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The Big Idea | ||||
Hang on to your Tomatometers: Can algorithms direct movies? |
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We’re obsessed with GPT-3, the bot that can write music, pitch business ideas… and make Hustle writers sweat. The buzzy AI tool has enough creative chops that an article it wrote went viral last week. But if you want to know what’s next for AI art, OneZero has a crazier proposal: Can an algorithm write, direct, and star in a movie? Some aficionados are already trying itIn 2018, the BAFTA-nominated director Oscar Sharp teamed up with an AI expert to create the ~7-minute film Zone Out. The AI had to think up the props, dialogue, and stage direction. Our review? The final product isn’t terrible — but Ars Technica was right when it noted that it “teeters on the edge of inanity and emotion.” Bots can (sort of) handle some Hollywood gigs
And bots are making movie trailersIn 2016, IBM supercomputer Watson stitched together a trailer for the sci-fi film Morgan. Researchers fed it 100 examples. The cuts of the movie’s bioengineered being totally creeped us out. Now Netflix wants in. Last July, the company started training bots to look for trailer-ready clips. Here’s hoping someone will hire GPT-3 to fix the worst part of the film industry: Awards speeches. |
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5 stories to catch you up quick
1️⃣ An investigation by The Information showed one of Airbnb’s smaller competitors did some pretty sketchy stuff to gain a foothold in the market.
2️⃣ A new report found that health misinfo on Facebook racked up 3.8B views over the last year.
3️⃣ The UK is weighing whether to legalize “hands-free” driving — a classification that’s only a few steps from driverless vehicles.
4️⃣ Roblox, the gaming service aimed at kids under 16, is battling a porn problem.
5️⃣ Sorry, San Francisco: The city’s public health department is telling restaurants to take down those plastic dining domes.
And 5 more to delight you
1️⃣ The mega-popular “Untitled Goose Game” will launch a two-honker mode next month. Pas de … goose?
2️⃣ There’s a new Girl Scout Cookie coming to a stand near you. Say hello to the French-toast-flavored Toast-Yay.
3️⃣ The nurses measuring your vitals? They might soon be Boston Dynamics robots.
4️⃣ How do scientists study microscopic fish? With an aquatic treadmill.
5️⃣ Germany will not stand for your lazy dogs. A new law requires residents to walk Hans the Hund at least 2x a day.
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Book club | ||||
A company behind a series of kids books made $1m+ in 10 days |
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Jelani Memory needed a creative break from his other startup. So he wrote a book for his children: “A Kids Book About Racism.” The little ones dug it, and his friends and colleagues encouraged him to write more. So last year he launched a D2C publishing platform called A Kids Book About. Huge sales weren’t the goalMemory wanted to help parents have straightforward talks with their kids about tough topics. The company can write and distribute books within 45 days (traditional publishers take 18 months) and pays its authors a 10% cut (the industry standard is 6%). There are currently 25 titles covering issues like bullying, divorce, and cancer. One day this summer, they took offThe day after the death of George Floyd, the company sold a month’s worth of product. The next day, sales doubled. And they doubled again the next day. Within 10 days, A Kids Book About had made $1m+ in revenue. Memory was already in talks with investors when sales spiked, and he raised $1m in seed money. Meanwhile, “A Kids Book About Racism” was adapted into a digital production featuring a collaboration of 37 children’s theaters. |
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A new portable metabolism measurement tool is changing the nutrition game.
Chris Froome doesn’t just do the Tour De France.
He wins the Tour De France — 4 times, to be exact.
And he uses Lumen (a new device developed by two sisters with PhD’s in physiology) to hone in his nutrition, improve his metabolism, and bike his damn best.
Lumen is the first device to hack your metabolism
A built-in CO2 sensor determines your CO2 concentration in a single breath, so you can tell if your body is using fat or carbs for fuel.
Previously, this analysis used to only be available in specialized clinics and cost north of $100 for a single test. But with Lumen, you now have a lab right in your hands that shows you:
- How your metabolism is affected by your sleep, physical activity, and nutrition
- Daily personalized meal plans so you know exactly what to eat and when
- Your energy before a workout, if you need to fuel up, and the impact on your body after a workout.
- How to maintain a healthy weight and burn fat
Want to up your personalized nutrition game? Get $50 off Lumen for a limited time with code HustleMyMetabolism at this link:
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Reel Trouble | ||||
How fishy business dealings landed Big Tuna in hot water |
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Who doesn’t love a wacky business story? Slate featured a Shakespearean tale of tuna titans, and we just had to share it. Once upon a tuna…In the late 20th century, 3 players dominated the American canned tuna biz: StarKist, Bumble Bee, and Chicken of the Sea. Things were going swimmingly — by 1989, the average American was eating ~4 pounds of the stuff per year. But then tragedy struck: We developed taste buds. Consumption has fallen ~30% over the past 4 decades, forcing Big Tuna to swim offshore in search of cheaper wages. That’s when things flounderedIn 2015, StarKist tried to buy Bumble Bee. A federal antitrust investigation uncovered much more than an attempted monopoly. Throughout the 2010s, the companies fixed prices to avoid undercutting each other (and giving consumers a better deal). StarKist and Chicken of the Sea fessed up, but Bumble Bee CEO Chris Lischewski refused, forcing a grand jury trial with Oscar-worthy moments:
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Ever wanted proof of the globe-gobbling power of the iPhone? Consider this:

It took Apple 42 years to reach $1T in market value — from its founding in 1976 to August 2018.
It took just 2 more years to hit $2T — reaching it for the first time yesterday.
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Closing Time | ||||
Guess who’s judging your drunken shenanigans? |
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Psst. It’s the tech inside your phone. The accelerometer — the sensor that detects how your phone moves — is already used for tracking fitness and measuring earthquakes. Now a new study says it can pick up on signs you might be sloshed. Which could help curb drunk drivingThe findings say accelerometers are sensitive enough to tell the difference between a walk and a wobble. Someday, your phone could suggest calling an Uber if it senses you’re getting tipsy. That’s not the only way your phone can keep you in line
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(via Detroit News/WikiCommons)
On August 20, 1920, the Detroit News launched its own radio station, then called 8MK — the first daily news station in the world.
On day one, only ~30 people tuned in, and the hosts spent most of their time on sound checks.
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SPONSORED |
The biggest hurdle for new and expecting parents may not be what you thinkWe guessed it would be “budgeting for diapers,” but the real obstacle is something much more important: Getting term life insurance. When you’ve got a baby on the way (or already here), you’re often too busy to think far ahead. That’s why Fabric wants to make it easy for new and expecting parents to help ensure their family’s financial future is protected. Take their 60-second quiz right here and see if Fabric is a good fit for you. |
Ooo, quiz! → |
One of these storylines isn’t real. Can you spot the fake? Click to find out.

Lots of recruiters tell us they wanna hire Hustle readers. We’re highlighting cool opportunities to help you find your next gig.
Copywriter at Kasa: You’ll be this hospitality brand’s “voice guardian,” writing great listings with a distinct voice.
Creative Director/Social Media Manager at Clark Construction: Have experience making content, especially videos, for social media? This one’s for you.
Senior Product Manager at Webflow: Join the no-code revolution as you develop Webflow products.
Content Marketing Specialist at Siege Media: This agency wants someone who’ll go the extra mile to grow a client’s online presence.
Senior Product Manager, Analytics and Reporting Strategy at Rally Health: Lead data reporting for a nationwide anti-tobacco campaign.
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Editing by: Nick “Tuna Melt” DeSantis, Betty Bayh (Sleep Specialist).
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