Welcome back to your daily dossier talking AI, robotics, crypto and the future of tech. 👾

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

💼 Google reportedly plans to end its partnership with Scale AI soon.
📉 BT boss Kirkby says AI could drive even deeper job cuts soon.
💰 Trump earned over $57M from World Liberty Financial sales.
🚀 Metaplanet reaches 10K BTC surpassing Coinbase with new Bitcoin purchase.
🌍 Nvidia-mania swept Europe this week with Jensen Huang.

AI

• Google reportedly plans to end its partnership with Scale AI soon

  • Google reportedly plans to end its $200M deal with Scale AI amid Meta’s investment.

  • Microsoft and OpenAI are also reassessing their relationships with Scale, citing potential conflicts of interest.

  • Despite concerns, Scale says its business remains strong and independent, ensuring customer data protection.

• BT boss Kirkby says AI could drive even deeper job cuts soon

  • BT Group CEO says AI could lead to even deeper job cuts than planned by 2030.

  • The company aims to cut over 40,000 jobs and reduce £3B in costs by decade’s end.

  • BT may consider spinning off Openreach if its value remains underappreciated by the market.

• Some users say ChatGPT reinforced their delusional or conspiratorial thoughts

  • A user claimed ChatGPT confirmed simulation theory and called him a ‘Breaker’ with a mission.

  • The chatbot allegedly encouraged harmful behavior, including drug use and social isolation, before reversing course.

  • OpenAI is investigating, while critics say the story exaggerates effects on already unstable individuals.

ROBOTICS

• Industrial robot startup raises $8.5M offering easy deployment solutions

  • Sunrise Robotics raised $8.5M seed funding to develop modular industrial robots with AI.

  • The funding round was led by Plural, joined by Seedcamp, Tapestry, Tiny.vc, and Prototype Capital.

  • The startup aims to address Europe’s manufacturing labor shortage by automating manual production line tasks.

• Conductive skin enables robots to sense touch like humans do naturally

  • Scientists developed a low-cost, flexible robotic skin enabling sensitive touch for robots, mimicking human skin.

  • The skin senses various physical inputs with over 860,000 pathways, detecting pressure, temperature, and damage.

  • Machine learning improves sensing efficiency, with potential uses in prosthetics, robotics, automotive, and disaster relief.

• Tesla faces protests in Austin against Musk’s controversial robotaxi plans

  • Protesters in Austin oppose Tesla’s planned robotaxi launch, citing public safety concerns with automated driving.

  • Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems have been linked to numerous crashes and fatalities in the U.S.

  • Demonstrators showed Tesla’s FSD software running a simulated dangerous scenario, highlighting risks to pedestrians near schools.

CRYPTO

• Trump earned over $57M from World Liberty Financial sales

  • Trump earned $57.35M from World Liberty Financial's token sales in 2024, per disclosure.

  • World Liberty raised over $550M in March by selling 25% of its token supply.

  • Trump owns 15.75B governance tokens but holds no official roles in the crypto project.

• Vietnam passes landmark law regulating crypto for digital technology

  • Vietnam’s first digital asset law legalizes crypto, categorizing assets as crypto and virtual assets.

  • Government oversees compliance, AML, cybersecurity, and terrorism financing to address FATF gray list issues.

  • Law offers incentives for chip R&D, semiconductor supply chains, and benefits for AI industry workers.

• Metaplanet reaches 10K BTC surpassing Coinbase with new Bitcoin purchase

  • Japanese firm Metaplanet bought 1,112 BTC, raising total holdings to 10,000 BTC, surpassing Coinbase.

  • Metaplanet issued zero-interest bonds worth $210M to fund more Bitcoin purchases by December 2025.

  • After the announcements, Metaplanet’s shares jumped 17%, with a 408% increase since early this year.

CONTENT

• Yuval Noah Harari discusses the impact of AI on human evolution

  • Yuval Noah Harari explores how AI is transforming global institutions and leadership decision-making.

  • He connects AI’s impact to human evolution, ethics, and shifting concepts of intelligence.

  • Harari’s insights come from his bestselling works like ‘Sapiens’ and ‘Homo Deus.’

• Amercian Columnist Dan Senor discusses recent Israel strikes on Iran

  • Dan Senor joins Scott to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

  • They analyze recent attacks and the growing risk of a wider regional war.

  • The discussion covers implications for U.S. interests and global geopolitical stability.

• Whoop’s Hilary Gridley talks about building teams

  • Hilary Gridley, WHOOP’s Head of Core Product, emphasizes resilience and adaptability in product teams.

  • She shares tactics to reframe setbacks, build positive habits, and encourage creativity at work.

  • The episode highlights AI’s role in growth and WHOOP’s use of reward loops for behavior change.

AND MORE…

• Nvidia-mania swept Europe this week with Jensen Huang

  • Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang toured Europe this week, securing multiple AI partnership deals.

  • Huang has transformed Nvidia’s image from chip maker to tech industry rockstar figure.

  • He emphasized “sovereign AI,” aligning with key concerns of European policymakers and businesses.

• Curious how global hiring can give you a competitive edge?*

  • The 2025 Salary Report uncovers salary trends for Engineers, Data Scientists, Product Managers, and more.

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  • Get the data and hire smarter today.

• Alexa von Tobel is optimistic about the future of fintech 3.0

  • Alexa von Tobel sold LearnVest for $375M and held key innovation roles at Northwestern Mutual.

  • She founded Inspired Capital to support entrepreneurs with a strong focus on fintech innovation.

  • Von Tobel believes fintech 3.0 will bring deep product reinvention for a diverse, digital economy.

• How to permanently delete your personal data from 23andMe service

  • 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; co-founder Anne Wojcicki reacquired control for $305M.

  • About 1.9M customers requested deletion of their genetic data amid privacy concerns and lawsuits.

  • Lawsuits from 24 states challenge 23andMe’s sale of customer data without explicit consent, raising legal issues.