Good morning. Ever watch a video and think, “No way that’s real.” Then two seconds later: “Wait, maybe??” A group of escaped monkeys have been causing chaos in the streets of St. Louis. Nobody knows exactly how many monkeys or how they got loose. Primate specialists from the local zoo are trying to track them down. But social media pranksters flooding feeds with AI-generated monkey sightings are making the situation harder. So if you see a monkey drinking tequila, it’s probably AI. Probably.
p.s. No newsletter tomorrow. We’re catching our breath, but will be back and caffeinated on Tuesday after MLK day. Enjoy the long weekend!
Ever thought about trademarking yourself? Matthew McConaughey has. He’s locked down 8 trademarks, including clips of himself staring, smiling, and his famous catchphrase, “Alright, alright, alright.” His attorneys hope trademarks will help him fight unauthorized AI deepfakes using his likeness. The idea is clever but untested. Current US laws aren’t designed for an AI world, making legal protection murky at best. Until the courts figure it out, gen AI owns everything. (WSJ)
Google’s new Personal Intelligence is an executive assistant for your digital life. It’s always on and always learning. From your Gmail inbox to your YouTube binges, it spots patterns and suggests things before you think of them. Sounds cool… and a little creepy. Google is uniquely positioned to pull this off because, let’s face it, they already control your inbox, calendar, and most of your browsing history. OpenAI and Anthropic can’t touch this. It’s opt-in (for now), but it’s clear Google wants Gemini to be your new digital brain. Let’s call it Clippy 2.0. (Business Insider)
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The pre-IPO investment frenzy is back. Investors are piling into convertible notes, betting on quick returns from startups about to go public. Companies like Lambda Labs and Kraken have raised hundreds of millions, signaling confidence from big institutions. Sure, these rounds can give investors discounts on IPO shares and companies’ fast cash. But if the IPO stalls, startups could end up buried in debt as early backers watch their stakes shrink. Get ready to party like it’s 2021, hope everyone keeps their hats. (The Information)
NASA says the moon will have nuclear power by 2030. They’re racing to build a lunar reactor to power the Artemis moon base and eventually Mars missions. Nuclear makes sense given the moon’s harsh environment, but here’s the reality check. NASA just got slapped with a 24% budget cut, nearly 4,000 employees recently quit, and leadership swings between tech billionaires and reality TV personalities. Rockets regularly explode, contractors constantly complain, and internal chaos has basically become NASA’s new mission statement. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if the reactor had “Made in China” stamped on it. (Scientific American, Wired)
AI will probably never be conscious. Consciousness is subjective, first person awareness of yourself and your surroundings. It’s feeling happy, tasting coffee, hearing your favorite song, smelling fresh cut grass. AI can simulate these sensations, but simulation isn’t self awareness. Neuroscientists say consciousness is deeply tied to biology, built into the messy wiring of living brains. Even plugging an AI directly into your neurons via BCI just lets it read signals, not truly experience joy, pain, or the weirdness of simply existing. (Noema)
fun stats
🦾 100,000. Forecasted global humanoid robots in use by 2027, mostly in logistics, manufacturing, and automotive. Currently there’s 16k, with China accounting for more than 80%.
🤖 $1.4 billion. Series C funding raised by “robot brain” startup Skild AI. Backed by Nvidia, it’s now valued at over $14B after going from 0 to $30m revenue in just a few months.
😎 2x. Meta’s rumored increase in Ray-Ban AI smart glasses production, targeting 20 million units or more by late 2026 as they eye mass market adoption.
🛒 $99/month. Cost of Tesla’s new self-driving tech subscription. So far only 12% of existing drivers pay for “Full Self-Driving” (supervised) mode.