The Information's TITV Tencent’s OpenClaw Obsession, The Information’s Next GP List, Former Tesla Exec on Elon’s Ideology
21 snips
Mar 27, 2026 
Jon McNeill, ex-Tesla president turned VC and author, reflects on Elon Musk’s management style and Tesla’s shift to humanoid robots. Julia Hornstein, VC reporter, explains how The Information picked the 2026 Next General Partners and trends shaping new GPs. They dive into Tencent’s OpenClaw push, Microsoft’s AI hiring moves, and private equity’s AI playbook in rapid-fire segments.
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Microsoft Prioritizes Margins Over Headcount
- Microsoft froze hiring in Azure engineering and multiple North American sales orgs to prioritize gross-margin improvement this quarter.
- Aaron Holmes says teams building Copilot continue hiring while executives demand credible margin plans before headcount resumes.
Tencent's OpenClaw Surge Started From One PM Obsession
- Tencent launched eight OpenClaw-related products in one month and had five earlier, driven by internal 'horse racing' competitions between teams.
- Juro Osawa recounts a PM obsession with OpenClaw that triggered rapid internal launches and duplicated projects across Tencent.
OpenClaw Founder Pushed Tencent Into Public Support
- After OpenClaw's founder complained Tencent wasn't contributing, Tencent quickly donated and a senior executive met Peter Steinberger to propose more support.
- Juro Osawa describes the rapid PR cycle from complaint to Tencent's donation and executive outreach.
