in the wake of the global stock market&#8217;s instability following President Donald Trump&#8216;s declaration of comprehensive tariffs on almost all nations on April 2. The revised U.S. trade policy imposes a 10% &#8220;baseline&#8221;&nbsp;tariff on all imports from&nbsp;long-standing trade allies such as the U.K. and France. 
The ongoing trade war in the U.S. has placed tech giants like&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), and Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s Google (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>) at the center of negotiations. In an attempt to appease President Trump&#8217;s tariffs, the U.K. government has offered significant tax relief to these U.S. tech giants. U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer proposed<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44663080/apple-facebook-and-google-become-bargaining-chips-in-us-trade-war-eu-threatens-retaliation-uk-offers-tax-relief-for-lower-tariffs"> reducing the digital services tax </a>(DST) for major U.S. tech firms in exchange for lower tariffs.
U.K. Business and Trade Minister Sarah Jones expressed her appreciation for Vance&#8217;s remarks and confirmed to BBC that discussions with the U.S. were underway, but did not provide a timeline for their completion. However, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey voiced his concerns and stressed the need for any U.S. trade agreement to be &#8220;properly examined&#8221; by ministers, reported the BBC.
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<li>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/44829139/musk-firing-thousands-of-federal-workers-a-warning-says-bernie-sanders-what-do-you-think-hell-do-when-ai-com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Musk Firing Thousands Of Federal Workers A Warning, Says Bernie Sanders—&#8217;What Do You Think He&#8217;ll Do When AI Comes For Private Sector Jobs?&#8217;</a></li>
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Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

JD Vance Indicates 'Good Chance' Of US-UK Trade Deal — But Allies Say There's A Catch

More than a decade after Snap Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>) turned down a multibillion-dollar buyout from Facebook, the failed deal is back in the spotlight as Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Meta Platforms Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44805013/mark-zuckerberg-takes-the-stand-as-landmark-antitrust-trial-threatens-to-break-up-metas-137-trillion-empire-trial-will-show-what-every-17-year-old-in-the-world-knows-says-spokesperson">high-stakes antitrust trial</a>.
What Happened: On Tuesday, during his second day on the witness stand, Zuckerberg addressed a 2013 email in which he offered $6 billion to acquire Snapchat—double the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/13/11/4077625/facebooks-3-billion-offer-rejected-by-snapchat">$3 billion previously reported</a>, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-meta-antitrust-trial-snapchat-buyout-bid-2025-4">a</a> report by Business Insider.
"I delivered the offer to Evan and he seemed to take it well," Zuckerberg wrote in the email, referencing Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. "He told me he thought he could get it done and that he'd call me back quickly."
The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43557821/evan-spiegel-takes-a-shot-at-mark-zuckerberg-over-meta-copying-snapchats-features-on-instagram-and-facebook">deal never materialized</a>. Zuckerberg told the court he believed Snapchat "wasn't growing at the potential that it could" and added, "If we would have bought them, we would have accelerated their growth, but that's just speculation."
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44778760/netflix-debuts-openai-backed-search-engine-that-lets-you-discover-movies-and-tv-shows-based-on-emotions-not-just-titles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix Debuts OpenAI-Backed Search Engine That Lets You Discover Movies And TV Shows Based On Emotions, Not Just Titles</a>
The Federal Trade Commission introduced the email as part of its argument that Meta pursued acquisitions like Instagram and WhatsApp to eliminate competition and maintain dominance in the social media space.
Snap spokesperson Monique Bellamy told the publication, "Anticompetitive behavior can often slow and thwart growth for smaller companies… Meta's attempt to buy Snap, and then egregiously copy its features, was an attempt to do just that."
While testifying, Zuckerberg acknowledged that Snapchat was and continues to be a significant competitor.
Why It's Important: The FTC's lawsuit could reshape the tech landscape. It accuses Meta of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44821791/meta-platforms-used-buy-or-bury-strategy-to-monopolize-social-media-ftc-says">using a "buy or bury"</a> strategy to suppress rivals, potentially forcing the company to divest Instagram and WhatsApp.
Meta denies wrongdoing, arguing it faces strong competition from platforms like TikTok and YouTube, the platform owned by 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.
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.
The trial is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/04/44781970/star-trek-quoting-judge-boasberg-once-targeted-by-trump-could-decide-if-mark-zuckerbergs-meta-gets-to-keep-instagram">expected to last eight weeks</a>.
On Monday, the trial revealed internal strategies, such as Zuckerberg&#8217;s unexecuted plan to reset all Facebook users&#8217; connections in 2022, aimed at keeping the platform culturally relevant.
Price Action: On Tuesday, Meta's stock fell by 1.87%, closing at $521.51, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
META holds a momentum rating of 60.72% and a growth rating of 74.91%, based on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META">Benzinga's proprietary Edge Rankings</a>.
The Benzinga Growth score measures a stock's past earnings and revenue growth over various timeframes, emphasizing both consistent long-term performance and recent trends.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how it compares</a> to Snapchat, Alphabet, and other major companies.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16040327/Screenshot-2025-04-16-at-1.33.22%E2%80%AFPM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-873643" style="width:378px;height:auto" /></a></figure>
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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.
Photo courtesy: Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com

