👥A stranger in your Zoom call

👋 Welcome! Today, we’re covering a range of topics from Meta’s new AI Avengers to advancements in virtual collaborations — even with your foreign friends. Get ready for a full spectrum of insights that will keep you informed and engaged!

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AI & TECH

Meta builds team of ‘Superintelligence’ – Meta is building a high-stakes “superintelligence” team led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Offering seven-to-nine-figure packages, it's aggressively recruiting elite AI researchers to close the gap with rivals.

Google’s AI search hurts news traffic – Google’s AI-powered search features—like "AI Overviews"—have slashed click-through rates by over 50% for sites like Business Insider, HuffPost, and the Washington Post, raising alarms in the media industry

ChatGPT outage sparks reliability concerns – OpenAI’s services—ChatGPT, Sora, and API—saw disruption this morning, leaving millions unable to access the platform for hours. The outage raised fresh concerns around AI reliability.

OpenAI strikes big cloud deal – Despite fierce AI rivalry, OpenAI confirmed an unprecedented partnership with Google Cloud to underpin its operations—marking a strategic shift in cloud infrastructure sourcing.

CAREER & WORK

Top internships of 2025 – Summer 2025’s highest-paying U.S. internships are in software engineering, with hourly wages nearing $29. Architecture and financial advising follow closely. Overall internship postings rose 13% year-over-year, signaling strong demand and more lucrative opportunities for early-career talent.

Chipotle Cuts Hiring Time by 75% With AI – Chipotle’s CEO reveals their “Ava Cado” AI chatbot has slashed hiring timelines drastically—helping fast-track new store openings and reducing HR workload.

Career Wisdom from Google’s Sundar Pichai – During a recent Fortune conversation, Pichai urged young professionals to work alongside those who outshine you—embracing growth, learning, and collaboration for long-term success.

ECONOMY & FINANCE

Costly protests (or riots?) – The Pentagon projects the 60‑day deployment of approximately 2,700 National Guard and Marine personnel to Los Angeles to quell post-immigration‑raid unrest will cost at least $134 million—covering travel, housing, and subsistence.

Markets in cruise mode before CPI drop – Markets held steady Tuesday as investors awaited new inflation data due this week. U.S. equities remained near record highs, with optimism fueled by resilient economic signals and anticipated rate cuts later in the year. Traders are eyeing CPI for cues.

Fed likely to hit snooze on rate cuts – The Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates steady through at least September, according to a Reuters poll of over 100 economists. Sticky inflation, driven by tariffs and government spending, has tempered expectations for early cuts. A rate shift may only occur if core inflation meaningfully slows.

VC & INVESTMENTS

Linear rockets to unicorn club – Project management startup Linear just locked in an $82 million Series C round at a $1.25B valuation. Led by Accel, the round also drew backing from Sequoia and Seven Seven Six, fueling plans to scale product, design, and AI development.

Geodesic Launches “Alliance Odyssey” – Geodesic Capital has unveiled the Geodesic Alliance Fund, raising $250M to bolster U.S.–Japan ties. The early‑stage deep‑tech fund focuses on AI, space, robotics, and cybersecurity, with backing from the Japanese government and industry giants. Founded by ex‑U.S. Ambassador John Roos, it's “all‑in” on national‑security tech.

Merit‑based networking scores €3.2M – Italian startup Nova Talent has secured €3.2 million in a funding round led by CDP Venture Capital’s ServiceTech fund, with backing from BY Venture Partners and Doha Tech Angels. The cash will fuel global expansion, AI-driven matching tools, and growth of its B2B Nova Recruiter SaaS platform.

BIG THINK

AI in Virtual Collaboration: Enhancing Teams or Harming Bond?

AI is rapidly transforming how teams collaborate — even internationally. From virtual meetings to task management, AI-powered tools promise smarter, smoother workflows—but they also raise critical questions about human connection and fairness.

One example is the U.S. State Department’s rollout of “StateChat”—a Palantir-and-Microsoft–backed AI assistant used to streamline internal staffing reviews—illustrating how AI is making internal collaboration and decision communication faster and more consistent.

Yet AI in meetings has its downsides. A growing number of users describe being unsettled by “robot gatecrashers”—AI notetakers or summarizers joining calls uninvited, affecting participation, tone, and meeting flow. Experts caution this can lead to cognitive offloading, where participants disengage mentally, decreasing attentiveness and inclusivity.

Meanwhile, organizations deploying AI agents to manage tasks face fresh challenges. A recent Reuters report emphasized that these systems are powerful but potentially risky, warning that employees should be trained to spot errors and not rely blindly on their outputs—and oversight is critical to maintain trust and avoid mistakes.

Still, AI isn’t all robotic overreach. AI-driven collaboration platforms are enabling real-time transcription, language translation, and smart task assignment—breaking down global barriers and boosting productivity. Companies like Microsoft and Google are embedding AI deeply into tools like Teams and Workspace to facilitate more seamless teamwork between dispersed teams.

The question now isn’t whether AI can streamline remote work—it’s how. Organizations face a critical task: balancing automation with empathy, ensuring AI supports rather than replaces human judgment and social connection. The risk is that without intentional design and etiquette, AI-enhanced meetings may become efficient but emotionally hollow.

Actionable Insights:

Set meeting etiquette for AI use: Prior to virtual meetings, clarify when AI tools (like note-takers or summarizers) are active and secure participants’ consent to maintain engagement and trust.
Train teams on AI literacy: Equip employees with guidance on supervising AI agents—recognizing errors, validating suggestions, and ensuring fair, inclusive participation across diverse groups.