Fifty billion dollars. Say it fast enough and it almost sounds easy. But when you think of the $50 billion our federal government has committed to the American semiconductor industry, you start to grasp the size of that commitment, its inherent risks, and, of course, its potential payoffs.

After pulling the plug on its investment in automated driving developer Argo AI in October 2022, Ford today announced the establishment of a new company that will employ many of the engineers that formerly worked on robotaxi efforts. Latitude AI is a wholly owned subsidiary that will be headquartered in Pittsburgh, which was also home to Argo AI. The new company will focus on developing the hands-free and eyes partial automation systems that Ford expects will generate new revenues and profits in the near future.

Hey there, folks! Happy Friday. I’m sure you’re going to have a great weekend. Before we get there, though, there is a fresh Heardle song to figure out. I’ve got some clues and the answer coming up to help you keep your streak going.

It’s been a long time since I’ve played something that shows the value of having an extensive demo or game trial as much as Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. So much so that I’d urge everyone who’s interested in buying this soulslike to try the demo first — unless you’re a Game Pass subscriber, since it’s available there.

Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 372.

How things have changed. Think payments. As Jimmy Soni notes in his excellent 2022 book The Founders (a history of PayPal), “In the late 1990s, only 10 percent of all online commerce was conducted digitally – the vast majority of transactions still ended with a buyer sending a check by mail.” Imagine that. While online transactions were supposed to take place online, even those who’d taken the plunge into this all new way of commerce were still reliant on the U.S. postal system.