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šŸ•¶ļø Tech billionaires, bodyguards, and the bot boom

Forget TikTok vs. X—Bluesky’s building the real alt-internet.

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In a week where AI is both hiring and getting hired, Firecrawl made headlines by offering $1M to employ three AI agents—$5K a month, no complaints, no PTO. Meanwhile, OpenAI continues its agentic ambitions with the launch of Codex and a potential $3B bid for Windsurf šŸ„šŸ»

But the tech world’s acceleration isn’t just about innovation—it’s also raising serious red flags. Apple’s quiet courtship with Alibaba is drawing scrutiny from lawmakers over data privacy, while Microsoft's own GenAI tools are straining infrastructure with 3x the fix rate of traditional cloud services. Keep reading for more.

-šŸ•¶ļø

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Eight bullets of updates

  1. šŸ¤– OpenAI launches Codex, an AI agent for coding. It’s also trying to buy Windsurf for $3B.

  2. āš–ļø Trump will sign a bill criminalizing revenge porn and explicit deepfakes. A win for online safety and 30M+ victims.

  3. šŸ Former Siri head pushed for Google’s Gemini over ChatGPT. Cited concerns over data privacy and staying power.

  4. šŸ§‘ā€šŸ’» Firecrawl will pay $1M to hire three AI agents as employees. $5K/month each, no coffee breaks.

  5. šŸ•µļøā€ā™‚ļø Cocospy, Spyic, and Spyzie shut down after a data breach exposed 3.2M user emails. Major blow to stalkerware apps.

  6. ā˜ļø Microsoft says GenAI cloud services need 3x more fixes than traditional ones. Infra isn't ready for the load.

  7. šŸ‡ØšŸ‡³ Lawmakers are questioning Apple’s AI deal with Alibaba. Concerns over data sharing and China ties. Apple stays silent.

  8. šŸ›ļø A judge blocked DOGE's takeover of the $500M US Institute of Peace HQ. Yes, that actually happened.

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Bluesky: the anti-platform platform that’s actually working

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber is leading a bold effort to reinvent social media through decentralization and user control. What began as a Twitter offshoot has grown into a 34.6M-user platform powered by the open-source AT Protocol, allowing apps to interconnect while keeping their own rules. Graber, known for her anti-hierarchical stance and tech roots in crypto, is building an ecosystem where users can carry their identities and followers across apps like Bluesky and Skylight, creating a flexible, user-owned web.

Graber’s vision is to turn Bluesky into civic infrastructure for the internet—a foundation for free expression, diverse moderation, and creator control. The platform is rolling out features like in-app communities and verification, while exploring monetization through subscriptions and developer services. With support from developers, creators, and even political figures, Bluesky aims to be more than a Twitter rival—it’s shaping up as the open, interoperable future of the social web. Read more.

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The (Ghosted) Snapchat Founder

We dive into the surprising true story behind Snapchat's billion-dollar success. While the two well-known co-founders are credited with creating the app, the real genius behind the idea was Reggie Brown. But a crucial mistake led him to lose out on billions. Watch as we break down the legal battle, the investigation by Billy Gallager, and the leaked deposition of Evan Spiegel to piece together this drama. Who really deserves credit for Snapchat's success? šŸ•¶ļø Subscribe for more videos! šŸ•¶ļø 

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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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Apple's New Smart Display Confirms What This Startup Knew All Along

Apple has entered the smart home race with its new Smart Display, firing a $158B signal that connected homes are the future.

When Apple moves in, it doesn’t just join the market — it transforms it.

One company has been quietly preparing for this moment.

Their smart shade technology already works across every major platform, perfectly positioned to capture the wave of new consumers Apple will bring.

While others scramble to catch up, this startup is already shifting production from China to its new facility in the Philippines — built for speed and ready to meet surging demand as Apple’s marketing machine drives mass adoption.

With 200% year-over-year growth and distribution in over 120 Best Buy locations, this company isn’t just ready for Apple’s push — they’re set to thrive from it.

Shares in this tech company are open at just $1.90.

Apple’s move is accelerating the entire sector. Don’t miss this window.

Past performance is not indicative of future results. Email may contain forward-looking statements. See US Offering for details. Informational purposes only.

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Your CEO has a price tag — and It’s $6.2 million in security

Photo by Nathy dog on Unsplash

Crypto executives are stepping up personal security as threats of violent abductions and privacy breaches rise, fueled by the growing value of Bitcoin and a recent Coinbase data breach that exposed customer information. Incidents like the attempted kidnapping of Paymium’s CEO’s family in France have heightened concerns, prompting more crypto investors to seek long-term protection services. Reflecting the seriousness of the threat, Coinbase disclosed spending $6.2 million on CEO Brian Armstrong’s security last year—exceeding the combined security costs for the CEOs of JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Nvidia.

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