Report: Elon Musk's Boring Company eyes Nashville airport tunnel
The news of the announcement, expected later this month, was reported last week by the Nashville Business Journal.
Why it matters: A direct link between downtown and the city's bustling airport has been discussed for years.
How it works: The Boring Company uses special digging technology to build narrow underground tunnels. Tesla vehicles would taxi people to and from the airport.
Yes, but: There's reason for skepticism.
It's hard to imagine such a major project coming to fruition without the support of Metro leaders. The airport tunnel would require collaboration between Metro and the state, which seem to feud more often than work together.
In cities such as Chicago, Charlotte, San Antonio and San Francisco, The Boring Company has been linked to possible tunnel projects that have yet to get off the ground.
Between the lines: Although the Business Journal story didn't mention the path of the tunnel system, a likely route would be along Murfreesboro Pike, which is controlled by the state.
According to the Nashville Business Journal, the Nashville tunnel would be between 5 and 10 miles long, which is significantly longer than its successful project: a 0.8-mile tunnel loop in Las Vegas.
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Dear Microsoft Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for Aug. 1
Microsoft (MSFT) investors, take note — Aug. 1 could mark a major turning point in the AI arms race. According to recent reports, OpenAI is expected to unveil its next-generation flagship model, GPT-5, as early as August, making it worthwhile for investors to tune in at the start of the month. Given Microsoft's multibillion-dollar partnership with OpenAI and its deep integration of GPT technology across its offerings, this potential launch is more than just a milestone for AI — it could be a catalyst for MSFT stock. In this article, we'll explore what GPT-5's launch could mean for Microsoft and how the company is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the breakthrough. With that, let's take a closer look! More News from Barchart Warren Buffett Warns Inflation Turns Business Into 'The Upside-Down World of Alice in Wonderland' But Weeds Out 'Bad Businesses' Why GOOGL Stock May Be the Market's Next Big Winner Alphabet Posts Lower Free Cash Flow and FCF Margins - Is GOOGL Stock Overvalued? Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. About Microsoft Stock Microsoft (MSFT) is a dominant force in the technology sector, boasting a diverse portfolio spanning software, cloud computing, AI, gaming, and hardware. Notably, the company is among the pioneers targeting the AI market through its partnership and substantial investments in OpenAI. MSFT's market cap currently stands at $3.82 trillion, ranking it as the world's second most valuable publicly traded company. Shares of the tech giant have rallied 21.4% on a year-to-date basis. MSFT stock has been trending upward since early April, initially driven by a pause in U.S. reciprocal tariffs and later getting a significant boost from its upbeat FQ3 earnings report. The stock's recent gains were supported by broader market strength, fueled by a solid start to the Q2 earnings season, as well as several U.S. trade deals and optimism for more to come. OpenAI Could Drop GPT-5 in August Last Thursday, The Verge reported that OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, is expected to launch its newest flagship model, GPT-5, as early as next month. Although no exact release date has been disclosed, the report noted that the company is still targeting a summer launch, and all signs suggest it's on schedule. GPT-5 is expected to mark a major advancement in the chatbot's intelligence and capabilities. GPT-5 is expected to combine the capabilities of several of OpenAI's earlier models, according to the report. The new model will feature capabilities such as memory, reasoning, vision, and task execution. The goal is to develop a unified, powerful AI system capable of handling a broad array of tasks, from writing and coding to data analysis, customer service, tutoring, and beyond. Alongside the full version of GPT-5, OpenAI also intends to launch smaller versions called GPT-5 Mini and GPT-5 Nano. Talks about GPT-5's launch surfaced just weeks after Elon Musk's xAI introduced Grok 4, its newest AI model aimed at competing with ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. With that, the release of GPT-5 could significantly enhance ChatGPT's capabilities and help OpenAI maintain its competitive edge. Moreover, this could be another win for Microsoft, which invested $10 billion in OpenAI in 2023, building on its earlier investments in 2019 and 2021. The investment grants Microsoft a significant equity stake in OpenAI's for-profit arm, as well as exclusive access to its APIs and models on Azure, revenue-sharing agreements, and rights to OpenAI's intellectual property through 2030. The partnership has proven highly beneficial for Microsoft, allowing it to offer OpenAI's technologies to its customers. In fiscal 2024, Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes its AI cloud services, contributed $105 billion to the company's total revenue of $245 billion. Meanwhile, a recent leak revealed that Microsoft is already testing GPT-5 options within its Copilot interface, indicating that Copilot may receive access to GPT-5 alongside ChatGPT once the model is officially announced. The Copilot app and website feature a hidden chat mode called 'Smart,' which hints at the use of GPT-5 to generate responses, according to The new mode is described as enabling Copilot to 'think deeply or quickly based on the task.' This new Smart mode also indicates that GPT-5 will combine both reasoning and non-reasoning capabilities, a development OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously hinted was in progress. Microsoft positions Copilot as the most user-friendly generative AI assistant, featuring an intuitive interface and emphasizing productivity-focused workflows and experiences. With that, integrating GPT-5 into Copilot would further reinforce Microsoft's position in delivering seamless AI-powered productivity across its ecosystem. 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In FQ3, Microsoft posted Azure revenue growth of 35% year-over-year in constant currency, beating analysts' expectations of 31% growth. For FQ4, Microsoft projected Azure revenue growth of 34% to 35% in constant currency. In addition, the company mentioned that its cloud AI services have been limited by supply constraints. Investors will also be paying close attention to the company's commentary on the outlook for AI and Copilot. Other key areas of focus in the earnings report include the company's capital spending plans and its relationship with AI partner OpenAI. In April, CFO Amy Hood stated that capital expenditures are projected to increase this fiscal year, though at a slower pace compared to fiscal 2025. Meanwhile, Wedbush analysts, who have Microsoft on their 'Best Ideas List,' boosted their price target on the stock to $600 last week. 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Samsung's Big Tesla Order Fuels Recovery Bets Despite Chip Woes
(Bloomberg) — Samsung Electronics Co.'s ( surprise $16.5 billion chipmaking deal with Tesla Inc (TSLA). has breathed new life into a foundry business all but written off by many investors. The World's Data Center Capital Has Residents Surrounded An Abandoned Art-Deco Landmark in Buffalo Awaits Revival Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild San Francisco in Talks With Vanderbilt for Downtown Campus Boston's Dumpsters Overflow as Trash-Strike Summer Drags On Its stock has risen 9% since news about the agreement on Monday, bringing Samsung's gains in July to over 20% and putting the stock on track for its best month in more than four years. Samsung accounted for more than half of July's gains in Korea's stock benchmark Kospi, underscoring growing investor enthusiasm. The Tesla deal is significant as it marks a shift for the ailing foundry business — from relying on captive internal orders to deeper external engagements, Citigroup analysts said in a report. 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