Good morning readers. And happy thanksgiving to all those celebrating today. 

It looks like Sam Altman has reclaimed his throne as CEO of OpenAI after a tense five-day boardroom brawl. The AI startup's previous board is out, save for Adam D’Angelo who stays, while big names like Bret Taylor and Larry Summers join the new board. As the dust settles, the drama that saw employees threatening to walk and Microsoft stepping in with a lifeline wraps up with Altman's tweet—a love note to OpenAI.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• Tesla’s board concerned over Musk’s tweets

• Headline Hustle: OpenAI researchers warned board of breakthrough, Grok to debut next week, GM to relaunch Cruise on smaller scale

• The group taking on Trump’s Truth Social platform

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

AUTO

Elon Musk's online conduct sparks investor concerns at Tesla

Tesla's boardroom might soon need seatbelts because the ride's getting bumpy with investors buckling up for a governance showdown. Prominent Tesla investors, including New York City public pension funds and Nia Impact Capital, are sounding the alarm bells over Elon Musk's latest tweet escapades, fearing the electric car mogul's online antics could short-circuit Tesla's reputation and market value. The New York City Comptroller, Brad Lander, isn't just ringing the bell; he's calling for a full-blown intervention, urging the board to slam the brakes on Musk's tweet-storms or risk co-signing the mayhem.

The situation has ignited a chorus of criticism from smaller shareholders and public demands for transparency and accountability from Tesla's board. Musk's online conduct has even reached the highest levels of government, with the White House condemning his promotion of antisemitism.

CEO persona vs. corporate responsibility

This situation highlights the complex interplay between an executive's personal social media expressions and their responsibilities as leaders of publicly traded companies. The reactions from investors echo a growing intolerance for executive behaviors that could jeopardize both reputation and shareholder value but also raises questions about the boundaries of CEO conduct in today’s world, where personal and professional lines are increasingly blurred. As Tesla grapples with these challenges, striking the right balance between respecting Musk's right to personal expression and safeguarding the company's interests and ethical standing will be crucial.

Looking ahead…the controversy surrounding Elon Musk's recent online behavior carries profound implications for Tesla's governance and presents a daunting test for its board of directors. Elon is as important to Tesla as Sam Altman is to OpenAI. And as we’ve seen recently, getting rid of him might not be that easy.

Headline Hustle

💻️ OpenAI researchers warned board of AI breakthrough before they fired Altman. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, faced a turbulent week following a secret letter from concerned staff researchers warning of a potentially humanity-threatening AI discovery. This led to Altman's ousting and triggered over 700 employees to threaten to leave in solidarity. The letter's content remains confidential, but it's rumored to be a significant factor in Altman's removal. The discovery in question, codenamed Q*, has raised hopes of a breakthrough in artificial general intelligence (AGI), although its capabilities are yet unverified. OpenAI is staying mum on the issue.

🤖 Elon Musk’s Grok to debut next week. Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, is set to make its debut for X's Premium+ subscribers next week. While Musk's track record with delivery timelines is a bit shaky, recent code developments within X's web app indicate that Grok integration is well underway. The AI chatbot aims to differentiate itself with a unique personality, promising witty responses and a rebellious streak. It will also have access to real-time knowledge via the X platform, potentially attracting more subscribers to X's Premium+ tier.

🚗 GM plans to relaunch Cruise on a smaller scale. General Motors' Cruise driverless-car unit is reevaluating its plans following safety incidents, intending to relaunch its robotaxi service in a single city while shelving the Origin, a GM-built driverless taxi. Cruise's new co-president, Mo Elshenawy, announced this shift in strategy, contrasting with previous multi-city deployment plans. The specifics of the city and the timeline for resuming service remain undisclosed. California regulators revoked Cruise's driverless permits after an accident, leading to nationwide operations suspension. The company plans to prove its performance in one city before expansion and will continue using retrofitted Chevrolet Bolts, preserving the Origin for long-term use.

SOCIAL

The group trying to bring down Trump’s Truth Social platform

In the digital battlefield of social media, a group of anonymous activists known as the North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO) has embarked on a mission to disrupt former President Donald Trump's Truth Social platform. Fueled by concerns over the platform's potential impact on the 2024 US election, NAFO seeks to undermine it from within.

Who’s NAFO and what do they do? Founded last year to combat pro-Russia propaganda related to the Ukraine invasion, NAFO turned its attention to Truth Social last month. With a coordinated effort involving 50 "NAFO commandos," the group successfully manipulated trending topics on the platform. Now, their long-term objective is clear: dismantle Truth Social.

Rock Kenwell, the pseudonymous leader of NAFO commandos, expressed concerns about Truth Social becoming a hub for extremism and violence and likened combating pro-Trump messaging on the platform to dealing with an obnoxious guest at a Thanksgiving dinner. Truth Social, launched in early 2022 by Trump, promised to challenge "Big Tech platforms" as a bastion of free speech. However, it has since struggled to attract a diverse user base, losing $31 million since its launch. Kenwell described it as a "primitive" social media environment, making it easy to manipulate.

What’s the end game? NAFO's campaign, orchestrated through private groups, successfully infiltrated the trending topics with anti-MAGA hashtags. While the hashtags were eventually removed, the campaign forced Truth Social to suspend new app downloads and account registrations. NAFO is now planning to spread pro-Ukraine content on the platform and target advertisers, challenging the boundaries of online activism in the digital age.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx is facing sexual assault and battery charges in a lawsuit stemming from an alleged 2015 incident at a New York City restaurant.

• The enigmatic street artist Banksy may have disclosed his identity in an old interview, a core aspect of his mystique.

• The release of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners in Gaza, along with a ceasefire, has been postponed until Friday.

• Two people died in an explosion at a U.S.-Canada border crossing, with no evidence suggesting terrorism, stated New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

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