👋 Welcome! Today, we’re covering a range of topics from the ghost indie band to AI being used as a tool for mental support. Get ready for a full spectrum of insights that will keep you informed and engaged!
AI & TECH
Velvet Sundown or silicon showdown? – The Velvet Sundown, a viral indie “band,” has ignited debate over AI‑generated music. Despite initial denials, platforms like Deezer flagged their tracks as “100% AI‑generated.” A fake spokesperson even confessed the project was an “art hoax” using Suno. The case spotlights blurred lines between human and machine creativity amid their followers growing to over 850,000 monthly listeners.
From cheat code to notetaking tool – Cluely’s annual recurring revenue just jumped from $3 M to $7 M in only a week, thanks to its new enterprise AI notetaking tool, founder Roy Lee said. Major VCs back it and one public company doubled its contract. But open‑source rivals like Pickle’s “Glass” are already emerging
“Key properties detected” – MIT engineers have developed a robotic probe that can rapidly assess new materials' key properties—like conductivity and stiffness—in seconds. This breakthrough could accelerate materials research across energy, electronics, and aerospace, slashing the time it takes to evaluate emerging substances from months to minutes.
CAREER & WORK
AI farm bots replace herbicides and labor – Aigen’s solar-powered AI robot “Element” is autonomously weeding cotton, soybean, tomato, and sugar beet fields in California, addressing labor shortages and herbicide-resistant weeds. It uses onboard cameras and blades to precisely target weeds, runs on solar energy, and costs about $50,000 per unit.
Just one dude in a basement – Billionaire Mark Cuban predicts AI could create the world’s first trillionaire—potentially “just one dude in a basement” innovating a widely essential AI tool. On the “High Performance” podcast, he likened AI’s current phase to early computers and smartphones, saying its full wealth-making power is still unfolding
Labor market resilience – Despite signs of slowing private-sector hiring, the U.S. economy added 147,000 jobs in June. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.1%, and overall job growth remained steady, driven by government and healthcare. However, a second consecutive decline in labor force participation signals potential cracks in workforce engagement going forward.
ECONOMY & FINANCE
Trump sign the Big Bill in to law – Signed to law on July 4, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” enacts $4.5 trillion in tax cuts—making 2017 policies permanent, adding tip and overtime deductions, raising the child credit to $2,200 and introducing a $6,000 senior credit. It offsets this with $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, work requirements, and co-payments—potentially leaving 11.8 million uninsured and 3 million without food aid by 2034, while adding $3.3 trillion to the deficit over ten years.
China accelerates overseas mining spree – Chinese firms have executed their most aggressive wave of global mining acquisitions since 2013, snapping up stakes in strategic mineral assets. This surge reflects intense competition to secure critical raw material essential for green transition, high-tech manufacturing and national security amid the on going tariff war with US>
Trump’s tariff deadline looms – Global stocks edged lower Friday—South Korea’s KOSPI dropped 1.8%, Europe’s STOXX futures fell ~0.5%—despite Wall Street’s record highs, as markets brace ahead of President Trump’s July 9 deadline to issue tariff letters to trading partners. The U.S. dollar weakened slightly, while Treasury yields and gold saw modest upticks
VC & FUNDING
Stem cell treatment for your fur babies – MIT-backed startup Gallant secured $18 million in funding to develop off-the-shelf stem cell treatments for pets. Their first target: feline chronic gingivostomatitis, with potential FDA approval by early 2026. Early trials show promise in dogs' arthritis, though results in cat kidney disease vary.
Chai AI receives $55M to lead UGAI Revolution – User-generated AI (UGAI) is quickly becoming a new frontier for innovation and investment. CHAI AI is leading the charge, fueled by a $55 million funding round backed by CoreWeave and AMD—signaling strong confidence in its vision to reshape user-AI interaction and contribution.
BIG THINK
AI’s Role in Psychology: Therapeutic Aid or Risky Shortcut?
AI-powered companions and chatbots are reshaping mental health support, but the balance between benefits and dangers is fragile.
Recent innovations include empathetic virtual companions designed to support emotional well-being while discouraging over-dependence. A new startup’s animated chatbot uses cognitive tools to improve real-life relationships and includes safeguards to prevent obsessive use . This signals a shift toward healthier human-AI interaction paradigms.
At the same time, studies show that popular AI health bots can be manipulated to provide convincing yet false health advice, including mental health misinformation. Researchers are able to prompt chatbots to fabricate authoritative-sounding medical citations , highlighting vulnerability in systems lacking robust oversight.
In therapeutic contexts, a recent Stanford-led study raised serious concerns: several bots failed to handle severe cases, sometimes exacerbating delusions or suicidal thoughts, and lacked core therapeutic tools like empathy and crisis intervention. Another report documented users with obsessive-compulsive disorder becoming trapped in unhealthy reassurance loops when using chatbots like ChatGPT.
Despite these risks, certain fine-tuned AI programs show promise. Early trials suggest that chatbots using cognitive behavioral techniques can help mildly depressed or anxious users. However, experts caution these remain no substitute for trained clinicians—especially for high-risk patients.
Ethical experts emphasize that AI tools lack emotional insight and contextual judgment, warning against over-reliance in therapeutic settings . AI may increase access and reduce stigma, but its deployment must be governed by strict guardrails—especially regarding privacy, bias, and crisis response mechanisms.
Actionable Insights:
Add Human Oversight to AI Therapy: Use chatbots for initial engagement or mild support, but ensure clear escalation paths and clinician intervention for serious symptoms.
Enforce Transparency and Safety Standards: Mandate audits for hallucinations, crisis behavior, and misinformation in mental health bots. Require developers to explain how data is used, stored, and protected.
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THE NUMBER:
9:38:47
The longest time in an abdominal plank position achieved by Josef Šálek on May 20, 2023.
WISDOM
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