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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📱 Meta supports EU parental consent rule to protect minors online.
🍔 U.S. beef prices hit record highs ahead of July 4 celebrations.
🧠 OpenAI adds Daniel Gross to new AI superintelligence research team.
🔥 Russia launches largest air assault on Kyiv amid ceasefire talks.
🙏 India affirms Dalai Lama’s authority in defiance of Chinese pressure.

TECHNOLOGY

• Meta backs EU-wide ‘digital age’ requirement for social media

  • Meta supports requiring social media platforms across the EU to obtain parental consent for users under a specified ‘digital age.’

  • Proposals led by France, Spain, and Greece aim to harmonize protections for minors across member states.

  • The plan seeks to block underage users from accessing platforms without guardian approval.

• iOS 26 has an awesome Wi‑Fi upgrade for your iPhone

  • A handy new iOS 26 feature syncs captive‐portal Wi‑Fi credentials across iPhone, iPad (and likely macOS), avoiding repeated log‑ins.

  • Discovered in beta, it saves time when connecting to networks at hotels, airports, or cafés.

  • Although unannounced at WWDC, it’s confirmed in beta and expected to roll out widely this September.

• Not everyone is thrilled with Threads’ DMs

  • Threads has introduced direct messaging nearly two years after launch, but many users—especially women—are voicing safety concerns.

  • Users are upset there’s no full opt‐out for DMs; the only option is restricting senders by unfollowing.

  • Although chats are limited to mutual followers, critics say safety controls remain inadequate.

BUSINESS

• Meta Adds Startup Founder Gross to New AI Superintelligence Lab

  • Daniel Gross departs Safe Superintelligence to join Meta Superintelligence Labs under Alexandr Wang.

  • Gross will work on AI products as part of Meta’s restructured unit aiming to build human-level superintelligence.

  • Meta is aggressively recruiting top AI talent with mega-compensation, amid fierce competition with OpenAI and others.

• OpenAI’s Sam Altman Declares Himself ‘Politically Homeless’ on July 4

  • On July 4, Altman criticized the Democratic Party as straying from capitalist innovation values, calling himself ‘politically homeless.’

  • He endorsed ‘techno-capitalism’ to promote wealth creation paired with broad distribution via innovation.

  • His stance ties into growing tension with progressive figures like NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on AI regulation.

• Beef Prices Hit Record High Ahead of July 4th Holiday

  • Ground beef retail price reached a record $6.67 per pound for two pounds, highest since tracking began 2013.

  • Wholesale 90% lean beef trimmed price surpassed $400 per hundredweight due to shrinking cattle herd.

  • USDA forecasts cattle prices to rise ~17% in 2025 as limited supply tightens beef market.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Hamas Says It Responds to Gaza Ceasefire Proposal in 'A Positive Spirit'

  • Hamas signaled willingness to negotiate ceasefire terms, including hostage release, aid delivery, and phased Israeli troop withdrawal.

  • The response came as Israeli hit Palestinians in Gaza, raising pressure for a diplomatic breakthrough.

  • Trump’s proposed 60-day ceasefire remains pending, with key disagreements over Rafah crossing control and Hamas disarmament.

• Russia Hits Ukraine with Largest Aerial Attack as Trump Talks to Zelenskyy and Putin

  • Russia launched its biggest air assault on Kyiv using over 550 drones and missiles, killing dozens and damaging power plants.

  • The strike coincided with Trump’s phone calls urging de-escalation and U.S. defense support to Ukraine and Putin.

  • Zelenskyy condemned the attack as terrorism, renewing calls for stronger Western sanctions and faster delivery of air defense systems.

• India Backs Dalai Lama’s Position on Successor, Contradicting China

  • India officially recognized the Dalai Lama’s authority to name his successor, rejecting China’s claims over the reincarnation process.

  • Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized no external power should interfere with religious matters, marking a significant diplomatic stance.

  • The move highlights India’s support for Tibetan autonomy amid rising tensions with Beijing ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.

