How Sequoia-backed Ethos reached the public market while rivals fell short
The profitable life-insurance platform was one of the first major tech companies to test the 2026 public markets.
The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Kids are outsmarting social media bans. That’s not a problem we need to solve. —Michal Luria, Aliya Bhatia, and Danah Boyd Social media bans are stacking up. In July, France joined…
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How to Build a High-Growth Company Without Silicon Valley’s Capital or Hype
Silicon Valley has become shorthand for success. But copying its playbook in places that don’t have the same assets is a fast track to failure.
The iPhone just had its best quarter ever
Growth in regions like China and India are credited with pushing Apple’s phone sales higher than ever.
Guys, I don’t think Tim Cook knows how to monetize AI
One intrepid Morgan Stanley analyst dared to ask how Apple will make money on its AI investments. The answer will not shock you.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports
This merger would bring the Grok chatbot, Starlink satellites, and SpaceX rockets together under one corporation.
Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest $50 billion in OpenAI
If a deal materializes, it would mean Amazon is backing competing startups in the race for AI supremacy.
Medium gives employees Friday off to participate in national strike protesting ICE
Medium gives its employees the option to take the day off to protest on Friday.
Microsoft won’t stop buying AI chips from Nvidia, AMD, even after launching its own, Nadella says
Microsoft says its own chip leapfrogs those made by other cloud providers like Amazon and Google. But it needs more.
The AI Hype Index: Grok makes porn, and Claude Code nails your job
Everyone is panicking because AI is very bad; everyone is panicking because AI is very good. It’s just that you never know which one you’re going to get. Grok is a pornography machine. Claude Code can do anything from building websites to reading your MRI. So of course Gen Z is spooked by what this…
5 Ways Franchise Leaders Can Grow Without Sacrificing Culture
The challenge is clear: how do we preserve the heart of our culture while driving profitability for franchisees?