GBU-57 Hits Fordo - U.S. Tech Strikes 💣

TECH

Telegram boss to leave fortune to over 100 children he has fathered

🧬📲 Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram and one of tech’s most elusive figures, has revealed that over 100 children he fathered, some biologically, others via sperm donation, will one day inherit his $13.9 billion fortune. But there’s a twist: they won’t see a cent for 30 years. Durov says this is to ensure they "build themselves up alone" without relying on wealth. Known for defying authority and promoting privacy, his decision reflects a deeper ethos of independence and long-term thinking, even as it invites public scrutiny.

Now living in Dubai and holding French and UAE citizenship, Durov has pushed back against serious criminal allegations in France, calling them "absurd" and politically motivated. As Telegram continues to face global pressure over its moderation policies, Durov defends the platform’s stance on free speech while claiming to have robust efforts in place against illegal content. With more than a billion users and rising influence, his personal choices and legal battles are starting to echo as loudly as his app’s encrypted messages. Read More

Why the AI revolution needs tollbooths?

💡🤖 What started as a silent shift in internet behavior has quickly become one of the most pressing challenges in the digital economy. Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi saw the writing on the wall when AI crawlers flooded websites with traffic, ballooning costs but offering no return. Their response: Tollbit, a digital tollbooth that lets publishers set prices for bots crawling their content. In just 18 months, it’s become a quiet revolution adopted by thousands of outlets, including Time, Newsweek, and the Associated Press, processing over 15 million transactions last quarter.

With AI chatbots now bypassing traditional search engines and real-time crawling replacing static training data, the very foundation of web traffic economics is shifting. Tollbit isn’t just reacting to this shift; it’s shaping it. As Cloudflare gears up to launch its own toll system and AI-generated traffic rapidly overtakes human traffic, the window to redefine digital value exchange is wide open. What Joslin and Panigrahi are building isn’t just infrastructure; it’s a second chance for publishers to avoid the mistakes they made with Google. And this time, they may actually get paid. Read More

OpenAI and Jony Ive remove ‘io’ branding mentions over trademark lawsuit

⚖️📱 A high-profile collaboration between OpenAI and famed designer Jony Ive has hit a branding snag. Just weeks after unveiling a $6.5 billion plan to co-develop human-centric AI hardware, OpenAI quietly removed its announcement video and blog post following a trademark lawsuit. The complaint comes from iyO, a hearing device startup with ties to Google’s moonshot division, challenging OpenAI and Ive’s use of the name “io.” Despite the takedown, both camps insist the project is moving forward.

While the hardware ambitions remain unchanged, the branding now faces an unexpected twist. OpenAI and Ive are gearing up for a legal battle they call “baseless,” but the dispute leaves open whether “io” will survive as the face of this next-generation AI device. It's a reminder that even the most future-forward tech ventures can still get tripped up by something as old-school as a trademark. Read More

Tesla launches long-awaited Robotaxi in Austin

🤖🚗 After over a decade of bold promises, Tesla has quietly launched its first Robotaxi rides in Austin, signaling a pivotal move toward its long-touted autonomous future. Select influencers and investors were invited to ride in driverless Model Y vehicles, accompanied only by a safety monitor in the passenger seat. CEO Elon Musk hailed it as the “culmination of a decade of hard work,” while stressing the company’s hyper-cautious approach to safety. But this initial rollout is tightly limited in both geography and scope, keeping regulators, investors, and skeptics watching closely.

Austin was chosen for its lenient regulatory environment, but the timing is delicate. New Texas laws tightening oversight on autonomous vehicles kick in this September, and federal regulators like NHTSA are already asking questions. Tesla’s actual “Cybercab”, a sleeker, no-steering-wheel vehicle Musk teased last year, is still on the horizon. For now, Tesla is trailing more established players like Waymo, which already operates widely in U.S. cities. But as Musk attempts to reset his narrative amid political fallout and stock volatility, the Robotaxi might just be Tesla’s boldest bet yet. Read More

How did China make electric vehicles mainstream?

🚗⚡ Electric vehicles have become a common sight in China, where affordability and environmental benefits drive everyday adoption. Lu Yunfeng and Sun Jingguo, both drivers in Guangzhou, explain how EVs help them save money on fuel and reduce pollution. China’s remarkable shift from a bicycle nation to the world leader in EV sales stems from a bold strategy initiated by Wan Gang, a former trade and science minister. Backed by massive government investments, estimated at $231 billion since 2009, and a robust supply chain, Chinese companies like BYD and CATL have emerged as global powerhouses, surpassing Tesla and supplying major international automakers.

What sets China apart is its coordinated approach: extensive subsidies, a vast charging network, and fostering fierce domestic competition with startups like XPeng, which blends cutting-edge tech with affordability. This model not only fuels innovation but also creates a sustainable ecosystem where EVs are practical for millions. Despite concerns from some Western leaders about data security and market fairness, China’s EV revolution is reshaping global transportation and offers a glimpse into how industrial policy can drive rapid transformation. Read More

BUSINESS

Why Volkswagen is convinced Waymo and Tesla are vulnerable in the $500 billion robotaxi race, ‘not a winner-takes-all market’

🚗✨ Volkswagen is gearing up to enter the autonomous ride-hailing space with a fresh, collaborative approach that sets it apart from Silicon Valley’s disruptors. Instead of battling existing transit systems, VW’s strategy focuses on partnership and integration, working alongside local authorities and commercial fleets to create a seamless, socially accepted service. Their flagship? The ID. Buzz electric microbus equipped with advanced autonomous tech and fleet management software, designed to complement, not compete with, today’s urban mobility networks. This move is backed by years of quiet testing in Hamburg, showing the power of community trust and cooperation in rolling out next-gen transport solutions.

