The hottest Substack posts right now

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Does data quality matter?

benn.substack • 1099 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Data Quality Analytics Business strategy Software Development AI Models
  1. Data quality is important for making both strategic and operational decisions, as inaccurate data can lead to poor outcomes. Good data helps companies know what customers want and improve their services.
  2. AI models can tolerate some bad data better than traditional methods because they average out inaccuracies. This means these models might not break as easily if some of the input data isn’t perfect.
  3. Businesses now care more about AI than they used to about regular data reporting. This shift in focus might make data quality feel more important, even if it doesn’t technically impact AI model performance as much.

A Lens to Understand the Trump Tariffs

Contemplations on the Tree of Woe • 769 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
💰 Finance Tariffs Market Analysis Investment Economics Trade
  1. Not all tariffs are bad; they can help boost domestic manufacturing and protect jobs. The U.S. has lost many manufacturing jobs to overseas markets, which affects both the economy and national security.
  2. Often, tariff threats are used as negotiation tools rather than actual intentions to impose tariffs. For example, Trump used the threat of tariffs to gain cooperation from other countries on unrelated issues.
  3. The bigger issue is that many countries, including China, put up barriers to U.S. products while expecting open access to American markets. Addressing these trade imbalances can be crucial for fair international trade.

Highlights From The Comments On Housing Density And Prices

Astral Codex Ten • 4542 implied HN points • 10 May 23
💼 Business Economics Real Estate City Development Housing Market Urban planning
  1. Density is correlated with high prices, but demand, rather than new units, drives prices up.
  2. Long-term, attracting people through desirability is more impactful than building more houses alone.
  3. Building new housing may attract trendy cities, but some cities may have capped trendiness and adding density won't make them more popular.

Flock Camera Vulnerability: It's Worse Than You Think

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 95 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Surveillance Society Privacy Hacking Cybersecurity
  1. Flock cameras can be hacked easily, giving people full control over them. This means they can be used for bad purposes like stealing data or spying.
  2. Surveillance can make people feel less secure and happy. When people think they are being watched all the time, it can harm their mental health and social connections.
  3. Despite the risks, many places still use Flock cameras and other surveillance tools because they seem convenient. People often accept it without questioning its impact on privacy.

Ticker Take: a weekly newsletter on investing.

Jon’s Newsletter • 139 implied HN points • 11 May 24
💰 Finance Investing Stock Market Market Trends Financial Analysis
  1. Growth is good, but focus on steady companies. Investing in companies like Mastercard and Waste Management can be safer than in more volatile sectors like tech.
  2. Look for quality stocks with strong finances. Companies that have good balance sheets and are undervalued are better bets for stability and growth.
  3. Beware of concentration in one stock. It's smart to diversify your portfolio; don't let one winning stock take up too much space.
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The Greatest Crypto Heist You Never Heard of

DeFi Education • 739 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🔮 Crypto Fraud Economics Blockchain Regulation Technology
  1. Ruja Ignatova is the mastermind behind the OneCoin scam, which defrauded investors out of over $4 billion. She has been on the run from authorities since 2017 and was added to the FBI's most wanted list.
  2. The OneCoin scheme was not a real cryptocurrency and was designed to deceive thousands of investors. Ignatova and her co-conspirators manipulated the value of OneCoin and profited from the scam.
  3. Despite numerous arrests of her partners in crime, Ignatova remains elusive, and her whereabouts are still unknown. Investigators believe she might still be alive and living off the money she stole.

BIG OOF: Patreon is enabling an insane stalking campaign

Natalia Mitigates The Apocalypse • 353 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Online Harassment Digital ethics Content Moderation Tech Platforms Social media
  1. Stalking can happen to anyone, not just famous people, and tech companies like Patreon can inadvertently enable stalkers.
  2. Documenting and calling out instances of stalking and harassment can help raise awareness and hold tech companies accountable for their role.
  3. Coping strategies against online harassment include setting boundaries, exercising, practicing meditation, and using creativity to tell your story.

Bringing Security Out of the Shadows

Resilient Cyber • 99 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Risk management Compliance Software AI
  1. Shadow usage happens when employees use technology without telling the IT or security teams. This is easy to do, especially with things like personal devices and remote work.
  2. Cybersecurity teams often react to problems instead of staying ahead of technology trends. Instead of waiting for issues to arise, they should explore and adapt new technologies early.
  3. Long-lasting issues between security teams and other departments lead to frustration. If security teams work better with others, they can create a smoother, more productive environment.

AI is breadth-first, not depth-first

The AI Frontier • 99 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Market Analysis Innovation Product Development AI Data Strategy
  1. AI works well across many tasks but struggles with the details. It can help with brainstorming or basic coding but doesn't replace expert-level understanding.
  2. When building AI products, think beyond one industry or function. There are opportunities where different jobs connect and can benefit from shared data.
  3. It's important to understand what experts want from your AI. They expect quality insights, so your AI should be ready to provide that next level of detail.

