Good Morning. The companies building AI are now helping fund a $1 billion effort to retrain the workers it may replace. We break down who is behind RAISE US and what they are betting on.
We also cover the deadly Venezuela earthquakes, Prince William becoming a billionaire, America’s best-selling pre-workout (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).
TOP STORY TODAY
AI Safety Net
A new bipartisan coalition called RAISE US launched yesterday to prepare American workers for AI disruption. It unites major employers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Eli Lilly with state governments and philanthropies.
Led by former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, the group has raised over $500 million. It aims to build retraining programs, rethink unemployment insurance, and reward employers who retrain staff.
The effort starts in Arkansas, Maryland, Utah, and Connecticut, toward a $1 billion goal. Notably, AI builders OpenAI and Anthropic are helping fund the cleanup of the disruption their own tools may cause.
Venezuela Quakes
Two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday evening (NYT), killing at least 188 people and injuring more than 1,500. A 7.2 quake hit first, followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5.
The stronger quake was Venezuela's largest since 1900. Dozens of buildings collapsed across Caracas, Valencia, and the hard-hit coastal state of La Guaira, where many structures are unreinforced masonry. The capital's main airport closed.
Officials declared a state of emergency, with more than 150 still missing and over 200 believed trapped. The US pledged $150 million in aid. Forecasters warn the toll could climb into the thousands. Why this quake was so unusual.
Dave & Buster’s Party
Dave & Buster's, the 180-location arcade chain, is throwing adults-only raves to revive sluggish sales. The late-night dance parties, with tickets from $20 to $40, have spread from California to Brooklyn and Miami.
The push follows a rough stretch. Same-store sales fell 7.7% before the prior CEO exited in late 2024, and the chain missed its revenue target last quarter. Rivals like Bowlero and Topgolf have crowded the field.
It began in 2023 when a Hollywood location sold 1,000 rave tickets in an hour. The chain now runs a ticketed events platform, D&B Unlocked, though a flopped Hello Kitty tour showed the FOMO fades when raves feel routine.
TOGETHER WITH KALSHI
The Market for People Who Pay Attention
Kalshi is a prediction market where you can put real money on real-world outcomes. If you've got an opinion on what's coming next, there's probably a contract on it.
A few open contracts this week:
Who wins the 2028 GOP nomination? (Vance at 33%, Rubio at 30%)
What will be the #2 show on Netflix this week?
Will the Fed raise rates before year-end?
Will SpaceX get to Mars this decade?
Politics, markets, sports, tech. Dozens of open contracts on the stories you're already tracking. Trade $10, claim $10. Trade Your Take.
TRADE RESPONSIBLY*
GET 1% BETTER
15 influential entrepreneurs talk about faith
Alex Hormozi was recently on the George Janko show discussing his thoughts on faith. It got us curious about what other top minds had to say about God, spirituality, and religion. So we pulled their own words, no spin and no verdict, and put them in one place. Here's a glance inside their minds:
#14 Steve Harvey: lived faith, hard-won. Found God at his lowest, broke in a car, and credits everything after to it. The testimony is completely unguarded.
#10 Brené Brown chooses to live in the mystery. She refuses to resolve the questions other people argue about, and calls that the point. A different kind of faith than you are used to hearing.
#12 Matthew McConaughey keeps inching toward belief. Watch a man talk himself, slowly and out loud, from doubt to something closer to yes. You can hear the turn happen.
#15 Naval Ravikant: take your pick. "Either God is everything, or there is no God." Pure logic, no comfort. Where does it leave you?
#1 Alex Hormozi can't make himself believe, and it bothers him. Once a 100 percent believer, now he says belief is not something he can decide. Is he right? Can you choose it?
The simplest way to build real muscle
After 10 years of lifting and nearly every mistake possible, this bodybuilder says people obsess over splits, supplements, and volume while ignoring the only thing that actually builds muscle: progression. Give your body a reason to adapt every session, one more rep or one more pound. His trick is a $10 micro plate that keeps you progressing long after the beginner gains stop.
TRENDING
5 Stories
▲ Prince William becomes a billionaire and richer than King Charles, new Duchy accounts reveal
▲ Polestar exits the US after the Commerce Department bans its Chinese-linked software
▲ Meta whistleblower sues to overturn the gag order blocking her bestselling memoir
▲ Apple raises Mac and iPad prices 15% to 25% as memory chip costs quadruple
TOGETHER WITH BLOOM
What People Are Quietly Swapping Their Afternoon Coffee For
No jitters, no 3pm crash, zero sugar.
The people who stay sharp through the afternoon slump are not all mainlining a third cup of coffee. A lot of them quietly swapped it for something cleaner, and Bloom's Sparkling Energy is the one showing up in everyone's fridge.
Each can has 180mg of natural caffeine from green coffee bean, zero sugar, and 10 calories, plus prebiotics and L-theanine for a steady lift without the jitters or the crash. It sits at 4.8 stars across 712 reviews and ranks #3 among all energy drinks on Amazon.
For Prime Day the variety pack is 25% off at $18.74 for twelve cans, around a dollar fifty each. Apple Crisp is the one people get hooked on. Grab the Bloom variety pack at 25% off here.
Fun Links
Tom Cruise retrospective (plus Digger) [Video]
Save 20% on #1 selling pre-workout [Partner*]
Eve’s Tiny Desk Concert on NPR [Video]
Best way to make an Old Fashioned [Recipe]
How Gene Hackman controlled a scene [Video]
Josh Duhamel’s doomsday lakeside oasis [Video]
Long-lasting energy, apple crisp flavor [Partner*]
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