The Comunicano for Tuesday June 3rd 2025
Tangenial Tuesday
You ever get the feeling the future’s showing up one push notification at a time?
Today, it arrives in the form of usernames on WhatsApp. No more swapping numbers. No more giving away a slice of yourself just to talk. Just a name, a handle, and the illusion of control. It’s privacy... in the form of a username. We used to call that anonymity. Now we call it progress.
Meanwhile, Airbnb is done being your vacation planner—it wants to be your lifestyle. Need a chef? A photographer? Maybe a live show hosted by someone who once dated someone famous? There’s an app for that. Airbnb wants to be on your phone every day, not just when you’re leaving town. From beds to butlers, just tap.
But tread lightly, traveler. That Capital One Venture X card? The one that opened all the fancy lounge doors? It’s got new locks now. Lounges are still open—just not for your friends. Unless you’re spending like a Fortune 500. In this new economy, exclusivity costs extra.
Then there’s Musk—building an AI empire the size of a small nation. A $113 billion valuation. A $5 billion debt raise. And a promise that Grok, his digital brainchild, will challenge the gods of Google and OpenAI. It’s not just ambition. It’s a power play with Tesla data, X influence, and the swagger of someone who’s already changed three industries and isn’t done.
Others are cashing in too. Elad Gil’s rolling up old-world businesses with AI like it’s duct tape and a dream. Salesforce just bought an AI recruiter. AI’s not knocking—it's kicking down the door.
But don’t worry. It’s not taking your job. Just your drudgery. At least, that’s what the optimists say.
And while all this unfolds, PayPal and Google are breaking up, Walmart’s making more with fewer workers, and Pornhub’s leaving France over privacy. It’s a world where security, convenience, and morality are all up for auction—and no one’s sure who’s bidding.
The world’s not ending.
It’s just... logging in. So are you. Right here, in THE COMUNICANO!!!
Andy Abramson
WhatsApp Watch
WhatsApp Tests Usernames to Enable Number-Free Messaging (StartupNews.fyi)—WhatsApp is developing a feature that may allow users to chat without sharing their phone numbers. The new tool would introduce unique usernames, similar to Instagram handles, letting people connect without exchanging personal contact details. This marks a significant privacy-focused shift for WhatsApp, which has historically required phone numbers to initiate conversations. The update could be especially useful for communicating with strangers, joining groups, or doing business without compromising privacy. Still in testing, the feature underscores Meta’s broader strategy to make messaging more secure and user-friendly. Read more here
Travel Watch
Airbnb’s New Direction: The Super App for Travel and Services (The Verge)—Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky joined The Verge’s Decoder podcast to unveil a sweeping redesign of the app, marking a shift from booking stays to offering an array of lifestyle services. Dubbed “Airbnb Services,” the new feature lets users book everything from chefs to photographers, while the rebooted Experiences platform adds celebrity-hosted events. Chesky spoke candidly about embracing “founder mode” to steer Airbnb in the age of AI, emphasizing hands-on leadership and continuous reinvention. With a new, vibrant interface and expanded offerings, Airbnb is positioning itself as a daily-use app, not just a travel brand. Read more here
Capital One Tightens Lounge Access Rules for Venture X Cardholders (The Points Guy)—Capital One is set to roll out stricter lounge access rules starting February 1, 2026, impacting Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders. Most notably, complimentary guest access to Priority Pass lounges will be removed for Venture X cardholders, with a $35 guest fee taking its place. Capital One Lounge guest fees are also increasing to $45, with kids under 18 paying $25. However, Venture X Business users still get two free Priority Pass guests. For those spending $75,000+ annually, enhanced lounge perks will apply. These changes mark a shift in premium card benefit structures across the board. Read more here
AI Watch
Elon Musk’s xAI Taps $5B Debt Sale to Build AI Powerhouse (SiliconANGLE)—Elon Musk’s xAI is raising $5 billion through a convertible debt offering to fund its next phase of AI infrastructure expansion. The capital will support the development of high-performance data centers packed with GPUs and possibly new chip fabrication capabilities. This move follows a recent $6 billion equity raise and signals Musk’s ambition to challenge AI leaders like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. With access to Tesla’s AI resources and user data from X, xAI is building an integrated tech stack to fast-track its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Read more here
Elon Musk’s xAI Seeks $113B Valuation in $300M Share Sale (Financial Times)—xAI, Elon Musk’s AI venture, is launching a $300 million secondary share sale valuing the company at $113 billion. The tender offer allows staff to cash out, reinforcing the valuation set during xAI’s acquisition of X in March. The move is part of a broader financing push that includes a separate $5 billion debt package. Musk plans to fuse xAI with X, Tesla, and other ventures, sharing infrastructure, talent, and data. This consolidation strategy is helping xAI rapidly scale, even as the company rolls out Grok AI, secures partnerships with Microsoft and Telegram, and challenges Big Tech incumbents. Read more here
Elad Gil’s Next Big Bet: AI-Powered Roll-Ups (TechCrunch)—Elad Gil, the influential early-stage investor behind startups like Perplexity and Character.AI, is turning his attention to a new frontier: using AI to supercharge traditional service businesses. By acquiring companies in areas like law and accounting, and layering in AI automation to cut costs and improve margins, Gil sees an opportunity for massive scale. His recent backing of Enam Co., already valued at over $300 million, highlights this strategic shift. The goal? Turn analog firms into digital-first enterprises with AI as the operating core, tapping into legacy sectors ripe for disruption. Read more here
