WSJ Tech News Briefing A Behind-the-Scenes Look at OpenAI and Anthropic’s Finances
36 snips
Apr 7, 2026 
Berber Jin, WSJ tech reporter who analyzed confidential AI financials, and Michael Tabb, WSJ journalist covering drones and weather, join the conversation. They explore OpenAI and Anthropic’s spending and revenue strategies. They also examine how drones fill mid-atmosphere data gaps and could tighten severe-weather forecasts.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Drones Fill The Middle Atmosphere Data Gap
- Michael Tabb explains drones fill the mid-atmosphere data gap between ground stations and satellites.
- He notes weather balloons are sparse and launched twice daily, leaving hundreds of miles and critical hours unsampled.
Drones Are Costly Upfront But Reusable
- Drones cost more upfront than weather balloons but are reusable, offering denser, repeated sampling.
- Michael Tabb cites price ranges from about $30,000 up to $100,000 plus, versus balloons costing several hundred dollars one-time.
Denser Data Could Make Forecasts Hourly Accurate
- Denser drone-collected data could enable more precise forecasts, shifting tornado warnings from vague days to specific hours.
- Michael Tabb says forecasters expect generational improvements, e.g., predicting a tornado at 3 p.m. instead of sometime that day.