Are AI companies just defense tech now?

In this episode of the Equity podcast, the hosts dive into the bustling tech news leading up to the holidays, highlighting several key topics. They explore SoftBank's significant commitment of $100 billion to US investments, the emergence of smaller venture capital funds focusing on defense technology as a response to geopolitical tensions and rising government budgets, and a subtle partnership between AI firm Cohere and Palantir. The conversation also touches on the surprising drop in IPO activity, with many companies choosing large private funding rounds amidst economic uncertainty. Plus, there’s growing apprehension among venture capitalists and founders about accepting investments from firms linked to foreign countries, especially China, due to concerns over national security and potential regulatory challenges.