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

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

🧑‍💼 Binance appoints Yi He as co-CEO as the exchange restructures global leadership.
📱 India allows deletion of government tracking app following privacy concerns.
💼 Anthropic hires IPO counsel while pursuing massive new valuation.
🎧 Spotify launches multiplayer Wrapped with social listening comparisons.
⚙️ Microsoft lowers AI software quotas amid customer adoption challenges.

TECHNOLOGY

• India Says Mandatory Phone App Can Be Deleted After Backlash (Bloomberg) 

  ^{_{More: TechCrunch, The Star, The Record}}

  • India clarifies that citizens can delete the government tracking app after widespread privacy concerns and criticism.

  • The Sanchar Saathi app was initially presented as mandatory for mobile phone registration verification.

  • Government reversal follows public outcry over surveillance fears and potential misuse of personal data.

• Anthropic Taps IPO Lawyers as It Races OpenAI to Go Public (Financial Post) 

  ^{_{More: Reuters, CNBC, Business Standard}}

  • Claude creator hires Wilson Sonsini law firm for potential 2026 IPO preparations and discussions.

  • The company pursues a private funding round, potentially valuing it above $300M amid expansion.

  • Move positions Anthropic in direct competition with OpenAI for one of tech's largest public offerings.

• Spotify's 2025 Wrapped Becomes a Multiplayer Experience (TechCrunch) 

  ^{_{More: RouteNote, Yahoo}}

  • Spotify introduces social features that let users compare listening habits and create shared year-end recaps.

  • New multiplayer mode lets friends generate combined playlists based on overlapping music tastes and preferences.

  • Enhanced social integration aims to boost engagement and platform stickiness during the annual Wrapped campaign.

BUSINESS

• Binance Names Cofounder Yi He as New Co-CEO (Fortune) 

  ^{_{More: Bloomberg, Coin Telegraph, CoinDesk}}

  • World's largest crypto exchange appoints Yi He alongside Richard Teng in new leadership structure.

  • Move signals organizational shift following founder Zhao's legal troubles and regulatory compliance efforts globally.

  • Yi He previously led Binance Labs and customer service operations during the exchange's rapid growth.

• YouTube Finally Set to Comply with Australia's Under-16s Ban (Bloomberg) 

  ^{_{More: NBC News, Business Standard, Google Blog}}

  • Google's video platform will implement age verification measures following Australia's strict social media legislation.

  • The new law requires platforms to prevent children under sixteen from accessing social media services.

  • YouTube joins Meta and TikTok in preparing compliance systems before the law takes effect next year.

• Microsoft Lowers AI Software Sales Quotas, Customers Resist Newer Products (The Information) 

  _{^{More: Reuters, Sherwood News, Investing.com}}

  • Microsoft reduces sales targets for AI-powered software after enterprise customers show reluctance to adopt.

  • Copilot and other AI tools face pushback over pricing, integration complexity, and unclear ROI.

  • Adjustment reflects the broader challenge of monetizing generative AI amid high development and infrastructure costs.

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  • As aspiring leaders and innovators, this list serves as a bridge to absorbing the knowledge that has propelled others to success.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Palantir Expands Immigration Enforcement Technology with ICE (Washington Post) 

  ^{_{More: Wired}}

  • Data analytics firm secures expanded contract with immigration authorities for surveillance and tracking systems.

  • Technology enables ICE to analyze massive datasets for identifying and locating undocumented immigrants nationwide.

  • Deal sparks renewed criticism from privacy advocates over government use of commercial surveillance infrastructure.

• Missouri Age Verification Law Requires ID Check for Porn, VPN Access (404 Media) 

  • New state legislation mandates government-issued ID verification for accessing adult content and VPN services.

  • Law includes provisions targeting virtual private networks used to circumvent geographic content restrictions entirely.

  • Critics warn that the measure creates privacy risks and sets a precedent for broader internet access restrictions.

• TikTok to Invest More Than $37 Billion in Brazil Data Center (Bloomberg) 

  • ByteDance's platform announces massive infrastructure investment to strengthen Latin American market presence and operations.

  • The data center will handle local content storage amid growing regulatory pressure for data sovereignty.

  • Investment represents TikTok's largest single infrastructure commitment outside China as the platform diversifies globally.

FUTURISM

• The Promise and Peril of Self-Driving Cars (New York Times) 

  ^{_{More: WSJ, CNN, IEEE Spectrum}}

  • Autonomous vehicle deployment accelerates despite unresolved questions about safety, liability, and urban planning impacts.

