Good Morning! Hollywood writers have finally inked a deal after almost five months of striking. But let’s be real - there’s still too many shows on Netflix. Zuck's trying to drive engagement in the younger crowd and planning on releasing AI chatbots on Facebook and Instagram this week.

The AI arms race is heating up - ChatGPT can now speak, listen, and even process images for you. And consider yourself wealthy if you’re still holding on to any pandemic savings - only the top 20% of Americans still have cash saved up.

_{SQUEEZ OF THE DAY}

Bezos' $4B Bet

We talked about it last week - Amazon’s built a juggernaut based on three pillars, but they’re struggling to find their fourth.

But Amazon just made a big bet - up to $4 billion - on generative AI. Anthropic has been one of OpenAI’s biggest rivals (the startup behind ChatGPT). And Anthropic’s got some heavy hitters backing them up, too, like Google, Spark Capital, Salesforce, Zoom, Menlo Ventures, and even the notorious FTX founder, Sam Bankman-Fried.

Amazon will throw down an initial $1.25 billion, and they've got the option to toss in the full $4 billion. As part of the deal, Amazon’s employees and cloud customers will gain early access to Anthropic’s technology. And Anthropic committed to primarily relying on Amazon’s cloud services.

This is Amazon’s biggest answer in the AI arms race yet. Microsoft has a partnership with OpenAI, Google has Bard, and now…Amazon has Anthropic.

Takeaway: We’re seeing a new playbook for how Big Tech uses AI - they're making multibillion dollar investments and want to become AI startups' exclusive cloud providers. Amazon knows it has some catching up to do to reach Microsoft and Google - but the company’s all-in on the generative AI craze.

_{CAPITAL PULSE}

Markets Rundown

Stocks snapped a four-day losing streak on Monday.

Movers & Shakers

• (+) Williams-Sonoma ($WSM) +12% after Green Equity Investors revealed a 5% stake in the home goods company.

• (+) Hudson Technologies ($HDSN) +6% after Canaccord Genuity initiated coverage on the refrigerant services company with a buy.

• (–) Alcoa ($AA) -6% after the aluminum company got a new CEO.

Private Dealmaking

• Enovis bought LimaCorporate, a surgical implant maker, for $846 million

• Aviva bought AIG Life UK, a British life insurer, for $563 million

• Traceless Materials, an eco-friendly plastic developer, raised $39 million 

• Darrow, a data engine for class action litigation, raised $35 million

• Virtual Incision, a developer of mini-surgical robots, raised $30 million

Get access to private deal flow here.

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_HEADLINES

Top Reads

• Private equity is now king for the ultra-rich (CNBC)

• Why rising long-term rates could ripple across the economy (Axios)

• SEC collects Wall Street’s private messages (YF)

• Goldman, HSBC join forces with other banks on client disclosures (Reuters)

• Colleges are spending like there’s no tomorrow (WSJ)

• Why the Fed hasn’t spooked the stock market yet (YF)

• Shakeup threatens small, struggling private equity firms (BB)

• Investors are starting to accept lower stocks and higher interest rates (Axios)

• Tech stocks are down, and bond yields are up (WSJ)

• Startups are adjusting to tighter money, lower expectations (Axios)

_{BOOK OF THE DAY}

The Way Of The Intelligent Rebel

Do you dream of a less stressful life? Break out of the system, embrace your purpose and shape your own journey to success and fulfillment.

We're not designed for a one-size-fits-all education or lifestyle-so why not choose a path where you can make your own rules, follow your passions, and live a rewarding, purpose-fueled life?

Breaking out of the "system" and becoming an entrepreneur or a creator can be daunting, but with this step-by-step guide to taking charge of your life, realizing your individual potential, and building a sustainable business with minimal risk, you'll discover that the way of the intelligent rebel is ultimately a path to freedom and self-realization.

“Olivier Roland offers an inspiring road map to help readers get more out of life.”

_{ENLIGHTENMENT}

Short Squeez Picks

• What separates winning leaders from wannabe leaders

• How exercise boosts pay, productivity, and wellbeing

• Verizon’s CEO swears by a simple morning routine

• 24 principles from the greatest business, sports, military, and political leaders

• How to be a magnetic leader according to a neuropsychologist

_{DAILY VISUAL}

Length Of US Government Shutdowns

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_{DAILY ACUMEN}

A Skill To Bank On

If you're aiming for rockstar status in the modern job market, AI prompt engineering is your ticket to the big leagues. Anant Agarwal, AI guru and Professor at MIT, suggests: "prompt engineering" is the single most essential skill for generative AI platforms like ChatGPT.

In layman's terms? It's all about crafting precise commands for AI, so instead of getting AI to pen a nonsensical love letter, it drafts a high-level business report. Because, let's face it, saying "analyze this data" to ChatGPT is like asking a cat to fetch — highly unpredictable.

But a prompt engineer, a title now surprisingly in vogue, gets it just right. Fancy a six-figure gig? Companies like Google are throwing big bucks for these skills.

According to Agarwal, the best part? You can grasp the basics in just two hours. So, while robots might be taking over, at least they'll need us to tell them what to do (for now).

_{JOB BOARD}

Featured Jobs

• Caxton Associates - Portfolio Manager - New York, NY

• ResortPass - VP, Finance - New York, NY

_{MEME-A-PALOOZA}

Memes of the Day