Mark Zuckerberg Defends Meta In FTC Trial Over $6 Billion Offer To Acquire Snapchat: 'We Would Have Accelerated Their Growth'

On Tuesday, 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 rolled out its Veo 2 model to Gemini Advanced users.
What Happened: After a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42609242/marques-brownlee-breaks-down-how-googles-ai-video-generator-veo2-outpaces-openais-sora">limited four-month preview</a>, Google has started expanding access to its Veo 2 text-to-video generator through the $20/month Gemini Advanced plan.
The tool lets users create 720p video clips up to eight seconds long using natural language prompts. Currently, Veo 2 supports only the 16:9 landscape format and generates MP4 files, which can be shared directly to TikTok or YouTube.
Powered by a large language model, Veo 2 can adapt to real-world physics and human motion, making it more advanced than earlier versions.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44778760/netflix-debuts-openai-backed-search-engine-that-lets-you-discover-movies-and-tv-shows-based-on-emotions-not-just-titles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix Debuts OpenAI-Backed Search Engine That Lets You Discover Movies And TV Shows Based On Emotions, Not Just Titles</a>
CEO Sundar Pichai took to X to share some examples while also emphasizing the importance of descriptive prompts, saying, "Tip: the more detailed your description, the better."
<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">1/ Today, Veo 2, our state-of-the-art video model, is rolling out to Gemini Advanced + Whisk! You can create 8s, high-res videos from text prompts in <a href="https://twitter.com/GeminiApp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeminiApp</a> with fluid character movement + lifelike scenes across a range of styles. Tip: the more detailed your description, the… <a href="https://t.co/bcGNIOWzrr">pic.twitter.com/bcGNIOWzrr</a>
&mdash; Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1912191784312271034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Veo 2 will also be available through Whisk, an experimental AI app on Google Labs that allows users to animate text and image prompts. Google said the tool will support video generation in every language that Gemini supports once the rollout is complete.
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 expansion comes as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42501018/marc-andreessen-praises-openais-sora-video-model-we-may-have-basically-just-solved-the-fundamental-challenge-of-robotics">Google races to compete</a> with OpenAI's Sora and Runway's recently launched Gen-4 model. Runway also announced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44741319/runway-ai-secures-300m-from-nvidia-and-fidelity-to-revolutionize-film-with-gen-4-model-and-studio-deals-raising-its-valuation-to-3b">$300 million funding round</a> earlier this month with backers such as Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>).
Last year, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) launched its own <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/09/40945913/as-the-ai-arms-race-wages-on-amazon-takes-shot-at-rival-adobe-with-new-text-to-video-product">AI-driven video tool</a> for advertisers, entering the competitive space alongside Adobe Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) Firefly Video Model.
Meanwhile, in October 2024, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) introduced Movie Gen, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42608267/meta-flexes-movie-gen-ai-as-instagram-boss-teases-video-editing-magic-for-2025">tool capable of generating videos</a>, images, and audio from text prompts.
Previously, Elon Musk, who is one of the co-founders of OpenAI and now the owner of Grok-parent xAI, also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42525899/elon-musk-reacts-after-sundar-pichai-shares-veo-2-as-google-looks-to-challenge-openais-sora-in-ai-video-race-looks-impressive">praised the capabilities of Veo 2</a>.
Price Action: Alphabet Inc. Class A shares closed at $156.31 on Tuesday, marking a 1.74% decline, while Class C shares ended the day at $158.68, down 1.73%, as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings give Alphabet a solid growth rating of 64.52%. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how it stacks up against</a> major tech peers like Nvidia, Meta, and Amazon.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16013138/Screenshot-2025-04-16-at-11.01.27%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-873402" style="width:366px;height:auto" /></a></figure>
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<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.
Photo Courtesy: JHVEPhoto On Shutterstock.com

