Overview
Today’s feed swung between long-haul founder choices, AI seeping into daily life, and geopolitics playing out on camera. Startups weighed independence against acquisition, Google put free SAT prep in everyone’s pocket, and creators eyed a new market for AI avatars. Elsewhere, a retail glitch promised free money until it did not, nuclear advice cut through noise, and leaders tried to square deterrence with diplomacy.
The big picture
Airwallex’s $1.2B fork in the road
Jack Zhang recounts turning down Stripe’s $1.2 billion offer in 2018 after a day with Patrick Collison and a shared vision to build the AWS of financial services. He chose independence, citing Collison’s decades-long Stripe commitment as inspiration. Airwallex is now valued at $8 billion with over $1 billion ARR and has picked up Paynuri to push deeper into Asia, while Stripe’s own rise has been striking. 🔗 Post link
Google puts free SAT practice inside Gemini
Google and The Princeton Review rolled out full-length, on-demand SAT practice in the Gemini app with instant feedback and study plans. It launched at Bett UK, with more exams promised. The pitch is simple - say you want a practice SAT, then sit a proper mock. 🔗 Post link 🔗 Post link
LiveContainer runs iOS apps without full installs
Tom Dörr shares a tool that launches iOS apps via virtualisation to skirt the three-app sideloading cap, adds resizable windows and tweak injection, and keeps data per app version. It needs iOS 15+ and a sideloader for signing, and replies flag real security trade-offs for non-experts. 🔗 Post link
Tesla’s Camp Mode turns EVs into cabins
Tesla spotlights a known feature that keeps climate, power and entertainment running overnight, with a quick setup video and a lantern in the boot for good measure. Owners in replies swap road trip tips and accessories. 🔗 Post link
Musk’s pitch for X as a shared consciousness
In a short clip, Elon Musk frames X as a global town square with secure messaging and audio or video calls, contrasting it with short-hit media he calls brain rot. The replies oscillate between praise, memes and scepticism. 🔗 Post link
Musk on AI values - truth, curiosity, beauty
Another Musk clip, shared by Mario Nawfal, argues truth prevents AI from going off the rails, curiosity drives exploration, and a sense of beauty points to a future worth having. It aligns with xAI’s truth-seeking stance and nods to research on curiosity improving adaptability. 🔗 Post link
GameStop patches a trade-in profit loop
A YouTuber found a trade-in promo quirk that netted about $57 per cycle buying a Switch 2 then flipping it back with a game add-on. GameStop says it was a limited-store error and has been fixed. The internet did what it does in the meantime. 🔗 Post link
Nuclear survival advice goes viral
A blunt video says the danger after a blast is panic, not just radiation - get indoors, stay put for 72 hours, and skip conditioner during decontamination since it can trap particles. It tracks with FEMA and CDC guidance and shows how practical tips cut through fear. 🔗 Post link
Trump rules out force on Greenland, talks tariffs
At Davos, President Trump says he will not use military force on Greenland, pointing to economic pressure instead. The Kobeissi Letter frames it as a late stage in a familiar tariff playbook after talks with NATO partners. 🔗 Post link
Finland’s president ties himself in knots over European defence
Alexander Stubb says Europe can defend itself without the U.S., then disowns the line minutes later when pressed. The clip lands amid fresh debate on NATO burden-sharing and autonomy. 🔗 Post link
Ryanair’s O’Leary to Elon - buy shares if you like, control is off limits
Michael O’Leary welcomes the attention and says Musk is free to invest, but EU rules block non-Europeans from control. The spat boosts both brands and spotlights airline ownership limits. 🔗 Post link
Higgsfield wants to pay AI influencers real money
Higgsfield launches EARN, a platform that promises guaranteed payouts up to $100,000 a week for AI-created personas made in its studio. The hype is loud, the business model will need proof over time. 🔗 Post link
Naval’s two-line nudge on anxiety
“The solution to anxiety is action.” Naval compresses a behavioural truth into seven words, echoing research on behavioural activation that finds small steps reduce symptoms better than rumination. 🔗 Post link
Why it matters
- Founder resolve compounds. Zhang’s decision shows how clarity of mission and time horizon can outrun big cheques. The lesson for founders - know your game, then stick to it.
- AI is turning into public infrastructure. Free SAT mocks lower prep costs for millions, yet they raise fresh questions on test integrity, data use, and who trusts which explanations.
- Open tooling tests platform rules. LiveContainer is handy for builders, but weaker sandboxing and signing workarounds can spill risk onto everyday users.
- Platforms are vying for civic standing. Musk’s town square framing, plus airline spats and tariff talk, shows how social feeds, regulation and geopolitics now mix in plain sight.
- Simple safety beats doom. The nuclear clip is a reminder - clear, evidence-based steps save lives when panic is the real threat.
- Power plays prefer price over force. The Greenland note and European defence stumble illustrate a broader move to tariffs, alliances and public pressure instead of hard power.
- Systems break where promos meet policy. GameStop’s loop is a case study in how small pricing rules can trigger runaway arbitrage unless guardrails are tight.
- On the human level, action quiets noise. Naval’s line is a practical call for small moves today - write the plan, send the email, take the first mock test.
