This Tech Stock Just Joined the Trillion Dollar Club

Hello and welcome to the Tech Stock Insider, the twice-weekly newsletter covering the biggest opportunities in the tech world.

Today, we’ll look into the latest tech news, highlight some recent movers, and investigate an under-the-radar tech stock with potential.

Aviation

Joby Aviation Advances Certification with Successful Tail Structure Testing

Joby Aviation recently achieved a significant milestone in its efforts to certify its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company successfully completed a series of key aerostructure tests under the oversight of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), advancing its progress toward type certification.

The tests focused on the aircraft's tail structure, which underwent rigorous static load evaluations. These tests are designed to ensure the structure can handle forces well beyond what it will encounter during actual flight. The data gathered is essential for meeting the FAA’s strict certification requirements, a critical step for any aircraft manufacturer aiming to enter commercial operations.

Conducted at the company’s facilities in California, the tests are part of a broader campaign assessing all major components, systems, and structures of the aircraft. This achievement highlights Joby Aviation’s steady progress toward introducing its eVTOL aircraft to market.

Certification of advanced air mobility aircraft is a complex process, requiring multiple stages of testing and close coordination with regulators. By successfully completing this series of evaluations, Joby is moving closer to its goal of bringing electric air travel to the public. The milestone underscores the company’s commitment to meeting safety standards and advancing its innovative technology.

Artificial Intelligence

ChatGPT Expands Search Engine Access With New Mobile Features

ChatGPT’s AI-powered search engine is now available to everyone, expanding beyond its initial rollout to paid users earlier this year. Users on the free tier can now access the search functionality, provided they’re logged into an account. Alongside this broader release, enhancements have been introduced to improve user experience on mobile devices.

On mobile, the search experience has been refined to resemble a more traditional search engine. For instance, searching for nearby places like restaurants or attractions now displays results with visuals, ratings, and relevant details, including operating hours. Users can click on results to see additional information and even access maps for directions within the app itself.

Another update helps streamline searches for specific types of sites. Instead of generating detailed responses immediately, the tool now prioritizes surfacing relevant links, saving time when looking for pages like hotel booking websites. Additionally, paid users gain the benefit of receiving current web data when using the platform’s Advanced Voice Mode, which further enhances accessibility to up-to-date information.

These updates position ChatGPT as a more versatile tool for everyday searches, combining AI-powered insights with features commonly found in traditional search engines.

Microchips

Nvidia's Blackwell Chip Drives Growth as AI Demand Soars

Nvidia's stock has been on a remarkable upward trajectory, with expectations for another significant rise in 2024 after a nearly 240% surge in 2023. A major contributor to this growth is Blackwell, Nvidia's largest GPU to date, which has captured the attention of hyperscalers—large tech companies such as Alphabet and Microsoft. Blackwell's powerful performance and high efficiency have made it the go-to choice for data centers powering large language models (LLMs).

Blackwell is a technological leap, combining two GPUs on a single chip, offering faster connectivity and greater processing capabilities than its predecessor, Hopper. This advanced AI chip, containing 208 billion transistors, offers up to 30 times the performance of earlier models while consuming significantly less energy.

Nvidia’s dominance in the market is clear, with the company expected to generate billions in sales from Blackwell. However, competitors such as AMD and Amazon are working on alternatives, and questions remain about how long Nvidia can maintain its edge. While Nvidia faces challenges with its supply chain and rising competition, its chips remain highly sought after, especially for training AI models, where the company holds an estimated 85% market share.

Despite some signs of slowing sales growth, Nvidia’s position in the AI space remains robust, and its upcoming innovations are poised to keep the company at the forefront.