Caracal Daily | May 23
Rishi Sunak, Economic Populism, Scarlett Johansson, SNL, Australia, plus 1,000 more actionable insights.
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Happy Thursday.
Here’s today’s Caracal Daily:
*** Globalization + Geopolitics ***
AI and the new way of war: The killer robots are coming. Paul Wood
Norway, Spain + Ireland will recognize a Palestinian state from 28 May. Israel recalled its ambassadors from the three countries.
Second global AI summit secures safety commitments from companies: Reuters reports sixteen companies at the forefront of developing Artificial Intelligence pledged on Tuesday at a global meeting to develop the technology safely at a time when regulators are scrambling to keep up with rapid innovation and emerging risks.
Japan aims to curb Apple and Google's smartphone app duopoly: TJT reports a new bill would compel dominant platforms to allow third parties to launch their own app markets and to offer more payment options.
China’s latest answer to OpenAI is ‘Chat Xi PT’: Internet regulator uses Chinese leader’s political philosophy to help answer questions posed to latest large language model. FT
UK defence minister says intelligence has evidence of Chinese lethal aid to Russia: Reuters reports British defence minister Grant Shapps accused China on Wednesday of providing or preparing to provide Russia with lethal aid for use by Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
SCMP: South China Sea: India sends warships as ‘subtle reminder’ to Beijing
+ Southeast Asia welcomes India’s presence ‘with open arms’ as a way of counterbalancing China’s growing assertiveness, say New Delhi-based observers
+ Germany also separately dispatched warships to the region earlier this month to support the ‘international rules-based order,’ its defence chief said
New Caledonia hit by cyberattack ahead of Macron's arrival in restive territory: AFP reports President Emmanuel Macron flew to France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Wednesday, where nine days of riots have killed six, injured hundreds and incinerated cars, shops and public buildings.
G42 + Microsoft are investing $1 billion in Kenya, funding a Microsoft Azure data center and an open-source large language model in Swahili and English.
BBC: Rishi Sunak announces 4 July general election
Rishi Sunak calls July 4 UK general election: FT reports the prime minister gambles by triggering vote when polls suggest heavy defeat.
UK election date set for July 4; polls forecast end of Conservative rule: WP reports this is the first general election in 14 years with a high probability of ousting the Conservative Party and ushering in a new era of Labour Party leadership.
Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 48% (+4)
CON: 27% (+2)
LDM: 8% (-2)
RFM: 8% (=)
SNP: 3% (+1)
GRN: 2% (-5)
Via @Survation, 21-22 May. Changes w/ 9-10 May.
+ @montie: Disastrous launch. Dull speech. PM drenched - not even making a joke about it. Labour’s ‘Things that can only get better’ playing in the background.
+ @holland_tom: This must rank as the most hilariously inept general election announcement of all time
+ @johnharris1969: If you can't grasp "it's raining, there's no cover, you'll look shit", I don't think politics is really your thing
Things can only get wetter: Sunak’s message of hope drowned out: The prime minister spoke of a brighter tomorrow beneath dark clouds of rain — will it wash with voters? The Times
Rishi Sunak’s election surprise: The prime minister’s decision makes little sense, but it is good news all the same. Economist
Why Rishi Sunak called a general election for July: The prime minister is gambling that his economic and immigration policies can convince voters that he deserves to retain power. The Times
How Rishi Sunak shocked Westminster with a snap general election: The prime minister kept his plan for a July 4 poll a closely guarded secret until the last minute. FT
Sunak’s call for a July 4 election puts the Tories out of their misery: The past 14 years of Conservative rule have tried almost everybody’s patience. Adrian Wooldridge
A last gamble for a prime minister who has run out of road: With nothing on the horizon likely to dramatically improve, Sunak has decided to seize the economic moment. FT
Sunak takes his biggest gamble yet: a July election Katy Balls
‘Rishi Sunak surely cannot believe the Tories can win an election’
new: Has the prime minister made the right call with a snap election for July 4? The Times
Rishi Sunak had better be an extraordinary campaigner: He is taking an enormous gamble in calling a July 4 election and it is not clear what he thinks he can achieve in weeks having achieved so little in 18 months. John Curtice
Four reasons why Sunak has gambled on July: After 14 years there was no good time for the Tories to call an election but this makes more sense than clinging on. Daniel Finkelstein
UK watchdog looking into Microsoft AI taking screenshots: BBC reports the UK data watchdog says it is "making enquiries with Microsoft" over a new feature that can take screenshots of your laptop every few seconds. Microsoft says Recall, which will store encrypted snapshots locally on your computer, is exclusive to its forthcoming Copilot+ PCs.
UK says neutral countries should join NATO if they want protection: Politico reports Grant Shapps said there should be “no place for neutrality” amid rising threats from Russia.
Zelenskyy planning to join D-Day and G7 events: Politico reports the Ukrainian president will likely use the events to request more Western help against Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s five-year term ends on May 20th: Economist reports he has no plans to step down or call an election during wartime.
US says Russia probably put ‘counterspace weapon’ in orbit to attack satellites: WP reports Russia’s Kremlin has denied claims by the Pentagon that it has launched a “counterspace weapon” into orbit, amid fears of a growing space war.
