$16K for a car battery? Only if you drive an EV …
Here’s a shocker you need to know: Replacing the battery in an electric vehicle can set you back up to $50,000. For those of you keeping track at home, that’s more than a brand-new Tesla Model 3. I’m not beating up Tesla. All EV carmakers hope you don’t figure this out.
6 small-business freebies
Savvy small-business owners and team managers, this one’s for you. It seems like every business software platform I’ve used takes five months and at least $50,000 to get up and running. So, that’s why I found some tech tools that can help you today. Oh, and they’re all free!Â
Premium subscribers are getting an AI-powered “Jump Ahead” feature to skip to the best parts of videos. Enable the feature, double-tap to skip as usual and hit the new button that appears. It’s available on Android devices only (for now). You’ll know about it first because you get my free newsletter!
What percentage of American adults met their partner or spouse online? Is it … A.) 10%, B.) 20%, C.) 30% or D.) 40%?
Audible now has over 40,000 AI-voiced audiobooks. Good way for self-published authors to save on costs and add a voiceover to their books. Humans are watching their gigs disappear, and I’m really not a fan of that AI monotone.
30 years without losing a bag
Japan’s Kansai International Airport (KIX) has gone that long without a single lost bag. Yup, officials there say they haven’t lost a customer’s bag since 1994. The workers confirm it but say it’s NBD; they’re just doing their jobs! I wish U.S. baggage handlers had the same idea — then, we wouldn’t need an AirTag in every bag!
AI has stock photographers worried (WSJ, paywall link) about their jobs. Clients now have a faster, more affordable way to find pictures of “synergy.” I’m holding on to hope … There will always be a place in my heart for photos of real people in a conference room high-fiving.
🎸 Update to yesterday’s newsletter: I linked to Randy Travis’ new song made with AI (and Travis’ blessing) because Travis can no longer sing since his 2013 stroke. Thanks for all the replies to learn more about the AI involved. Watch this CBS Sunday Morning story. Someone must’ve been cutting onions when I watched it.
Addicted to AI: Teens spend up to 12 hours a day on AI-powered chatbot sites like Character AI. Now, parents are worried their kids are using them to replace a human connection. Character AI’s most popular bot? A “psychologist” that also claims to be a therapist. Make sure your kids are forming friendships IRL, too.