You’re All Nuts: AI Doubters Miss the Point (Fly.io)—Thomas Ptacek, in a fiery post, takes direct aim at developers who dismiss AI’s utility in software development. He argues that modern language models are a real productivity boost, helping eliminate boilerplate and freeing up engineers to focus on meaningful architecture and logic. While not perfect, these tools represent a seismic shift—more akin to a jetpack than a skateboard. Ptacek contends the skeptics are clinging to a purist ideal that ignores practical value. AI, in his view, isn’t coming for your job—it’s coming for your drudgery. Read more here
The Real AI Security Threat? It’s Not Just the Tech (Unaligned)—Unaligned’s deep dive into AI security cuts past the noise of doomerism and focuses on where the real threats lie: misuse, scale, and poor incentives. Rather than worrying about runaway AGI, the author points to adversarial attacks, hallucinations, and system prompt leaks as immediate risks that can already undermine trust and cause harm. The post urges a shift from sensationalist fear to practical safeguards—securing AI the same way we secure other critical infrastructure. AI doesn’t need to be superintelligent to cause trouble; it just needs to be unaligned with our intent. Read more here
Salesforce Acquires Moonhub to Supercharge AI-Powered Hiring (TechCrunch)—Salesforce has acquired Moonhub, a San Francisco-based AI startup that builds tools for streamlining recruitment. Founded in 2022 by ex-Meta engineer Nancy Xu, Moonhub uses AI to source, vet, and match candidates more efficiently. The acquisition brings Moonhub’s team into Salesforce and enhances its AI hiring stack, as the enterprise giant doubles down on integrating AI across its platforms. The terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the move fits Salesforce’s broader strategy of embedding intelligence across its services, following recent investments in data automation and enterprise AI tools. Read more here
PayPal Watch
PayPal Ends Google Wallet Integration, Marking a Shift in Mobile Payments (Android Authority)—PayPal is discontinuing its integration with Google Wallet, removing the ability for users to add PayPal as a payment method within the app. The change, set to take effect in 2025, will end PayPal support for both in-store tap-to-pay and online Google Wallet transactions. While no specific reason was given, the decision signals tightening competition in the digital payments space as both companies push their own ecosystems. Users are advised to transition to alternative payment methods before the cutoff date. Read more here
Workplace Watch
Walmart’s Revenue Soars While Workforce Stalls (Financial Times)—Walmart is hitting record revenues and opening new stores, but its workforce is shrinking. Despite adding over $150 billion in revenue over the past five years, the company employs nearly 70,000 fewer people than it did in 2019. Automation and e-commerce are the driving forces—robotic warehouses, AI-powered fulfillment, and labor-saving tech are enabling Walmart to grow without expanding headcount. Executives say jobs are evolving, not disappearing, but critics see a pattern of “jobless growth.” As the retailer scales operations with fewer people, questions mount about the long-term future of labor in retail. Read more here
Regulatory Watch
Pornhub Suspends Access in France Over Age Verification Law (Politico)—Pornhub has halted access to its platform in France in response to a new law mandating strict age verification for adult websites. The company claims the legislation poses serious privacy risks, as it could require collecting personal user data, including identity verification details. French officials argue the law is necessary to prevent minors from accessing explicit content. Pornhub’s suspension is part of a wider standoff between tech companies and European regulators over digital privacy, content control, and enforcement feasibility. The company frames its move as protecting user rights, not undermining legal obligations. Read more here
Hacker Watch
Cyber Firms Unite to End Hacker Name Chaos (Reuters)—Cybersecurity heavyweights including Microsoft, Google, CrowdStrike, and Palo Alto Networks are launching a public glossary to unify how hacking groups are named. For years, companies used inconsistent and sometimes whimsical labels—like Fancy Bear or Forest Blizzard—causing confusion in tracking threats. This new taxonomy aims to streamline communication and improve global coordination on cybersecurity incidents. While some experts welcome the clarity, others are skeptical it will stick without industry-wide adoption. Still, the initiative marks a rare moment of alignment among tech giants in the fight against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Read more here
Social Watch
Trump’s Social Media Blitz: 2,262 Posts in 132 Days (Washington Post)—President Trump is flooding Truth Social with posts at an unprecedented rate—more than 2,200 since his second inauguration. That’s over triple the volume from his first term. While he often dictates posts himself, aides assist in managing the account around the clock. These messages are widely amplified across right-wing media and social platforms like X, expanding his influence far beyond Truth’s 10 million followers. With fewer filters, he posts freely—attacking rivals, sharing conspiracy theories, and promoting himself as a singular voice of leadership. It’s influencer culture weaponized from the highest office. Read more here
Video Watch
The Witcher 4 Demo Debuts with Stunning Unreal Engine 5 Showcase (Polygon)—CD Projekt Red gave fans their first real look at The Witcher 4 during the State of Unreal showcase, revealing a visually breathtaking demo powered by Unreal Engine 5. Though still in early development, the footage highlights next-gen environmental detail, lighting, and open-world scale optimized for PS5 and high-end PCs. The studio emphasized that while no release date is set, the game represents a bold step forward in storytelling and immersion. Built from the ground up with new technology, The Witcher 4 aims to redefine fantasy RPGs for a new era. Read more here
Microsoft Launches Free Bing Video Creator to Rival Google’s Veo (GeekWire)—Microsoft has rolled out Bing Video Creator, a free AI tool that lets users generate short-form videos from text prompts. Designed to compete with Google’s Veo, the tool produces 1080p clips and is integrated into Microsoft Designer and Copilot. It targets content creators, educators, and marketers looking for quick, accessible video generation. While Google’s Veo offers higher resolution and more cinematic options, Microsoft is banking on ease of use, integration with Office apps, and zero-cost access to attract users. It marks another move in the growing battle over AI creativity tools. Read more here
