The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Linda Yaccarino, incoming CEO of Twitter. Photo by Getty.

Musk and Yaccarino Are Bound to Clash

By Jessica E. Lessin · May 16, 2023 5:00pm PDT · 1 comment

As I have been digesting the news that Elon Musk is going to officially install NBC advertising veteran Linda Yaccarino as head of Twitter, I’m perplexed. In at least one dimension that seems fairly important to Musk—thriftiness—I suspect they are worlds apart. Yaccarino has spent her career wooing Madison Avenue in all the ways heads... As I have been digesting the news that Elon Musk is going to officially install NBC advertising...

Photo by Shutterstock.

PayPal, Under Shareholder Pressure, Looks to Sell Xoom

By Cory Weinberg and Maria Heeter · May 16, 2023 3:57pm PDT

PayPal has been seeking buyers for Xoom, a service that allows people to transfer money internationally, according to a person familiar with the matter. The sale efforts could signal that activist investor Elliott Management, which accumulated a stake last year, is having an impact on PayPal’s strategic thinking. PayPal acquired Xoom... PayPal has been seeking buyers for Xoom, a service that allows people to transfer money...

Matt Kirkland, creator of the Dracula Daily newsletter. Photo via Matt Kirkland. Art by Shane Burke.

Creator Economy

The Substacker Whose Dracula Serial Spawned a Newsletter Craze

By Isabelle Sarraf · May 16, 2023 2:47pm PDT

Everyone has a hefty classic sitting on their bookshelf collecting dust that they swear they’ll eventually get to but never do. Matt Kirkland has made a side project of helping some of those intimidated readers: Over 262,000 have signed up to read Bram Stoker’s “Dracula" serialized in his free Substack newsletter, Dracula Daily.Kirkland, 42,... Everyone has a hefty classic sitting on their bookshelf collecting dust that they swear they’ll...

Art by Clark Miller.

AI Will Destroy Jobs. So What Are We Going to Do About It?

By Ben Parr · May 16, 2023 9:00am PDT · 34 comments

Art by Clark Miller.

AI Will Destroy Jobs. So What Are We Going to Do About It?

By Ben Parr · May 16, 2023 9:00am PDT · 34 comments

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s appearance on Capitol Hill this morning is a powerful signal of just how quickly generative artificial intelligence has changed our lives. In the span of just a few months, large language model-based tools have gone from tech novelty to ubiquitous convenience that can do many of the things humans can do, from ... OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s appearance on Capitol Hill this morning is a powerful signal of...

Twitter Org Chart Shows the 120 Leaders Musk’s New CEO Inherits

By Erin Woo · May 16, 2023 6:00am PDT · 2 comments

As Twitter’s new CEO, Linda Yaccarino is set to step into what may be the most difficult job in advertising: rehabilitating Twitter’s tattered reputation among major advertisers. A fresh update to our Twitter org chart gives a detailed look at the executive team who will help her. The chart lists more than 120 executives, managers... As Twitter’s new CEO, Linda Yaccarino is set to step into what may be the most difficult...

Photo via Shutterstock

How Vice Media Became a Money Pit

By Martin Peers · May 15, 2023 5:00pm PDT

There is such a thing as having too much money. At least, that is, if you’re a startup, as was clear in the paperwork accompanying today’s bankruptcy filing by Vice Media, famously valued at $5.7 billion a few years ago (mostly thanks to the blustery claims of its founder, Shane Smith). This court filing today by a restructuring executive at... There is such a thing as having too much money. At least, that is, if you’re a startup, as was...

Graphic by Shane Burke. Photos via Shutterstock.

Creator Economy

Video Dubbing, Generative AI and the Tech Features Creators Need

By Kaya Yurieff · May 15, 2023 2:00pm PDT

In March, we started asking our readers what was on their mind when it came to the creator economy. We got so many good questions that we decided to publish another set this month. (Read our previous Mailbag). Disagree with my answers? We’ll discuss them in The Information’s Forum on Tuesday. You can submit more questions here! Let’s dive... In March, we started asking our readers what was on their mind when it came to the creator...

