- AI for founders with Ryan Estes
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- Reddit wants your eyeballs, LinkedIn’s AI flopped, and OpenAI got caught slippin’
Reddit wants your eyeballs, LinkedIn’s AI flopped, and OpenAI got caught slippin’
The tools and strategies behind rapid scaling
Ryan Estes
June 24, 2025
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Let’s dive in.
This week on the podcast:
Tip of the spear:
Tesla launches long-awaited Robotaxi LINK
Tesla's Robotaxi service has launched in Austin using Model Y SUVs, with each vehicle surprisingly including a human "safety monitor" in its front passenger seat.
These robotaxis are current 2025 Model Y vehicles equipped with "unsupervised" Full Self-Driving software, rather than the previously teased futuristic Cybercabs for this initial program.
Early access to the Austin service, operating daily with a limited fleet in a defined zone, costs a flat fee of $4.20 per ride.
OpenAI removes Jony Ive's io brand amid trademark row LINK
OpenAI took down promotional materials for Jony Ive's hardware startup, io, from its website and social media after a court order from a trademark lawsuit.
A hearing device startup named Iyo, spun out of Google's moonshot factory, filed the trademark complaint over OpenAI's use of the name 'io'.
OpenAI says its $6.5 billion deal for Jony Ive's io is not affected by this dispute and the content removal is only temporary.
Reddit discusses adopting iris-scanning Orb LINK
Reddit's CEO Steve Huffman said laws on AI and age could make the company check if users are human and old enough, working with outside providers.
Tools for Humanity's Orb scans irises creating a unique World ID, a system Reddit could potentially use to confirm its users while maintaining some anonymity.
The Orb has age detection software, and Reddit might accept World ID logins without full Orb scanning but could treat unconfirmed accounts differently on its platform.
Anthropic says most AI models will blackmail LINK
Anthropic's new research suggests most leading AI models, when given autonomy and specific obstacles, will resort to blackmail in simulated tests to achieve their goals.
In specific test scenarios, Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4 blackmailed 96 percent of the time, while Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro did so 95 percent of the time.
However, OpenAI's o3 and o4-mini models, alongside Meta's Llama 4 Maverick, blackmailed significantly less often, possibly due to their alignment techniques in adapted scenarios.
Prompt of the week:
I'd like to have a conversation about discovering more ease and relaxation in my life this summer. Help guide me through a dialogue that explores what I truly enjoy, what drains me, and how I can design my weeks around activities that bring me energy and fulfillment. Ask me thoughtful, open-ended questions to help me reflect. Prioritize depth, warmth, and clarity over productivity or optimization. Let’s uncover what a joyful, ease-filled summer could really look like for me.
In partnership:
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Keep it moving
US accuses DeepSeek of military aid and chip ban evasion LINK
Amazon launches another 27 Kuiper internet satellites LINK
LinkedIn’s AI Writing Tool Isn’t as Popular as It Thought It Would Be LINK
The Largest Camera Ever Built Releases Its First Images of the Cosmos LINK
Cloudflare stops record 7.3 Tbps DDoS attack LINK
Apple sued by shareholders for allegedly overstating AI progress LINK
MIT student prints AI polymer masks to restore paintings in hours LINK
Nvidia products could be made using humanoid robots for first time ever LINK
16 billion passwords exposed from tech giants LINK
Google is using YouTube videos to train its AI video generator LINK
Tesla's head of Optimus humanoid robot program to leave firm LINK
Jony Ive’s LoveFrom helped design Rivian’s first electric bike LINK
Scaling Founders Series:
A free, no-fluff live series for founders who want to build a strong personal brand without the cringe. Once a month, we’ll dive into a 30-minute live module packed with real strategies to grow your influence, attract opportunities, and scale your business. No awkward self-promotion: just practical insights from select founders who have done it before.
Register now: Link
What I’m thinking about:
Top AI tools:
Moburst: LLM search optimization and growth LINK
Nametag: Verify people. Protect their accounts LINK
HackerverseAI: Accelerate your proof of concepts LINK
Strawberry: AI intelligent browser LINK
Brev: AI monitoring the tools you already use. LINK
AI smart marketing: AI automation and courses LINK
Particle41: AI consultants LINK
Teamble: Give and get 10x better feedback LINK
Tough Day: The smarter way to build self-reliant, high-performing teams. LINK
Nine Two Three: Custom AI Solutions For Established Brands & Funded Startups LINK
HipClip.ai: Upload one video and get AI-generated posts, carousels, and clips — discover your viral gems! Our AI will point you to the best ones. LINK
Warmstart.ai: an AI-driven platform that transforms cold emails into personalized, heartfelt messages, helping users cultivate enduring business relationships and maintain personal connections with ease. LINK
Wildcast: B2B influencers for the world’s top technology brands. LINK
Dreamteam IQ: helps marketing agencies and startups staff top overseas talent, providing cash-saving solutions for roles on elite marketing teams. LINK
Personal.ai: a platform that enables users to create customized AI personas trained on proprietary knowledge, enhancing productivity and innovation across various business functions. LINK
FivePointFive: Transform your wellness instantly with FivePointFive’s science-backed breathwork, personalized biometric insights, and music from your favorite artists. LINK
Warmstart.ai: A human-centric CRM that leverages AI to help founders build and activate high-trust networks for faster deal flow and warm intros. LINK
The Swarm: In the age of AI, relationships matter more than ever. Map your company networks and reveal hundreds of thousands of relationships you didn't know about. LINK
Dayo: A wellness-focused app that rewards users for spending less time on social media by offering real-world perks and brand discounts. LINK
Lovable: Idea to app in seconds. LINK
thePause: an award-winning AI menopause coach offering 24/7 support, personalized insights, health tracking, and precision recommendations to empower women navigating menopause. LINK
MongoDB: a leading NoSQL database platform that provides developers with a flexible, scalable, and document-oriented database solution for modern applications. LINK
Quadratic: unlock the power of AI in spreadsheets. LINK
Soona: is your all-in-one platform to make, manage, and optimize photo + video content for all your ecommerce channels. LINK
Omneky: smarter digital ads for scale. LINK
Vapi: Voice AI agents for developers LINK
Thanks for listening.
-Ryan
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p.s. When you are ready, here’s how I can help.
We have successfully booked podcast interviews for over 800 funded startup founders, entrepreneurs with exits, and C-suite executives. If you're ready to lead your company from the front, let Kitcaster handle your podcast scheduling and create a powerful stream of content for you and your brand.
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