The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group backed by Iran, have amped up attacks on ships traveling through the Suez Canal since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War. Director of Harvard’s Belfer Center Meghan O’Sullivan explains the disruptions to global shipping and the geopolitics at play in the Red Sea. The AI arms race is set to enter a new year, as 2023 winds down. CNBC’s Technology Correspondent Steve Kovach discusses Microsoft, Nvidia, and other winners so far, and Activate CEO Michael Wolf explains how smaller players measure up to the tech giants. Plus, Google will pay consumers $700m (~$2 a person) in its Play store settlement, Apple’s pressing pause on some of its watches, and Senator John Fetterman (D-Penn.) is hoping to block Nippon’s $14.9B acquisition of US Steel. Meghan O’Sullivan - 12:30 Steve Kovach - 20:23 Michael Wolf - 20:23 In this episode: Michael Wolf, @mjw Meghan O’Sullivan, @OSullivanMeghan Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie