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

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

💰 AI boom mints new billionaires faster than any past tech wave.
📱 iPhone 17 Air to be Apple’s thinnest model ever at 5.5 mm.
🇳🇴 Norway’s $1.9T wealth fund sells off Israeli assets.
🚗 Ford invests $2B in affordable electric pickup production.
🌊 Chinese ships collide chasing a Philippine vessel in contested waters.

TECHNOLOGY

• iPhone 17 is the thinnest iPhone ever, expected at the September 9 Apple event

  • Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, including an ultra-thin Air model at 5.5 mm, replacing the Plus variant in September.

  • Expected features include 120 Hz displays, upgraded 24 MP front cameras, redesigned rear bars, and A19 Pro chipsets.

  • Pro models may receive titanium frames, improved battery efficiency, and enhanced AI-powered photography capabilities.

• Apple prepping ultra-low-cost MacBook, likely priced $599–699

  • Apple plans a budget-friendly MacBook using the A18 Pro chip, priced $599–699, targeting students and cost-conscious consumers.

  • Mass production expected late 2025, with launch potentially arriving before year-end or early 2026 globally.

  • The device may feature a 12.9-inch display, colorful casing options, and simplified hardware for affordability and broad market reach.

• Reddit blocks Internet Archive archiving following AI data scraping concerns

  • Reddit will block Wayback Machine from archiving posts, limiting archival access exclusively to the main homepage.

  • Action follows concerns over AI firms scraping Reddit data through the Internet Archive without formal permission.

  • The company aims to protect platform content, control usage, and negotiate direct licensing deals with AI developers.

BUSINESS

• GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke to step down to launch new startup

  • Thomas Dohmke will leave GitHub by the end of 2025 to return to his entrepreneurial roots.

  • Under his leadership, GitHub expanded globally, achieved FedRAMP certification, and doubled AI projects on the platform.

  • GitHub will now be managed under Microsoft’s CoreAI division, with no new replacement CEO appointed.

• Trump secures 15 % U.S. revenue share from Nvidia

  • Trump agreed to allow the export of lower-performance AI chips to China in exchange for 15 % revenue returns.

  • He initially demanded a 20 % cut but settled for 15 % after negotiation with Nvidia’s CEO.

  • Analysts warn that the deal sets a troubling precedent of trade revenue leveraged for political concessions.

• OpenAI brings back fan-favorite GPT-4o after massive user revolt

  • OpenAI brought back GPT-4o as a selectable model after backlash over GPT-5’s rollout and reduced customization.

  • Users preferred 4o’s speed, personality, and reliability; many described losing it as disruptive to workflows and relationships.

  • OpenAI promised clearer model choice, higher limits, and transparency while iterating GPT-5 for better behavior and trust.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Norway’s $1.9 trillion sovereign wealth fund sells off Israeli assets

  • Norway’s sovereign wealth fund divested from 11 Israeli companies and ended contracts with Israeli asset managers.

  • The decision followed mounting criticism of its investments amid worsening conditions in Gaza and the West Bank.

  • The fund cited ‘extraordinary circumstances’ and plans to increase ethical due diligence going forward.

• Why Europe is so worried about Ukraine being excluded from Trump–Putin talks

  • Europe fears a sidelined Ukraine could be pressured into concessions, undermining its sovereignty and regional security.

  • Leaders insist any peace agreement must include Kyiv to ensure legitimacy and protect European stability.

  • A coordinated European response includes virtual summits urging inclusion ahead of the Trump–Putin meeting.

• Chinese ships collide while pursuing a Philippine vessel in a tense maritime chase

  • In a high-stakes pursuit, two Chinese ships collided while chasing a Philippine vessel in contested waters.

  • The incident heightened regional tensions amid worsening disputes over maritime boundaries and fishing rights.

  • Officials are investigating the collision, and warnings have increased amidst growing confrontations in the South China Sea.

CONTENT

• How to build your entire AI workforce in one afternoon

  • Flo Crivello showcases Lindy AI’s Agent Builder and Computer Use, enabling advanced AI agent creation without coding knowledge.