CONTENT

• Big Beautiful Bill, Elon/Trump, Dollar Down Big, Harvard’s Money Problems, Figma IPO

  • The All-In crew discusses how Trump’s 'Big Beautiful Bill' removes AI regulation efforts and slashes clean energy subsidies.

  • Elon’s growing influence under Trump sparks debate about fiscal responsibility as the U.S. dollar drops over 10% this year.

  • Harvard faces scrutiny over bond practices and a $1B annual loss, while Figma eyes IPO and Grammarly buys Superhuman.

• How My College Roommate Bought a $3.4M Business for $200K

  • Dan Certner shares how he bought a bag business for $200K and doubled revenue in 18 months.

  • He used a forgivable seller’s note and negotiated creatively without outside capital or fancy tools.

  • Sam and Shaan outline how anyone can replicate this playbook to find profitable, low-competition businesses.

• Spatial Intelligence Is the Next Frontier in AI

  • Fei-Fei Li recounts how ImageNet fueled the deep learning revolution and transformed computer vision.

  • She argues spatial intelligence—modeling the 3D world—is harder than language and key to AGI.

  • Real-world applications of world models are just emerging, with major technical barriers still ahead.

FUTURISM

• AI Job Predictions Become Corporate America’s Newest Competitive Sport

  • Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned half of entry‑level roles could vanish within five years, raising U.S. unemployment to 20 %.

  • Other tech leaders are echoing the prediction game, turning job‑loss forecasts into a high‑stakes corporate narrative.

  • The growing trend reflects deeper uncertainty as companies grapple with AI’s potential to disrupt job markets.

• Xbox Exec Recommends AI to Laid‑Off Staff

  • Xbox’s Matt Turnbull urged laid‑off employees to use AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot for resume support and emotional clarity.

  • He emphasized AI can’t replace lived experience but may help reduce cognitive burden during career transition stress.

  • His deleted LinkedIn post sparked backlash from creatives challenging AI’s role in aiding personal and professional recovery.

• Meta Has Found Another Way to Keep You Engaged: Chatbots That Message You First

  • Meta’s ‘Project Omni’ chatbots will proactively follow up on past user conversations to boost engagement and retention.

  • Users must have five+ messages in 14 days to trigger follow‑ups, with chatbots halting outreach if ignored.

  • Aligned with Zuckerberg’s vision, these bots could drive $2–3 billion in 2025 generative‑AI revenue while combating digital isolation.

EXTRAS

• Minister Tells Turing AI Institute to Focus on Defence

  • UK Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle directs the Alan Turing Institute to pivot research toward defence and national security.

  • Leadership restructuring may follow as funding gets tied to delivering on defence‑focused priorities by 2026.

  • The shift reprioritizes AI work away from health and environment toward security, reflecting broader national strategy goals.

• Global Markets on Edge Ahead of Tariff Deadline

  • Stock indices in Asia and Europe fluctuated ahead of Thursday’s tariff decision deadline amid U.S.–China trade tension risks.

  • Investors closely watched FX moves, commodity prices, and bond yields reflecting trade policy uncertainty.

  • Analysts cautioned that delayed or limited tariff actions could calm markets in the near term.

• Engineer Soham Parekh Admits to Working Multiple Startup Jobs Simultaneously

  • Indian engineer Soham Parekh confirmed juggling three to four full‑time startup roles due to extreme financial hardship.

  • His routine involved 140‑hour weeks, solo coding, no AI assistance or junior hires, until exposed via X by Suhail Doshi.

  • After widespread backlash, he now claims to work exclusively at one startup and seeks career rehabilitation.

AND MORE

• European shares fall nearly 1% amid U.S. tariff deadline jitters.

• Global markets experience large inflows as investors hold confidence despite trade tensions.

• Start your online business for free, then get 3 months for just $1. With Shopify, you launch a whole brand.*

• Oil prices slip ahead of OPEC+ output increase expected this weekend.

• China urges caution, balancing speed on assisted-driving technology implementation.

• Nearly one-third of German startups express skepticism toward U.S. financing.

• Tariffs and Middle East tensions dampen appetite for European IPOs.

• Memo readers forward, buy, and share. Let’s put your brand in that flow.*