Tech Giants Ratchet Up Competition in AI, Chips, Cloud, and Autonomous Vehicles

The tech sector is entering a more competitive phase as companies ramp up efforts to secure advantages in artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, cloud computing, and autonomous vehicles. Apple (AAPL) has sued OpenAI, accusing the AI company of trade secret theft related to its upcoming AI hardware efforts.

The lawsuit alleges that former Apple employees, including hardware chief Tang Tan and engineer Chang Liu, used their access to obtain sensitive information before joining OpenAI. Apple claims that OpenAI coached some workers on how to leave without raising suspicion, allowing them to keep accessing internal information during their notice period.

Micron Technology (MU) has expanded its planned U.S. investment to $250 billion by 2035 to expand domestic chip manufacturing and strengthen the country's semiconductor supply chain. Microsoft (MSFT) has announced it will cut 4,800 jobs, about 2.1% of its workforce, as the company seeks to reduce costs and adapt to the growing impact of AI.