ADBE

Google's VEO 2 Will Allow You To Create High-Resolution Videos With Text In Gemini App, Sundar Pichai Shows Off Cyberpunk Style Anime

In a significant step towards its clean energy goals, Alphabet&#8216;s Google (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>) has secured the first corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) for geothermal energy in Taiwan.
What Happened: Google announced on Wednesday that the company has signed the first corporate PPAs for geothermal energy in Taiwan. Since 2019, when Google signed its first corporate solar power purchase agreement (PPA) in Taiwan, the company has been actively promoting clean energy development to support the electricity needs of its local data centers and offices.
The initial projects, led by global geothermal developer Baseload Capital, will add 10 megawatts of continuous power to the grid and help boost Taiwan&#8217;s geothermal market. The partnership also involves an equity investment in Baseload Capital.
Geothermal energy, which uses heat from beneath the Earth&#8217;s surface to generate clean electricity, is highly promising for Taiwan, which has a location advantage on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44824778/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-dip-but-traders-remain-optimistic-for-one-reason" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Dip, But Traders Remain Optimistic For One Reason &#8211; Benzinga</a>
Why It Matters: This move by Google comes at a time when tech giants are under scrutiny for their environmental impact. A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43906562/google-microsoft-and-meta-linked-to-54-billion-in-health-costs-as-ai-data-centers-fuel-pollution-crisis-in-the-us-report">study</a>&nbsp;from UC Riverside and Caltech found that pollution from data centers, which power artificial intelligence models and cloud computing, has cost the U.S. public health system an estimated $5.4 billion over the past five years. Google, along with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), were among the biggest contributors.
By pioneering the use of geothermal energy in Taiwan, Google is taking a significant step towards reducing its environmental footprint and leading the tech industry towards cleaner energy solutions. 
Google&#8217;s dedication to geothermal energy goes beyond its efforts in Taiwan. The company is actively involved in advancing and commercializing next-generation geothermal technologies worldwide, through its enhanced geothermal project in collaboration with Fervo Energy and its subsurface data initiative with Project Innerspace. The Sundar Pichai-led company is also collaborating to support new research focused on developing geothermal energy in Australia, Japan, and Indonesia.
Benzinga's Edge Rankings&nbsp;highlight strong momentum and growth rankings for Alphabet in the 65th and 64th percentiles, respectively. Curious how other stocks stack up?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here</a>&nbsp;to uncover growth and momentum scores for top stocks.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AGX" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>
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<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/44783776/elon-musk-and-jack-dorsey-call-for-the-abolition-of-all-intellectual-property-laws-arguing-there-are-much-greater" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey Call For Abolition Of All Intellectual Property Laws, Arguing There Are &#8216;Much Greater Models To Pay Creators&#8217;</a></li>
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Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Google Inks Taiwan's First Corporate Geothermal Energy Deal To Power Data Centers

