Happy Labor Day Monday, friend.Picture this, an AI bot wearing a suit and tie, sitting in a leather chair, making high-level business decisions. Sounds like a Netflix satire, right? But nope, this is real life, and one U.S. state has made it (legally) possible.
🇺🇸 Take a guess which state legally allows AI to hold a corporate board seat: A) California, B) Texas, C) New York or D) Nevada? The answer is loading at the end!
Every click counts. When you tap the links in my newsletter, you're basically giving your inbox a nudge to say, "Yep, I want this front and center." And when you check out a sponsor link or two, you're helping me pay my team, so this newsletter stays free, fast and in your hands. Appreciate you for that! — Kim
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TODAY'S DEEP DIVE
AI talking
Image: Midjourney
I love tech, but I'm not afraid to call it out when it gets weird.
If you've scrolled through X or Reddit lately, you've probably seen words that made you go, "Wait, what?" Here's your cheat sheet to the wild world of AI slang. No decoder ring required.
AI washing is when companies slap "AI-powered!" on stuff that's barely smart enough to microwave popcorn. Think of a toothbrush that claims to use AI to "learn your brushing style." Really? It vibrates. That's it.
Then there's clanker, basically what happens when you call customer service and an AI clanker answers. It's from Star Wars, where clankers were the battle droids.
Groksucker is what people call die-hard fans of Elon Musk's Grok chatbot. Like, "That guy rewrote his résumé using Grok and now won't shut up about it, total groksucker." It's part insult, part eye roll.
Slop is AI-generated junk floating around online. You've seen it: rambling blog posts, spammy eBooks or weirdly generic images on Etsy. "This is pure slop. A real person didn't write this."
And if you use too much slop? Congrats, you're a slopper. "She asked ChatGPT to write her wedding vows. Total slopper move." (Ouch.)
If someone calls you a bot-licker, well … let's just say that's not a compliment. It's someone who blindly praises anything AI does. Like, "Sure, AI is cool, but let's not turn into bot-lickers about it."
Next up, prompstitute, a snarky term for someone who sells or resells AI prompts for money. Think Etsy shops selling "200 ChatGPT prompts to manifest your dream life."
Now meet the prompt goblin, someone who writes hilariously over-the-top, bizarre prompts just to see what chaos the AI spits out. "He made ChatGPT write a sonnet from the POV of a microwave. Classic prompt goblin energy."
And watch out for the clean room crowd. These are the folks building AI models only trained on squeaky-clean, copyright-free data. "You can tell this AI came from a clean room, it writes like it's scared of getting sued."
People are developing a whole dictionary around how we use (or abuse) AI. You don't need to memorize this stuff, but knowing it helps you stay ahead of the curve, and maybe dodge a digital insult or two.
🤓 Share this short dictionary with someone in your life because talking about AI over dinner shouldn't make you sound like you joined a cult.
THE KIM KOMANDO SHOW
How do I get my $200K back?
Oh boy, that's how much Randy from Kansas City, Missouri, lost to a big-time dating scam. He tells his story in hopes it doesn't happen to you. Plus, tech billionaire's survival pods, Will Smith's AI fail and so much more.
🚨 Terrible "bargains" alert: Scammers are filling Facebook and Instagram with fake "closing down sale" ads. Think heartfelt pleas about retiring small businesses and jaw‑dropping discounts. A researcher found over 50,000 ads repeating the same copy. Before you buy, check the comments and reverse‑image search the photos.
AI hits your TV: Samsung's 2025 TVs now come with Microsoft's Copilot built in. I can see the excitement on your face. This animated beige blob can recommend shows, recap episodes and answer random questions. Basically a roommate that watches too much, but rounder, and permanently stuck in your living room. But hey, at least it won't eat your leftovers.
🤖 Bot time Grandma got company: South Korea gave 12,000 lonely older adults AI "grandchildren" that talk, glow and remind them to take their meds. The dolls run on ChatGPT and deep cultural guilt. And yes, they're coming to the U.S. by 2026 for a slice of the global $7.7B (by 2030) eldercare robot market.
Data grab alert: Anthropic just changed its privacy policy ... again. You have until Sept. 28 to opt out if you don't want your convos used to train AI. Otherwise? Your chats get stored for five years and turned into robot brain food. The toggle to opt out is tiny, buried under an "Accept" button. Sneaky.
📞 What's your emergency? America's 911 centers are so short-staffed they're outsourcing some calls to a robot. A startup named Aurelian (because of course) raised $14M to let AI handle non-emergencies like parking rage and stolen fanny packs. It's live in over a dozen cities and counting.
⛳️ Talk birdie to me: Forget 18-hole snoozefests. YouTube quietly turned golf into a content gold mine. During the pandemic, channels like Good Good exploded; now 75% of their revenue comes from merch, not swings. Paige Spiranac parlayed 4M Instagram followers into golf stardom, and even Bryson DeChambeau used YouTube to fix his image with 2.3M subs.
