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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📈 UnitedHealth CEO shot in targeted attack outside a Manhattan hotel.
🚀 Trump taps billionaire Jared Isaacman for NASA leadership.
🤖 Sam Altman warns AGI arrival will be sooner and more disruptive than predicted.
🇰🇷 South Korea’s Yoon faces impeachment over declaring martial law.
💰 Investigation exposes billion-dollar Russian money laundering network.

TECH

• Spotify Wrapped 2024 adds an AI podcast powered by Google’s NotebookLM

  • Spotify Wrapped introduces an AI-powered podcast summarizing users’ 2024 listening habits with Google’s NotebookLM.

  • Features include personalized audio insights and new data stories like ‘Your Music Evolution.’

  • The AI podcast is available for free and premium users in select markets for a limited time.

• Google AI revolutionizes weather forecasting with precision models

  • Google AI's advanced forecasting achieves 90% accuracy for hyperlocal weather predictions in minutes.

  • The system aids disaster management and agriculture by surpassing traditional meteorological methods.

  • Experts consider it a transformative tool for precision meteorology and climate response.

• Sam Altman Says Arrival of AI Superintelligence Will Be ‘More Intense Than People Think’

  • Altman predicts AI's development will disrupt industries more profoundly than anticipated, with AGI possibly arriving by 2025.

  • He emphasizes the need for new economic models to compensate creators fairly and address growing safety concerns.

  • Legal and ethical challenges, including copyright disputes and controversies with Elon Musk, underscore the high stakes of AI's future.

BUSINESS

• GM expects $5 billion-plus impact from China restructuring

  • General Motors will incur $5 billion in charges from closing plants and reducing operations in China.

  • The restructuring responds to fierce competition from local automakers like BYD and China's growing EV market.

  • GM plans to achieve profitability in China by 2025 without further cash injections from the parent company.

• Donald Trump announces Jared Isaacman as NASA chief candidate

  • Donald Trump endorses billionaire Jared Isaacman, founder of SpaceX rival Polaris, for NASA Administrator.

  • Isaacman’s leadership aligns with Trump's focus on privatizing space exploration and advancing U.S. space dominance.

  • Critics question the implications for NASA’s public mission, citing potential conflicts of interest.

• UnitedHealth cancels investor day after executive shooting

  • Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare CEO, was fatally shot outside a Manhattan hotel in a premeditated attack.

  • The suspect, wearing a mask and using a firearm with a possible silencer, remains at large.

  • UnitedHealth canceled its investor day, with NYPD investigating motives tied to prior threats against Thompson.

CONTENT

• Identify Your Bullseye Customer in One Day

  • Michael Margolis shares his proven methods for identifying 'bullseye customers’ through targeted UX research sprints.

  • Key insights include narrowing the target audience, effective customer interviews, and using prototypes to gather feedback.

  • Margolis emphasizes the value of 'watch parties’ to align teams around customer insights for product success.

• George Arison, Grindr CEO: How Grindr Built a Free Cash Flow Machine

  • Grindr achieved over $300M in revenue with a 40% EBITDA margin, leveraging low customer acquisition costs and operational efficiency.

  • CEO George Arison discusses lessons in leadership, market growth, and scaling while balancing profitability.

  • The episode covers Grindr’s unique journey, from a founder-led startup to a public company success story.

• Bringing Back the Mammoth: A Conversation with Ben Lamm

  • Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, explores de-extinction efforts, including resurrecting woolly mammoths, Tasmanian tigers, and dodos.

  • Discussions highlight AI’s role, the ecological and ethical implications, and the environmental benefits of reintroducing extinct species.

  • Lamm explains the scientific and business cases for de-extinction, contrasting his approach with fictional concepts like Jurassic Park.

WORLD

• South Korea's Yoon Faces Impeachment After Martial Law Debacle

  • South Korea's President Yoon declared and rescinded martial law within six hours, citing threats from anti-state forces.

  • Lawmakers swiftly moved to impeach Yoon, accusing him of undermining democracy; protests erupted nationwide.

  • Global markets reacted to the crisis, while U.S. officials condemned the declaration and emphasized rule of law.

• Philippines Accuses China of Aggressive Actions in South China Sea

  • The Philippines alleged China used water cannons and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine patrols at Scarborough Shoal.

  • The U.S. condemned China's actions as illegal, reaffirming defense commitments to the Philippines under their treaty.

  • China denied the claims, asserting sovereignty over the area and accusing Manila of misrepresenting events.

• Investigation Exposes Billion-Dollar Russian Money Laundering Network

  • A worldwide probe revealed a massive Russian-linked network laundering billions via cryptocurrencies and real estate.

  • Over 80 arrests were made, with operations tied to oligarchs, cybercriminals, and organized crime groups.

  • Authorities emphasized the crackdown as a major step in combating global financial crime and corruption.

AND MORE…

• OpenAI unveils Sora and reasoning model as part of '12 Days of Shipmas'

  • OpenAI announces '12 Days of Shipmas,' featuring daily product and feature launches, starting with Sora and a reasoning model.

  • Sora enables text-to-video generation, marking OpenAI’s debut in advanced multimedia AI applications.

  • The new reasoning model, OpenAI o1, improves problem-solving by simulating internal deliberations.

• Over 1,000 artifacts unearthed beneath Notre Dame Cathedral

  • Archaeologists discovered over 1035 historical artifacts beneath Notre Dame Cathedral during its restoration.

  • Items include religious relics, coins, and sculptures, providing insights into medieval Parisian culture.

  • The discoveries offer a unique perspective on the cathedral's historical significance and heritage.

• FBI Warns iPhone and Android Users: Stop Sending Texts

  • FBI and CISA urge Americans to use encrypted messaging apps amid ongoing Chinese-linked cyberattacks.

  • Concerns center on cross-platform messaging vulnerabilities, as RCS lacks end-to-end encryption between iPhones and Androids.

  • Experts recommend apps like Signal or WhatsApp for secure cross-platform communication.