This is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Thursday. With focus remaining on artificial intelligence's potential to shake up various industries, I've decided to start a mental count of how many times I say or write variations of the term "AI disruption." S&P 500 futures are little changed this morning. The three major indexes are coming off another winning day. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. Chips served hot
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang speaks during Nvidia Live at CES 2026 ahead of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 5, 2026. Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
2. The White House's social calendar
Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive officer of Netflix , attends the annual Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho on July 11th, 2025. David A. Grogan | CNBC
Executives from major technology firms will meet with President Donald Trump next week at the White House, where they are set to sign a pledge to provide their own power for their AI data centers. As CNBC's Spencer Kimball reports, Amazon , Meta , and OpenAI are among the companies planning to sign the agreement. Meanwhile, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos will reportedly be at the White House today for meetings on the streaming giant's deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery . Sarandos' reported trip comes days after Trump demanded Netflix fire board member Susan Rice, a former Obama administration official.
3. Epstein fallout
Larry Summers, president emeritus and professor at Harvard University, during an interview in New York, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said yesterday that he would resign from teaching at Harvard University by the end of the current school year. The resignation comes as Harvard conducts a review of emails and documents showing Summers' connection to Jeffrey Epstein. His wasn't the only resignation recently announced in connection with the late sex offender. Dr. Richard Axel, a Nobel Prize winner, said in a statement that he was leaving his role as co-director of a Columbia University institute. "My past association with Jeffrey Epstein was a serious error in judgment, which I deeply regret," Axel said. Bill Gates also spoke about his relationship with Epstein during a Gates Foundation town hall this week, according to a spokesperson for the nonprofit. The Microsoft co-founder reportedly told staff that he "did nothing illicit" during his interactions with Epstein and admitted to having affairs with two Russian women. None of the three men have been accused of wrongdoing in connection to Epstein.
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4. New stars in the galaxy?
The Samsung Galaxy 26S Ultra smartphone during the Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Samsung unveiled a new set of its flagship smartphones yesterday, and some are notably pricier than before. While the highest-end model's price was unchanged, Samsung's S26 and S26+ models cost $100 more than their predecessors. As CNBC's Kai Nicol-Schwarz reports, the increases come as the industry contends with a global memory chip shortage. The S26 is the first phone where Google's Gemini can autonomously operate third-party apps — such as ordering you a ride on Uber — offering a glimpse into what could lie ahead for Apple following its partnership with Alphabet on Siri.
5. If the price is right
A carton of eggs sit in a fridge in the ghost kitchen of Annie Clemmons, where she operates online bakery Chapman's DC, in Silver Spring, Maryland, on March 17, 2025. Since avian flu turned eggs into a luxury item, pastry chef Annie Clemmons has spent countless hours in her Maryland workshop, racking her brains about how to replace them in her recipes. The increasing number of outbreaks of avian flu on US farms has made eggs an expensive - and rare - commodity. (Photo by Agnes BUN / AFP) (Photo by AGNES BUN/AFP via Getty Images) Agnes Bun | Afp | Getty Images
In his State of the Union address, Trump said prices for several proteins are declining. But as CNBC's Greg Iacurci reports, the data tells a more complex story. Prices for boneless chicken breast and ground beef have risen since Trump's return to office in January of last year, government data shows. Egg prices, on the other hand, have declined sharply from early 2025. Economists say that price moves are more about industry dynamics than federal policy. For example, the slide in egg prices is largely a result of easing impacts from a bird flu outbreak.
The Daily Dividend
CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin reported yesterday Appaloosa Management founder David Tepper sent a harsh letter to Whirlpool in which he argued that the appliance maker's management has "destroyed" shareholder value.