Searching for answers at Google

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Welcome back to our Sunday edition, a roundup of some of our top stories. Pet owners spent an estimated $3.9 billion on pet insurance in 2023. You’ll want to read this before buying it for Kitty and Flopsy.

Searching for answers

Hundreds of millions of people turn to Google each day to get their questions answered.

How Google finds, categorizes, and ranks that information is constantly evolving. An entire industry has developed to help those who want to show up on the first page of search results.

In the past, some users might have noticed subtle changes from time to time: a result seems better tailored to their needs, or is delivered that little bit quicker. For most, these tweaks might pass them by. 

Not any more.

From the sharp shift towards showcasing Reddit and similar platforms to the bumpy rollout out of the generative search experience, Google is transforming itself before our eyes. 

Those who rely on Google for referrals are freaking out. There have been embarrassing edge cases (no, you shouldn’t put glue in your pizza). There will be lessons learned and updates implemented.

What’s clear: Google’s efforts to disrupt itself are already having a profound impact on the information ecosystem. We’re all in on the ride.

Amazon’s chip ambitions

Amazon is struggling to compete with Nvidia's dominance over AI chips — and it’s another sign of how far behind it is in the generative-AI race. 

Low usage, "compatibility gaps," and project-migration issues are putting millions of dollars in cloud revenue at risk, according to confidential internal documents and people familiar with the situation.

More on that here.

Also read:

A single customer made up 19% of Nvidia's revenue last year. UBS thinks it's Microsoft.

More of this week’s top reads:

• First came cellphones, then came smartphones. Now, “IntelliPhones” are coming.
• Laid-off TikTokers reflect on the “abrupt end to a very chaotic ride.”
• Here's how much hedge funds and prop-trading firms pay AI workers.
• Google announced a smartwatch for kids — and it looks pretty good.
• Fisker cuts deeper with a new wave of summer layoffs.
• Loyalty at work no longer pays — and it's employers who are to blame.
• Early retirees share three IRS rules they've used to avoid taxes.
• Vivek Ramaswamy has a plan for BuzzFeed. There's just one problem.

Curated by Matt Turner and edited by Jordan Parker Erb.

This is a shorter version of our flagship newsletter, which brings you in-depth analysis and summaries of the top stories from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.

Sign up here to get the full Insider Today in your inbox every day.