Key headlines from global financial media overnight and this morning include:

1. Federal Reserve meeting minutes reveal division among officials regarding the direction of interest rates. 2. Oil prices recorded their largest increase since October as markets assess the risk of US-Iran conflict. 3. Alphabet and Apple are increasing their investment in generative artificial intelligence, entering the field of music creation. 4. The CEO of Goldman Sachs has acknowledged holding Bitcoin, despite a long-standing skeptical stance on cryptocurrencies. 5. Uber will introduce incentives to promote the construction of electric vehicle charging stations. 6. AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li's startup, World Labs, has raised $1 billion in funding.

Federal Reserve meeting minutes reveal division among officials regarding the direction of interest rates. At the January meeting, divided Federal Reserve officials indicated that a pause on further interest rate cuts is appropriate for now, but cuts could potentially resume later in the year if inflation conditions permit. According to the minutes from the January 27-28 meeting released on Wednesday, while the decision to maintain the benchmark interest rate was broadly supported, the future policy path remains uncertain. Committee members are grappling with conflicting priorities between curbing inflation and stabilizing employment. The minutes stated: "In discussing the policy outlook, several participants noted that, if the economy evolved as expected, it would likely be appropriate to begin reducing the target range for the federal funds rate later this year."

Oil prices recorded their largest increase since October as markets assess the risk of US-Iran conflict. Oil prices posted their biggest gain since October, as traders weighed whether US-Iran negotiations are sufficient to avoid conflict. This follows reports suggesting US military intervention could occur sooner than previously anticipated. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 4.6%, settling near $65 per barrel. Brent crude closed above $70 per barrel, marking the first time in over two weeks. A report from Axios indicated that any US military action could last for weeks, unlike the precision strikes conducted in Venezuela last month. The report also suggested that the Israeli government is advocating for a scenario aimed at regime change.

Alphabet and Apple are increasing their investment in generative artificial intelligence, entering the field of music creation. Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Apple Inc. are introducing generative AI capabilities for music into their core consumer applications, highlighting the advancement of sophisticated AI tools into mainstream use. In a blog post on Wednesday, Google announced that its Gemini AI assistant can now generate 30-second music tracks based on text, photos, or videos uploaded by users, utilizing Google DeepMind's latest Lyria 3 model. The feature can create custom lyrics or instrumental audio and will be available to users aged 18 and over, supporting multiple languages. Google stated that the new functionality will debut on the Gemini desktop version and will arrive on the mobile app in the coming days. Google also mentioned that its popular image-generation model, Nano Banana, will create custom cover art for the music pieces, adding visual elements when users share track links.

The CEO of Goldman Sachs has acknowledged holding Bitcoin, despite a long-standing skeptical stance on cryptocurrencies. David Solomon, the Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs who has long expressed skepticism towards cryptocurrencies, now holds Bitcoin. On Wednesday, at the World Freedom Forum held at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the Wall Street leader told the audience that he holds a "very, very small" amount of the asset. The event was hosted by executives including Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Solomon added that he is not a "great bitcoin prognosticator" but merely an observer of the asset.

Uber will introduce incentives to promote the construction of electric vehicle charging stations. Uber announced on Wednesday that it will launch incentive programs in the United States and Europe to encourage other companies to build electric vehicle charging stations. This move could provide a boost to the automotive market segment, which has recently been impacted by policy changes in the US. Uber stated it will guarantee a minimum usage level for chargers installed in communities where drivers live or frequently pick up and drop off passengers. This commitment helps charging station operators recoup their investment in new sites more quickly. Charger utilization rate is a critical factor for profitability but is often difficult to predict. Electric vehicle sales have declined significantly following the repeal of several policies aimed at encouraging zero-emission vehicle sales by Congressional Republicans and former President Trump.

AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li's startup, World Labs, has raised $1 billion in funding. World Labs, a startup founded by AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, has raised $1 billion in a new funding round. The company is exploring a novel development path for artificial intelligence. As part of this funding round, Autodesk invested $200 million in World Labs. In a blog post on Wednesday, World Labs indicated that other participants in the round included Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia, and AMD.