Elon Musk at a Tesla event in Corpus Christi, Texas, on May 8. Photo via YouTube/Tesla

Musk Tells Tesla Staff He Must Approve All Hiring—Again

By Becky Peterson · May 15, 2023 11:57am PDT · 3 comments

Elon Musk at a Tesla event in Corpus Christi, Texas, on May 8. Photo via YouTube/Tesla

Musk Tells Tesla Staff He Must Approve All Hiring—Again

By Becky Peterson · May 15, 2023 11:57am PDT · 3 comments

Just a few days after appointing a new CEO for Twitter, Elon Musk is back to micromanaging Tesla. In an email to staff at the electric vehicle maker on Monday, Musk said that Tesla can make no new hires unless he personally approves them, including contractors. He told executives to send him a list of hiring requests on a weekly basis, while... Just a few days after appointing a new CEO for Twitter, Elon Musk is back to micromanaging Tesla....

Summit Recap: What’s Next for Social Commerce

Partner Content

Summit Recap: What’s Next for Social Commerce

By The Information Partnerships · May 15, 2023 9:01am PDT

What’s the secret for brands who want to tap into the power of the creator economy? Sahil Patel, reporter for The Information, sat down to find out the answers with three experts from the creator commerce world: Kenny Gold, managing director, head of social, content and influencer, Deloitte Digital Megan Tobin, head of creator... What’s the secret for brands who want to tap into the power of the creator economy? Sahil...

Partner Content

Summit Recap: How to Build a Strong Personal Brand

By The Information Partnerships · May 15, 2023 9:00am PDT

In the world of the creator economy, traffic growth and brand partnerships rely on one thing: the creator’s personal brand. Many creators have turned to experts to help them shape their brands and stand out. Laura Mandaro, managing editor of news and talent for The Information, spoke with three luminaries for their advice on developing a... In the world of the creator economy, traffic growth and brand partnerships rely on one thing: the...

Partner Content

Panel Recap: Building a Global Financial Strategy

By The Information Partnerships · May 15, 2023 8:51am PDT

Organizational growth often requires global expansion. But how do companies navigate the complexity of hiring people from all over the world, taking into account various regulations, taxes and wages—while creating benefit parity across the board? Jessica Lessin, founder and CEO of The Information, sat down for a virtual panel with three... Organizational growth often requires global expansion. But how do companies navigate the...

Art via Unsplash

Open-Source AI Is Gaining on Google and ChatGPT

By Jon Victor · May 15, 2023 6:00am PDT · 9 comments

Art via Unsplash

Open-Source AI Is Gaining on Google and ChatGPT

By Jon Victor · May 15, 2023 6:00am PDT · 9 comments

In February, Meta Platforms set off an explosion of artificial intelligence development when it gave academics access to sophisticated machine-learning models that can understand conversational language. Within weeks, the academics turned those models into open-source software that powered free alternatives to ChatGPT and other proprietary AI... In February, Meta Platforms set off an explosion of artificial intelligence development when it...

GM's Lordstown, Ohio, auto assembly plant in 2019. Photo: Bloomberg

The Electric: U.S. Automakers Face Another Threat—Restive Battery Plant Workers

By Steve LeVine · May 15, 2023 4:30am PDT · 1 comment

In 1966, General Motors opened a new factory in a cornfield in Lordstown, Ohio, 210 miles southeast of Detroit, to manufacture top-selling Chevys and Pontiacs. When it opened, Lordstown was the most modern GM plant, to which the company soon added 26 robots. For workers, though, the plant was a brutal physical experience with a vastly... In 1966, General Motors opened a new factory in a cornfield in Lordstown, Ohio, 210 miles...

The Hero’s Journey of Marissa Mayer

The Hero’s Journey of Marissa Mayer

By Jon Steinberg · May 13, 2023 6:00am PDT

Hi, welcome to your Weekend.Marissa Mayer has been a mainstay of tech journalism for almost two decades, ever since she was anointed the glamorous geek goddess of Google back in its “don’t be evil” days. She’s had quite a ride since then, becoming Yahoo CEO in 2012, bumping along in the role for five acquisition-heavy years, then selling the... Hi, welcome to your Weekend.Marissa Mayer has been a mainstay of tech journalism for almost two...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Screentime: The Author–Investor Searching for the Internet’s Next Hangout

By Annie Goldsmith · May 13, 2023 6:00am PDT

Despite leaving Discord last year, Amber Atherton still spends many of her working hours on the social platform. The company’s former head of community—now a partner at early-stage venture firm Patron—Atherton builds relationships with her portfolio companies in a Discord “zen garden” designed for streaming lo-fi... Despite leaving Discord last year, Amber Atherton still spends many of her working hours on the...

