From AI breakthroughs to shifting regulations and bold financial plays, this week’s Top of Stack captures the pulse of a rapidly changing landscape. Innovations like Perplexity’s Comet Browser and OpenAI’s upcoming web tool are challenging the dominance of traditional search, while concerns over agentic AI, military use, and privacy continue to escalate.
Meanwhile, tech policy is under the microscope as leaders like Elon Musk influence regulatory conversations, and new legislation around crypto enters the spotlight. Venture capital recalibrates, healthcare systems brace for change, and our clients continue making headlines, from tackling medical debt to shaping the future of automation and financial empowerment.
News Trends to Watch
AI & Tech
- Digiday: In Graphic Detail: AI platforms are driving more traffic — but not enough to offset ‘zero-click’ search
- Forbes: Perplexity’s New Comet Browser Sparks Question: Will AI Replace Search Engines?
- Observer: Signal Chief Meredith Whittaker Sounds Alarm On Agentic A.I.’s Privacy Threat
- Reuters: OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome
- The Washington Post: The government wants AI to fight wars and review your taxes
Politics and Regulation:
- AInvest: Elon Musk’s Political Exodus: A Catalyst for Tech Regulation and Portfolio Rebalancing
- Financial Times: A more intelligent approach to AI regulation
- Global Government Fintech: ‘Crypto Week’ kicks off in US with ‘landmark’ digital asset legislation in global spotlight
- NPR: As Republicans call for transparency into Epstein probe, Trump lashes out
- TIME: What Happens When Big Tech Goes Nuclear?
Finance & Investment
- Axios: Venture capital sees valuation replay
- Axios: Anthropic launches its first big disruption to the finance industry
- Bloomberg: Musk Says Tesla Shareholders Will Vote on xAI Investment
- The Wall Street Journal: Trump Executive Order to Help Open Up 401(k)s to Private Markets
- Yahoo Finance: Why the S&P 500 could reach 10,000
Healthcare
- KFF: Most Medicare Advantage Markets are Dominated by One or Two Insurers
- NPR: Why the health care lobby failed to stop cuts to Medicaid funding
- The New York Times: Trump Administration Will Limit Medicare Spending on Pricey Bandages
Clients in the News
- Silicon Angle: Agentic AI startup Asepha bags $4M seed funding to automate pharmacy operations (Asepha)
- Forbes: How Community Is Helping First-Time Investors Build Wealth (Empify)
- The Fintech Times: Breaking Down AI and Automation Usage in Brazil With Prometeo (Prometeo)
- Forbes: Two Female VCs Bet Big On Women’s Health And Sports (Muse Capital)
- CNBC: The World’s Top Fintech Companies: 2025 (Fundbox)
- DoneStreet: Engineering Leadership Series – Adam Nash (Daffy)
- The Defiant: US Lawmakers Gear up for ‘Crypto Week’ — What to Expect (Innovating Capital)
- Fintech One-On-One: Arjan Schütte, Founder of Core Innovation Capital, on investing in financial empowerment (Core Innovation Capital)
Stay stacked. Stay sharp. See what’s next.
The headlines this week reflect a world in motion, where AI is reshaping industries, policy is catching up with innovation, and bold thinkers are setting the pace. At Avenue Z, we help our clients not just navigate this complexity but lead within it.
If your brand is ready to step into the conversation, drive impact, and shape what’s next, we’re here to guide the way.
Make Headlines That Matter
From Wall Street Journal to The New York Times, we secure the media coverage that shapes perception, drives growth, and positions your brand as an authority.
