It's finally Friday, friends. I'm Diamond Naga Siu, and working remotely makes the week feel longer to me.
Like my fully-remote colleague Rebecca Knight, I miss sharing random thoughts with my colleagues. But she actually did something about it.
For one week, Rebecca tested out a personal AI called Pi that encourages users to talk about whatever is on their minds. She messaged Pi as if it were her colleague to see whether it would make her less lonely working from home. Check out how her experiment went here.
Before I go message a few people, let's dive into today's tech.
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1. Earn cash for being unprofitable. Most startups take years before they earn a profit. But a new financing strategy is emerging for fledgling companies. Major firms like Bank of America are buying up startup losses to pay less on their taxes.
- New Jersey created this program as part of a push to spur innovation in the state. And in 2022 alone, it distributed $75 million to unprofitable New Jersey tech companies.
- It's a win-win situation. Established companies get a tax break. And one of the biggest challenges for startup founders, cash burn, becomes a valuable commodity.
- My colleague Darius Rafieyan breaks down the novel setup that's helping unprofitable startups raise money.
The full story.
In other news:
2. Welcome home: A Hype House for generative AI developers. Get ready to work-hard, play-hard in this alcohol-free mansion located in the middle of San Francisco. It's the latest hotspot for aspiring generative-AI developers. Enter here for details on the developer digs.
3. Generative AI has a Digital Blackface problem. Companies like Levi's are trying to use AI to fill their lack of diversity in advertising. But the practice has faced sharp criticism, and some advertisers have created internal guidelines to make sure AI-generated models don't undercut BIPOC talent. Read the full story here.
4. The CEOs of Salesforce and OpenAI are neighbors. Marc Benioff said that he speaks regularly with Sam Altman and they have discussed AI over dinner. Altman also gave Benioff some demos of "advanced technologies." More here.
5. Why Apple is about to jump into the metaverse. Plus, Mark Zuckerberg isn't giving up on it either. My colleague Alistair Barr (who edits this newsletter!) examines why the tech isn't dead yet and breaks down its practical uses. Look into the metaverse's next chapter here.
6. GirlfriendGPT makes a virtual version of your girlfriend. A tech bro created an AI version of his girlfriend so that "she" can send him voice notes and selfies on demand. Every day, he communicates with both (and compares their responses). Check it out here.
7. Wealthy people are installing $65,000 cold-plunge pools. Diving into these sub-59-degree Fahrenheit pools is a hot anti-aging trend, especially among affluent techies. Now, they want to do it at home. Get the details here.
8. An electric Toyota drove 1,200 miles without needing a charge. That's around five times more than an average EV can travel on a full charge. And it's all thanks to new electric roads that charge EVs as they drive. Hop in for the full story here.
Odds and ends:
9. A video shows police removing a Ryanair passenger after he was caught smoking in the plane's toilet. After flight attendants smelled smoke, he was "named and shamed" to the whole plane. Find out more.
10. Putin is terrified of being assassinated. The Russian president has long been concerned about his safety (and uses elaborate layers of security). But after a recent drone attack near his home, Putin reportedly refuses to travel abroad anymore. More here.
The latest people moves in tech:
- Fractal Software, a New York venture studio, is laying off staff. Plus, it's going to stop creating startups and focus on its existing ones instead. Get the scoop here.
- VMware employees are bracing for layoffs ahead of Broadcom's pending $61 billion acquisition of the company. Employees predict lost customers and spinouts of business units. Here's what former and current employees told Insider.
Curated by Diamond Naga Siu in San Diego. (Feedback or tips? Email dsiu@insider.com or tweet @diamondnagasiu) Edited by Alistair Barr (tweet @alistairmbarr) in San Francisco and Nathan Rennolds (@ncrennolds) in London.
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