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

In today’s edition, we are tackling the following:

🎯 The U.S. may be losing its edge in the AI talent pool.
📻 Trump signs executive order directing cuts to PBS and NPR.
🫱🏻‍🫲🏾 Buffett to step down as Berkshire CEO after 60 years at helm.
🇦🇪 UAE rolls out AI for school kids in push to grow sector.
🏢 Senate Democrats' pivot on stablecoin bill throws future of legislation into doubt.

TECH

• Residents of SpaceX’s Starbase launch site vote to incorporate as a city

  • Residents near SpaceX’s Starbase voted to incorporate the area as a city, with 212 votes for and 6 against.

  • The new city, Starbase, will be led by elected current/former SpaceX employees and shift authority from the county.

  • Incorporation may allow SpaceX to control local infrastructure and access to Boca Chica beach during launches.

• Apple may stagger next year’s iPhones to make way for a foldable

  • Apple may delay the standard iPhone 18 to spring 2027 to accommodate a foldable iPhone launch in fall 2026.

  • The foldable iPhone will feature a book-style design with a nearly 8-inch screen when open and use Face ID.

  • iPhone 18 Pro models may get under-display Face ID, while iPhone 17 Air might need a battery case due to short battery life.

• Reports: US losing edge in AI talent pool

  • The US is losing AI talent due to reduced science funding and stricter immigration policies.

  • China is producing top AI breakthroughs domestically, with researchers no longer relying on Western institutions.

  • AI hubs are emerging globally, with London, the Gulf States, and India investing heavily in local tech ecosystems.

BUSINESS

• Dying satellites can drive climate change and ozone depletion, study finds

  • Over 9,000 satellites orbit Earth, and that number may grow to 60,000 by 2040 as demand for space tech rises.

  • Burning satellites release aluminum oxide, with emissions possibly reaching 10,000 tonnes annually by 2040.

  • These emissions could alter upper-atmosphere temperatures, slow winds, and hinder ozone layer recovery.

• Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR

  • Trump signed an executive order to cut federal funding to PBS and NPR, citing alleged political bias in their reporting.

  • The move is part of broader efforts by his administration to defund institutions with opposing viewpoints, including arts and education.

  • PBS and NPR warn cuts would harm public services; lawsuits are challenging Trump's authority to reshape public media governance.

• Buffett to step down as Berkshire CEO after 60 years at helm, passes baton to Abel

  • Warren Buffett will step down as Berkshire Hathaway CEO at the end of 2025 after a legendary 60-year tenure.

  • Vice Chairman Greg Abel, long expected as successor, will take over; Buffett believes Abel can lead even more effectively.

  • Buffett’s legacy includes turning Berkshire into a $1.16T giant; most of his wealth will go to charity after his death.

CONTENT

• I Recorded Everything I Said for Three Months, AI Has Replaced My Memory

  • Wearable AI devices like Bee, Limitless, and Plaud record conversations and generate summaries, reminders, and analysis from daily speech.

  • These tools offer convenience—capturing to-dos and context—but raise privacy concerns, legal risks, and ethical questions about consent.

  • Their emergence signals a future where hyper-personal AI memory aids blur the line between a helpful assistant and a surveillance device.

• The AI jobs crisis is here, now

  • The AI jobs crisis is already unfolding, with creative roles like writers, artists, and voice actors increasingly replaced by generative AI systems.

  • Duolingo quietly laid off up to 100 workers in favour of AI-generated content, despite quality and accuracy concerns from former employees.

  • Rather than a sudden tech-driven apocalypse, the crisis reflects managerial cost-cutting and structural shifts that devalue socially useful, non-profit-maximizing jobs.

• Scott Galloway vs Rory Sutherland - Is the era of brand over?

  • Scott Galloway claims the "era of brand is over," arguing top companies succeed through product quality and scale, not traditional ads.

  • Rory Sutherland defends brand-building as key to trust, differentiation, and pricing power in competitive markets.

  • Their lively debate spans marketing philosophy, the Jaguar rebrand, dating culture, and challenges facing young men today.

WORLD

• Satellite images reveal Huawei's intent to design and build advanced chips for phones and AI

  • Satellite images show Huawei constructing chip facilities in Shenzhen to build advanced phones and AI chips domestically.

  • Despite U.S. sanctions, Huawei uses SMIC’s 7nm tech and may be developing EUV alternatives to bypass equipment bans.

  • U.S. restrictions on Nvidia are boosting Huawei’s Ascend chip sales, helping it gain ground in the AI chip race.

• UAE to launch AI curriculum starting in kindergarten: 7 core concepts revealed

  • The UAE will introduce AI as a core subject in all public schools from kindergarten to Grade 12 starting in 2025.

  • The curriculum covers seven key areas, including ethics, algorithms, real-world applications, and AI policies, tailored by age group.

  • The initiative positions the UAE as a global leader in AI education and aims to build responsible, tech-savvy future generations.

• Trump’s Tariff on Cheap Chinese Imports Will Cost Big Tech Billions

  • Trump ended a key tariff exemption, imposing steep import taxes on cheap Chinese goods under $800, hitting retailers like Temu and Shein.

  • These changes sharply reduced their U.S. ad spending, disrupting a major revenue stream for Meta, Google, Snap, and other tech platforms.

  • Meta alone earned $18.4B from Chinese advertisers in 2023; the pullback raises concerns for Big Tech’s ad revenue in 2025 and beyond.

AND MORE…

• A Mother’s Day gift as brilliant as she is*

  • Give her something unexpected: new words, new confidence, and maybe even a reason to (finally) plan that trip.

  • With Rosetta Stone, she can explore 25 languages on her schedule - and with TruAccent, gain the confidence to speak from day one.

  • This Mother’s Day, give her something that’s entirely her own. Get Mother's Day Sorted.

• Senate Democrats' reversal on US stablecoin bill throws future of legislation into doubt

  • Nine Senate Democrats withdrew support from the GENIUS Act, citing concerns over national security, money laundering, and regulatory gaps.

  • The bipartisan stablecoin bill requires full reserve backing, monthly disclosures, and strict issuer accountability to regulate digital dollar-linked tokens.

  • With Democrats divided and Republicans short of votes, the bill’s future is uncertain ahead of its Senate floor appearance.

• FTC v. Meta live: updates from the battle for Instagram and WhatsApp

  • The FTC’s antitrust trial against Meta began on April 14, targeting its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp as anti-competitive.

  • The case argues Meta monopolized personal social networking; a judge will first decide liability, then potential remedies like breaking up the company.

  • It’s the third major U.S. effort to dismantle Big Tech, following antitrust cases against Google’s search and ad dominance.