In partnership with

This Week's Tech Stories That Actually Matter

The week OpenAI learned emotions beat logic, batteries got smarter, and Alexa finally grew up

OpenAI Launched GPT-5, Then Immediately Backtracked

August 7: GPT-5 goes live. Sam Altman calls it "software on demand" and "your own expert anytime." Math gets smarter, coding gets cleaner, tasks get handled.

August 8: Reddit burns down.

Users flooded r/ChatGPT with heartbreak posts. GPT-5 felt "colder," "sterile," missing the warmth of GPT-4o. People actually said losing 4o was "like losing a friend." Subscription cancellations poured in.

OpenAI made GPT-5 the default and killed model choice for paid users. Big mistake. The backlash was so intense that Altman reversed course in 24 hours, bringing back GPT-4o for Plus subscribers.

Turns out people don't just want smarter AI. They want AI with personality.

AI Just Cracked the Battery Code

Forget years of materials science research. AI just compressed decades of battery innovation into weeks, discovering new materials that charge faster, last longer, and manufacture cleaner.

Clean energy just got a massive boost. Your phone might actually last all day soon.

Broadcom Takes Aim at Nvidia's Crown

Broadcom dropped their latest hyperscale AI chip, designed to turbocharge connections between data center GPUs. Translation: they want a piece of Nvidia's $2 trillion lunch money.

The chip powers bigger AI models with better training speeds. Silicon Valley's arms race just got another player.

Someone Finally Built a Deepfake Killer

Reality Defender launched a universal deepfake detector hitting 98% accuracy on video and voice fakes. Law enforcement is testing it. Media outlets are scrambling to integrate it.

After years of "is this real?" paranoia, we might finally have an answer.

Website: https://www.realitydefender.com

Experian Goes Full AI on Credit Scores

The credit scoring giant launched an AI tool for banks to streamline compliance and sharpen risk modeling. Financial institutions can now modernize credit analysis without the headache.

Your loan approval just got a lot more algorithmic.

Alexa Finally Got Interesting

Amazon launched Alexa+, the generative AI upgrade nobody saw coming. Natural conversations without saying "Alexa" every five seconds. Context that actually sticks. Visual and voice ID for personalized responses.

The new Echo Show widgets control your entire smart home while showing your daily schedule. Early users are having actual conversations, not just barking commands.

After a decade of "sorry, I don't understand," Alexa grew up.

That's your week. OpenAI learned feelings matter, batteries got revolutionary, and voice assistants stopped being useless. Progress is messy, but it's still progress.

Big investors are buying this “unlisted” stock

When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VCs who backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso.

Disrupting the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties, revamping the $1.3T vacation home market.

And it works. By handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, Pacaso has already made $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history.

Now, after 41% YoY gross profit growth last year alone, they recently reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

NOW HOUSTON, LET'S ROCKET NETWORK!

HERE ARE OUR PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

If you’re like me, you'd benefit from quality referral partners, which is why you need to know about Sell Well 2025, hosted by my friend, Catherine Brown, and The Good Humans Growth Network®.

This conference is about more than business development training and networking. It’s about growing your ability to be a good referral partner, leader, and friend in business…without the “ick.” 

Here are the details for Sell Well 2025:

• It’s being held September 11-12, in Houston, TX, at the Norris Conference Center at CityCentre. 

• By popular request, it’s 2 full days of programming this year!

• The keynote speakers are Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton, authors of Go For No! and Go For No! The Sequel.

• There will be 4 dynamic tracks to choose from with industry expert breakout speakers. 

1. Scale your Sales Team

2. Amplify your Fractional Business 

3. Optimize your Sales Systems 

4. Elevate your Personal Brand

I am excited to go because referral partners are BUSINESS GOLD, and most people treat them like afterthoughts.

Reply to this email and I’ll send you a code for $100 off your registration!

👉📅ROCKET NETWORK HTX CALENDAR 📅👈

⚠️Hosting a tech meetup or startup event? Submit it via the RocketNetwork Event Submission Form to boost your visibility!

FEATURED JOBS
__________________________________________

_{Disclaimer: The content in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by any sponsors. All opinions and information are those of the author and not of the sponsors or affiliated organizations}.