  • Waymo expands San Francisco operations while incidents raise concerns about technology readiness and oversight.

  • Industry faces tension between innovation momentum and the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks and testing.

• Something Grim Is Happening to Kids Who Got Cell Phones Early (Futurism)

  ^{_{More: ScienceDaily, Newsweek, UPI}}

  • A new study of 10,000+ children found that those given smartphones at age 12 or younger had a higher risk of depression, obesity, and poor sleep.

  • Risks grew as age at first smartphone use decreased—earlier ownership correlated with worse mental and physical health outcomes.

  • Researchers caution that owning a phone at a young age alone correlates with negative outcomes, even without considering screen usage.

• Artificial Intelligence Comes for Amazon and Gmail (New York Times) _{^{More: CNN, Fortune, Axios}}

  • Tech giants integrate generative AI deeply into consumer services for email composition and shopping assistance.

  • Features aim to streamline everyday tasks but raise questions about data privacy and algorithmic dependency.

  • Implementation marks a shift from experimental AI chatbots to embedded automation in mainstream digital platforms.

CONTENT

• Pilgrimage Connects Us with the Genetic Memories of Our Ancestors (The Institute of Art and Ideas)

  • Rupert Sheldrake explores morphic resonance, proposing that memories transcend the brain and shape spiritual traditions across generations.

  • Discussion examines pilgrimage history, shared ancestral memory, and the enduring significance of sacred places within modern secular societies.

  • The segment considers renewed interest in pilgrimage globally, reflecting cultural shifts toward meaning, continuity, and revived spiritual engagement.

• Meta Falls for the AI Trick (The Prime Time)

  • Video analyzes Meta’s missteps in adopting emerging AI strategies, emphasizing overlooked risks, misalignment, and shifting competitive dynamics across platforms.

  • Commentary explores how rapid model deployment created vulnerabilities, exposing flaws in decision-making, oversight, and long-term capability planning.

  • Segment highlights broader implications for Big Tech, investor expectations, and evolving standards shaping artificial intelligence leadership.

• How India Is Rewriting the AI Playbook (The Economist)

  • Tom Standage and Alex Hern explain India’s strategy of embedding locally built models directly into government systems supporting national digital infrastructure.

  • Conversation highlights language diversity challenges, emphasizing why indigenous datasets and multilingual tools strengthen India’s technological autonomy.

  • The episode evaluates the global consequences of India’s approach, illustrating how middle-power nations can influence artificial intelligence development paradigms.

EXTRAS

• AI Slop YouTube Videos for Kids Pretend to Be Educational (Bloomberg) ^{_{More: NPR, Futurism, AOL}}

  • AI-generated children's content floods platforms disguised as educational material despite lacking pedagogical value entirely.

  • Low-quality automated videos exploit recommendation algorithms and parental trust in educational content labels.

  • Phenomenon highlights content moderation challenges as generative AI enables mass production of dubious material.

• Amazon Anime AI Dub Backlash Leads to Removal (Gizmodo) 

  _{^{More: Kotaku, Engadget, AV Club}}

  • Streaming service removes AI-generated anime dubbing after fan outcry over quality and voice actor displacement.

  • Automated translations and synthetic voices failed to capture nuance, leading to viewer complaints and boycotts.

  • Incident underscores tension between cost-cutting AI automation and creative quality expectations in entertainment.

• Anti-Immigrant Material Among AI-Generated Content Getting Billions of Views on TikTok (The Guardian) 

  _{^{More: Media Matters, Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Fast Company}}

  • AI-generated videos spreading anti-immigrant narratives accumulate massive reach despite the platform's content moderation policies.

  • Synthetic content uses realistic visuals and audio to amplify divisive messaging and misinformation at scale.

  • Research reveals automated hate speech evades detection systems designed primarily for human-created content patterns.

AND MORE

• Russian central bank likely to cut its key interest rate by 50 bps at mid-December meeting.

• Ukraine to send senior negotiator to Brussels, then to the U.S. for follow-up talks.

• UN Secretary-General stresses any Ukraine war resolution must obey international law.

• Israel and Lebanon send civilian envoys to first-ever expanded truce talks.

• China and Russia reach “broad consensus” on Japan and Ukraine during high-level talks.

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

• Major food company Nestlé announces former chairman will relinquish honorary title in April 2026.

• Amazon previews new AI agents capable of coding autonomously for days.

• Data-center energy demand is expected to soar nearly 300% globally by 2035.