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

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

⚖️ OpenAI pulls promotional materials around Jony Ive deal due to court order.
📧 Zuckerberg leads AI recruitment blitz armed with $100M pay packages.
💥 Oil surges as US futures fall following strikes on Iran nuclear sites.
💵 Stablecoin evangelist Katie Haun leads the charge for future digital dollars.
🤝 Haveli Investments to buy AI database firm Couchbase for about $1.5B.

TECHNOLOGY

• OpenAI pulls promotional materials around Jony Ive deal due to court order

  • OpenAI pulled a promo video featuring Sam Altman and Jony Ive due to trademark issues.

  • A restraining order forced the removal of the startup name ‘io,’ not the acquisition itself.

  • The deal remains on track despite iYO’s lawsuit claiming potential consumer confusion over branding.

• Zuckerberg leads AI recruitment blitz armed with $100M pay packages

  • Mark Zuckerberg is personally recruiting top AI researchers through emails and WhatsApp messages.

  • He’s focused on building Meta’s new Superintelligence lab to compete in advanced AI development.

  • Hundreds of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs have been contacted directly by Zuckerberg himself.

• EU leaders may be reconsidering their use of U.S. technology and services

  • Trump’s sanctions on ICC’s chief prosecutor triggered Microsoft to disable his email account.

  • The move alarmed European leaders, fueling interest in non-U.S. tech like Swiss-based Proton.

  • Microsoft updated its policies and launched new “sovereign solutions” to reassure European institutions.

BUSINESS

• Oil surges as US futures fall following strikes on Iran nuclear sites

  • US equity futures fell around 0.4% following Washington’s strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

  • Asian equities declined while Brent crude oil surged nearly 3% amid rising tensions.

  • The dollar strengthened against major currencies as Treasury yields inched upward globally.

• Stablecoin evangelist Katie Haun leads the charge for future digital dollars

  • Katie Haun championed stablecoins early, highlighting their value over volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

  • A former prosecutor and crypto task force founder, she launched Haun Ventures after a16z's success.

  • Haun downplays tension with Andreessen Horowitz, focusing independently on stablecoins and blockchain innovation.

• Haveli Investments to buy AI database firm Couchbase for about $1.5B

  • Haveli Investments will acquire Couchbase for $1.5 billion in an all-cash deal.

  • Couchbase shareholders will receive $24.50 per share, a 67% premium from March 2025 pricing.

  • The acquisition aims to strengthen Couchbase’s role in powering enterprise and AI-driven applications.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Japan activists gain ground as shareholders reject Taiyo chief executive officer

  • Taiyo Holdings shareholders rejected CEO Eiji Sato’s reappointment in a rare activist-driven move.

  • The decision underscores the increasing influence of shareholder activism in Japan’s corporate landscape.

  • Executive Vice President Hitoshi Saito has now taken over as the company’s new CEO.

• East Asian currencies are more vulnerable to further oil-price spikes

  • The Philippine peso, Korean won, and Thai baht are most vulnerable to oil-price spikes.

  • A $10 oil-price rise may cut Asia’s current account by up to 0.9% of GDP.

  • The U.S. dollar strengthens as a haven after strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

• Thailand and Cambodia close border crossings as tensions escalate between neighbors

  • Thailand closed a northeastern border crossing amid growing tensions with Cambodia.

  • Cambodia retaliated by permanently shutting down two border checkpoints in response.

  • The dispute unfolds as Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces a political crisis.

CONTENT

• Sam Altman traces the path from early startup struggles to building OpenAI

  • Sam Altman shares his journey from tech-obsessed kid to OpenAI founder, overcoming challenges.

  • He discusses ambitions, personal productivity limits, and building meaningful work with great people.

  • Altman reveals insights on AI’s future, including GPT-4o, multimodal models, and robotics at scale.

• Peter Deng shares key lessons from building and scaling iconic tech products

  • Peter Deng shares insights from leading teams at OpenAI, Instagram, Uber, and Facebook.

  • He reveals hiring strategies and why tech breakthroughs aren’t essential for huge success.

  • Deng discusses product growth, PM archetypes, and the power of data flywheels.

• Sander Schulhoff teaches AI red teaming on Maven and advises AI security

  • Sander Schulhoff pioneered prompt engineering and co-authored a comprehensive study with top institutions.

  • He leads the largest AI red teaming competition, uncovering advanced prompt injection techniques.

  • Schulhoff teaches prompt engineering, advises AI companies on security, and educates millions globally.

FUTURISM

• Tesla robotaxi goes live with first public reactions now coming in

  • Tesla launched its robotaxi service in Austin on June 22, but access is invite-only.

  • Vehicles include Tesla-employed safety monitors and operate only within a tightly geofenced area.

  • Early feedback is from pro-Tesla influencers, raising concerns about review objectivity and transparency.

• Cartoonist Paul Pope is more worried about killer robots than AI plagiarism

  • Paul Pope returns after a decade-long hiatus with new work and a gallery exhibition.

  • His upcoming projects include an expanded art book and the long-awaited release of ‘THB.’

  • Pope warns of AI’s growing impact on artists while considering its use for creative research.

• iPhone is expected to shift toward an all-screen design through two development stages

  • Apple plans to shrink the Dynamic Island in 2025 and launch a redesigned iPhone in 2026.

  • The 20th-anniversary iPhone may feature curved glass, slim bezels, and a seamless all-screen design.

  • A fully all-screen iPhone with under-display Face ID and camera is expected by 2027.

EXTRAS

• U.S. District Court in Washington hosts two major tech trials in decades

  • Washington’s E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse hosted major tech and political trials this spring.

  • Judges oversaw antitrust lawsuits targeting Meta and Google amid unprecedented government lawsuits.

  • The courthouse became a hub for high-profile cases involving Silicon Valley and the Trump administration's actions.

• Apple removes The Parent Presentation Mac ad video from its official YouTube channel

  • Apple moved ‘The Parent Presentation’ ad to the bottom of its College Students page.

  • The ad was pulled from YouTube amid unclear reasons and no comment from Apple.

  • Mixed social media reactions included criticism, calling the ad cringeworthy, possibly prompting its removal.

• China’s 618 festival signals a possible consumer spending rebound across major retail platforms

  • China’s 618 shopping festival saw a 15.2% surge, reaching 855.6 billion yuan in sales.

  • Strong spending was driven by electronics, beauty, and pet care, aided by trade-in subsidies.

  • Despite strong early momentum, consumer sales growth tapered off toward the festival’s end.

AND MORE

• Air India crash may cause insurance premiums to rise by 30%.

• Millions of resumes get blocked by bots, and one man investigates why.

• Weird-shaped Triangle and Sidekick notebooks make me want to write again.

• Disney’s legal fight aims to protect Darth Vader from unauthorized AI use

• iPadOS 26 adds Stage Manager support to more iPad models.

• The Nintendo Switch 2 is an awesome upgrade for parents.

• Get inspired by the wildest brand experiments captured in The Swipe.*

• iOS 26 enables Cinematic Mode video in third-party apps.

• 140k+ readers from Google, TikTok, OpenAI, and Deel love Open Source CEO*

• Apple must leave its M&A comfort zone to succeed in AI.