An AI Dr. Dolittle?

An AI Dr. Dolittle?

In a somewhat unexpected artificial intelligence (AI) use case, China’s Baidu [BIDU] has filed a patent for an AI-powered system that aims to translate animal vocalizations into human language. According to the document, the system could allow “deeper emotional communication and understanding between animals and humans”, Reuters reported. 

Musk vs OpenAI: The Saga Continues

Elon Musk has pushed back against OpenAI’s claim that he is waging a campaign to damage the company, Bloomberg outlined, asking a judge to dismiss the allegations. OpenAI recently abandoned a plan to restructure as a for-profit. Despite the shift, Musk’s attorney argued the new set-up “changes nothing”, indicating Musk may continue his legal battle.

Arm Sees Slower Near-Term Momentum

Arm [ARM] shares dropped 8% in after-hours trading after issuing weak guidance for fiscal Q1 2026. The chip designer expects adjusted EPS of $0.30–0.38 and revenue of $1.0bn–1.1bn, both below analyst forecasts, according to Seeking Alpha. This overshadowed strong Q4 results: adjusted EPS of $0.55 and $1.24bn in revenue, up 33.6% year-over-year. 

A Biotech Stock Worth Watching

TG Therapeutics [TGTX] reported strong Q1 2025 results, with $119.7m in net US sales of its MS drug Briumvi, signaling growing market adoption. The company is also advancing innovation efforts, including a subcutaneous version of Briumvi and development of the Azer-Cel therapy for progressive MS. OPTO recently analyzed the strong performance and exciting prospects of this biotech stock: read the deep dive here.

Tariffs Spark Massive Share Buyback

US companies are set to repurchase a record $500bn in stock, the Financial Times reported, as geopolitical uncertainty leads firms to favor buybacks over capital investment. S&P 500 firms announced $192bn in buybacks last week alone — the highest weekly total since 1995, according to Deutsche Bank. The rolling three-month tally now stands at $518bn.

AI is Guzzling Water Where It’s Most Needed

In a special report, Bloomberg has detailed that about two-thirds of new data centers built or planned in the US since 2022 are located in areas already suffering from high water stress. Five states alone account for 72% of these new facilities, raising concerns over water usage as AI demands grow. China, India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are similarly adding data centers in arid regions already struggling with water scarcity. 

AMD Earnings Review: Can AI Demand Drive Growth? 

Santa Clara, California-based Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] is the second-biggest provider of AI graphic processor units (GPUs) in the world. OPTO unpacks AMD’s impressive Q1 2025 earnings, reported on May 6, as well as how the chipmaker is being affected by US export restrictions and what impact this could have on sales of its AI chips in the near term.