We did it! As of today, The LEAP Guide is now an Amazon best-seller in three categories!

A huge thanks to everyone who grabbed an early copy. The book pulls from years of experience helping businesses—from startups to Fortune 500s—embrace innovation and overcome resistance to change in the Age of AI, in just 1h per week.

If you haven’t picked it up yet, it’s available on Amazon. If you do, could you leave a review on Amazon? It will mean the world to us!

For another few days the Kindle edition will be just $1.99!

Thanks so much for the support!

Matt

Hi there, welcome to your Lighthouse!

In today's lineup:

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People

• Era Ventures raises $88M to reimagine real estate.

• Musk's AI center raises alarms over pollution in Memphis.

🤖 Robots

• Microsoft & BlackRock launch $30 billion AI fund.

• YouTube CEO defends Google's ad practices in antitrust trial.

• Collaborate smarter with Microsoft's Copilot Pages.

❤️ Love

• Join me to the Leaders on Purpose CEO Summit.

• Last Chance! AI design course with ex-Google Creative Director.

• Personal Growth: "Learn-it-all" mindset

Reading time: 5 min.

Era Ventures raises $88M to transform real estate

Era Ventures, led by real estate veteran Clelia Warburg Peters, has secured $88 million for its first fund, aiming to back innovative technologies that go beyond traditional proptech. Unlike many proptech funds, Era Ventures focuses on transformative solutions to revamp the real estate industry.

A deeper look: As real estate remains slow to adopt new tech, Era Ventures’ focus on disruptive innovation could be the key to unlocking a new era of modernization in the built environment.

Elon Musk’s new AI data center raises alarms over pollution

Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, is developing a massive new supercomputer facility in Memphis to train its upcoming AI model, Grok 3. However, the project is raising alarm among local residents and environmental groups due to potential air and water pollution. The facility is located near Boxtown, a historically disadvantaged community, and critics argue that its large-scale energy and water consumption could worsen the already poor environmental conditions in the area.

Why this matters: The controversy highlights the tension between tech-driven infrastructure and community impact, raising questions about the environmental cost of AI advancement.

Microsoft and BlackRock to launch $30 billion AI infrastructure fund

Microsoft and BlackRock have teamed up to create a $30 billion fund aimed at developing AI infrastructure, including data centers and energy projects. This fund, named the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership, will help build the computational power needed for advanced AI models.

The bigger picture: This fund represents a significant step toward expanding AI capabilities, making it a key development for AI-driven industries and energy management.

YouTube CEO defends Google in antitrust trial

In the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan took the stand to defend the company's ad practices. The Justice Department accuses Google of monopolizing the online advertising market by acquiring competitors and “parking” them to prevent competition.

Mohan refuted by arguing that "parking" refers to integrating acquired companies into Google’s tech stack, not sidelining them. He insisted that Google’s ad acquisitions were necessary to build a competitive and efficient ad system.

Why it counts: This case could reshape how digital ad markets operate and potentially curb Google’s market dominance.

AI Solutions  💡

Work smarter, not harder with Microsoft’s new Copilot Pages

Copilot Pages is Microsoft’s new collaborative AI playground for businesses, offering a dynamic workspace that integrates real-time collaboration and data from the web, work files, and Microsoft 365 apps.

How does it work?

1. Start with BizChat: Begin by asking Copilot to gather relevant data, like customer needs or market insights.

2. Create a page: Turn the chatbot’s responses into a Page for ongoing collaboration.

3. Collaborate in real time: Tag colleagues to join and edit the Page, with changes visible instantly.

4. Pull in work data: Use Copilot to fetch previous plans, meeting notes, or project files, and integrate them into the Page.

Learn more here

Tool Spotlight 🔧

OpenAI o1: The next-level AI for complex problem solving

OpenAI o1, officially launched on September 12, builds on its predecessor, GPT-4o, by introducing significantly improved reasoning capabilities. Designed for complex tasks, o1 excels at coding, advanced mathematics, and scientific research, making it ideal for professionals in STEM fields.

Key Features:

• Advanced Reasoning: OpenAI o1 offers enhanced multistep reasoning, excelling in solving complex problems.

• Two Variants: Includes o1-preview for high-level tasks and o1-mini for a more affordable, efficient version.

• Mathematics Mastery: Scores 83% accuracy in the International Mathematics Olympiad, a huge leap from GPT-4o’s 13%.

• STEM Applications: Ideal for coding, debugging, and scientific research, making it a go-to for professionals in tech and science.

Everything you need to know

Nerd Corner 🤓

Ethical Ramifications

Ethical Ramifications refer to the moral consequences and considerations tied to AI decision-making and behavior. These involve understanding the potential impacts AI can have on society, individuals, and fairness.

Key Characteristics:

• Moral Accountability: Ensures AI decisions are fair and just.

• Bias and Fairness: Addresses the risks of biased data influencing outcomes.

• Human Impact: Considers the effects of AI on privacy, employment, and human rights.

Ethical Ramifications are crucial in sectors like healthcare, law, and autonomous systems, where AI decisions can significantly affect lives.

Personal Development 📚

AI-Aided Graphic Design Course enrollment ends soon!

Time is running out to join this exclusive 6-week live online course, where I'll be guest lecturing alongside James Hurst, Creative Director at Tinder and former Creative Lead at Google & Pinterest. This is your last chance to unlock the power of AI tools like ChatGPT, Figma, and Mid Journey to transform your creative workflow, sharpen your design thinking, and boost productivity by up to 50%.

What you'll gain:

• Master the use of AI to elevate both your creative and strategic design skills.

• Integrating data-driven insights cleverly into your work.

• Hands-on experience with assignments, case studies, and a capstone project.

Don't miss out—it's free to audit, or just $149 for the full certificate.

Join me at the UN CEO Summit—50% off for Lighthouse members

I’ll be attending and presenting my book at the Leaders on Purpose CEO Summit during the UN General Assembly on September 26th in NYC. It’s a unique chance to connect with top leaders and gain exclusive insights on driving purpose-driven business strategies.

Why join me?

• Exclusive insights from the Leaders on Purpose CEO Study.

• Expand your network with visionary leaders like Paul Polman and Dan Schulman.

• Actionable strategies to integrate purpose into your business.

Don't miss this chance to help shape the future of leadership. Secure your spot and join me on September 26th!

👉 Follow this link for an exclusive $1,250 discount for the Lighthouse community.

Personal Growth 🌱

Learn-it-all vs. Know-it-all mindset

The "Learn-it-all" mindset focuses on curiosity, growth, and continuous improvement, while the "Know-it-all" mindset limits potential by assuming mastery. This shift from fixed to growth thinking is crucial in today, especially with the rapid rise of AI.

Personal impacts:

• Curiosity is key: Embrace new information and experiences, never assume you've learned it all.

• Adapt to change: Continuously update skills to keep pace with evolving technology.

Humble growth: Seek feedback and opportunities for improvement.

Professional impacts:

• Culture of innovation: Encourage learning and agility within teams to drive breakthroughs.

• Resilience through Learning: Build a culture that thrives on adapting to technological advancements.

• Agile strategy: Regularly reassess business goals to stay aligned with new opportunities.

Learn more here

In Culture 🤌

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