Welcome back to your daily memorandum talking tech, business, AI, markets, and more. 🗞️

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📉 Tech stocks tumble on Trump’s tariffs, with Apple down 4%.
📸 TikTok Notes will shut down on May 8 as ByteDance pivots to Lemon8.
📚 Amazon Kindle adds AI recaps to help readers catch up on book series.
🌍 Myanmar quake kills 3,000+, with rising health and infrastructure risks.
🤖 Nvidia confirms Switch 2 will support DLSS, ray tracing, and AI-powered features.

TECH

• Nvidia Confirms the Nintendo Switch 2 Has DLSS and Real-Time Ray Tracing

  • Nintendo Switch 2 will support DLSS and real-time ray tracing through a custom Nvidia chip with advanced rendering.

  • The upgraded hardware enables 4K graphics at 60fps when docked, delivering ten times the previous generation’s performance.

  • AI features include face tracking and background removal, enhancing player experiences across multiplayer and streaming environments.

• TikTok Is Shutting Down Its Instagram-Like Notes App

  • ByteDance will shut down TikTok Notes on May 8 after failing to gain traction in photo-sharing.

  • Users are encouraged to migrate content and engagement to Lemon8, ByteDance’s lifestyle and image-driven alternative.

  • Learnings from Notes will be applied to Lemon8 to improve creator tools and engagement strategies.

• Amazon Kindle’s New Feature Uses AI to Generate Recaps for Books in a Series

  • Amazon launched Kindle Recaps, an AI-powered feature helping readers catch up before starting the next book in a series.

  • Recaps are currently available for U.S. Kindle users with iOS expansion expected in upcoming product updates.

  • Readers can find summaries under a new “View Recaps” tab in their Kindle Library for supported titles.

BUSINESS

• Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers From Chicago to Jakarta

  • Microsoft is scaling back data center projects across global sites, including Chicago and Jakarta, to reduce infrastructure costs.

  • The company will now prioritize markets offering faster returns and greater long-term cloud growth potential.

  • Analysts view this as Microsoft adapting to economic pressures while optimizing its AI and cloud investments.

• Tech Stocks Sink After Trump’s Tariff Rollout; Apple Leads Drop

  • U.S. tech stocks plunged after Trump introduced sweeping tariffs, sparking fears of inflation and supply chain shocks.

  • Apple dropped 4% on concerns about manufacturing costs, as tariffs target imports from China and Vietnam.

  • Investors worry tariffs could undercut profit margins across hardware companies reliant on Southeast Asian production hubs.

• OpenAI Just Made Its First Cybersecurity Investment

  • OpenAI co-led a $43 million Series A in Adaptive Security, a startup focused on deepfake threat simulation.

  • Adaptive uses generative AI to train employees against realistic attacks, improving corporate readiness and threat response.

  • This is OpenAI’s first cybersecurity bet, reinforcing its mission to support safe and trustworthy AI deployment.

CONTENT

• Unbundling the BPO: How AI Is Disrupting Outsourced Work

  • a16z’s Kimberly Tan explains how AI is automating BPO tasks like invoicing, support, logistics, and internal operations.

  • New AI agents offer scalable, affordable alternatives to traditional outsourcing for startups and mid-market companies.

  • Founders can now automate across systems without hiring offshore teams, unlocking new categories of software opportunities.

• OpenAI’s 4o Image Gen Melted Servers, Got Nerfed… and Raised $40 Billion

  • OpenAI’s 4o image generator overwhelmed servers after launch, prompting limits and feature nerfs across ChatGPT Pro.

  • Despite the throttling, OpenAI closed a massive $40B raise, boosting its valuation to nearly $300 billion.

  • The episode also covers Runway Gen-4, OmniHuman-1 lip sync, Meta’s Hypernova glasses, and Anthropic’s explainability push.

• All-In: Colin and Samir, Chris Williamson, and Bryan Johnson

  • The Besties host Colin & Samir, Chris Williamson, and Bryan Johnson to discuss content, business, and longevity.

  • Guests explore YouTube monetization, short-form vs long-form strategy, and scaling creative work sustainably.

  • Bryan shares views on Spotify’s shift to video, nutrition, U.S. food policy, and ketamine-assisted therapy.

WORLD

• Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Tops 3,000 With Hundreds Still Missing

  • A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar, killing over 3,000 people and leaving hundreds more unaccounted for.

  • The quake destroyed hospitals, roads, and homes, while survivors face limited access to clean water and emergency care.

  • Aid groups warn of heatstroke, disease outbreaks, and worsening conditions as unseasonal rains begin hitting the region.

• Trump’s Tariffs Are Being Felt in the Most Remote Place on Earth

  • Trump’s sweeping tariffs are impacting prices even in the Heard and McDonald Islands, Earth’s most isolated territory.

  • Tariffs on key imports have raised food, fuel, and infrastructure costs across global supply chains and remote outposts.

  • The NYT piece highlights how trade policies echo far beyond political centers and into Earth’s harshest environments.

• Thousands of Haitians Take to Streets to Protest Surging Gang Violence

  • Massive crowds marched in Port-au-Prince to protest growing gang control and worsening insecurity across the capital.

  • Armed groups now dominate most neighborhoods, displacing over one million people and halting basic economic activity.

  • Protesters blame the transitional government for failing to restore order and protect vulnerable communities from violence.

AND MORE…

• Influencer arrested after visiting North Sentinel Island

  • A U.S. tourist was arrested after filming himself illegally landing near the uncontacted Sentinelese tribe in India.

  • Survival International warns social media influencers now pose rising threats to isolated Indigenous communities seeking no outside contact.

  • The tribe lacks immunity to common diseases, making even short visits potentially deadly and culturally disruptive.

• Bill Gates Offers Download of First Operating System He and Paul Allen Wrote 50 Years Ago

  • Bill Gates released the original Altair BASIC source code, co-written with Paul Allen, for public download and study.

  • The code was foundational to Microsoft’s origin and the early days of personal computing in the 1970s.

  • Gates hopes young programmers will learn from the minimalist design and appreciate computing history’s earliest breakthroughs.

• Smartphone Apps That Track Driving Behavior Can Lead to Safer Roads

  • AAA research found apps monitoring driver habits led to measurable safety improvements during a controlled six-week study.

  • Participants who received real-time feedback on speeding, braking, and acceleration showed significant behavioral changes.

  • Researchers suggest such telematics apps could help reduce accidents and guide future insurance and road safety programs.

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