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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

🍽️ Trump hosts top tech CEOs at White House, pledging billions in U.S. investments.
📚 Anthropic to pay $1.5B to settle author copyright claims and delete disputed data.
📱 Apple set to unveil iPhone 17 lineup, new Watches, and AirPods Pro 3 on Sept. 9.
💰 Tesla proposes $1T Musk pay package tied to delivery, robo-taxi, and AI milestones.
🌍 Europe backs binding defense pact to secure Ukraine and deter Russian aggression.

TECHNOLOGY

• Everything Apple Plans to Debut at Sept. 9 iPhone 17 Event

  • Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ September 9 event will launch the complete iPhone 17 lineup plus updated smartwatches and more.

  • Expect new devices including the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, Pro models, Series 11 and Ultra 3 Watches, and AirPods Pro 3.

  • Softer reveals may include updated cases, straps, Apple Intelligence features, and AI-powered enhancements across iOS 26.

• Attorneys General Warn OpenAI That Harm to Children Will Not Be Tolerated

  • California and Delaware AGs delivered a strong warning to OpenAI over failing chatbot safety protect minors from harms.

  • The AGs referenced tragic youth deaths and launched investigations into OpenAI’s restructuring and public benefit corporation status.

  • Regulators demand immediate safety enhancements, and reaffirm that companies will face accountability for child-related AI harms.

• Columbia University Uses AI ‘Sway’ to Cool Campus Tensions

  • Columbia is piloting ‘Sway,’ an AI-facilitated debate tool pairing students of opposing views to encourage respectful dialogue.

  • The system offers real-time question prompts and phrasing help, aiming to de-escalate polarizing political tensions effectively.

  • While promising, critics worry it may oversimplify deep-rooted issues and compromise genuine historical and ideological understanding.

BUSINESS

• Anthropic to pay $1.5 billion to settle author copyright claims

  • Anthropic agreed to pay around $3 000 per book covering 500 000 titles, totaling about $1.5 billion to authors.

  • The settlement, one of the largest copyright recoveries ever, avoids a December trial over unauthorized book use.

  • As part of the deal, Anthropic will delete illicitly acquired book files and avoid admitting liability.

• Google fined $3.5 billion by EU over ad-tech antitrust violations

  • EU regulators penalized Google €2.95 billion for favoring its own AdX service, undermining advertising competition.

  • The company has 60 days to propose remedies or risk ordered divestitures of its ad-tech operations.

  • Google plans to appeal; critics argue only structural solutions—not fines alone—will curb its dominance.

• OpenAI reorganizes research team behind ChatGPT’s personality

  • OpenAI merged its Model Behavior team into the Post-Training division under Max Schwarzer’s leadership.

  • The reshuffle aims to better integrate personality design with core model training for improved user interactions.

  • Team leader Joanne Jang is transitioning to lead a new R&D initiative, OAI Labs, exploring future human-AI interfaces.

MARKETS

WORLD

• All the President’s Tech CEOs

  • Trump hosted major tech CEOs at the White House, where they praised his AI policies and economic leadership.

  • Executives pledged hundreds of billions in U.S. investments, with Meta and Apple reportedly considering $600 billion commitments.

  • Absent topics like climate and migration, plus strategic seating, fueled worries about deepening corporate influence on politics.

• UK’s Starmer Reshuffles Top Team to Restore Authority After Rayner Blow

  • Keir Starmer replaced deputy Angela Rayner after her tax scandal, moving trusted allies into high-ranking cabinet positions.

  • David Lammy became deputy prime minister and justice secretary, while Yvette Cooper assumed responsibility as foreign secretary.

  • Shabana Mahmood shifted into the interior role, signaling Starmer’s attempt to consolidate power within his closest circle.

• Europe Aims to Show It Is Ready to Secure Postwar Ukraine

  • Emmanuel Macron spearheaded negotiations for a binding postwar security pact for Ukraine with backing from twenty-six allied nations.

  • Guarantees involve collective air, land, and naval defense commitments to deter renewed Russian aggression or similar hostile threats.

  • Ukraine’s integration into Europe’s defense framework marks a decisive turn toward permanent security guarantees and military solidarity.

CONTENT

• Senator Rand Paul: Tariffs, Debt, China, and a Warning for America

  • Rand Paul outlines his political philosophy, warning that unchecked tariffs and debt will destabilize America’s fragile economy.