Nike Vaporfly ($250). Art by Clark Miller.

Running Shoe or Cheat Code? Tech Pros on Their Performance-Enhancing Athletic Gear

By Annie Goldsmith · May 13, 2023 6:00am PDT · 2 comments

Nike Vaporfly ($250). Art by Clark Miller.

Market Research

Running Shoe or Cheat Code? Tech Pros on Their Performance-Enhancing Athletic Gear

By Annie Goldsmith · May 13, 2023 6:00am PDT · 2 comments

Samantha Whitmore has run seven marathons and six ultramarathons. Her favorite was a 44-mile rim-to-rim-to-rim run of the Grand Canyon, which she and her husband have traversed four times. “You’ll come away from the experience feeling like you are capable of anything,” she said. “It’s a mental as well as... Samantha Whitmore has run seven marathons and six ultramarathons. Her favorite was a 44-mile...

Linda Yaccarino. Photo by Bloomberg.

Musk Installs NBCU’s Linda Yaccarino to Be His Adult in the Room

By Sahil Patel, Erin Woo and Becky Peterson · May 12, 2023 1:00pm PDT · 9 comments

At SpaceX, Elon Musk’s top lieutenant Gwynne Shotwell has won a reputation as the adult in the room, able to turn Musk’s visionary ideas into commercial reality. Ad executives are hoping that former NBCUniversal ad sales chief Linda Yaccarino will play the same role at Twitter, where she was named Friday as CEO. People who know Musk... At SpaceX, Elon Musk’s top lieutenant Gwynne Shotwell has won a reputation as the adult in...

Photo via Bakkt.

Crypto Firm Bakkt Delists Tokens as Regulatory Pressures Mount

By Aidan Ryan · May 12, 2023 12:03pm PDT

Bakkt, the new owner of a crypto custody and clearing provider that helps fintech companies like Public.com and Webull offer crypto trading, is removing support for 25 of the 36 tokens it offers, a spokesperson confirmed. The decision, which impacts popular tokens like uniswap and avalanche, marks the latest example of companies pulling back on... Bakkt, the new owner of a crypto custody and clearing provider that helps fintech companies like...

Left: Passes founder Lucy Guo starts her morning with a 20 mph sprint on a Barry’s Bootcamp treadmill. Right: Guo inside her $6.7 million Miami apartment. Photograph by Celia D. Luna for The Information

Show Us Everything

Think She’s Fast? You Should Borrow Her Ferrari: Welcome to Lucy Guo’s Miami

By Margaux MacColl · May 12, 2023 11:03am PDT · 35 comments

This is “Show Us Everything,” a new feature from The Information Weekend, in which company founders share intimate glimpses of their everyday lives. When Lucy Guo told me she ran a 4:50 mile, I knew we were about to have very different experiences at Barry’s Bootcamp. It was a little after 8 a.m. when a black... This is “Show Us Everything,” a new feature from The Information Weekend, in...

Marissa Mayer in the office of her startup, Sunshine. Photograph by Carolyn Fong for The Information

Can Marissa Mayer Eclipse Herself?

By Arielle Pardes · May 12, 2023 9:00am PDT · 17 comments

Marissa Mayer in the office of her startup, Sunshine. Photograph by Carolyn Fong for The Information

Can Marissa Mayer Eclipse Herself?

By Arielle Pardes · May 12, 2023 9:00am PDT · 17 comments

Earlier this year, Marissa Mayer—signature blond bob, talking a mile a minute—taught a class on how to start your own company. It had been five years since Mayer had become a startup founder herself, and she had prepared a slide deck describing the finer details of entrepreneurship. As she clicked through the presentation, her... Earlier this year, Marissa Mayer—signature blond bob, talking a mile a minute—taught...