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Nvidia to join Dow Jones Industrial Average on November 8, replacing Intel, highlighting AI's importance. Nvidia's shares have surged 180% this year due to demand for its AI processors. Intel's shares have fallen 50% as it struggles with the AI boom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, price-weighted, currently includes Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Salesforce, and Cisco Systems, but not Google, Amazon, or Meta.

Silicon Valley's housing crisis is driven by high demand from tech job growth, limited land, zoning restrictions, rising construction costs, and real estate investment. This has led to economic disparity, increased homelessness, and strain on transportation infrastructure. Solutions include revising zoning laws for high-density housing, streamlining development approvals, incentivizing affordable housing, public-private partnerships, rent control, and expanding public transit.

Apple's new AirPods Pro features include hearing tests and hearing aid capabilities for mild hearing loss, praised by experts for potentially improving quality of life. However, Apple's marketing of these features as 'clinical grade' may lead to confusion among users and doctors.

Medical device innovations, including MMI's Symani surgical system and Asensus Surgical's AugmentOR Portal, are among Time's best inventions of 2024. Other notable devices include BiVacor's artificial heart, Dexcom's Stelo CGM, Onward Medical's ARC-EX spine stimulator, EarliTec's EarliPoint for autism diagnosis, Paragonix's Baroguard for lung preservation, DermaSensor's skin cancer detection device, Northwell Health's iNav and Double Neural Bypass, Masimo's W1 Medical watch, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids, Withings' BeamO home checkup device, ALZpath's pTau217 Alzheimer's test, Aspivix's Carevix for IUD pain management, Unify Medical's Amplio surgical visualization system, AstraZeneca's FluMist nasal vaccine, Nuvo's Invu remote pregnancy monitor, Daye's diagnostic tampon, Winx's UTI Test + Treat, PherDal's At-Home Insemination Kit, GyroGear's GyroGlove for tremor stabilization, Prenosis' Sepsis ImmunoScore, Guardant Health's Shield for cancer screening, and ArteraAI's Multimodal AI for prostate cancer treatment planning.

ChatGPT, OpenAI's AI chatbot, has grown rapidly since 2022, used by 92% of Fortune 500 companies. OpenAI's partnership with Apple for Apple Intelligence boosts its AI race position. GPT-4o, with voice and vision capabilities, became the default free model but faced issues like mimicking Scarlett Johansson's voice. OpenAI faces internal drama, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever's exit, and lawsuits for copyright infringement. Recent updates include AI chip development, search history features, and integration with iOS 18.1.

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh's Minister for education, IT, and electronics, met with top executives from Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe during his US visit, inviting them to invest in the state's electronics, green energy, IT, and innovation sectors. He highlighted the state's skilled workforce, improved infrastructure, and business-friendly policies, proposing collaborations for IT hubs, innovation parks, and AI integration in agri-tech. Lokesh also sought Adobe's investment and establishment of an R&D centre, emphasizing the state's digital transformation vision and investor-friendly policies.

Three S&P 500 dividend stocks—Pfizer, Realty Income, and Franklin Resources—are currently down 53%, 20%, and 43% respectively, offering potential 'forever' holdings with strong dividend yields of 5.8%, 4.9%, and 6%.

The third edition of Competition Quarterly covers antitrust enforcement updates in the US, Europe, and China, focusing on merger control, labor markets, technology platforms, and healthcare sectors. Key topics include new merger-filing rules in the US, EU Court judgments on jurisdictional powers, and China's merger control reforms and civil antitrust litigation guidance.

Activist investors, like Starboard Value, are targeting pharma giants such as Pfizer and Novavax, pressuring them to improve performance post-pandemic. This trend reflects broader activism across industries, with investors seeking financial gains and operational changes. Successful activism can drive stock price increases, as seen with Carl Icahn's efforts at Apple and Illumina. For Pfizer, Starboard's involvement highlights dissatisfaction with pandemic-era acquisitions and stock performance, suggesting a need for strategic adjustments. The rise of activist investing underscores the importance of corporate governance and continuous shareholder engagement.

Apple released iOS 18.1 RC on Oct. 21, introducing new features like Apple Intelligence, expanded RCS messaging, Control Center adjustments, and call recording. The update is currently in beta for developers and public testers outside the EU and China, specifically for iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models.