10 Things in Tech: A French Gigafactory, Google's WFH crackdown, and Tesla's bioweapon defense mode

Hello again, readers. Nathan Rennolds, an associate editor in London, here.

Earlier this week, Google told staff that it was ramping up its back-to-the-office push, warning that office attendance would be factored into employee performance reviews.

It could be considered ironic that a company that's behind some of the key tools enabling people around the world to work remotely is also drifting away from WFH.

But now, let's get to today's top tech stories.

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1. A Tesla Gigafactory in France? Speculation is rife ahead of Elon Musk's trip to Paris, where he's due to attend the VivaTech conference next week. The event, which brings together tech leaders, investors, and startups, is due to welcome some of the biggest names in business, including Marc Benioff, Dan Schulman, and Bernard Arnault.

• Musk currently has two important tasks: ramp up production at Tesla over the next decade and get Twitter advertising revenue to start growing. He has a chance to tackle both next week.
• The VivaTech event will give Musk the chance to speak with Maurice Lévy, the chairman of Publicis, one of the world's largest advertising agencies. That should allow him time to pitch Twitter, and its new CEO, to the ad industry.
• His presence at the event could also help Tesla in its search for its next Gigafactory — a quest that involves a lot of diplomacy and negotiation.

Get all the details on Musk's tech trip here.

In other news:

2. There aren't actually THAT many people using ChatGPT. It can feel like the whole world is using ChatGPT, but a new survey by Morgan Stanley suggests the reality is far less impressive. So it may be a while before Big Tech companies can make big returns. Find out more.

3. TikTok is coming for Amazon. The video platform is aiming to challenge the tech giant by quadrupling its ecommerce business, according to a Bloomberg report. It's targeting regions like Southeast Asia, where live-stream shopping is particularly popular. Get the details here.

4. Sam Altman fired back at Elon Musk. Musk has repeatedly criticized OpenAI's relationship with tech giant Microsoft. Altman hit back in a recent interview with The Economic Times, saying "he's totally wrong about this stuff." The full story.

5. Google is getting tougher on in-office work. The tech giant is planning to include attendance figures in performance reviews, according to an internal email sent on Wednesday, which was seen by Insider. Find out more.

6. Tesla's bioweapon defense mode. Tesla drivers are using the car's bioweapon defense mode to escape wildfire smoke. Here's how it works.

7. How OnlyFans creators use TikTok. TikTok's guidelines can make it tough for adult-content creators — but some still favor the app for winning new fans. Three creators explain how they make appropriate content to promote their OnlyFans accounts. More here.

8. What "Ted Lasso" gets wrong about venture capital. In the hit series, Keeley (Juno Temple) starts her own PR agency with funding from an elite venture capital firm. But there are a few ways the VC industry is misrepresented in the show. Find them here.

Odds and ends:

9. Messi in Miami. Lionel Messi announced Wednesday he's decided to sign for Inter Miami — and within 24 hours, the club's Instagram account had seen its follower count grow by around 390%. A subtle reminder of the clout Messi has. Read more.

10. How to make videos go viral. Brandon Baum creates short-form video content. He's built a following of more than 10 million across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram — and one of his videos has over 750 million views. Here are his top three tips for making a viral video.

Today's team: Nathan Rennolds and Hallam Bullock in London.