Issue #67

UK and India make historic trade deal, Duolingo swaps humans for bots, Trump says give him time, and more.

News from May 1 - May 8, 2025

Memelord Builds a City

Elon Musk’s SpaceX incorporated a city on its rocket launch site after residents, mostly SpaceX employees, voted overwhelmingly in favour. 

Starbase sits in the formerly known Boca Cica Village, a 1.5-mile strip of coastal land in Southern Texas. It already has a school, hospital, restaurant, a boulevard called Meme Street, and a nine-foot-high gold bust of Elon Musk inscribed with the words “ELON AKA Memelord”.

Local environmental groups claim the incorporation gives SpaceX control of Boca Chica beach, which the company could only close during rocket launches via requests to local county officials. The South Texas Environmental Justice Network: “For generations, residents have visited Boca Chica beach for fishing, swimming, recreation, and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe has spiritual ties to the beach. They should be able to keep access.”

Source

UK and India Make Historic Trade Deal

The UK signed a major trade deal with India that could boost British trade by £25.5bn a year.

Under the treaty, tariffs on British whiskey, salmon, and cars will be reduced, as will tariffs on Indian clothing, shoes, and frozen prawns. The treaty immediately caused controversy because it exempts employers from paying National Security contributions for temporarily seconded Indian workers. 

Three years in the making, the deal is the UK’s first major trade deal since leaving the European Union. Chivas Brothers CEO Jean-Etienne Gourgues: "We will have suddenly 10 million consumers who cannot today afford our product, which will be in a position to afford our product so that's a big change for us.” 

Source

Trump Asks For Time

Trump asked business leaders attending a White House event for “a little bit of time” in the wake of public discontent over the economy and fears of a looming recession.

The US Commerce Department said the economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.3%, a steep decline from the 2.4% growth in the previous quarter. At the White House event, Trump blamed Joe Biden. Trump: “We took over on January 20th. I think you have to give us a little bit of time to get moving."

Earlier that day, Trump downplayed fears of consumer goods shortages to cabinet members. Trump: "Well, maybe the children will have to have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know? And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally."

Source

Bulletin Board

• Duolingo Swaps Humans for Bots. Duolingo said it will replace contractors with AI bots to become an “AI-first” company. Accompanying the news was that the language learning app had created 148 new online courses using generative AI. This comes after the company made job cuts to its contractor staff in 2023 and 2024. Duolingo co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn: “Developing our first 100 courses took about 12 years, and now, in about a year, we’re able to create and launch nearly 150 new courses.” Source
• OpenAI Nonprofit Retains Control. OpenAI said it will become a public benefit corporation (PBC), with its nonprofit board remaining in ultimate control. This comes after the AI company released plans in December to become publicly listed, prompting outcry. Elon Musk and former OpenAI employees filed lawsuits to block the transition. OpenAI Board Chairman Bret Taylor: “OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit, and is today overseen and controlled by that nonprofit. Going forward, it will continue to be overseen and controlled by that nonprofit.” Source
• US and China to Talk in Switzerland. Top trade officials from the US and China will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, this week to de-escalate a looming trade war. Beijing and the White House have given differing accounts of which country asked for the meeting. This comes after the United States imposed a 145% tariff on most Chinese imports, with a retaliatory Chinese tariff of 125% on some US imports. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: “This will be about de-escalation, not about the big trade deal … but we’ve got to de-escalate before we can move forward.” Source
• Trump Wants Movies Made in America. Trump announced on Truth Social that he is considering placing a 100% tariff on films “produced in Foreign Lands”, calling it a “National Security threat”. This comes after US film production has shifted overseas in recent years, owing to lower costs, a 26% decrease since 2022. This includes Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked, and Gladiator II. Trump said he planned to meet Hollywood executives to see what they think. Trump: "WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!" Source
• Google Goes Hollywood. Google plans to produce its own films and TV shows to reach younger audiences, promote its products, and depict a positive view of technology. The tech giant recently set up a film and TV partnership called 100 Zeros, and a multiyear partnership with the production company Range Media, which made the Bob Dylan biopic, ‘A Complete Unknown’. This comes after Google announced last month that it would start commissioning films about AI with Range Media. Source

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