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🕶️ Internal emails, external headaches: xAI’s $10M loss

One inbox, $10 million, zero happy endings.

Author

Lucila Sarquis
August 16, 2025

Sponsored by

ChatGPT’s mobile app has rocketed to $2B in revenue since 2023, leaving rivals far behind, while Kyte, despite $300M in funding, shut its doors. xAI lost a $10M federal deal over leaked emails, and Les Amis launched in NYC to bring AI-powered friendship to women, transgender, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Video pick: Big tech's formula for hacking your brain

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Seven bullets of updates

  1. 📧 xAI lost a shot at a $10 million federal deal after  controversial internal emails surfaced  during the final review stage.

  2. 🚗 Rental car startup Kyte shuts down after raising $300M+.

  3. 🎥 TikTok updates creator guidelines, clarifying rules for live creators, AI content, and platform-specific shopping.

  4. 📈 5 must-have entrepreneurship skills — Ambition, discipline, grit, coachability, and lifelong learning are key to building a successful venture.

  5. 🩺 Ultrahuman acquires viO HealthTech to launch Cycle Pro, tracking 260K+ menstrual cycles for $3.99/month.

  6. 🏡 VCs back Pacaso’s co-ownership model, opening early investments to 10K+ investors as the market grows 21% annually.

  7. 🇺🇸 U.S. may take stake in Intel — Aimed at boosting domestic chip manufacturing, including the delayed Ohio plant.

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Les Amis brings AI-powered friendship to NYC

Les Amis, the European friendship app for women, transgender, and LGBTQ+ folks, has officially landed in New York — here to rescue you from “I moved here and don’t know anyone” energy. Launched in 2022 by Anna Bilych (ex-PayPal) and Oleg Pashinin (ex-Google AI), it uses its AI assistant “Amis” to pair you with people who share your hobbies, life stage, and possibly your obsession with pottery or Pilates. Membership runs $70/month in NYC (€55 in Amsterdam) and comes with credits you can use for everything from wine tastings to group trips in Morocco. With 120,000 installs, 30,000 event-goers, and a $1M annual run rate, Les Amis kicks off its first NYC events August 25 before heading to Boston, D.C., Miami, and L.A. — because apparently, making friends is now a subscription service.

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Big tech's formula for hacking your brain

Ever wondered how much your scrolling contributes to the coffers of tech giants? In this video, we uncover the mechanics of our digital habits and reflect on the tactics used to keep us engaged to social media platforms.

🕶️ More videos here 🕶️ 

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Big investors are buying this “unlisted” stock

When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VCs who backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso.

Disrupting the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties, revamping the $1.3T vacation home market.

And it works. By handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, Pacaso has already made $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history.

Now, after 41% YoY gross profit growth last year alone, they recently reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.

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Slidebean Revenue Data

Mistakes were made as we grew Slidebean, but those mistakes shaped the lessons that helped us thrive. The journey wasn’t just about surviving—it was about learning and evolving.

To give you an honest glimpse into what growth really looks like, we’re sharing our actual financial numbers from the formative years of Slidebean. Download them now and see the ups, downs, and everything in between that built the company we are today.

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Choose the Right AI Tools

With thousands of AI tools available, how do you know which ones are worth your money? Subscribe to Mindstream and get our expert guide comparing 40+ popular AI tools. Discover which free options rival paid versions and when upgrading is essential. Stop overspending on tools you don't need and find the perfect AI stack for your workflow.

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ChatGPT’s mobile app prints money while rivals play catch-up

ChatGPT’s mobile app has pulled in a staggering $2 billion since launching in May 2023 — roughly 30x what rivals like Claude, Copilot, and Grok have managed, proving it’s not just the smartest in the room, it’s also the richest. In 2025 alone, it’s made $1.35 billion (that’s $193 million a month), while Grok is sitting at $25.6 million and probably wondering what just happened. With 690 million installs and a global spend-per-download of $2.91 ($10 in the U.S.), ChatGPT isn’t just leading the AI app race — it’s lapping the competition and charging admission.

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