With projections pointing to a €350-450 billion market by 2035, VW’s MOIA unit believes there’s room for multiple players. Despite the lead held by Waymo and Tesla, Volkswagen sees an opening, especially in Europe’s risk-averse markets where Tesla’s tech still awaits regulatory green lights. Sascha Meyer, VW’s mobility exec, emphasizes that competition is healthy and necessary; no single company will dominate this burgeoning industry. This perspective hints at a future where collaboration and diversity of providers might shape the robotaxi landscape far beyond a simple race to the finish line. Read More

The Dawn of Digital Entrepreneurship: Joint SDG Fund forges new paths for sustainability

🌍💡 The digital world offers huge opportunities, but many communities are still left behind. The UN’s Joint SDG Fund is working with partners like UNESCO and UN Women to change this by building stronger, fairer digital economies. In Kenya, the DigiKen project is creating 15 innovation hubs to teach digital skills and support local entrepreneurs, especially women and youth.

It also trains thousands of government officials to help guide digital growth responsibly and fairly. By 2027, DigiKen aims to create thousands of jobs and help 150 small businesses access funding to grow their digital platforms. This effort shows how smart investments in digital tools and education can boost economies and help meet global goals for a fairer, more sustainable future. Read More

An investor who built a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio by buying 'pigs' explains how he finds overlooked properties

🏢🔍 Jeremy Barker’s real estate journey began out of necessity when his startup needed a larger headquarters, but it quickly transformed into a lucrative venture with over 30 properties generating seven-figure rental income annually. His secret? Seeking out “pigs”, properties that others overlook because they appear rundown or neglected. Barker’s background in construction allows him to see potential where others see problems, turning dilapidated buildings into thriving income sources through strategic renovations and smart leasing.

What truly sets Barker apart is his sharp eye for opportunity in overlooked locations and his timing. He targets buildings that have lingered on the market and single-tenant office spaces being vacated by corporations, negotiating deals that let him market the space for lease even before closing. This approach not only creates demand but also maximizes his negotiating power. Read More

These Startups Are Cracking the Code on Battery Recycling

🔋🌍 The race to solve the critical shortage of rare earth minerals powering electric vehicles and tech infrastructure is accelerating, but opening more mines is no longer the answer. Instead, startups like Ascend Elements, Redwood Materials, and American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) are pioneering innovative recycling methods that recover up to 98% of key metals from used batteries. Ascend’s patented “hydro-to-cathode” process, for example, streamlines recycling by skipping traditional extraction steps, making it both economical and efficient, with plans to start commercial-scale lithium carbonate production in the U.S. this year.

Beyond environmental impact, this recycling revolution is reshaping supply chains and national security, turning end-of-life batteries into valuable domestic resources for lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Ryan Melsert of ABTC, drawing from experience at Tesla, highlights how battery recycling closes the loop, creating a sustainable cycle rather than the wasteful “open loop” of the past. With automakers shifting towards long-term recycling partnerships and demand for batteries surging, these companies are not just innovating; they are building the backbone of a resilient, greener future. Read More

This AI-Generated Laundry Detergent for the Neurodivergent Market Demonstrates the Democratization of Disruption

🧠🧴 Entrepreneur and strategist Michael J. Miraflor used AI to conceptualize a sensory-friendly laundry detergent specifically designed for the neurodivergent community, demonstrating just how radically the startup landscape has changed. Using ChatGPT, he identified an unmet need by analyzing forums, product reviews, and consumer sentiment across platforms like Reddit and Amazon. The AI highlighted sensitivity to scent and texture as key frustrations, then sized the market at over $10 billion. What followed was a rapid, AI-assisted build-out: formulation, co-packer discovery, branding, e-commerce site setup, and targeted marketing, all in record time.

What’s remarkable isn’t just the product, but how Miraflor bypassed traditional barriers to launch with speed and precision. AI handled competitive analysis, creative production, and go-to-market strategy, functions that once required agencies, analysts, and months of planning. His neurodivergent-friendly detergent topped a list of AI-generated startup ideas, even outpacing a microbiome snack bar for men. This isn’t just a clever product; it’s a blueprint for the new rules of innovation. In this era, legacy brands aren’t just competing with startups; they’re competing with anyone who knows how to prompt. Read More

GOOD TO KNOW

On This Day: On this day in 1314 began the Battle of Bannockburn, a decisive engagement in Scottish history whereby the Scots defeated the English, regained their independence, and established Robert the Bruce as Robert I.

Fun Riddle: Who created the Periodic Table?

QUOTE TO MAKE YOU THINK

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ANSWER TO RIDDLE

Question: Who created the Periodic Table?

Answer: Dmitri Mendeleev