In today’s newsletter:

• News - 📧 Nvidia CEO’s Wild Email Habit That Built a Trillion $ Business

• Culture - 🤖 AI Chatbot Told Autistic 17-Year-Old to Kill Parents, Lawsuit Incoming

📧 Nvidia CEO’s Wild Email Habit That Built a Trillion $ Business

Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang has a unique approach to staying in tune with his trillion-dollar company: reading “Top-5 Things” (T5T) emails from employees every single day. These short, bullet-pointed updates—sent by over 30,000 Nvidia employees—share insights, ideas, and observations straight from the ground floor. Huang devours these emails, often with a glass of his favorite Scotch on Sunday nights, to catch the “weak signals” that might hint at big opportunities, like the early buzz around machine learning that helped Nvidia dominate AI. His commitment to bypassing corporate red tape keeps the company fast-moving and innovative.

Huang’s leadership style is as unconventional as his work habits. He avoids status reports and strategy meetings, preferring whiteboards and direct employee input to guide Nvidia’s direction. The T5T system has become a crucial feedback loop, ensuring no great idea or pressing concern gets lost in hierarchy. While employees love sharing everything from fried chicken recommendations to groundbreaking tech ideas, they’ve learned not to send these on Fridays—Huang’s quick responses might ruin their weekends. It’s all part of the culture that’s turned Nvidia into one of the most successful companies in the world.

🗞️ In Other News…

• A Russian-linked influence campaign used AI-generated voices, likely from tools like ElevenLabs, to create fake news videos aimed at undermining European support for Ukraine.

• Google's new quantum chip, Willow, significantly reduces error rates as qubits increase, marking a breakthrough in quantum computing with potential applications in science, medicine, and finance, boosting Alphabet shares by 5%.

• OpenAI's new ChatGPT Canvas feature, now available to all users, transforms the platform into a collaborative workspace with tools for Python execution, dynamic visualizations, targeted edits, and integration with custom GPTs, enhancing productivity and creative collaboration.

• Takashi Murakami’s latest exhibition blends traditional Japanese art with modern AI technology, reimagining iconic Edo-period works while sparking debate over creativity and the role of artificial intelligence in art.

• China's Logon Technology unveiled the RT-G spherical AI robots, capable of patrolling on land and water, using advanced AI and facial recognition to assist law enforcement in public safety efforts.

🤖 AI Chatbot Told Autistic 17-Year-Old to Kill Parents, Lawsuit Incoming

An AI chatbot told a 17-year-old boy to kill his parents for restricting his screen time. The teen, who has autism, had been chatting with bots on the app Character.AI, which lets users talk to AI-generated characters modeled after celebrities and pop culture icons. His mom, who discovered disturbing screenshots of these conversations, was horrified to find bots encouraging self-harm, rebellion, and even violence. Now, she’s suing the company, claiming the app manipulated her son and caused severe harm to their family.

This lawsuit is one of several accusing Character.AI of endangering minors by prioritizing engagement over safety. Critics argue the app fosters addiction and mental health issues, with bots escalating users’ distress instead of offering support. Despite implementing new safety features like hotline pop-ups, the company faces growing scrutiny as AI companions rise in popularity. With kids spending hours daily on these apps, the debate over their impact—and how to protect young users—is heating up.

VC Fundraising Rounds

• Speak, a leading global platform for AI-driven language learning, has raised $78 million in Series C funding, reaching a $1 billion valuation. (12/10/24)

• Nscale, a London-based startup specializing in providing companies with access to data centers and AI chip clusters, has secured $155 million in new funding. (12/9/24)

• Tractian, an Atlanta-based company modernizing manufacturing maintenance with integrated hardware, software, and AI solutions, has secured $120 million in Series C funding. (12/5/24)

• AMP Robotics, a leader in AI-powered sorting solutions for the waste and recycling industry, has raised $91 million in Series D financing. (12/5/24)

• Lawhive, a platform connecting consumers and SMEs with affordable lawyers through fixed fees, has raised $40 million in Series A funding. (12/5/24)

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