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MULTI-DOOR PRODUCTS

Multi-door products offer multiple, distinct entry points to the same core value, allowing products to serve more users without adding new features.

WE REPLACED PASSWORDS WITH SOMETHING WORSE

Many services use a login method that involves sending a 6 digit code to users for login, which causes many accounts to be stolen.

_The Monetization Operating Model_

VOICE STARTUP ELEVENLABS LAUNCHES AI MUSIC SERVICE

ElevenLabs has launched a new service called Eleven Music that lets users generate music with artificial intelligence. Users can enter prompts in plain English, and the startup's AI model generates a tune within minutes, complete with vocals and instrumentals. ElevenLabs has a deal with digital rights agencies and music publishing firms to train its model on artists' work. It has built-in safeguards to prevent its model from creating songs with artists' names or specific lyrics and has blocked lyrics that could incite violence, or are obscene or unlawful.

OPENAI EYES $500 BILLION VALUATION IN POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE SHARE SALE

The secondary stock sale would allow employees to cash out several billion dollars in shares, pushing OpenAI's valuation 67% higher from its current $300 billion mark.

CHATGPT FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

OpenAI announced that ChatGPT will be made available to all U.S. federal agencies. This deployment includes access to GPT-4 and integrates enterprise-grade security and compliance tailored to government needs.

INDEPENDENT BENCHMARKS OF OPENAI'S GPT-OSS MODELS

THE CIRCUITS RESEARCH LANDSCAPE: RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES

Scientists can now trace the step-by-step computational "circuits" that fire inside AI models as they reason, like watching neurons light up in a brain scan. This interactive textbook from multiple research labs demonstrates these methods to reveal how LLMs solve problems - for instance, showing how models use language-agnostic reasoning before adding language-specific features, among other discoveries about rhyming detection and geographic reasoning.

AUTOMATED SECURITY REVIEWS IN CLAUDE CODE

Anthropic introduced a new feature in Claude Code that automates security reviews. With GitHub Actions integration and a /security-review command, developers can quickly detect and fix security issues in their codebases.

IT'S OWL IN THE NUMBERS: TOKEN ENTANGLEMENT IN SUBLIMINAL LEARNING

Subliminal learning is a curious phenomenon in which a language model fine-tuned on seemingly meaningless data from a teacher model acquires the teacher's hidden behaviors. Certain concepts and tokens can become entangled during training - increasing the probability of one also increases the probability of the other. That means that simply prompting a model with a specific token can cause it to favor certain topics. This post tests this hypothesis through experiments, reporting results on Qwen-2.5 7B instruct.

ROBUST LEARNING WITH NOISY LABELS

ε-softmax is a simple adjustment to softmax that makes deep networks more tolerant to noisy labels.

ELON MUSK DOES REVERSE POACHING FROM MARK ZUCKERBERG'S AI TEAM: ‘XAI HAS MORE POTENTIAL THAN META'

Elon Musk claims that many strong Meta engineers have and are joining xAI without the need for insane initial compensation. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg has been ruthlessly poaching top talent from OpenAI and other firms. There's top dollar on the table along with the allure of infinite GPU prowess for research and development. Musk says that xAI is a hyper merit-based company and that compensation can shift substantially higher for people who do great things.

'WE DON'T BELIEVE IN WORK-LIFE BALANCE': A NEWLY ACQUIRED STARTUP JUST OFFERED ITS 200-PERSON TEAM A CHOICE — WORK WEEKENDS OR TAKE A BUYOUT

Cognition, which bought competitor Windsurf less than a month ago, has offered the 200-person team buyouts amounting to nine months' salary if they don't want to stay and work 80-hour weeks. Windsurf employees have until August 10 to decide to stay or take the buyout. Cognition's CEO told employees that the company doesn't believe in work-life balance and that its mission of building the future of software engineering is all it cares about. Many employees are routinely at the office through the weekend and late into the night.

HOW CHINA IS GIRDING FOR AN AI BATTLE WITH THE U.S.

China is ramping up efforts to build a domestic artificial intelligence ecosystem that can function without Western technology. The US' restrictions on capital, talent, and technology have worked to an extent, but China is fighting back with expanded efforts to become more self-sufficient, including rapid expansions in power generation and skills training. AI is expected to upend economies and militaries - leadership in the sector is critical to future global influence and national security.

