The hottest Tech Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

❄️💥 Quels risques en 2024 ?

Snowball • 1886 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
💼 Business Tech Finance Economy Startups Investing
  1. Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) is a major tech company that manufactures chips for various devices.
  2. Experts and global leaders predict risks that could cause crises in 2024 like environmental issues and technology advancements.
  3. The internet's evolution to omnipresence due to smartphones raises questions about implications and opportunities.

The Woke Rails of Google Gemini are Literally Just Eric Cartman

Handwaving Freakoutery • 769 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Art Entertainment Tech TV Satire
  1. Google Gemini's AI image generation software is adding 'diversity' into images where it doesn't belong, like popes and knights.
  2. Google Gemini uses a simple hack to generate 'woke' images by altering prompts before running image generation AI.
  3. South Park predicted Google's approach by parodying inserting diversity into images through prompts, comparable to what Google is doing with its AI.

Long on shovels, short on gold

benn.substack • 432 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Tech Investing Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Startups
  1. In the tech world, many companies are heavily investing in AI, with billions of dollars being raised for AI startups and established companies shifting focus towards AI.
  2. Liquidation preferences in startup funding can lead to conflicts of interest between investors and founders, affecting decisions around company sale and financial outcomes.
  3. Despite the hype around AI, success stories of companies profiting from AI technology are not yet as abundant, raising questions about the actual impact and returns of AI investments.

The one thing everyone on social media agrees on

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 570 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media Comedy Sports Tech Fashion
  1. Many people on social media seem to share a common dislike for the New York Times, perceiving it as biased.
  2. Despite differing opinions on which political direction the NY Times leans towards, the widespread criticism suggests it may actually be achieving balance in its reporting.
  3. Critics of the Times should consider the importance of rigorous journalism and ask if there are better alternative publications out there.
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News of the Week (February 5 - 9)

Stock Market Nerd • 825 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
💼 Business Tech Finance Earnings Macro Portfolio
  1. Cloudflare provides web optimization and security, showing strong revenue growth and expanding services beyond traditional security tools like network firewalls
  2. Spotify had a mixed quarter, with growth seen in 2023 but missed revenue estimates for Q4, leading to a focus on evolving its operations
  3. Amazon plans cost cuts in its healthcare unit, while Duolingo faces the risk of potential disruption by emerging GenAI language translation technologies

Entrepreneurial Grift

Points And Figures • 506 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Government Startup Ecosystem Tech
  1. Entrepreneurial grift involves people leveraging connections to obtain government funding through questionable means.
  2. Successful tech ecosystems like Silicon Valley thrive due to early risk-loving capital and mentorship, not government intervention.
  3. Building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem requires genuine risk-taking, execution, and tangible results, not just social connections and titles.

Broadcom’s Google TPU Revenue Explosion, Networking Boom, VMWare Integration

SemiAnalysis • 4849 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
💼 Business Tech Acquisitions Networking Software Revenue
  1. Broadcom is the second largest AI chip company in the world behind NVIDIA, driven by Google's TPU ramp.
  2. Broadcom's strategy involves acquiring companies with strong products, cutting costs, and focusing on core products.
  3. Broadcom has diversified segments including wireless, networking, and custom silicon, with a focus on efficiency and stable growth.

How Duolingo reignited user growth

Lenny's Newsletter • 9571 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
💼 Business Tech Marketing Growth Product Leadership
  1. Duolingo achieved 4.5x user growth over four years through innovative strategies like leaderboards and push notifications.
  2. Their focus on improving retention over new user acquisition led to significant improvements in engagement metrics.
  3. Using data and models, like Zynga and MyFitnessPal did, helped Duolingo identify North Star metrics and drive growth effectively.

OpenAI: Altman Returns

thezvi • 1383 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
💼 Business Tech Management Investing Valuation
  1. The new board at OpenAI is officially back to its previous state.
  2. An investigation and the actions of the new board will gradually reveal the future of OpenAI.
  3. Having a strong board that can hold the CEO accountable is crucial for organizations like OpenAI.

The Gravitational Force of Tech Money

The Future, Now and Then • 144 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Tech Wealth Economy Capital Finance
  1. Gravitational impact of money increases with scale, where extreme wealth creates societal problems beyond personal purchasing power.
  2. Tech billionaires accumulating astronomical sums of money have industry-warping and societal impacts, shaping the future and institutions.
  3. The concentration of vast capital in the hands of a few leads to comical ineptitude and problems society struggles to address, highlighting flaws in the tax system.

What I Read This Week...

Chamath Palihapitiya • 1159 implied HN points • 02 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Tech Medicine Politics Business
  1. Anduril's new autonomous fighter jet has significant advantages over legacy missile systems.
  2. Novo Nordisk paid U.S. doctors to promote its obesity drugs to tackle the global obesity epidemic.
  3. Huawei supports smaller companies in the semiconductor supply chain to build a self-sufficient chip network in China.