We are all doing AI wrong

Experiments with NLP and GPT-3 • 23 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Tech Culture User Experience Product Management SaaS AI Software
  1. People are tired of AI being shoved into every product; users just want things that work reliably.
  2. Companies aren't using their own AI to fix basic bugs and bad interfaces, which suggests the tech either isn't ready for heavy lifting or it's being used more as marketing than as a solution.
  3. Stop adding gimmicky AI features and focus on fixing small, annoying problems so tools become reliable, private, and actually helpful.

Looking for a better story

imperfect offerings • 239 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Ethics AI Policy Environment
  1. The future of AI may not necessarily be as promising as it has been hyped, with concerns about inflated expectations and potential limited use cases.
  2. The use of generative AI can have unintended negative consequences, such as detrimental effects on academia, exploitation of data workers, and potential harm to minority languages.
  3. AI's impact on the environment, from excessive water usage to electricity consumption, raises concerns about accelerating climate change and misinformation.

Where is the Moat in AI?

In My Tribe • 258 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
💼 Business Corporate strategy AI Economics Finance Investment
  1. Intangible assets, like brand loyalty and know-how, can create lasting profits that are harder to compete against than physical resources like data centers.
  2. With AI, some jobs, especially mid-level roles in fields like finance and law, may decline in value as companies adopt technology to cut costs.
  3. Successful companies will be those that maintain strong relationships and moats now, as they navigate competition with AI model developers.

Michael Shermer LIVE with Coleman Hughes!

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 32 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Skepticism Logic Political Philosophy Public Discourse Epistemology
  1. Experts will explore how skepticism, evidence, and reason help us tell truth from falsehood amid conspiracy theories, deepfakes, and post-truth politics.
  2. There’s an intimate live conversation and a casual post-show meetup in New York where attendees can ask questions and argue in good faith.
  3. Access is limited and behind a paywall — paid subscribers get exclusive presale ticket access, and there are monthly and annual subscription options.

Cigna said to be going after Humana to buy its way into Medicare Advantage

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
💼 Business Mergers Finance Insurance Acquisitions Healthcare
  1. Cigna is looking to acquire Humana to strengthen its position in the Medicare Advantage market. This is important because Medicare Advantage is a growing and profitable area in health insurance.
  2. If the deal goes through, Cigna and Humana together would have around 30 million health plan enrollees in the U.S., but they would still be smaller than their main competitor, UnitedHealthcare.
  3. Cigna's focus on this acquisition shows that they see it as a strategic move to grow, especially since both companies are shifting away from their commercial insurance businesses.

4 Strategies To Elevate Your Communication Style From Engineer To Leader

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 412 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
💼 Business Data Strategy Consulting Leadership Communication
  1. When communicating with non-technical stakeholders, focus on the impact of your work rather than the technical details. Using clear language helps everyone understand why your projects matter.
  2. Highlight the risks of inaction to motivate decision-makers. Making them aware of potential costs or missed opportunities can encourage them to prioritize your recommendations.
  3. Use analogies relevant to your audience to make complex ideas easier to grasp. Relating technical concepts to familiar ideas can help build understanding and trust.

The Securicode Edition

Why is this interesting? • 422 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Automotive Security User Experience Design Innovation
  1. The Securicode keypad is a practical feature on vehicles that allows users to unlock doors without needing a key. It's been around since 1980 and remains popular because it's easy to use and very useful.
  2. Securicode introduces tiered access for vehicles, meaning you can allow someone to access your truck without giving them the ability to drive it. This is great for job sites where you might want to share tools without losing control of the vehicle.
  3. The long-lasting success of Securicode shows that simple solutions can be effective. More complex systems might be fancier, but they often require more resources, making Securicode a smart choice in automotive design.

The big demo

Tabletops • 334 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Product Launch Consumer Tech Spatial Computing
  1. Apple's successful retail experience is crucial for the launch of new products like the Vision Pro.
  2. Apple Vision Pro is a personal and unique product in the spatial computing category.
  3. The detailed and well-coordinated demo experience for Vision Pro at Apple Stores is a key factor in its success.

Why security has become easier

Frankly Speaking • 355 implied HN points • 02 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Tools Data AI Cybersecurity Best Practices
  1. Security tools have improved a lot and are easier to use now. Companies can set up basic security measures quickly without needing huge teams.
  2. AI helps security teams by automating tasks and making their work faster. When used correctly, it can save time on repetitive tasks.
  3. There is now better data on security breaches which helps teams prioritize what risks to focus on. This makes good security practices more accessible and easier to implement.

Death, and rebirth, of virtual reality

SuperJoost Playlist • 456 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Regulation Innovation Gaming
  1. Apple is changing the vocabulary around virtual reality to set itself apart from competitors like Meta.
  2. Regulators are updating policies on children's online privacy in response to the growing popularity of interactive entertainment.
  3. Significant job cuts are happening in big tech companies like Unity and Twitch, affecting the game development industry.

I'd Segment That...