GOOGLE TAKES ON CHATGPT'S STUDY MODE WITH NEW ‘GUIDED LEARNING' TOOL IN GEMINI

The Guided Learning tool within Google Gemini functions like an AI tutor and is designed to help users build a deep understanding instead of just getting answers.

OPENAI LAUNCHES $500K RED-TEAMING CHALLENGE FOR GPT-OSS-20B

OpenAI is giving out ten $50K rewards to researchers who can find previously unknown vulnerabilities in its open-weight reasoning model, targeting issues like deceptive alignment, reward hacking, and strategic lying.

GOOGLE AI PRO PLAN FOR STUDENTS

Google is offering its Gemini AI tools free to college students for a year, including Gemini 2.5 Pro, Guided Learning mode, NotebookLM, Veo 3, and more.

TWO ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING AI CHIPS TO CHINA

Two Chinese nationals were arrested in California for allegedly violating U.S. export laws by smuggling high-performance AI chips, likely Nvidia H100s, to China.

MICROSOFT RAIDS GOOGLE'S DEEPMIND AI UNIT WITH PROMISE OF LESS BUREAUCRACY

Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman has been personally calling recruits within Google DeepMind, pitching them on the idea that Microsoft's fledgling AI division is a nimbler, more startup-like workplace than DeepMind has become under Google's ownership.

THE BROWSER COMPANY LAUNCHES A $20 MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION FOR ITS AI-POWERED BROWSER

The introduction of a paid tier means free users will soon face usage limits on AI features.

TORNADO CASH DEV ROMAN STORM FOUND GUILTY ON ONE COUNT

A New York jury found Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm guilty of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, but they acquitted him of sanctions violations and were deadlocked on money laundering charges. The partial verdict spares Storm from a potential 20-year sentence but leaves him facing up to five years. The defense counsel argued Storm had no control over the decentralized protocol, which was used for both privacy and illicit purposes. The decision is seen as a partial win for crypto developers, highlighting the legal ambiguity around building open-source privacy tools. Sentencing is pending, and the DOJ may still retry the unresolved charge.

SEC GREENLIGHTS LIQUID STAKING, UNLOCKS INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPATION

The SEC clarified that receipt tokens from liquid staking aren't securities if the underlying activities are “ministerial or administrative,” effectively greenlighting protocol-driven LST platforms. This unlocks institutional strategies like earning 5–15% staking yields while maintaining liquidity, solving a key treasury obstacle. Liquid restaking on Ethereum has surged to $24B TVL, and the new guidance is expected to accelerate that growth.

AXAL – A SMARTER WAY TO SAVE

Axal is a new stablecoin savings account leveraging DeFi positions to earn a 6-10% yield. Axal acts as a curator of protocols and automatically allocates funds to the appropriate pools to earn high yield at adjusted risk. Currently, the yield sources include Morpho, Aave, and Euler, though there are plans to further expand the strategies and yield sources.

INTRODUCING THE SUPERFORM FOUNDATION

The Superform Foundation was established as a legally independent Cayman foundation to guide Superform's permissionless infrastructure and accelerate decentralization of its consumer finance protocols. It will steward core infrastructure, expand the ecosystem through integrations, grants, and incentive programs, and develop governance and token-utility frameworks for $UP holders. The Foundation will also drive a gradual shift toward community-led governance with full transparency over decisions, treasury operations, and roadmap priorities. Upcoming deliverables include a tokenomics paper, protocol documentation, core governance proposals, and activation of token functionality to coordinate protocol growth.

BALAJI ON TOKENIZED IPOS

Lina Khan's decision to block a major acquisition forced startups like Figma to scale independently, creating outsized value for employees and investors. While some argue Adobe's purchase might have delivered greater returns, proponents counter that in a power-law world, you only need one home run to justify a policy. Balaji calls for easier IPO access, ideally via crypto-native equity markets, to reverse the decline in US listings and avoid the regulatory complexity that entrenches Big Tech. He warns that antitrust interventions and baroque deal structures ultimately strengthen incumbents and that crypto exchanges could supplant traditional capital markets.

