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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

👾 Nvidia’s RTX 5090 promises unmatched AI and gaming performance for 2025.
📸 Getty and Shutterstock join forces in a $3.7B merger to combat AI-generated media.
🌍 Tibet earthquake leaves 126 dead and temperatures hamper rescue operations.
📊 Washington Post cuts staff amid $77M financial loss, raising industry concerns.
✈️ JetBlue plane discovery of stowaway bodies sparks aviation security review.

TECH

• Meta Ends Fact-Checking Program, Adopts Community Notes

  • Meta has ended its third-party fact-checking efforts on Facebook and Instagram, shifting to a crowd-sourced ‘Community Notes’ system.

  • The move aligns with practices on X, aiming to leverage users to provide contextual information for posts.

  • Critics worry about the system's reliability, raising concerns over misinformation and the lack of professional fact-checking.

• Nvidia Unveils RTX 5090 GPU

  • Nvidia claims that the new premium GPU is capable of outperforming the 4090 by as much as 2x.

  • The GPU features enhanced ray tracing, faster memory, and superior performance for gaming and creative workloads.

  • Positioned as a flagship product, the RTX 5090 is set to redefine high-performance computing in the consumer market.

• Apple Urged to Withdraw 'Out of Control' AI News Alerts

  • Apple’s AI-generated news summaries have produced false alerts, including fabricated headlines about public figures.

  • Critics, including journalists and watchdog groups, demand Apple suspend the feature, citing risks to public trust in news.

  • Apple plans updates clarifying when AI generates summaries but faces calls to address accuracy concerns more directly.

BUSINESS

• Getty Images and Shutterstock Announce $3.7 Billion Merger

  • Both giants are merging to create a $3.7 billion content giant, aiming to tackle competition from AI-generated imagery.

  • The merger is expected to yield $150-200 million in annual cost synergies within three years through streamlined operations.

  • The deal positions the new entity to expand content offerings while navigating the rapidly evolving AI-driven media landscape.

• Washington Post Implements Layoffs Amid Financial Challenges

  • The Washington Post has cut approximately 4% of its staff, or fewer than 100 employees, mostly from the business division.

  • The layoffs follow a $77 million loss in 2023, declining ad revenues, and stagnant digital subscriber growth as the paper adjusts operations.

  • Critics worry the cuts will impact investigative journalism and coverage of critical topics, further weakening the news industry.

• U.S. Defense Department Adds Chinese Companies to Military List

  • Tencent, Huawei, and CATL have been designated as Chinese military companies, triggering stricter scrutiny and potential trade restrictions.

  • The designation could complicate their access to U.S. markets and heighten tensions in global tech and defense sectors.

  • Chinese firms deny the allegations and may pursue legal action, while experts predict supply chain disruptions and investor concerns.

CONTENT

• How to Get 100,000 Followers in 2025

  • Greg Isenberg and Dr. Tyler Lemco share strategies for building an audience, emphasizing platform focus, algorithms and niche positioning.

  • They advocate starting small, testing content publicly, and scaling gradually while leveraging AI tools for content production.

  • The framework prioritizes audience building before community creation with YouTube Shorts for growth and long-form videos for revenue.

• Three Frameworks to Evaluate Startups and Founders

  • Mike Maples highlights the power law in venture capital, advocating for investments with 10x potential and caution against overfunding startups.

  • His frameworks stress founder psychology, hidden insights, and timing for product-market fit, with case studies from Airbnb and Okta.

  • Maples reflects on missed opportunities and shares predictions for 2025, including the role of AI and shifts in asset pricing efficiency.

• 2025 Predictions with Bestie Gavin Baker

  • The All-In Podcast covers predictions for 2025, naming political and business winners and losers, along with anticipated trends.

  • Gavin Baker highlights the biggest business deals, best and worst-performing assets, and the rise of transformative technologies.

  • Discussions explore emerging media, market shifts, and super predictions that may define the year ahead.

WORLD

• Elon Musk's Political Interventions in Europe

  • Musk’s social media endorsements of far-right parties and criticism of UK leadership have angered European leaders.

  • Politicians like Macron and Scholz warn of destabilizing foreign influence in domestic political affairs.

  • Musk’s focus on controversial UK scandals highlights his provocative approach, despite limited impact on his investments.

• Bodies Found in JetBlue Plane's Landing Gear

  • Two bodies were discovered in the landing gear of a JetBlue plane during a routine inspection in Florida.

  • The flight originated from Jamaica, raising questions about security breaches and stowaway attempts.

  • Investigations are underway, with autopsies planned to determine the cause of death and security lapses.

• Tibet Earthquake Rescuers Search for Survivors

  • A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Tibet has killed at least 126 people, injured 188, and damaged over 1,000 buildings.

  • Freezing temperatures as low as -16°C are adding urgency to rescue efforts, with survivors receiving aid from Chinese forces.

  • Tremors were also felt in Nepal and India, with Tibetan and Nepalese communities fearing aftershocks in the seismic-prone region.

AND MORE…

• Nvidia Chief Calls Robots a Multitrillion-Dollar Opportunity

  • Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang highlighted robotics as a key growth area, projecting AI-powered robots to be a multitrillion-dollar industry.

  • The company’s new platform, Cosmos, aims to simulate real-world scenarios for robots, boosting advancements in logistics and healthcare.

  • Nvidia’s collaborations, like its deal with Toyota, signal a broader strategy to integrate AI into next-gen autonomous systems.

• Trump Proposes Renaming Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’

  • President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico, citing U.S. dominance in the region.

  • Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene pledged support for the proposal, sparking debate over its feasibility and international ramifications.

  • Experts note such a change would require approval from international governing bodies, making it largely symbolic.

• Tesla’s Smart Summon Feature Under NHTSA Investigation

  • NHTSA is investigating Tesla’s Smart Summon feature after 16 crash incidents involving vehicles navigating autonomously in parking lots.

  • Covering 2.6 million vehicles, the probe questions the reliability and safety of the feature in preventing collisions.

  • Tesla’s stock dropped 4% as concerns grow over the scrutiny of its autonomous driving technologies.