Elena's Growth Scoop • 668 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
💼 Business Personalization Onboarding Activation
  1. Profile your customers during onboarding in B2B PLG to understand who they are and what they want.
  2. Asking profiling questions during activation can actually increase activation rates by giving users a sense of progress.
  3. Segmentation based on monetization can help understand user base health and inform product personalization.

Should everyone do everything now?

Anant’s Newsletter • 6 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
🕹 Technology AI Tools Skills Development Collaboration Software Engineering Design Product Development
  1. AI tools have made it easy to do credible work in neighboring roles, collapsing the old boundaries between engineering, design, and product.
  2. That ease creates a Dunning‑Kruger risk where people reach superficial competence and ship work that misses many subtle but important details and edge cases.
  3. The right response is to learn other disciplines deeply enough to know where your judgment ends, use AI to help but exercise restraint, and defer to specialized craft knowledge when needed.

The Inner Development Goals on Trial

The Joyous Struggle • 671 implied HN points • 05 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Humanity Ethics Progress Critique
  1. The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) were created in response to the failure to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aim to enhance human capacity.
  2. The IDGs are challenged for their perceived emphasis on personal growth as a means of achieving goodness, their modernist perspective, and their alignment with existing power structures.
  3. Critics question whether the IDGs are truly disruptive and transformative or if they reinforce immunity to change by not addressing systemic risks and structural injustices.

The Investment Case for Chinese Stocks

Modern Value Investing • 353 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
💰 Finance Stocks Investing Economic Growth
  1. Chinese stocks have underperformed global peers, but a potential reversal could be imminent due to recent policy changes and low valuations.
  2. The Chinese government has taken measures to support the stock market, including a significant rescue package and regulatory changes, indicating a shift in approach.
  3. Factors like global underweighting of Chinese stocks, a recovering Chinese economy, and potential monetary policy adjustments suggest a positive outlook for investing in Chinese stocks.

3rd Look at Local Housing Markets in December

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
💼 Business Regional Markets Home Prices Market Data Housing Market Real Estate Sales trends Inventory
  1. The NAR is reporting existing-home sales much earlier in the month now. That shortens the window for early projections and may lead to bigger revisions in the initial numbers.
  2. Inventory is rising across markets — Altos shows single-family active listings up about 10% year‑over‑year and regional samples show inventory up roughly 7–11%. This suggests supply may have bottomed and is returning ahead of the usual spring pickup.
  3. Sales are mixed: December had modest year‑over‑year gains but 2025 was the weakest annual sales year since 1995. In California sales edged up slightly while the statewide median price fell, pointing to softer demand and a more balanced market.

Erika's quick-start guide to research nonprofits

Erika’s Newsletter • 491 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
💼 Business Philanthropy Operations Employment Nonprofits Fundraising
  1. You can start a nonprofit research organization without needing permission from a university.
  2. Research nonprofits can be designed to fit scientific goals rather than fitting into academia or industry.
  3. To start a nonprofit, write a 'two-pager', get connected with potential funders, fundraise, manage money, hire people, get lab space, and manage intellectual property.

What the world needs isn't "Artificial Intelligence" but Optimized Computational Methodologies

Top Carbon Chauvinist • 79 implied HN points • 21 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineering Mathematics
  1. We should focus on making smarter tools instead of trying to make machines think like humans. Real progress comes from solving practical problems, not imitating nature.
  2. Copying how living things work is often a bad approach. Nature is full of flaws, and we don't need to mimic those to create better designs.
  3. It's important to clearly define the problems we want machines to solve. Without a clear goal, projects will struggle and waste resources on unnecessary tasks.

Credit Crunch Tsunami Hits Land

cryptoeconomy • 668 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
💰 Finance Loans Mortgages
  1. Credit crunch is hitting various sectors like car loans, housing, and business loans.
  2. Banks are cutting off car loans due to difficulty in getting buyers approved, affecting dealers.
  3. Mortgages are in a critical state with plunging applications, high debt ratios, and increasing defaults.

David Hume—Why we change our mind

Ralph Ammer • 668 implied HN points • 02 May 23
📖 Philosophy Empiricism Rationalism Induction
  1. David Hume believed that our knowledge comes from outside through observation, not from within through reason.
  2. Empiricists trust that the material world has structure through cause and effect, but Hume questioned the certainty of this trust.
  3. Deductions provide logical certainty, while inductions offer general rules based on probability.

The Sliding Window Technique[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 279 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Algorithms Problem Solving Software Engineering Artificial Intelligence Data Structures
  1. The sliding window technique is a powerful algorithmic model used for problem-solving in coding interviews and software engineering, offering efficiency and practicality.
  2. Benefits of using the sliding window technique include reducing duplicate work, maintaining consistent linear time complexity, and its utility in AI feature extraction processes.
  3. Spotting the sliding window technique involves identifying keywords like maximum, minimum, longest, or shortest, dealing with continuous elements, and converting brute-force approaches into efficient solutions.