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

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

🏡 Neumann’s Flow hits $2.5B valuation and eyes IPO amid fresh $100M funding.
🌐 Threads rebrands to Threads.com with new features to sync web and app.
📉 Tesla’s profits plunge 70% as Musk faces backlash for political involvement.
🚀 AI-powered glasses from Google promise real-time translation and memory recall.
🧾 Perplexity’s new browser will track user activity to serve hyper-targeted ads.

TECH

• Adam Neumann’s Flow More Than Doubles Valuation, Eyes Eventual IPO

  • Flow raised $100M in fresh funding, doubling its valuation to $2.5B as it positions itself for long-term public market plans.

  • The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, reaffirming investor confidence in Neumann’s residential real estate vision.

  • Flow is exploring an IPO, signaling aggressive expansion in the U.S. rental housing and property management sector.

• Threads Officially Moves to Threads.com and Updates Its Web App

  • Meta’s Threads has switched from Threads.net to Threads.com and added new features to align the web and app experience.

  • Users can now view feeds in synced order, access saved posts easily, and find X (Twitter) followers on Threads.

  • Threads also introduced a share-as-image feature, visual UI tweaks, and broader global ad rollout across 30 countries.

• OpenAI Rolls Out a Lightweight Version of Its ChatGPT Deep Research

  • OpenAI launched a lighter Deep Research version powered by o4-mini, reducing costs while expanding access and query limits.

  • The tool delivers shorter outputs but preserves core research capabilities and is now available to free-tier users.

  • Enterprise and education plans will gain access next week, with automatic fallback when users hit premium limits.

• Master ChatGPT and automate daily tasks for better efficiency*

  • Discover how AI can revolutionize your daily workflow with our free guide, How to Use ChatGPT at Work. Get 100+ AI prompts.

  • Learn expert strategies to integrate AI into your work, automate repetitive processes, and unlock new levels of efficiency.

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BUSINESS

• American Airlines CEO Withdraws Guidance Amid Trade War Fears

  • American Airlines pulled its 2025 forecast, citing uncertainty tied to Trump’s tariffs and a sharp drop in travel demand.

  • The airline posted a $473M Q1 loss as leisure bookings fell, driven by fears of inflation and economic slowdown.

  • Delta, Southwest, and United also cut guidance, reflecting broader concerns over weakening domestic air travel.

• Perplexity CEO Says Its Browser Will Track Everything Users Do Online

  • Perplexity is launching a browser called Comet that tracks browsing, purchases, and behavior to deliver better-targeted ads.

  • CEO Aravind Srinivas says users will trade privacy for ad relevance, echoing models used by Google and Meta.

  • The company struck a pre-install deal with Motorola and is reportedly in talks with Samsung to expand reach.

• Trump Goes After Federal Reserve’s Powell Again

  • Trump renewed attacks on Jerome Powell, calling him a “major loser” and accusing him of keeping rates high for political reasons.

  • He suggested he may call Powell directly and criticized the Fed for being late to act on inflation and rate policy.

  • Despite prior claims he wouldn’t fire Powell, Trump continues to pressure the Fed for immediate interest rate cuts.

CONTENT

• Jeffrey Wasserstrom: China, Xi Jinping, Trade War, Taiwan

  • Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom compares Xi Jinping’s leadership to Mao’s and explores China’s political continuity and control.

  • The episode covers censorship, Hong Kong protests, the Taiwan dispute, and China’s role in U.S. trade tensions.

  • Wasserstrom reflects on modern China's future, drawing from its revolutionary past and evolving global ambitions.

• What Awaits Us in Deep Space?

  • Experts discuss humanity’s next chapter in space, including Mars missions and the search for life on K2-18b and Europa.

  • The panel explores the past, present, and future of space exploration, touching on both science and philosophy.

  • Speakers argue we’re on the verge of becoming intergalactic, reshaping civilization and our understanding of existence.

• How AI Could Change the Advertising Business

  • WPP CTO Stephan Pretorius explains how generative AI is disrupting ad creation, targeting, and customer interaction.

  • The episode explores how AI tools reshape the creative process and raise ethical concerns around surveillance and bias.

  • Host Raja Rajamannar interviews leaders using AI to personalize campaigns and navigate post-cookie marketing realities.

WORLD

• Elon Musk Forced Back to the Boardroom as Doge ‘Blowback’ Pummels Tesla

  • Tesla’s profits plunged 70% as Musk’s political role and Doge layoffs triggered backlash, protests, and brand damage.

  • Tesla lost $800B in market value amid shrinking global market share and rising pressure from competitors like BYD.

  • Musk is scaling back government involvement to refocus on Tesla, though his online political activity continues.

• Missile That Killed Eight in Russian Strike on Kyiv Was North Korean

  • Ukraine confirmed that a North Korean KN-23 missile killed civilians in a Russian strike, escalating global security concerns.

  • Kyiv claims Russia has received over 140 missiles and military aid from North Korea in recent months.

  • The U.S. and allies condemned the attack; Trump publicly urged Putin to stop the offensive and avoid wider fallout.

• India-Pakistan Tensions Rise After Deadly Terrorist Strike

  • A Kashmir terror attack killed 26 and injured dozens, sparking a diplomatic standoff between India and Pakistan.

  • India blamed Lashkar-linked militants and suspended visas, treaties, and diplomatic ties with Pakistan in response.

  • Pakistan denied involvement and retaliated with bans and closures, heightening fears of military escalation.

AND MORE…

• Public Comments to White House on AI Policy Touch on Tariffs

  • Over 10,000 public comments urged stronger creator protections, clearer copyright rules, and AI model transparency.

  • Tech groups warned tariffs on hardware could undermine U.S. AI leadership and slow innovation across sectors.

  • The Trump administration has shifted policy focus from bias and fairness to national security and economic strength.

• OpenAI May Want to Buy Chrome, Says Executive at Google Trial

  • OpenAI said it might buy Chrome if Google is forced to sell it, as it struggles to compete with Bing’s integration.

  • The company is building its search index but admitted delays in achieving 80% in-house query coverage by 2025.

  • Testimony reveals Google rejected OpenAI’s past attempts to license its search capabilities for ChatGPT.

• Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting ActBlue for Foreign Donations

  • Trump ordered an investigation into ActBlue, claiming it funneled illegal foreign money into protests and campaigns.

  • ActBlue denies wrongdoing and says it complies fully with federal election law and fundraising regulations.

  • Democrats called the move political retaliation and a threat to grassroots fundraising across the country.