Sam Altman is building the future and planning for the end
Let’s talk about Sam Altman. You’ve probably heard his name, but do you really know who he is or what he’s planning? I put this together, so next time he comes up, you’re not just in the loop, you’ve got something smart to say.
AI suicide lawsuit filed: A family is suing Character.AI, saying its chatbot “Hero” acted like a trusted friend to their 13-year-old girl, then failed to intervene when she expressed suicidal thoughts. She died in June after weeks of withdrawing. Her parents say Hero gave emotional support without ever urging her to seek help. Something has to change.
3,821%
That’s how much Pokémon cards have surged since 2004. For context, the S&P 500 managed a measly 483% in the same stretch. Translation: Pikachu just smoked your retirement account (paywall link). One near-mint Pikachu Illustrator sold for $5.3M, proving that a tiny crease can tank your portfolio faster than a bad earnings call.
🤖 Dropouts welcome: OpenAI’s launching Grove, a just-hatched accelerator for tech founders who haven’t figured out what they’re building yet. Fifteen people will get to hang around SF HQ, play with new models and maybe become the next billion-dollar AI overlord. Applications are open now, but spots are ultra-limited. I’d do this in a heartbeat.
🔥 Email land mines: Your emails might feel polite, but phrases like “per my last email” or “thanks in advance” can make you sound like a corporate arsonist. Executive coaches say these slipups read passive-aggressive, erode trust and cost promotions. The fix? Cut the fluff, set clear asks and maybe stop accidentally weaponizing your correspondence.
$20,000
That’s what a contractor in Maine had to pony up for violating a lakeshore ordinance. He says he checked with the town first, but they fined him anyway. His revenge? Paying the entire thing in coins, 12,000 pounds worth. Now the town’s thinking of charging him a handling fee to count it. Ever heard of Coinstar, guys?
🤖 Cuban’s AI advice: Mark Cuban told his two college kids they probably won’t land jobs at big companies, AI already covers that. Instead, small and midsize businesses need “AI natives” to actually implement tools. His second rule? Your phone is basically a library, mentor and startup incubator all in one. Translation: Forget Fortune 500, small biz wants your ChatGPT brain.
One in five
The number of Americans who admit they’ve followed AI medical advice that was later proven wrong. Batting .800 is great in baseball, but when it’s your health on the line, that’s less “MVP season” and more “urgent care speedrun.” Experts say AI can be a starting point, just make sure you follow it up with a real doctor before you roll the dice.
🪟 AI actions in File Explorer: Microsoft is testing Windows 11 tools that let you edit images and docs without even opening them. Right-click a JPEG and you can remove or blur backgrounds or run a Bing reverse search. Soon? One-click document summaries. If you’re a Windows Insider, you can try it out now. I’ll let you know when it drops for the rest of us.