BEST HYPE YIELDS

beHYPE campaigns on HyperBeat (20% of the airdrop) and Spectra Finance (29% APR until August 30) reward early depositors with tradable points via Rumpel Labs. Leveraged wstHYPE farming on Sentiment can net an 82.5% APR looped yield, while Pendle offers a 3.11% ROI over 85 days for long-term exposure with exit optionality. Felix Protocol's stability pool provides 16% organic APR on feUSD and discounted HYPE from liquidations. Advanced users can deploy delta-neutral positions – combining fixed-rate farming with shorting – to lock in 15-26% net yields while farming additional ecosystem points.

HYPERLIQUID: THE ECONOMICS OF TRUST

Hyperliquid addresses the industry's “extraction meta,” where speculative token launches and founder dumps erode market trust, by operating without private backers and sustaining continuous buybacks through its Assistance Fund. Its buyback rate is set to repurchase the entire circulating supply in under four years, backed by real revenue and an integrity-driven team, which attracts serious, long-term holders. By aligning incentives around transparent, risk-capital commitment rather than hype-driven speculation, it restores the foundational trust that underpins viable crypto markets. In doing so, Hyperliquid positions itself as a rare, credible store-of-value token amid a landscape of extractive projects.

AAVE BASE USDC DEPOSITS HIT $200M AFTER INCENTIVE CAMPAIGN

USDC deposits on Aave's Base deployment increased 22.7% to a record $200M following the launch of the Base Incentive Campaign on July 23. Framed as an ongoing “arms race” for DeFi dominance on Base, the campaign pits Aave's yield-backed growth model against competitors allegedly burning governance tokens. While the rivalry unfolds, users benefit from the boosted incentives and attractive yields, evidence of how protocol wars can drive adoption.

BASE CHAIN 30-MINUTE OUTAGE

After nearly two years of uninterrupted operation, Base chain experienced a 33-minute pause in block production due to a handoff to an unhealthy sequencer.

MEI PHARMA BUYS $100 MILLION OF LITECOIN

MEI Pharma, a Nasdaq-listed company, bought 929,548 LTC worth $100 million as a treasury asset.

ETHEREUM TREASURY FIRMS ARE NOW “VERY INVESTABLE”

Ethereum treasury companies are now more attractive than U.S. spot ETH ETFs because of staking yield, DeFi access, and normalized NAV multiples above 1.0.

TOM LEE'S ETH BET COULD RESHAPE THE FINANCIAL ORDER

BitMine's Tom Lee is accumulating ETH 12x faster than Saylor's BTC pace, aiming to own 5% of the supply (~6M ETH) by 2026.

YOUTUBE IS GIVING SOME CHANNELS A NETFLIX MAKEOVER

YouTube is experimenting with a Netflix-style interface makeover for select channels through its new Shows feature. The redesign features supersized thumbnails, episode descriptions, "Watch Now" buttons, and scheduled content shelves that resemble streaming services. The UX aims to help creators with connected content appear more like the programming traditional TV networks produce.

APPLE WATCH ULTRA 3'S LARGER SCREEN SIZE LEAKS IN NEW IOS 26 BETA

The upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to feature a slightly larger display with a new 422 x 514 resolution, as revealed in the iOS 26 beta, suggesting either a bigger case or slimmer bezels. Rumored upgrades include satellite messaging, high blood pressure detection, a new LTPO3 OLED display, 5G support, and a next-gen S10 or S11 chip. It will likely be unveiled at Apple's September 9 event.

APPLE'S LATEST LIQUID GLASS DESIGN SHOWS IT WON'T BACK DOWN WITH IOS 26

iOS 26's standout feature is the new Liquid Glass design. Despite some early backlash during the beta cycle, Apple has doubled down on its original vision, refining and expanding it with each release. With the latest beta showing minimal changes and Apple's typical pattern of locking in final designs by August, Liquid Glass is all but confirmed to ship in next month's official release, with potential refinements likely to follow in later updates.

WHAT DESIGNING AI-CENTRIC PRODUCTS LOOKS LIKE NOW AND IN THE (NEAR) FUTURE

The conversational AI market faces explosive growth from £9.2B to £46.4B by 2032, despite only 46% of users trusting AI systems. Traditional interfaces are shifting toward natural language commands, fundamentally reimagining how humans interact with digital products and systems. Future AI-centric products will likely emphasize strong personalities and gamification while requiring designers to balance enhancement with unnecessary complexity.