  • Agents can operate computers like humans, navigating websites and applications without requiring any APIs or integrations.

  • Demonstrations include automated LinkedIn outreach, Twitter-to-LinkedIn content posting, and fully automated customer support.

  We woke up at 4 a.m. to do a billionaire’s morning routine

  • Shaan Puri spends a morning with billionaire Hayes Barnard, documenting his extreme early-rising lifestyle habits.

  • The video follows Barnard’s 4 a.m. start, fitness regimen, and structured productivity practices throughout the morning.

  • Offers insight into Barnard’s mindset, discipline, and personal routines that fuel his entrepreneurial success and consistency.

  How to rewire your brain & learn faster

  • Dr. Kilgard explains science-backed methods to improve learning speed and neuroplasticity across different stages of life.

  • Discusses key neuromodulators like dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine, and their roles in brain rewiring processes.

  • Covers therapeutic tools, including vagus nerve stimulation for enhancing learning and treating neurological or sensory conditions.

FUTURISM

• AI is creating new billionaires at a record pace

  • The AI boom is generating immense fortunes and launching dozens of new billionaires faster than any previous tech wave.

  • Founders and leaders of AI startups, model providers, and hardware firms are at the top of new wealth rankings.

  • This surge reflects soaring valuations, rampant funding, and the accelerating power of AI across industries.

• Apple’s new Siri may allow users to operate apps just by using voice

  • Apple is testing a revamped Siri that can control apps through voice-only prompts via the App Intents system.

  • Demonstrations show Siri opening apps, editing photos, sending messages, or booking rides hands-free through voice commands.

  • The feature is expected to launch in spring 2026, making iPhones more accessible and naturally responsive.

• Sam Altman predicts college graduates in 10 years will be super-well-paid on the moon

  • Sam Altman forecasted that college graduates of the future could hold high-paying jobs across the solar system.

  • He contrasts this horizon of cosmic opportunity with current Gen Z struggles in today’s disrupted job market.

  • His message underlines optimism for future careers powered by AI, space development, and technological innovation.

EXTRAS

• Melting Antarctic glacier reveals remains of Briton from 1959 accident

  • Glacier retreat exposed the remains of Dennis ‘Tink’ Bell, a British meteorologist who died in a 1959 crevasse accident.

  • A Polish research team discovered his body and personal belongings, later identified through DNA testing by the family.

  • The discovery brought emotional closure to his loved ones and highlights the human stories behind polar exploration.

• Ford commits $2B to convert Kentucky plant for affordable EV production

  • Ford will invest nearly $2 billion to retrofit its Louisville plant to build affordable electric pickup trucks by 2027.

  • New ‘assembly tree’ production boosts efficiency, cuts parts and assembly time, aiming to compete on cost and scale.

  • The move secures 2,200 jobs and taps into a broader electrification strategy amid shifting federal incentives.

• Trump says gold futures slipped after clarification on tariffs

  • Gold futures eased after Trump clarified that gold bars would not face new tariffs, calming market volatility.

  • His statement ended the uncertainty that had driven near-record bullion prices and disrupted global gold trade flows.

  • Analysts noted the move restored confidence in price discovery and reduced fears of U.S.-driven trade shocks.

AND MORE

• One person killed, 29 wounded after 6.1-magnitude earthquake in northwest Turkey.

• Fire whirls force 800+ evacuations near UNESCO-listed Spanish park during heatwave blaze.

• FTSE 100 climbs as financial, consumer stocks gain while hiring growth slows.

• Your brand deserves to be in front of people who actually make decisions. That’s Memo’s audience.*

• Cuban peso hits record low amid inflation and growing dollarization concerns.

• Fed’s Bowman says weak jobs data reinforce case for three 2025 rate cuts.

• Ukraine will not cede land despite the Trump-Putin meeting plan.

• CaskX allows investors to diversify with aging bourbon barrels using a Self-Directed IRA from a Directed Trust.*