NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Love, Lies, and AI: The $855K Brad Pitt Fraud

A shocking story emerged about a French woman who fell victim to an elaborate AI-powered scam impersonating Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. The 53-year-old interior designer, identified only as Anne, was conned out of approximately $850,000 over the course of a year and a half. 😢 

The scam began in February 2023 when Anne received a message on Instagram from someone claiming to be Brad Pitt's mother. Shortly after, another account posing as Brad Pitt himself contacted her.

The scammers used AI-generated images and videos to convince Anne that she was in a romantic relationship with the actor. As the deception progressed, Anne was persuaded to divorce her wealthy husband and send money to the fake Brad Pitt for various reasons.

I found this story really heartbreaking but I’m afraid all of us will become more vulnerable to such scams as AI is able to create even more perfect fakes that can even mimic our voices over the phone. 💔

You need your digital street smarts. Never rush decisions about money or personal information - legitimate organizations always give you time to think. Create a family code word for emergencies, keep social accounts private, and always verify who you're really talking to.

AI Legal Assistant Harvey Eyes $3B Valuation

Rumor has it that Harvey, a startup providing AI assistants to lawyers, is in talks with Sequoia Capital to lead a $300 million funding round, valuing the company at $3 billion. 😎

Think of Harvey as ChatGPT's cousin who went to law school – while ChatGPT knows a bit about everything, Harvey specializes in legal work. Here's what it can do:

1. Contract Analysis: Harvey speed-reads contracts faster than you can say "objection!" It spots risks, suggests changes, and drafts new clauses – like having a team of eagle-eyed associates working 24/7, minus the coffee breaks.

2. Legal Research: Remember those all-nighters in the law library? Harvey sifts through case law, statutes, and regulations in seconds to find that needle-in-a-haystack precedent you need.

3. Document Drafting: From memos to motions, Harvey creates solid first drafts quickly, saving lawyers hours of grunt work.

The numbers speak volumes: Already, 45,000 lawyers use Harvey, including 28% of the 100 largest law firms in the US).

If you’re on the fence, the warning from David Wakeling, partner at global law giant Allen & Overy, is clear: law firms that don't adopt AI "will be at a serious competitive disadvantage."

So jump in! Harvey isn't replacing lawyers – it's empowering them to work smarter and maybe even get home in time for dinner.

Fun fact: Harvey was named after Harvey Specter, the sharp-witted lead character of the popular legal drama "Suits."

WOMAN IN TECH

Meet Celine Halioua, Founder and CEO of Loyal

Celebrating this week's Woman in Tech 🥳: Meet Celine Halioua, the founder and CEO of Loyal, the biotech startup helping dogs live longer and healthier lives.

Early Life and Career: Born in Austin, Texas to a Moroccan mother and German father, Halioua pursued her passion at the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied neuroscience and nanobiotechnology.

After graduating, Halioua's journey took her to Uppsala University in Sweden. She then began a DPhil program at Oxford University, focusing on the economics of gene therapy. However, her academic path took an unexpected turn when she left Oxford to join The Longevity Fund, a venture capital firm investing in longevity-focused startups.

Founding Loyal:

• In 2019, at age 24, Halioua founded Loyal to develop the first government-approved drug aiming to improve both lifespan and quality of life for aging dogs.

• In 2024, Loyal launched the STAY study, testing their drug on over 1,000 senior dogs across 50 U.S. locations, making it one of the largest studies in veterinary history.

• This year, Loyal expects to have US government approval for its drug LOY-002, a beef-flavored pill being developed to extend the lives of senior dogs over 10 years old and weighing over 14 pounds.

Investors see the potential for such drugs given that 65 million households in America have a dog. 😲 Halioua has raised $125M for Loyal.

Halioua's deep love for animals is obvious. She has had numerous pets, including 15 cats, four dogs, squirrels, and even a horse.

I'm all for finding ways for pets to live healthier, disease-free lives. ♥️

Ban or Buy: TikTok's Clock is Ticking

If you’re one of the 170 million Americans who use TikTok, your favorite app could soon disappear. The US Supreme Court has upheld the verdict that TikTok must sell its US operations or be banned.

Why? National security concerns. Officials fear the Chinese government could gain access to user data or influence the platform’s content since TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a China-based company.

Here’s where it gets interesting, rumors are: Elon Musk is considering stepping in to buy TikTok’s U.S. arm. While some see this as a lifeline for the platform, others worry about one person having so much influence over multiple platforms.

What’s your take? Should Musk step in, or is this the end of TikTok as we know it?