Uncanny Valley | WIRED Apple’s Next Chapter; SpaceX and Cursor Strike A Deal; Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto
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Apr 23, 2026 Tim Cook’s departure and what it means for Apple’s future direction. A puzzling SpaceX purchase of an AI coding firm and the business reasoning behind it. Palantir’s controversial 22-point manifesto and the backlash it sparked. A political shift as some MAGA figures turn away from Trump. A scam using an AI-generated MAGA persona to manipulate and grift supporters.
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Apple's Next Chapter Is Hardware First
- Tim Cook transformed Apple from pure hardware maker into a subscription-driven, supply-chain powerhouse focused on services like the App Store, iCloud, and Apple Pay.
- John Ternus as CEO signals Apple will lean on device-first hardware expertise while partnering with AI labs rather than racing to build frontier models in-house.
Apple Sees Itself As The AI Vessel
- Apple believes phones and screens remain central even as AI grows, positioning iPhone/Mac as the primary platform for AI apps and experiences.
- Executives expect partnerships (Google, OpenAI, Anthropic) to supply large models while Apple provides the hardware vessel and app ecosystem.
Why SpaceX Would Pay Billions For An AI Coding Startup
- SpaceX's conditional $60 billion deal for Cursor highlights tech dealcraft oddities where aerospace firms buy AI coding startups to secure model and tooling advantages.
- The structure (acquire or pay $10B for work) and timing tie to SpaceX's IPO plans and XAI's need for coding talent and compute.