business

Jon Keegan1/16/25

Anduril building $1 billion factory to churn out autonomous weapons and vehicles

Autonomous-weapons systems startup Anduril announced plans to build a $1 billion “hyperscale” factory in Columbus, Ohio. Named “Arsenal-1,” the sprawling 5 million-square-foot, airport-adjacent factory complex will be optimized for “the mass production of autonomous systems and weapons,” according to the company’s press release. The company said the factory is expected to create 4,000 jobs.

Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey in 2017 after selling his Oculus VR startup to Facebook (Meta) in 2014, is a big player in the emerging group of “defense technology” companies currently pitching the US government on ways to bring AI to the battlefield. The startup is backed by Peter Thiel, and is currently valued at $14 billion.

Recently a wave of AI companies have leaned into defense. Palantir has partnered with AI startup Anthropic to include its AI models for national-security applications, and OpenAI and Meta have both started pitching their AI platforms for use in defense.

A group of tech companies including Anduril, Palantir, OpenAI, and SpaceX have partnered up in an effort to compete against legacy defense-industry giants Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and RTX.

A.I. Military Start-Up Anduril Plans $1 Billion Factory in Ohio

A.I. Military Start-Up Anduril Plans $1 Billion Factory in Ohio

Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey in 2017 after selling his Oculus VR startup to Facebook (Meta) in 2014, is a big player in the emerging group of “defense technology” companies currently pitching the US government on ways to bring AI to the battlefield. The startup is backed by Peter Thiel, and is currently valued at $14 billion.

Recently a wave of AI companies have leaned into defense. Palantir has partnered with AI startup Anthropic to include its AI models for national-security applications, and OpenAI and Meta have both started pitching their AI platforms for use in defense.

A group of tech companies including Anduril, Palantir, OpenAI, and SpaceX have partnered up in an effort to compete against legacy defense-industry giants Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and RTX.

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Max Knoblauch5h

The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have cost automakers at least $35.4 billion since the start of 2025, according to a new analysis by Automotive News.

That total will continue to climb this year, since the Supreme Court’s February tariff ruling largely leaves the 25% levy on vehicles and auto parts untouched.

Toyota has taken the biggest hit, projecting more than $9 billion in tariff costs in its fiscal year ending this month, while Detroit’s big three automakers — Ford, GM, and Stellantis — were hit with a combined $6.5 billion tariff charge in 2025.

In the fourth quarter, automakers sold about 8% fewer imported vehicles in the US compared to the same period a year ago, per the Automotive News Research & Data Center.

Tariff charges come at a rough time for legacy carmakers, which are also scaling back EV plans following the Trump administration’s elimination of tax credits and fuel standard goals. According to Automotive News, the cost of EV write-downs and restructuring is, so far, nearly $70 billion.

Universal Studios Orlando Theme Park

Universal Studios is giving theaters a longer minimum exclusive run

Universal will now guarantee a minimum of five weekends before a movie hits home screens — which might help theater companies like AMC finally get back to profitability.

Claire Yubin Oh5h

Tesla Will Open Up Its Chargers To Other Brands, In Order To Receive Federal Subsidies

After a big pullback for EVs, climbing gas prices are causing drivers to eye them again

Still, the market is much different than it was the last time oil prices were this high.

Max Knoblauch3/13/26

McDonald’s plans $3 menu items as fast food loses its price edge

Americans are spending more of their dining-out dollars at full-service restaurants again.

Fast food value meals for Trending feature in Food

business

Rani Molla3/12/26

How Tesla quietly wound up owning a small piece of SpaceX

Tesla is converting its recent $2 billion investment in Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, into a small ownership stake in SpaceX — just months before the rocket maker’s highly anticipated IPO.

Here’s what happened: Tesla announced its xAI investment in late January, after a shareholder proposal to invest fell short last year. Several days later, xAI merged with SpaceX. All three companies are headed by Musk.

Now, regulatory filings with the Federal Trade Commission show Tesla converting that investment into a small stake in SpaceX, formalizing the financial link between the companies ahead of the rocket maker’s IPO. SpaceX is expected to go public this year at a valuation some speculate could top $1.75 trillion, potentially making it the biggest company to ever go public. (The current record holder, Saudi Aramco, went public at a more than $1.7 trillion valuation in 2020.)

While the size of Tesla’s stake wasn’t available, Bloomberg reports that the investment would equate to ownership of less than 1%.

While SpaceX and Tesla have engaged in related-party transactions over the years, Tesla had not previously disclosed an equity investment in SpaceX.

Tesla Converts xAI Investment Into SpaceX Stake Ahead of IPO

Tesla Converts xAI Investment Into SpaceX Stake Ahead of IPO

Now, regulatory filings with the Federal Trade Commission show Tesla converting that investment into a small stake in SpaceX, formalizing the financial link between the companies ahead of the rocket maker’s IPO. SpaceX is expected to go public this year at a valuation some speculate could top $1.75 trillion, potentially making it the biggest company to ever go public. (The current record holder, Saudi Aramco, went public at a more than $1.7 trillion valuation in 2020.)

While the size of Tesla’s stake wasn’t available, Bloomberg reports that the investment would equate to ownership of less than 1%.

While SpaceX and Tesla have engaged in related-party transactions over the years, Tesla had not previously disclosed an equity investment in SpaceX.

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