🕶️ From 2.5B prompts to $44M hacks: the AI plot thickens

Eight bullets of updates

1. 📈 OpenAI’s ChatGPT now handles 2.5B daily prompts, signaling massive AI engagement growth.

2. 🎤 Astronomer's Coldplay kiss-cam fiasco leads to CEO resignation; startup remains steady, eyes AI-driven growth.

3. 🛡️ SharePoint zero-day exploited by hackers, targeting government agencies and 9,000–10,000 systems globally.

4. 🚗 Tesla delays Indian launch, disappointing fans; premium cars make up just 1% of the market there.

5. 🪙 CoinDCX loses $44M in a hack, but assures customer funds are safe and offers a recovery bounty.

6. 🏗️ Cartken pivots to industrial robotics, backed by $20M and key industrial partnerships.

7. 📚 Discover top cyber books on hacking, crypto, and espionage—as the $170B cybersecurity sector explodes.

8. 🪖 Germany dominates Europe’s $971M defense tech boom, with Helsing raising €600M to lead the AI charge.

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Teens, talkbots & tiny red flags

A new study by Common Sense Media reveals that 72% of U.S. teens (ages 13–17) have used AI companions—chatbots meant for personal conversations rather than utility-based tasks like homework or voice assistance. Among them, 52% are regular users, with 13% chatting daily and 21% a few times a week. While companies like Character.AI and Replika are known players in this space, even general-purpose chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude are being used in more intimate, conversational ways. Interestingly, boys were slightly more likely than girls to say they had never tried an AI companion (31% vs. 25%).

The motivations behind using these AI bots vary: 30% use them for entertainment, 28% out of curiosity, 18% for advice, and 17% because they’re always available. While half of teens don’t trust AI advice, younger teens (13–14) are more trusting than older ones. Despite some finding AI conversations more satisfying than those with friends (33%), most (67%) prefer real human interaction. Encouragingly, 80% said they spend more time with real-life friends, and many use AI chats to practice social skills—suggesting a potential role for AI in supporting teen development rather than replacing human relationships.

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Beware of Convertible Notes

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Elon’s Grok levels up—and cashes in

Elon Musk’s xAI experienced a major revenue surge following the launch of its latest AI model, Grok 4, on July 9. By July 11, Grok’s iOS revenue had skyrocketed 325% to $419,000, up from $99,000 the day before the launch, while daily downloads jumped 279% to 197,000. This momentum continued for several days, with revenue remaining well above $300,000. In contrast, the addition of Grok’s controversial, NSFW AI companions on July 14 drove only modest gains—downloads rose 40% to 171,000, and revenue increased by just 9% to $337,000, suggesting limited financial impact. The real revenue driver appears to be the introduction of premium subscription tiers launched alongside Grok 4, including the $300-per-month “SuperGrok Heavy” plan, which offers early access to Grok 4 Heavy and exclusive features. Despite the steep pricing compared to competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, demand for these plans has helped significantly boost Grok’s app revenue.

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Startup Events and Deadlines

1. TOMORROW! Crash Course on Startup Fundraising with Caya (Slidebean CEO) l Jul 23 l Online

2. Slidebean’s Crash Course in Financial Modeling l Jul 24 l Online

3. Startupbootcamp | Energy & Sustainability | Deadline: Aug 10 | South Africa

4. Startupbootcamp | Health & LifeScience | Deadline: Aug 10 | Netherlands

5. New York Venture Summit | 9, 10 Sept | NYC

6. Antler Canada | Deadline: Sept 29 | Canada

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