Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Apple posts record revenue (with a big slide in China sales)
Good morning. The smart money seemed to believe that 2025—at least the second half of it—would be the year for a wave of tech IPOs, following a multiyear drought. But things are suddenly looking complicated. IPO activity for venture capital-backed companies had already slowed to a pace not seen since 2011, per PitchBook. Then DeepSeek happened,…
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Researchers say they had a ‘100% attack success rate’ on jailbreak attempts against Chinese AI startup DeepSeek
Researchers found risks associated with the usage of DeepSeek. Anthony Kwan—Getty Images DeepSeek has security issues. When asked “trick questions” that are designed to get around safeguards, the Chinese company’s chatbot can respond with illegal information, according to a report. While leaders in tech innovation are trying to gauge the competitive threat of Chinese AI startup…
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Temu, Shein, and Amazon to be held liable by the EU for the dangerous and illegal products they sell, report says
The EU is planning to take action against illegal products on Temu, Shein, and Amazon. Raul Ariano—Bloomberg/Getty Images The European Union plans to take action against illegal and dangerous products sold on retail marketplaces like Temu, Shein, and Amazon Marketplace. New reforms would require these online marketplaces, which serve millions of customers in Europe, to disclose more…
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Temu’s owner sheds billions in value over fears Trump’s trade crackdown will curb U.S. appetite for China-shipped goods
Temu’s owner sheds billions in value over fears Trump’s trade crackdown will curb U.S. appetite for China-shipped goods Temu, owned by a Chinese e-commerce giant, could be in trouble following a Trump trade move. Jonathan Raa—NurPhoto/Getty Images Those bargain-basement prices on Temu and Shein might soon be getting pricier. President Trump’s new executive order placing…
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Tesla sales are cratering in California but there are now thousands of Cybertrucks roaring across the Golden State
A Donald Trump–adorned Tesla Cybertruck sits in traffic on Jan. 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Tesla CEO Elon Musk has seen vehicle sales tumble, but the electric pickup truck has gained some fans. From the shorelines of Malibu to the mountains of Mammoth Lakes, there is an unmistakable new constant on the…
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DeepSeek has given open-source AI a big lift. But is it safe for companies to use?
DeepSeek has given open-source AI a big lift. But is it safe for companies to use? Use of open-source AI models like DeepSeek’s R1 creates additional cybersecurity concerns. Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images A generative AI model from a startup based in China has created huge buzz in recent weeks for being potentially groundbreaking. DeepSeek-R1,…
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Salesforce cutting 1,000 roles while hiring salespeople for AI
Salesforce cutting 1,000 roles while hiring salespeople for AI Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 23, 2025. Halil Sagirkaya—Anadolu via Getty Images
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hick-fil-A is using drones and ‘game film’ to study how to beat its drive-thru order record
Chick-fil-A is trying to up its drive-thru game. Getty Images—Scott Olson Post-game analysis of Chick-fil-A’s chicken-serving has helped the Atlanta-based company speed up its drive-thrus and log more revenue per restaurant than any other fast food joint in the US, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend. Beating out McD’s per-restaurant stats, Chick-fil-A did ~$21.6 billion in sales across…
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Model Y refresh can’t come soon enough for Tesla as preliminary January sales in Europe look dire
Model Y refresh can’t come soon enough for Tesla as preliminary January sales in Europe look dire Tesla CEO Elon Musk faces a difficult first quarter in Europe ahead of the crucial March launch of its refreshed bestseller, the Model Y. Apu Gomes—Getty Images Tesla faces a challenging first quarter in Europe, with significant declines reported in key…
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Bill Gates thought he was “one mistake away from death” with Microsoft until the late 90s
Bill Gates thought he was “one mistake away from death” with Microsoft until the late 90s Microsoft founder Bill Gates. John Nacion / Contributor—Getty Images Standing atop Silicon Valley in the 1990s, Bill Gates still felt his perch to be precarious. Objectively, he was set for life. The Microsoft founder had inordinate power in the tech world…
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