August 19, 2024 | Read Online

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0. Data and calendar

All values as of 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT, other than S&P500 and NASDAQ close (4 PM ET / 1 PM PT).

All times are ET.

1. ARPA-H hires Jean Hébert for $110M project to defeat death by replacing human brain

Could an old brain be made young again?, by Jean Hébert.

The Replacing Aging strategy involves creating whole organs and replacing them.
Because the brain contains the person's identity, it has to be replaced piece-by-piece, to avoid memory/identity loss.
2020: Hébert wrote the Replacing Aging book on the subject.
Initial experiments involved injecting embryonic cells in mice.
$1.5B: annual budget of ARPA-H.
Stroke victims, Alzheimer's patients may be targeted by new project initially.

Watch below a video of Jean Hébert explaining his brain replacement strategy

Jean Hebert | Replacement as the Surest, Fastest, and Cheapest Way to Beat Aging

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3. AirPods 4 on track to be released in 2 variants in Sep.

AirPods 2 and 3 to replaced with 2 variants of AirPods 4.
Both AirPods 4 variants will have similar designs and USB-C.
AirPods 3 successor to come with ANC.
Relatedly, Apple modem chip's full rollout expected to take a few more years.

4. 9% of funds in vintage year 2021 returned any capital to LPs in 3 years, lowest over past vintages

Carta.

2017 vintage had 25% share of such funds.
Soured exit environment in last 18 months is prime cause of poor DPI.

U.S. VC funds from 2022 vintage deployed only 43% of committed capital after 24 months

Carta.

Capital deployment peaked in 2020, with 60% of funds were invested within two years.
Carta releases its Q1 analysis based on metrics from 1,803 U.S. VC funds.

The median IRR of 2022 funds was -6.9%, the lowest in 6 years

Carta.

5. X shuts down operations in Brazil over "censorship orders"

X: X Global Government Affairs.

Brazil's Supreme Court judge Moraes reportedly "threatened" X with arrest.
Moraes sought to block certain X accounts over election disinformation.
Brazilian judge earlier opened a criminal inquiry into Elon over account restrictions.
X remains available to Brazilian users.

6. 56% of Fortune 500 companies cited AI as risk factor in recent annual reports

Arize AI.

281 companies, up from 49 in 2022, cited AI as risk factor in 2024.
22% reference Gen AI in most recent annual reports.
90% of biggest U.S. media & Ent. companies lead in AI risk disclosures.
32 companies talk about AI benefits.

7. Andreessen, General Catalyst, Khosla lead in Series A, B rounds in H1

Ranked by rounds led or co-led:

Crunchbase.

8. Roblox reaches 350M MAUs, more than Switch, PlayStation, Xbox together

Matthew Ball.

9. Interesting videos, posts, and memes

Joe Rogan Experience #2190 - Peter Thiel

Liquidity: Recession fears, AI market shifts, and the future of tech hubs | E1994

Break up Google, Starbucks CEO out, Kamala's price controls, Boeing disaster, Kursk offensive

4 SaaS ideas to build in 2024 (and how to grow them)

10. Other headlines

AI

OpenAI pulls Iranian accounts over U.S. election misinformation.
SearchGPT waitlist closed after getting "overwhelming response."
AMD buys AI equipment maker ZT Systems for $5B.
Runway releases Gen-3 Alpha Turbo, can generate <=10 sec. videos.
Rebellions, Sapeon, South Korean AI chip makers, agree to merge.

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Tech

Dating apps struggling as users seek organic ways to meet people.
Epic Games launches app store on iOS in EU, worldwide on Android.
Google pressured tech influencers to favor Pixel devices in comparisons.
Palmer Luckey: Tablet profile.
Alex Karp: NYT interview/profile.

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Tech & law

Fox-Disney sports service temporarily blocked by judge week before rollout.
Nancy Pelosi opposes California AI bill, calls "more harmful than helpful."
AT&T, Verizon ask FCC to deny SpaceX's bid for waiver over mobile plan.
European Commission asks Meta for additional info about Content Library tool.

Biotech

Methionine restriction as treatment for Alzheimer's?
Osteoarthritis stem cell shot reduces pain by 58% in clinical study.
FDA clears first at-home blood test for syphilis.
Cresilon's bloodstopping gel gets FDI go-ahead.
Genentech to close cancer immunology research department.

Business

Goldman Sachs drops recession odds to 20% from 25%.
Ericsson to sell network portability and data exchange services unit for $1B.

Crypto

NYSE withdraws plan to list BTC ETF options.
Altman's Worldcoin fights global governments over privacy.

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U.S. politics

Democrats propose tax increases on corporations, rich.
DNC kicks off in Chicago, with Biden talking today.
Harris's price control plan branded "communist" by Trump.
Trump to visit U.S.-Mexico border on Thu to counter Harris DNC speech.
California gets new laws to crack down on robberies, car thefts, shoplifting.
Police cannot seize property indefinitely: federal court.

World

Zelensky says push into Russia's Kursk is to create buffer zone.
U.S., South Korea begin joint military drills as North Korea continues threats.
Blinken flies to Israel as U.S. pressures for Gaza ceasefire.
Powerful earthquake jolts Russia's off far east coast.

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