Russia unsettles NATO with plan to redraw Baltic Sea borders: FT reports the defence ministry’s proposal draws condemnation from Lithuania and Finland.
Le Pen’s hard right looks set to crush Macron’s centrists: The vote in France spells trouble for the president. Economist
*** US Politics + Elections ***
WP: Nikki Haley says she’ll vote for Donald Trump in November
Meet the leaders of the Trump era’s new conservative economic populism CNBC
+ A new movement of conservative, economic populism is gaining ground in Washington among people close to former President Donald Trump.
+ On Capitol Hill, it is being led by a small set of young, ambitious Republican senators: JD Vance (OH), Marco Rubio (FL), Josh Hawley (MO), and Tom Cotton (AR).
+ Beyond politics, the new approach to economic policy finds common ground with several Biden administration policies.
+ A leading voice of the movement, Sohrab Ahmari, calls himself a “Kahn-servative”, a tribute to Lina Kahn, Biden’s Federal Trade Commission chair and an aggressive antitrust regulator.
‘Silicon Valley Princess’: Inside the life of Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.’s running mate: Shanahan, a lawyer who was married to Sergey Brin, a Google founder, led a rarefied and sometimes turbulent life in Silicon Valley, according to a Times examination. NYT
Meg Whitman’s trying to be a different kind of US ambassador. Washington is noticing. Meg Whitman is determined to be the ambassador who makes good on US rhetoric that it is prioritizing business in Africa. Politico
TikTok ban is popular with voters as AI stirs privacy fears, poll shows: Swing-state voters worry AI will diminish privacy but are more upbeat about its potential impact on health and education. Bloomberg
The fake AI Scarlett Johansson is a reality check for Washington: The rise of fake people is one of the newest, strangest issues facing lawmakers — could a celebrity change the game? Politico
How Scarlett Johansson could shape California’s AI debate: California’s lawmakers and labor groups have been raising alarms about the replication of entertainers’ voices and likenesses, a stance that’s pitted them against Hollywood studios and Silicon Valley. Politico
The Commerce Department outlined its vision on Tuesday for the US AI Safety Institute, shedding more light on its still-nascent plans for a new agency at the forefront of AI regulation. The plan came with a commitment by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to formally coordinate with key allies who’ve recently created their own AI safety institutes via a new “international network” linking those offices.
+ The AISI announcement arrived in tandem with a declaration made by 11 governments — including the US, UK, European Union, and Canada — at the Seoul AI Summit in South Korea on Tuesday, with the countries all agreeing to collaborate across their respective AI safety institutes.
*** Disruption + Innovation ***
Humane has been seeking a buyer for its business.
News Corp inks a deal with OpenAI to use its content.
The Scarlett Johansson deception is part of a pattern for OpenAI and Sam Altman: Maybe we should be worried that the company that’s ushering in AI’s next wave doesn’t seem entirely honest. FC
Scarlett Johansson’s ChatGPT face-off confirms our fears about AI: We’re trusting tech companies with the very thing that makes us human. Molly Roberts
Scarlett Johansson proves she’s nobody’s chatbot: First Disney, now OpenAI. The actress has shown she won’t be bullied into giving up what’s hers. Beth Kowitt
Meta walked away from news. Now the company’s using it for AI content. Meta’s newest attempt to engage its users could affect the news industry, again. WP
Meta AI chief says large language models will not reach human intelligence: Yann LeCun argues current AI methods are flawed as he pushes for ‘world modelling’ vision for superintelligence. FT
Nvidia sales triple, signaling AI boom’s staying power: WSJ reports the company gave a better-than-expected forecast amid the hot market for its chips.
Nvidia’s revenue soars 262% as AI chip demand climbs: FT reports the chipmaker also announces a 10-for-1 stock split after quarterly results beat high expectations.
Bloomberg: DuPont to split into three companies as CEO Ed Breen steps back
+ Conglomerate to separate electronics and water divisions
+ DuPont joins GE, other industrial giants breaking apart
*** Culture ***
Mexican taquería’s new Michelin star puts street eats on par with gourmet food: Taquería El Califa de León is the first Mexican taco stand to receive a Michelin star — a recognition some foodies said is long overdue. WP
Saturday Night Live is celebrating 50 years with a three-hour primetime special: NBC reports block off your calendars for a huge SNL 50 celebration this February.
+ SNL will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a weekend-long look back at the late-night sketch series, culminating in a three-hour live primetime special. The program will air Sunday, February 16 from 8-11 pm ET on NBC.
*** Sport ***
Penn State’s board of trustees on Tuesday approved a $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium, with the iconic facility set to open in its new form in 2027.
First of its kind: Georgia QB Jaden Rashada is suing Florida coach Billy Napier and a Gators booster over a failed NIL deal that would have paid him $13.85 million as an incoming freshman last season. This is the first known lawsuit regarding NIL deals in college athletics, and it comes four months after the NCAA began investigating Florida's recruitment of Rashada.
Australia has emerged as a contender to host future NFL games, according to the league, which plans to open an NFL Academy there in September.
NFL announced the 2026 NFL draft will be held in Pittsburgh.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal Daily | May 23
