Good morning. Want to think like a billionaire? Elon Musk's reading list reveals an obsession with AI apocalypse, radical honesty, and humanity's survival.
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TOP STORY TODAY
Attorney General Charged
New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Virginia on bank fraud charges. The Democrat, who brought civil fraud charges against President Trump, allegedly falsely claimed a Norfolk home as her second residence to obtain favorable loan terms (more).
James faces up to 30 years in prison and $1 million in fines per count if convicted. Trump publicly called for charges against her. His appointee, acting U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan (his personal attorney with no prosecutorial experience), presented the case.
James denies the charges, calling them political retribution. Her first court appearance is October 24 in Norfolk. Democrats condemned the indictment as Justice Department weaponization, while Republicans dismissed concerns about presidential pressure on prosecutors.
TECHNOLOGY
Self-Flying Planes
Reliable Robotics is testing self-flying aircraft with pilots on standby in northern California (WSJ). The startup signed a $17 million Air Force contract for autonomous cargo flights, joining companies like Joby Aviation developing pilotless planes.
CEO Robert Rose targets FAA certification for remote pilots by 2028. The company develops radar collision-avoidance systems and stronger actuators. Boeing and Airbus advance automation but maintain pilots in commercial cockpits for passenger acceptance (thoughts on self-flying planes from 2023).
Cargo and military flights are the initial focus, as passenger operations face technical, regulatory, and acceptance hurdles. Pilots' unions argue two trained pilots remain essential. Autonomous passenger travel remains years away despite advancing technology.
HEALTH
LEGO Nike Playground
LEGO and Nike built a modular playground at Shanghai's Baoshan No. 2 Central Primary School. Based on a 2×3 LEGO brick design, the interlocking structure transforms into climbing walls, sprint lanes, slides, and hideouts that can be continuously rearranged.
The collaboration pairs Nike's swoosh with LEGO's iconic brick in playful branding. Nike's Move to Zero sustainability mission anchors the project while LEGO's creativity shapes the design. The playground evolves with children, creating a canvas for movement and imagination.
Creative direction by Guo Jun combines two design icons reimagining children's play spaces. The project demonstrates how brands can prioritize interactive, sustainable environments. See playground design here.
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9 Books Recommended by Elon Musk
Elon Musk credits the following books for changing his life.
Human Compatible - Explores AI's existential risks and how to avoid potential catastrophe.
Zero to One - Predicting the future and building breakthrough startup companies successfully.
Merchants of Doubt - Scientists misrepresenting debates on environment, smoking for corporate interests.
Life 3.0 - Keeping artificial intelligence beneficial and aligned with humanity's goals.
The Big Picture - Understanding life, consciousness, and universe through scientific thinking.
Lying - Why all lies are dangerous; truth is always better.
Superintelligence - Examining risks when computational intelligence surpasses human intelligence.
The Wealth of Nations - Free markets and self-interest create national prosperity and wealth.
Radical Candor - Leadership through feedback loops and building strong employee relationships.
Short Clip to Watch
Naval: Strategy will always be more important than hard work.
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