A top Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42029445/trump-names-pro-starlink-fcc-commissioner-brendan-carr-as-chairperson">official</a> has urged European allies to back Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk's SpaceX and U.S. tech over China.
What Happened: Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0a086fc2-1955-4ded-8558-6f9f85a0679d">told</a> the Financial Times that European hesitation over Starlink service is misplaced.
His comments follow concerns raised after Washington threatened to shut off Starlink service in Ukraine. "If you're concerned about Starlink, just wait for the CCP's version, then you'll be really worried," Carr said.
Carr has been a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42029445/trump-names-pro-starlink-fcc-commissioner-brendan-carr-as-chairperson">strong supporter of Musk's Starlink</a>. He staunchly opposed the FCC's decision not to offer nearly $900 million in subsidies to Starlink.
The FCC chair criticized what he described as European "protectionism" and an "anti-American" bias, especially in the regulatory treatment of U.S. companies. He added that Europe needs to choose sides: "It's sort of time for choosing."
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44660696/trumps-tariff-worries-ross-gerber-points-out-ordering-eu-goods-under-800-still-keeps-you-tax-free" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump's Tariff Worries? Ross Gerber Points Out Ordering EU Goods Under $800 Still Keeps You Tax-Free</a>
U.K.-based telecom firms BT and Virgin Media O2 are currently trialing Starlink's tech, though neither has entered a formal agreement.
Carr also warned that European suppliers like Nokia Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOK#NYSE">NOK</a>) and Ericsson (NASAQ: ERIC) may face <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44705879/trump-tariffs-push-eu-to-hit-23-billion-in-us-exports-including-orange-juice-poulty-and-steel-from-red-states">Trump-era tariffs</a> unless they expand U.S.-based manufacturing.
Nokia previously said that it sees the U.S. as its "second home," with major manufacturing and R&amp;D already based in the country. Ericsson already has a factory in Texas and may expand further, depending on tariffs.
Why It's Important: Last week, reports emerged that the EU and China had agreed to explore <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44756940/europe-china-eye-ev-price-pact-to-avert-trump-tariff-escalation-after-tesla-ceo-elon-musk-pushes-for-zero-eu-tariffs-amid-declining-sales">setting minimum prices</a> for Chinese-made electric vehicles. The talks come against the backdrop of rising global trade tensions following Trump's sweeping new tariffs.
Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO reportedly made a direct appeal to Trump, urging him to reverse the tariffs and <a href="https://www.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-for-his-startups">instead support the creation</a> of a "free trade zone" between Europe and the U.S.
However, despite Musk's substantial <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44679026/elon-musk-made-unsucessful-appeals-to-trump-to-reverse-new-tariffs-as-tesla-likely-to-take-a-hit-report">political donations to Republicans</a> and his advisory relationship with Trump, his efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
Earlier, it was also reported that the <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">EU is considering implementing taxes</a> on major U.S. tech firms such as Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) 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 if current tariff discussions with the Trump administration do not lead to a resolution.
Photo Courtesy: Mark Van Scyoc on Shutterstock.com
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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.

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Trump-Appointed FCC Chair To Europe: If You're Worried About Elon Musk's Starlink After The Ukraine Threat, 'Just Wait For The CCP's Version…'

Kodiak Robotics, a U.S.-based autonomous trucking startup, will go public following its announcement on Monday of a merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AACT#NYSE">AACT</a>), a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC).
What happened: In an official statement, the company, which has logged over 2.6 million autonomous driving miles in &#8216;real-world conditions,&#8217; announced its intention to go public. The transaction now fetches Kodiak a pre-money valuation of over $2.5 billion.
The company says it will receive about $551 million in cash held by Ares, and has announced commitments of $110 million from Ares, Soros Fund Management, founded by George Soros, and ARK Investments, led by CEO Cathie Wood. The company says the decision will help Kodiak address a $4 trillion global market opportunity.
The merger is expected to go through in the latter half of 2025, according to the statement. The company will then be called Kodiak AI, Inc. and will be traded under the KDK and KDK WS tickers, pending approval from the applicable exchange.
&nbsp;"This is a remarkable milestone for the Kodiak team and reinforces our confidence in the significant value proposition we see in our differentiated driverless technology,&#8221; said Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette.
Atlas Energy Solutions (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AESI#NYSE">AESI</a>), Kodiak&#8217;s strategic partner, has committed itself to an initial order of 100 trucks.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44806539/jim-chanos-shrugs-off-elon-musks-25-trillion-optimus-projection-short-seller-quips-he-thought-doge-would-save-1-2-trillion">Jim Chanos Shrugs Off Elon Musk&#8217;s $25 Trillion Optimus Projection, Short Seller Quips, &#8216;He Thought DOGE Would Save $1-2 Trillion&#8217;</a>
Why it matters: The decision comes at a time when the autonomous driving sector has seen development through major companies like 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 as well as Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Waymo has logged over 20 million driverless miles, while Tesla recently shared its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44787364/tesla-deploys-unsupervised-fsd-at-giga-texas-to-move-cars-from-factory-to-lot">developments in Unsupervised Full Self-Driving</a> tech for its vehicles. However, the company still lags behind Waymo, which uses a LiDAR system in contrast to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44529187/elon-musk-says-tesla-doesnt-need-lidar-because-people-dont-shoot-lasers-out-of-their-eyes-yet-his-ev-company-quietly-spent-over-2-million-on-the-technology-in-2024-as-china-takes-global-lead">Tesla's camera-based system.&nbsp;</a>
Automation in transport is seeing more applications as companies adopt self-driving tech in their operations. Earlier in April, Serve Robotics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SERV#NASDAQ">SERV</a>) and Uber Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>), in partnership with Uber Eats, announced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/contracts/25/04/44630746/serve-robotics-and-uber-eats-launch-self-driving-delivery-service-in-uptown-dallas">self-driving delivery service</a> in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
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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</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.

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