CEO of Gig-work Surveillance Firm Resigns

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 742 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
💼 Business Tech Surveillance Leadership Finance Legal
  1. CEO of Gig-work Surveillance Firm, Maury Blackman, resigned after years of court battles and exposure of clandestine surveillance.
  2. Premise Data, an analogue of Uber for data-gathering, faced revenue stagnation despite investments and high-profile board members.
  3. Blackman's resignation led to Matt McNabb taking over as CEO, revealing a history of controversial events and legal issues within Premise.

Nvidia and the Longevity of Technology Moats

The Chip Letter • 2672 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Tech
  1. Nvidia is a major player in AI technology with a market cap over one trillion dollars.
  2. The longevity of technology moats like Intel's x86 and IBM's System/360 can provide insights into maintaining dominance in the industry.
  3. Comparing Nvidia's position with these examples can help understand the sustainability of its competitive advantage in the long term.

Notorious: Common Mistakes Founders Make

Notorious PLG • 235 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Investing Finance Tech
  1. Valuable lessons for early-stage founders include focusing on customer needs, finding product-market fit, and maintaining rapid adaptation.
  2. Operating benchmarks for PLG startups include metrics on organic traffic, conversion rates, activation rates, and user retention.
  3. Financial benchmarks from PLG public companies cover EV/NTM revenue multiples, stock gainers, and recent PLG + AI financings.

"The Economist" Cover Curse, Explained

SatPost by Trung Phan • 95 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Economics Marketing Investing Tech
  1. The Economist's cover is seen as a contrarian investing signal, with examples showing it may indicate market trends, but careful analysis is necessary.
  2. The Economist acts as a curator-in-chief for relevant news, publishing content anonymously in one voice, and holding influence among decision-makers.
  3. Jalapeños are less spicy due to Big Ag influence, TikTok faces potential ban due to bipartisan concerns, and Dune 2 review includes insights on visuals, cast, and production.

Introducing our newest writer

The Generalist • 1421 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Tech Startups Writing Operations Media
  1. The Generalist has welcomed a new writer, Ben Butler, who brings startup experience and a strong sense of taste to the publication.
  2. Ben Butler is a creative individual with a background in writing, stand-up comedy, and screenwriting, adding a fresh perspective to The Generalist.
  3. Ben Butler's addition to The Generalist is seen as a valuable enhancement that will push their thinking forward and improve the quality of written analysis.

Paul Graham, proto-techbro.

The Future, Now and Then • 131 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Tech History Finance Literature Media
  1. Paul Graham's 2004 essay showcases Silicon Valley culture before the emergence of techbros.
  2. The cultural shift in Silicon Valley was influenced by migration waves from the financial industry in the 90s and after the 2008 global financial crisis.
  3. Tech culture has evolved to value charisma and charm over traditional intelligence, as seen in YCombinator's focus on popularity and connections.

Why ASML Matters

False Positive • 38 HN points • 21 Mar 24
💼 Business Tech Economy Politics Security Geopolitics
  1. ASML, a Dutch company, holds a monopoly on creating the world's most advanced microchips through their EUV lithography systems.
  2. The control of ASML by the Netherlands provides a unique chokepoint power in global microchip production, impacting international trade and security.
  3. Despite its power, ASML faces limitations in leveraging its monopoly, as it is enmeshed in Western-dominated supply chains and complexities that restrict its options for challenging export controls.

Anxieties about kids and screen time, train vs. submarine movies, crime-novel recommendations, and other questions

Read Max • 928 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Literature Film Tech Parenting
  1. The writer discusses concerns about raising kids with technology, highlighting the importance of setting boundaries and modeling healthy behaviors.
  2. Submarine movies and train movies are compared, with a humorous take on cinematic transportation in films.
  3. The intersection of AI, writing, and labor is explored, emphasizing the social aspect of writing and the potential impacts of AI on the craft.

Democrats’ Need To Censor And Spread Disinformation Behind Media War On Elon Musk’s X

Public • 380 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Tech Advertising Business Social media
  1. Media Matters claimed X placed ads next to extreme content, leading to major companies pulling ads from X.
  2. X argued Media Matters manipulated ad placement through fake accounts to create a negative narrative.
  3. Attempts to replicate Media Matters' findings by another source did not show ads next to extremist content on X.

The Luddite Kids saying NO to Smartphones

Break Free with Karen Hunt • 1415 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🎭️ Culture Youth Tech Media Wellness Psychology
  1. Young people are starting to reject smartphones and social media for improved mental health and real-life connections.
  2. The increasing use of technology has led to a mental health crisis among students, with many struggling to attend school.
  3. Children are influenced by social media influencers and marketing to buy things, alter their appearance, and follow trends, leading to dissatisfaction and body dysphoria.