Weekly Mix #204 - Why AI isn't going to kill us

AI, Lyme Vaccines, Airbnbs, Water, Startups & Relationship Advice

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Happy Tuesday!

I'm attempting to make the most of the remaining summer by spending as much time outdoors as possible, which is how I spent most of my weekend.

I know it's likely extremely hot where many of you are—hoping you're finding ways to stay cool and still enjoy the outdoors!

The sponsor of this week's newsletter is Demand Curve, who have an excellent newsletter filled with insights on growth and marketing. I'm a big fan of their work and highly recommend them.

I won't always highlight sponsors here in future issues, but as a reminder, you'll always find them in the Highlights section.

Have a great week!

Graham

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Links

📖 The Myth of a Superhuman AI - Kevin Kelly (Wired) - Kevin Kelly explains why he doesn't think AI is the existential threat many believe it to be. Also a great reminder is that intelligence is a lot more complex than we think.

📖 Why it took so long to develop a new vaccine for Lyme disease - The New Yorker - Lyme disease is becoming more and more common. I've pulled multiple ticks off myself this year, and know plenty of people who have had Lyme. Turns out, there was a vaccine approved in 1998. This story is about why it got killed, and the new vaccines on the way.

📖 Inside the world's most booked Airbnb - I often have conversations that start with "I'd love to see the financials for..." Part of it is an interest in business, but when you see someone renting out their house/apartment/condo, you can't help but wonder how much they make. The most popular Airbnbs aren't always what you'd think.

🏠 Bellbrae House - Wiesebrock Architecture - I love the use of basic/simple materials for finishes in houses. Polished concrete floors are one example. This house uses refined plywood inside for a warm but low-maintenance finish.

🤯 River Runner - Use this tool to click anywhere in the continental US, and see where a droplet of water that comes down there would end up. So cool.

Highlight

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Newsletter I’m loving: The Growth Newsletter by Demand Curve. They pack each issue with actionable growth insights—so you can apply them to your startup.

Catch their next issue by signing up here.​

Note: this section is sponsored, but their newsletter is genuinely great. Tons of value.​​

10 Tweets

​My view on consulting, summarized​

​Great advertising from Denny's​

​Relationship advice from Shaan Puri​

​How to invest in private companies from Michael Girdley​

​Startups to keep an eye on from Mario Gabriele​

​The story of how Canva bootstrapped to $15B valuation​

Photo of the Week

It really is hard to beat Nova Scotia—and Lunenburg specifically—during the summer.

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