Good morning, Quartz readers!
Here’s what you need to know
Antitrust regulators bore down on Big AI. Microsoft is facing scrutiny over its weird Inflection AI deal, and OpenAI and Nvidia are both under the scope of federal justice and trade agencies.
GameStop stock soared more than 40% yesterday. The rally came after a meme stock booster known by his online persona “Roaring Kitty” scheduled a livestream on YouTube for today.
Canada wants a cut from streamers like Netflix and Spotify. The country announced a new rule that would siphon 5% of the companies’ revenues in Canada to support homegrown content.
Apple is gearing up for its Worldwide Developers Conference next week. The tech giant is expected to finally reveal more about its long-anticipated AI strategy.
Rivian overhauled its R1 electric pickups and SUVs. The carmaker changed more than 600 parts and updated more than half of its hardware components.
America’s solar energy industry is on a tear
The U.S. just had its largest quarterly growth of solar manufacturing in its history.
A new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie said the U.S. is benefiting from federal and state policies aimed at increasing the country’s production of clean energy, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and a freeze on imported panels believed to be made with forced labor in China.
Here are some highlights from the report, by the digits:
75%: Share of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. grid last quarter that came from solar
11 gigawatts: New solar panel manufacturing capacity that came online during the first three months of 2024, a record
200 gigawatts: Total U.S. solar capacity
1 gigawatt: Enough to power 100 million LED light bulbs
Records aside, labor shortages, equipment constraints, and trade policies could put a damper on the solar party.
The price of diesel also hit a new milestone
And it’s a consumer-friendly one!
Diesel prices are now the lowest they’ve been since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. A gallon of the fuel is going for about $3.73 at the moment. Crude oil prices are also down about 10% since the start of April, just in time for the summer driving season.
But it’s not all roses. Some experts have cautioned that lower commodity prices are good for end-users but could signal broader economic difficulties on the horizon.
More from Quartz
🤔 Elon Musk’s $46 billion payday is ‘not about the money,’ Tesla chair says
🧳 A major airline group will make it easier for passengers to move between carriers
📚 Costco bails on books because stocking them is too much work
🐌 Apple’s slow AI strategy just helped it avoid a major antitrust probe
📈 A weight loss drug maker’s stock is rising on leaked clinical data
🔎 American Airlines is facing pressure from the NAACP over discrimination incidents
Surprising discoveries
The Tamagotchi community got an answer to a 27-year-old mystery. It took one megafan an “absolutely brutal” three weeks of taking care of the virtual pet to unlock it.
The Full House home is for sale. It’ll just cost you $6.5 million to buy the iconic San Francisco house.
Researchers used AI to find potential new antibiotics. The process to predict just one antibiotic can take more than five years without the technology, but AI can create thousands of candidates in hours.
A tiger shark ate a land-roaming spiky animal that’s like a hedgehog. It didn’t like the echidna and spit it up right in front of scientists.
Swans use a special oil gland and their saliva to keep their feathers white. Mud, be gone!
Did you know we have two premium weekend emails, too? One gives you analysis on the week’s news, and one provides the best reads from Quartz and elsewhere to get your week started right. Become a member or give membership as a gift!
Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, Tamagotchi tips, and swan songs to talk@qz.com. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Morgan Haefner.