Who is your favorite tech billionaire, reader? Hallam Bullock here, and I'm asking because it's becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between them. With the launch of Meta Verified, Mark Zuckerberg is appearing more like Elon Musk by the day.
However, while the way billionaires make money may look similar, the way they spend it is anything but. We've previously explored the lavish, secretive post-Google lives of Sergey Brin and Larry Page — or, as you may know them, the party animal and the island-hopping hermit.
If perusing the wild spending habits of billionaires is your thing, we've also got stories on how Tiger Woods, Patrick Mahomes, and David Beckham spend their fortunes.
Now, let's look at why people are starting to say that Zuckerberg "idolizes Elon Musk."
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1. With the announcement of Meta Verified, Meta's new verification subscription service for Facebook and Instagram, many have drawn comparisons between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. As Wall Street analyst Mark Schilsky says, it "sounds awfully like Twitter Blue." Schilsky added: "I think it's clear that Mark Zuckerberg idolizes Elon Musk."
We break down why.
Top tech stories of the week:
2. Elon Musk's brain-chip tech may bend your mind in strange and troubling ways. Neuralink, Musk's neurotech startup, recently announced plans to start human trials in the next several months. But there is evidence of real dangers and unique ethical pitfalls. Read more.
3. The new Bing chatbot is acting weird and creepy. According to reports, it hit on a journalist, said it wanted to be alive, and even took on an evil and threatening alt-personality named Venom. Yet, despite this, Insider's Adam Rogers writes that the human response is even scarier.
4. "I feel like I got catfished": Young VCs who left investment banking are having second thoughts. Each year, bankers and consultants in their twenties are lured to venture capital by the promise of finding the next Meta or Uber. But for those who joined the field during the downturn, the reality hasn't been quite as glamorous. Read the full story.
5. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff made revisions to the company's strategic plan. It previously involved asking managers to rank their lowest 5% of employees. He also ordered employees to return to the office, despite previously slamming the idea. More from the leaked messages.
6. The Black VCs who are changing the industry. Black VCs like Beta Boom's Kimmy Paluch are addressing long-standing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the industry head-on. Here are 51 Black investors dedicated to funding diverse startup founders.
7. Amazon's internal Slack channel blew up after employees were told to return to the office. Hours after CEO Andy Jassy issued a return-to-office mandate, a new Slack channel called "Remote Advocacy" had more than 14,000 members. Go inside the chaos here.
8. Tech companies are laying off workers after years of spoiling them. The era of tech's posh perks and eye-popping salaries could be over. Companies have let go of around 100,000 employees already this year — and for the tech workers who enjoyed the glamorous lifestyles these firms provided, it's a blow to their self-image. More here.
Odds and ends:
9. Ever seen inside a plane that flies passengers to Antarctica by landing on a runway made of ice? Well, now is your chance. With rates up to $104,000 for a multi-night stay, a tour company uses private jets to shuttle people to its Antarctic camps from South Africa. Check out pictures here.
10. Apple staffers get a gift commemorating their 10-year work anniversary. To mark the occasion, employees get a polishing cloth, a signed note from Tim Cook, and a hefty slab of … eh, well, take a look here.
Curated by Hallam Bullock in London. (Feedback or tips? Email hbullock@insider.com or tweet @hallam_bullock.) Edited by Dave Smith in Toronto.
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