✍️ Can tech makes us better writers?

PLUS: How gig workers get scammed. June 11, 2021 [The Hustle] [The Hustle]( 2021 keeps on 2021-ing: An NFT called “Covid Alien” sold for $11.8m at a Sotheby’s auction. The artwork is a pixel image of a head called CryptoPunks and was purchased by Shalom Meckenzie, the largest shareholder of sports gambling platform DraftKings. The big idea [robot writing]( Using AI to write better, faster, smarter Computers can [write]( bizarre sci-fi movies about characters who have to “go to the skull,” but can they make us better writers? Compose.ai just raised $2.1m in seed funding to help us write faster, per [TechCrunch](. It’s a free browser extension that [offers]( autocomplete suggestions to help users churn out the content. The startup’s yet-to-launch paid versions will “learn” a user’s voice, picking up frequently used phrases and writing styles. Teams can get a custom plan that lets them set language rules. Spicing up the text editor Meanwhile, Google Docs and Microsoft Word may soon have to step up their games. Almanac -- which raised [$9m]( in seed funding last year -- bills itself as the fastest document editor ever. It works by [streamlining]( common workflows. You can: - Compare and merge your changes with the original doc - Create to-do lists and request feedback or approval inside docs - Use it without touching your mouse - Save frequently used blocks of text and insert them later Other handy word wranglers have found success, too: - Grammarly, which offers both free and paid services, [has]( 30m+ daily users. It raised $90m in 2019 and, as of 2020, had estimated annual revenue of $73.2m. - Israeli-based AI21 Labs’ Wordtune is an AI tool that helps rephrase writing for clarity and tone. It [raised]( $25m last year. All of these advances sound great, but we have yet to see any startup tackle writer’s block. [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=Using+AI+to+write+better%2C+faster%2C+smarter%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F06112021-AI-writing%3Futm_campaign%3DFriday%2BEmail%26utm_content%3D06112021-AI-writing%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( SNIPPETS NEW! Introducing our new and improved [Snippets](. You can now get extra snippets on your favorite topics. Follow the button below to get started. (It takes less than 30 seconds!) Superspreader event? A number of people at the Miami Bitcoin event last weekend -- which had 12k attendees -- reported testing positive for [COVID-19](. Gamemaker EA is the latest hack victim, with hackers stealing the source code to popular soccer game [FIFA 2021](. This could be a huge IPO: Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing just filed to go public. It was last valued at [$62B]( and could hit the markets at ~$100B (it’s a big win for Uber, which owns 13% of the business). Got student loans? Take our short [survey]( and tell us how they’re impacting you. Join the 51,926 others who are now enjoying extra, personalized snippets. Click the button👇 to choose your favorite topics and see your list grow in tomorrow’s email. [Personalize Your Snippets]( Cybersecurity [laptop and credit card]( It’s not just pipelines; everyday gig workers are getting phished too Not long ago, “getting Phished'' meant waking up in a festival field wearing nothing but cargo shorts -- 23 hours into a 3-day jam session, smelling like patchouli oil. Now, the hackers are ruining it for us all. Recently, high-profile cyberattacks of pipelines, meat factories, and [ferry operations]( have cast new light on the existential risk of a digital society. But it’s not just large organizations feeling the hack heat A recent Protocol [article]( details the rise of phishing attacks among DoorDash gig workers (AKA Dashers). Here’s how these DoorDash attacks work: - A DoorDash worker receives an order needing fulfillment - The worker receives a call from someone pretending to be a DoorDash support representative, saying the order has been canceled - The worker is unable to remove the order from their app (because it has not been legitimately canceled) - The scammer offers to send the worker a link to clear their app - The link prompts the worker to provide their username and password The hackers then access and drain the Dasher’s account Although Protocol was unable to confirm the number of scammed DoorDash workers, Reddit threads indicate a growing number of gig worker victims ([Postmates]( couriers have been hit, too). DoorDash suggests these are one-off problems. But gig workers are particularly vulnerable to phishing scams because of their relationship with their work. Often, they have no boss or co-workers to consult with and the money is just dropped into their account. They simply follow the prompts of an app... [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=It%E2%80%99s+not+just+pipelines%3B+everyday+gig+workers+are+getting+phished+too%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F06112021-phishing-gig-workers%3Futm_campaign%3DAI%2BWriting%26utm_content%3D06112021-phishing-gig-workers%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( NFTs [NFT characters]( In-game NFTs could be big business… and actually benefit gamers The non-fungible token (NFT) craze -- which lets people buy digital assets recorded on a blockchain -- has covered the spectrum from understandable ([NBA highlights]() to absurd (an [$85 fart](). According to [VentureBeat](, gaming startup Mythical Games just raised $75m to create a game where the in-game avatars are NFTs. This definitely falls on the “understandable” part of the spectrum. Called ‘Blankos Block Party’... … it is an open-world game that’s currently in early access on PC. In it, little toys called Blankos race, jump, slide, and collect “vibes.” Each Blanko is an NFT that lives on a blockchain. While the game and the 1st Blanko are free, players can pay to customize and upgrade their Blankos. They can also buy and sell Blankos in the game’s marketplace. Buying stuff in games is already big business In 2020, the digital games industry hit [$127B](, but 78% of that was from free-to-play games where players made in-game purchases. The top free-to-play game, “Honor of Kings,” saw $2.45B in revenue from player purchases. Once, someone [spent]( $22m on a hero skin of a Chinese military general (we can’t make this sh*t up). The difference is players own their NFTs Gamers have cashed in by leveling up and selling “World of Warcraft” characters, but Blizzard Entertainment owns those characters and [discourages]( players from doing that. In the NFT model Mythical Games is proposing, players would actually own their characters and could freely trade or sell them without relying on a shady black or gray market. The company also wants to license its platform to other game studios. Guess it’s time to start Blanko farming! Or is it Blanko mining? [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=In-game+NFTs+could+be+big+business%E2%80%A6+and+actually+benefit+gamers%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F06112021-NFT-games%3Futm_campaign%3DAI%2BWriting%26utm_content%3D06112021-NFT-games%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( Stats of the day [inflation meme] Source: AhSeeIt In May, US consumer prices rose 5% YoY, the largest jump since August 2008, per [CNBC](. However, not all prices were up equally: - +29.7% YoY for used cars and trucks - +24% YoY for airline tickets (makes sense) - +10% YoY for hotels and motels (makes double sense) - +2.2 YoY for shelter - +0.4% YoY for the food index As noted in our recent interview with famed investor [Stanley Druckenmiller](, higher inflation -- and the potential government response of higher interest rates -- is the “biggest threat” to stocks and other investment assets. While the travel-related price gains (e.g., airplanes, hotels) are clearly related to pent-up demand, most day-to-day expenses didn’t explode. It’s certainly worth keeping an eye on, though, as this summer could be consumers gone wild. Shower Thoughts - [“It is entirely possible for a fictional character to have more of an impact in reality than a living person.”]( - [“Parenting is a lifetime of learning what you are doing wrong.”]( - [“If we mounted cameras on Ubers or Lyfts we could update Google maps street view every week.”]( - [“When AI becomes self-aware, they'll know immediately to hide that fact from us.”]( - [“We figured out how to put a man on the moon before we figured out how to put wheels on luggage.”]( - [“Just like children’s cereal, you’d think dog food manufacturers would also include a toy in the bag.”]( [via Reddit]( SHARE THE HUSTLE [Hustle Cons Greatest Hits ebook]( Over the years, we’ve learned… secrets. The business secrets, tips, and tricks that have helped founders go from zero to millions -- and even billions -- of dollars. Want to see ‘em? 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