AI Ads, Oracle Hack, $200B Chip Rally, and Musk’s $500B Milestone

2nd October 2025

Meta will soon use conversations from its AI assistant to shape ad targeting across Facebook, Instagram, and even Ray-Ban smart glasses though sensitive topics remain off-limits. Meanwhile, hackers tied to the Cl0p gang are allegedly extorting executives after breaching Oracle’s E-Business Suite, demanding ransoms as high as $50 million. On the markets side, global chipmakers added $200 billion in value in a single day as AI-driven hype pushed semiconductor stocks to record highs, led by gains in Korea. And in personal wealth news, Elon Musk became the first individual ever to reach a $500 billion net worth, fueled by a rebound in Tesla stock and soaring valuations for SpaceX and his AI startup xAI. All this in today’s Read It and Eat! 

Major News 

Meta Will Start Serving Ads Based on Your AI Chats

Meta just confirmed that conversations with its AI assistant could soon shape the ads you see across its platforms. Starting Dec. 16, questions you ask the chatbot like requesting a list of hiking trails could translate into ads for boots, gear, or related content in your Instagram feed, Facebook, or both if your accounts are linked. Even voice commands made through Ray-Ban Meta glasses will be factored into ad targeting.

There’s no opt-out option other than avoiding the chatbot altogether. Still, Meta says it won’t touch sensitive topics like religion, politics, health, sexual orientation, or race when tailoring ads. Conversations that happened before the policy shift won’t be included either.

The bigger picture: AI companies are moving quickly to monetize their free assistants. OpenAI recently added the ability to shop Etsy products (with Shopify on the way) through ChatGPT, while both Google and X have revealed plans to slot ads directly into AI-driven search results. Morning Brew 

Hackers Target Executives in Alleged Oracle Apps Breach

Executives at major companies are being hit with ransom demands after hackers claimed they broke into Oracle’s widely used E-Business Suite, which powers critical operations like finance, supply chain, and customer management. In some cases, cybercriminals have demanded as much as $50 million, according to security firm Halcyon, which is helping affected organizations respond. The group behind the campaign is believed to be linked to the notorious Cl0p gang, known for mass data theft and large-scale extortion.

Victims have reportedly received emails laced with poor grammar but containing screenshots and file trees as “proof” of stolen data. These emails, sent from hundreds of compromised third-party accounts, began appearing in late September. Google’s Threat Intelligence team says some of the contact details and addresses used in the extortion messages match those previously tied to Cl0p, though investigators have yet to confirm the hackers’ claims.

The attackers allegedly gained access by compromising user emails and exploiting Oracle’s default password reset function to obtain valid credentials for internet-facing portals. Oracle has not commented on the matter, while it remains unclear whether any of the targeted organizations have paid the ransom.

Cl0p has a track record of going after high-profile targets. Last year, it exploited flaws in MOVEit file-transfer software, impacting hundreds of companies and institutions, including Shell, British Airways, and the BBC. U.S. cybersecurity officials have called Cl0p one of the world’s largest phishing and malware distributors, with thousands of victims across the U.S. and beyond. Bloomberg 

Global Chipmakers Add $200 Billion as AI Mania Fuels Record Rally

Chipmakers around the world just added more than $200 billion in market value in a single session, as investors piled into stocks tied to artificial intelligence. The rally comes on the heels of big news in the sector: OpenAI hit a record $500 billion valuation in an employee share sale and struck deals with South Korean chipmakers, while reports surfaced that Intel is in talks to add AMD as a customer. Together, those headlines sent the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index and Asia’s chip benchmark soaring to new heights.

Korean chip stocks led the charge. SK Hynix surged 10%, Samsung gained 3.5%, and the Kospi Index closed at a record high. Investors, analysts say, are being driven less by fundamentals and more by fear of missing out. “Every AI headline sparks bursts of euphoria,” said Vantage Markets’ Hebe Chen. “Bubble talk lingers, but momentum looks unstoppable until fourth-quarter earnings test reality.”

Valuations are climbing fast. Asia’s chip gauge is now trading at about 19 times forward earnings, while the SOX Index is at 27 times levels close to historic peaks. The investor rush stretches far beyond semiconductors themselves, spilling into data center builders, cloud providers, and AI startups like OpenAI and Anthropic. Altman’s whirlwind tour of Asia, with reported meetings planned at TSMC and Hon Hai in Taipei, only added fuel to the fire.

China is also getting a boost as Beijing ramps up support for domestic AI development.

Alibaba announced more spending, and Huawei laid out a three-year plan to chip away at Nvidia’s dominance moves that helped push the Hang Seng Tech Index up nearly 50% this year. Still, some analysts caution that AI revenue streams haven’t yet caught up with the hype. If earnings at the tech giants stumble, they warn, the selloff could be sharp. For now, though, the frenzy shows no signs of slowing, with many expecting the rally to carry into next year. Bloomberg 

Elon Musk Becomes First Person to Reach $500 Billion Net Worth

Elon Musk has officially set a new record. The Tesla CEO became the first individual ever to hit a net worth of $500 billion on Wednesday, according to Forbes’ billionaire index. His wealth, which closed the day at $500.1 billion, has been fueled by a rebound in Tesla’s stock and soaring valuations for his other companies, including SpaceX and his AI startup, xAI.

Musk’s fortune is tied heavily to Tesla, where he owns more than 12% of the company. Shares of the EV maker have climbed 14% so far this year, adding billions to his bottom line including a $6 billion boost just on Wednesday’s trading session. The rally comes as Musk has turned more of his attention back to Tesla, with board chair Robyn Denholm recently noting he is once again “front and center” at the automaker. Musk himself underscored that confidence with a $1 billion personal stock purchase earlier this month.

That said, Tesla isn’t without its challenges. Weak car sales and tightening profit margins have made it one of the laggards among the so-called “Magnificent Seven” tech stocks. Even so, Tesla’s board has floated an eye-popping $1 trillion compensation package for Musk, one that would be tied to ambitious operational and financial milestones and that reflects his demand for a larger stake in the company.

Beyond Tesla, Musk’s empire continues to climb in value. SpaceX is reportedly valued at about $400 billion in private share sales, while xAI, his artificial intelligence venture, is said to be eyeing a potential valuation of $200 billion. Those numbers, combined with Tesla’s rebound, helped push Musk’s net worth into uncharted territory. Oracle founder Larry Ellison trails in second place on Forbes’ list, with an estimated fortune of $350.7 billion. Yahoo.Finance 

Minor News 

• Apple pauses Vision Pro revamp to prioritize AI-powered glasses. Bloomberg 

• Thames Water lenders brace for £7B loss to stave off nationalization. Yahoo.Finance 

• Supreme Court ruling allows Cook to remain at the Fed for now. Bloomberg 

• ADP reports private payrolls fell by 32,000 in September. CNBC 

• Peloton raises fees, unveils AI-powered gear to win back post-pandemic riders. CNBC 

• Intel in early talks to bring AMD on as a foundry client. Reuters 

• Nike shares jump 5% on stronger-than-expected sales and earnings, fueling turnaround hopes. Reuters 

• Bitcoin tops $118,000 as investors bet on seasonal ‘Uptober’ rally. Yahoo.Finance 

• Ford CEO: customers aren’t lining up for $75,000 EVs. Reuters