🗣️ Does AI have rights?

💙❤️ Happy Memorial Day! Today, we’re covering range of topics from Apple’s big bet on its AI open source journey, bitcoin’s continuous glory days, and hot debate on AI receiving more rights. Get ready for a full spectrum of insights that will keep you informed and engaged!

Apple’s AI goes open-source-ish – Apple will reportedly let outside developers plug into its on-device AI models. At WWDC in June, Cupertino may announce third-party access to features like iPhone’s “Apple Intelligence” – a move to catch up with Google’s open AI offerings.

Big Brother on the D-train? New York City is testing an AI surveillance system in its subways to flag crimes in real time. Officials say it could boost safety, but privacy advocates worry about constant monitoring. Will commuters feel safer – or just watched?

Nvidia bends on China chip ban – Nvidia is reportedly developing a “Blackwell” AI chip variant for China to comply with US export curbs. The cheaper chip will meet Washington’s rules while still giving Chinese firms some AI muscle. Tech’s top chipmaker is walking a geopolitical tightrope to preserve a massive market.

Trump inks $200 billion AI and tech deals in UAE. On a Middle East tour, President Trump announced a flurry of agreements, including plans for the UAE to build the world’s largest AI research campus and buy hundreds of thousands of U.S.-made Nvidia AI chips annually. It’s a massive boon for U.S. tech exports – and highlights the global scramble to invest in AI infrastructure.

Tough Job Market for New Grads – The class of 2025 is entering a rough labor market. Recent college grads face a 5.8% unemployment rate, the highest since 2021. Contributing to the crunch: an uncertain economy under President Trump’s policies, hiring freezes in some sectors, and AI automation. Gen Z grads may need to get creative – from acquiring AI-proof skills to considering alternative career paths – as they navigate the most challenging job hunt in years.

Freelance > Full-time? – More than half of young professionals are freelancing instead of sticking to a single employer, a recent survey shows. Flexible hours and self-employment appeal to young workers—even if it means forging a less traditional career path.

Entry-level jobs endangered by AI. The bottom rung of the career ladder is getting shaky as AI automates routine work once done by interns and newbies. LinkedIn’s Aneesh Raman notes a troubling trend: roles that helped grads get a foot in the door are disappearing. A generation of young workers could struggle to launch their careers if on-the-job learning opportunities dry up.

Powell’s Risky Advice – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told Princeton’s Class of 2025 to embrace uncertainty. He credits “the courage to make mistakes” and a bit of luck for success, urging grads to take risks and even spend part of their careers in public service

Bitcoin’s New Peak – The original crypto hit an all-time high around $112K this week, before a slight pullback as traders took profits.

Student Loan Roadblock – The Trump administration quietly removed the online applications for income-driven student loan repayment plans, forcing millions of borrowers to use snail-mail forms. With borrowers already stretched, taking away convenient digital tools could spike defaults – and frustrations – among young Americans with college debt.

OnlyFans Eyes $8B Deal – The adult content platform known for its creators and subscribers might get a new owner. OnlyFans’ parent is in talks to sell the company for about $8 billion. The company’s revenue has exploded in recent years, and it’s still considering an IPO while fielding other buyout offers. A potential payout that huge underscores the booming creator economy – even controversial platforms are now mainstream mega-businesses attracting serious investor cash.

U.S. Economy Shrinks – It’s official: new data confirm the U.S. economy contracted 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, the worst showing since 2022. Businesses front-loaded imports to get ahead of Trump’s spring tariff hikes, and government spending plunged by 5%. A shrinking GDP raises recession red flags. It also shows how aggressive tariffs and budget cuts can chill growth – a caution sign as Washington navigates between stimulating the economy and fighting inflation.

With generative AI now producing everything from political commentary to poetry, courts and lawmakers are wrestling with a profound question: Should AI-generated content be protected by the First Amendment?

This issue recently surfaced in Florida, where a mother sued an AI chatbot firm after her son died by suicide, claiming the chatbot’s messages contributed to his death. The company argued its bot’s replies were protected as free speech—but a judge rejected that defense, saying the case should proceed. The case has raised alarm about where human responsibility ends and machine “speech” begins.

Supporters of AI speech protections argue that these systems are simply the next evolution of expressive tools—no different than a printing press or camera. Groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation warn that limiting AI speech could open the door to broad censorship of automated content and set troubling legal precedents for emerging technologies.

But others contend that AI is not a speaker in the traditional sense. It lacks consciousness, intention, or accountability. Granting AI speech rights risks blurring the line between human rights and machine utility. Critics, especially in conservative legal circles, argue that allowing AI to operate under free speech protections gives tech companies cover to avoid liability for harmful outputs—like misinformation, hate speech, or, in tragic cases, psychological manipulation.

The debate comes at a time when AI is already being used in political campaigns, media production, and mental health apps—sectors where speech is central and consequences are high. As courts begin to weigh in, we may soon have to redefine not just what counts as speech, but who can actually “speak.”

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36 Days

The average time Americans lose annually to content consumption, including scrolling and streaming.

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