  • He highlights dangers of gain-of-function research, COVID cover-ups, and overexpansion of government employment across sectors.

  • Paul stresses strained U.S.-China relations, advocating fiscal restraint, limited government spending, and vigilance against policy drift.

• How to make $10M/Year as a YouTuber (7 Case Studies)

  • Sam Parr and Billy Parks analyze seven niche creators making $5–10 million annually with small, loyal audiences.

  • They discuss strategies like product tie-ins, sponsorships, and diversifying income streams beyond traditional advertising revenue.

  • The episode highlights overlooked niches, under-the-radar creators, and how micro-audiences can scale into major businesses.

• How America Goes Broke

  • Ray Dalio explains historical cycles of national decline, warning America faces alarming parallels with past empires.

  • He critiques Washington’s deficit complacency, urging tax reforms, means-testing entitlements, and estate tax changes.

  • Dalio emphasizes America’s mounting debt as its greatest threat, calling for decisive leadership to preserve global dominance.

FUTURISM

• Tesla Proposes $1 Trillion Pay Package for Elon Musk

  • Tesla’s board proposed a staggering $1 trillion performance-based stock package for Musk requiring wildly ambitious milestones.

  • Vesting hinges on achieving $8.5 trillion valuation, 20 million deliveries, 1 million robo-taxis, FSD subscriptions, and humanoid robots.

  • Investors anticipate a shareholder vote in November to secure Musk’s leadership during Tesla’s AI-robotics transformation phase.

• Google-Apple $20 Billion Search Deal Survives Amid AI Dominance

  • A federal judge upheld Google’s lucrative search deal with Apple, preserving billions in annual search revenue.

  • The ruling cited AI innovation threats and warned breaking the deal could harm competition and technological advancement.

  • Critics worry the decision further entrenches Silicon Valley’s duopoly and hinders emerging AI search platforms’ access.

• Personalized AI Companion App Dot Is Shutting Down

  • AI companion app Dot, designed as a personalized confidante, announced it will finish operations by October 5 this year.

  • Users have one month to export their data before services terminate, according to the startup’s official statement.

  • The shutdown underscores growing scrutiny and safety concerns surrounding emotionally tailored AI applications in sensitive contexts.

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EXTRAS

• Trump-Linked Token Launch Sparks Rift With Investor Justin Sun

  • Justin Sun’s WLFI tokens got inexplicably frozen shortly after launch, despite his heavy investment and advisory role.

  • Sun accused WLFI of undermining blockchain fairness, pressing the team publicly for access restoration to his tokens.

  • The glitch tarnishes WLFI’s decentralized image, raising credibility concerns about project governance and Trump-linked token operations.

• HHS Report to Link Tylenol in Pregnancy to Autism and Propose Folate Treatment

  • An upcoming HHS report, led by RFK Jr., links prenatal acetaminophen exposure and low folate levels to autism risks.

  • The study suggests folinic acid may help treat autism, reigniting debate despite prior court rulings dismissing similar claims.

  • Experts warn conclusions remain speculative until peer-reviewed data is released, questioning scientific rigor and potential bias.

• Trump Threatens More Tariffs After EU Fines Google

  • Trump threatened fresh tariffs on EU goods following a massive fine against Google, framing it as economic aggression.

  • He argued punitive European regulation of U.S. tech firms justifies retaliatory trade measures targeting European exports.

  • The move risks escalating transatlantic tension amid ongoing antitrust disputes and trade imbalance concerns.

AND MORE

• U.S. job growth falters in August as unemployment rises to 4.3 percent.

• Investors anticipate aggressive Fed easing following weak payrolls report.

• Two powerful aftershocks strike eastern Afghanistan after deaths exceed 2,200.

• Roko’s Basilisk skips the buzz words and cuts straight to what moves markets, products, and careers. Read it over coffee, sound brilliant on your next call.*

• Thailand elects Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister amid political chaos.

• India will continue buying discounted Russian oil despite looming U.S. tariffs.

• Trump signs executive order renaming the Pentagon as the ‘Department of War.’

• EU remains committed to phasing out Russian oil by 2028, energy chief confirms.

• A U.S. SEALs mission in 2019 mistakenly killed North Korean civilians, report says.