OpenAI is bringing on some big guns in the lead-up to its IPO

techcrunch.com Jun 19, 2026

OpenAI is bringing on some big guns in the lead-up to its IPO

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jun 19, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

OpenAI is bolstering its team ahead of its public debut by hiring Noam Shazeer, a renowned AI expert, and Dean Ball, a former Trump White House AI policy official. Shazeer, credited with co-authoring the seminal 2017 paper "Attention Is All You Need," joins from Google, where he had been a co-lead at Gemini and founder of Character AI. Ball, who will lead OpenAI's Strategic Futures team, will focus on shaping frontier AI policy, covering catastrophic risk, recursive self-improvement, and labor market impact. The hires come as Anthropic faces government scrutiny.

💡 Why It Matters

· The OpenAI hires signal a strategic move to consolidate its insider status with the U.S.
· government, potentially giving it an edge over rival Anthropic, which is currently battling export control restrictions.

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Top Artificial Intelligence Stocks To Watch Now – June 18th

Fermi, Fluence Energy, and Hut 8 are the top Artificial Intelligence stocks to watch, according to MarketBeat's stock screener tool. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume in the last several days. Fermi aims to power AI needs with low-carbon energy, while Fluence Energy offers energy storage products and AI-enabled software. Hut 8 operates data centers for digital assets mining, computing, and AI in the US. These businesses may benefit from the growth of AI adoption, creating AI products or providing tools and services to power AI systems, with Fermi projecting 1.1 GW of power online by 2026.

💡 Investors tracking AI growth can capitalize on these stocks. AI-driven technologies are transforming industries, making these companies crucial to the sector's development.

teslarati.com · Jun 18

Elon Musk just upped his Tesla stake further fueling SpaceX merger conversation

Elon Musk exercised 303,960,630 Tesla stock options, generating $115.9 billion in paper gains, and increased his direct Tesla voting power to approximately 20%. The transaction was made possible by an Implementation Agreement signed on April 21, 2026, and comes after SpaceX completed its IPO, giving it a public market valuation and share currency. Musk's move has fueled speculation about a potential Tesla and SpaceX merger, with the timing and structure of the stock option exercise carrying significant weight. The restricted shares Musk received cannot be sold until 2033, positioning his stake as long-term collateral in a potential deal. Musk's increased influence over Tesla and SpaceX's growing public market presence have raised expectations for a merger. The companies are already intertwined through shared facilities and investments.

💡 Musk's increased voting power gives him greater control over Tesla's future, including any potential merger with SpaceX. The timing of the stock option exercise, immediately after SpaceX's IPO, suggests a deliberate move to pave the way for a historic corporate merger.

techcrunch.com · Jun 18

After unveiling ridiculously expensive AR glasses, Snap’s stock takes a dive

Snap's highly anticipated AR glasses, Specs, had a disappointing debut, with the company's stock plummeting over 5% after the launch. The glasses, which retail at nearly $2,200, have raised concerns about their profitability, particularly given Snap's core user demographic of teenagers who may not have the financial means to afford them. The stock has been struggling, dropping 30% over the past year, and has yet to recover from the announcement. Snap's CEO, Evan Spiegel, defended the price, comparing Specs to high-end computers and laptops.

💡 Snap's pricey AR glasses may be a non-starter for its core user base, threatening the company's business model and potentially limiting the product's market potential. The high cost of Specs may force Snap to reevaluate its target audience and pricing strategy, making it a crucial test for the company's ability to adapt to changing consumer demands.

thequantuminsider.com · Jun 18

EigenQ And Silicon Valley Acquisition Corp. Announce Definitive Business Combination Agreement to…

EigenQ, a quantum technology company, has announced a definitive business combination agreement with Silicon Valley Acquisition Corp. to become a publicly traded company on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol EIGQ. The combined company is valued at an estimated $3 billion enterprise value. EigenQ plans to expand its initiatives in quantum-resilient security, trusted infrastructure, AI security, and computing, with an initial focus on government, defense, and critical infrastructure markets. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026 pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.

💡 The proposed transaction could unlock significant growth opportunities for EigenQ in the emerging quantum economy, where demand for quantum-proofing critical infrastructure is being driven by U.S. government security requirements. By becoming a publicly traded company, EigenQ will have access to additional capital to accelerate its commercialization efforts and expand its technology offerings in key markets.

invezz.com · Jun 18

SpaceX slips after blockbuster IPO rally: is hype catching up with fundamentals?

SpaceX shares experienced a significant decline of over 5% after a strong initial public offering (IPO) rally. Analysts have expressed concerns that the company's valuation may be outpacing its fundamentals. Despite a limited public float and inclusion in major indices, which have contributed to sustained demand, the stock's price has begun to correct. This development has sparked questions about whether the hype surrounding SpaceX is starting to catch up with its underlying financials.

💡 The correction in SpaceX's stock price highlights the disconnect between investor sentiment and fundamental valuations, a trend that could have broader implications for the tech industry. As investors reassess their expectations, the market may be forced to confront the reality of SpaceX's valuation, potentially leading to a more nuanced understanding of the company's true worth.

247wallst.com · Jun 18

The New Magnificent 15

The original Magnificent 7, including Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, has seen some members' performance decline, leading to a revised list. Tesla and Meta no longer qualify due to their weight in the S&P 500. The new list, dubbed the Magnificent 15, includes five original members, plus SpaceX, Taiwan Semiconductor, Broadcom, Samsung, AMD, Oracle, ASML, Micron, Intel, and Cisco. These companies have significant market capitalization and play crucial roles in the tech industry, including AI, chip manufacturing, and data centers. The revised list accounts for 25% of the S&P 500's weight, with some companies experiencing substantial stock growth.

💡 The revised list highlights the growing importance of chip manufacturers and AI infrastructure companies in the market. Cisco's increased AI data center target to $9 billion underscores the sector's rapid expansion.