🌕 Sign me up, Scotty: You could help track Artemis II, the first crewed moon mission in 50 years. The 10-day flight (set for April 2026) will loop astronauts around the moon. If you've got the gear to spot Orion, NASA wants your help. Basically, if you're into backyard stargazing and unpaid work, this is right up your alley.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Are you tired of saying "what?"
Let's face it, keeping up with conversations in noisy places isn't just frustrating, it's downright exhausting. Whether it's restaurant chatter or talking with family on the phone, constantly asking "What?" gets old fast.
That's why I recommend the IX hearing aids from hear.com. They're not your typical hearing aids. The smart multi-stream processing separates voices from background noise, giving you clarity without chaos. With the IX hearing aids, here's what you'll get:
✅ Remarkable clear sound, even with background noise ✅ Lightweight and discreet design that's comfortable all day ✅ Trusted by over 540,000 people, and counting
Star Trek imagined a universal translator in 1967. Now Apple is making it real. Beginning in September, AirPods with iOS 26 will offer live voice translation in nine languages. So stinkin' cool.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Jump between apps without the mouse. Press Alt + Tab (Windows) or Cmd + Tab (Mac). Hold the keys and tap Tab again to cycle through everything that's open.
📺 Cast your Chromebook to a TV: Want a bigger screen for movies or presentations? Make sure your Chromebook and smart TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. Open the Chrome browser, click the three-dot menu (top right), select Cast and choose your TV from the list of available devices.
✍️ On the dotted line: Sign PDFs fast without extra apps. On a Mac, open the PDF and select Show Markup Toolbar (circle with a pin icon) at the top. Hit Signature (cursive icon) to sign with your trackpad or camera. For Windows, open the PDF in Microsoft Edge and click Draw (pen icon) in the toolbar to sign.
🍏 Turn off iPhone analytics: Apple collects usage data and location info from your device to "improve services." They say it's anonymous, but why risk your privacy? Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements and toggle everything off. Bonus: You'll get a tiny battery boost since your phone won't be uploading data in the background.
Check this out:Library Extension shows you what's at over 5,000 libraries while you browse the web. You can borrow books, music or audiobooks without spending a dime. Best part? You don't need to sign up. Get it on Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
My pick for home security: Keep your home safe without the hassle. SimpliSafe installs in minutes, no wires or contracts, and comes with HD cameras, sensors and 24/7 monitoring. Get 50% off your new system today!*
BY THE NUMBERS
Half That's the fraction of tech hiring managers who think AI skills give job seekers an edge. Amid the swirling storm of job market doom, having AI skills is like holding a golden ticket (paywall link) Willy Wonka style. While the code-over-suit crowd weaves chatbot magic, others are left wondering if they should trade their philosophy major for an AI course.
Up to 400mg That's the recommended daily dose for coffee, two to three mugs. Get it right and you'll stay focused longer. Studies also show regular drinkers have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
18,000 The number of cups of water one customer asked Taco Bell's AI for. Because if you're going to troll a robot, you might as well do it hydrated. TB's AI voice bot has taken over 2 million orders, and let's just say it's got some kinks to work out. I heard Taco Bell is renaming their restrooms. They're now called "The Fast" and "The Furious."
WHAT THE TECH?
Image: Contec
Your next home might come hot off the printer. 🏠
An Aussie company just 3D-printed a two-story house, curves, walls and all, in just 18 hours. That's quicker than most people choose a backsplash.
A robot handled the heavy lifting, squeezing out a cement-like mix that sets in three minutes, ends up three times stronger than brick and laughs in the face of cyclones, termites and fire.
The catch? It still took humans five months to finish the roof, wiring, flooring and all the cozy stuff that makes it livable. So … not quite Ctrl+P, but close.
LOGGING OUT …
🎰 The answer: D) Nevada, the only state that passed a law granting AI entities the right to serve as directors in limited liability companies. So if your next C-suite hire never asks for PTO and insists on 99.9% uptime … you know where that résumé came from.
🚍 A tour bus is traveling through Nevada, and it briefly passes by the Bunny Ranch in Carson City. The guide says, "We are now passing the largest house of legal prostitution in America." A man in the back shouts, "WHY?!?" (lol)
Quick heads-up: We're doing a little server maintenance over the holiday today, so tomorrow's newsletter will land in your inbox later than usual, around 9 a.m. Thanks for your patience!
Correction: In the August 28th newsletter, I mentioned that NordProtect offers home title protection. That information was incorrect. I was misinformed, and after further review, NordProtect does not currently offer that service. I always strive to give you the most accurate, up-to-date information possible, and I appreciate your trust and understanding.
Tomorrow, Andrew, my podcast cohost, lost all his photos in Shutterfly. How? He didn't buy anything for awhile. It's not just Shutterfly. It's Gmail, Yahoo and others too. Important stuff. Don't miss it.
💻 Until then, remember that you're the main character, don't let anyone else hold the mouse in your life. — Kim
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This newsletter and its content are intended for informational purposes only. They are provided without warranty of any kind. You shouldn't construe anything provided here as legal, health, medical, technical, tax, investment, financial or any other kind of advice.
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