WHAT I LOOK FOR IN DESIGN PORTFOLIOS (AND WHAT MOST PEOPLE MISS)

Design portfolios stand out in today's competitive job market through strong craft, exceptionally high-quality typography, and creative assets that build trust before interviews begin. The medium itself becomes the message, with thoughtful presentation proving standards and credibility to hiring managers. Portfolios should proactively answer common interview questions about leadership style and approach rather than waiting to be asked.

HAVE DESIGN JOB ADS BECOME TOO SPECIFIC?

Designers are increasingly frustrated by overly specific job listings that demand sector-specific experience, agency backgrounds, or even niche project types—requirements seen as rigid, exclusionary, and reflective of a risk-averse industry. While some recruiters argue this isn't new, the economic downturn, competitive job market, and social media visibility have amplified the issue, prompting growing debate between hiring for safety versus valuing fresh perspectives.

INSTANTLY TURN ANY DOCUMENTS AND IDEAS INTO ANY DIAGRAM

Fluig AI empowers you to transfer any docs or creative ideas into clear, professional diagrams in seconds, easily converting between diagram formats in one click.

BUILD MOBILE APPS FROM TEXT PROMPTS

DreamFlow is a conversational AI that builds complete mobile apps from text prompts. Get fully-functional Flutter apps with AI integrations, database integration, and multi-platform deployment.

FIGMA UI KIT AND DESIGN SYSTEM

Create beautiful, high-performance websites faster than ever before with seamless workflows for Webflow, Framer, and Figma.

FIGMA CEO'S PATH FROM COLLEGE DROPOUT AND THIEL FELLOW TO TECH BILLIONAIRE

Dylan Field dropped out of Brown University over a decade ago to join the Thiel Fellowship program and co-founded design software company Figma. Figma's stock more than tripled in its NYSE debut this week, making Field's stake worth approximately $6.6 billion after a failed $20 billion Adobe acquisition. The company now focuses on AI-powered features like Figma Make, which uses Anthropic's Claude model to generate coded prototypes from design prompts.

A TOP DESIGNER WAS BANNED FROM DRIBBBLE. NOW HE'S BUILDING HIS OWN COMPETITOR

Dribbble permanently banned dozens of designers, including prominent designer Gleb Kuznetsov, following new marketplace rules that require revenue sharing. Kuznetsov's 210 million-follower account was deleted after he shared contact information with clients, violating the platform's updated terms. The San Francisco-based studio founder now plans to launch an AI-focused competitor platform within three to four months.

'THINKING DIFFERENTLY IS A SUPERPOWER': SIMON DIXON ON HOW DIXONBAXI WAS BUILT

DixonBaxi built long-term success through patient persistence, clear values, and bold decisions like resigning misaligned clients. Rather than chasing trends or profit, it thrives by designing with purpose, fostering a human-centered, collaborative culture, and actively shaping its future through initiatives like creative sabbaticals and inclusive innovation.

CAN YOU GET MORE THAN 1 OUT OF 16 IN THIS IMPOSSIBLE LOGO DESIGN QUIZ?

A Reddit user created an extremely challenging quiz featuring 16 swoosh logos that look frustratingly similar and generic.

GPD WIN 5 BRINGS A BOLD REDESIGN THAT CHALLENGES HANDHELD GAMING NORMS

GPD's upcoming WIN 5 handheld represents a dramatic redesign that abandons the series' signature slider keyboard for a streamlined, controller-focused gaming device.

CLINICAL DATA STOLEN IN CYBER-ATTACK ON KIDNEY DIALYSIS PROVIDER DAVITA

US-based kidney dialysis provider DaVita confirmed that sensitive PII and clinical data were stolen from its systems, impacting over 900K customers. In an attack that began on March 24 and continued until April 12, the attackers stole names, dates of birth, SSNs, health-insurance information, health conditions and other treatment details, specific dialysis lab test results, tax identification numbers, and images of checks written to DaVita.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2025 DATA BREACH EXPOSES STUDENT FINANCIAL RECORDS

A report from Bloomberg details the data that was stolen from Columbia University in a politically motivated data breach that occurred in June. The attackers stole banking details, GPA records, student loan disbursement records, scholarship information, health-related financials tied to university insurance plans, and other PII from current students and alumni dating back several years.