While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important. I also try to include some resources & opportunities. Please let me know what you think.
Important Items
(There’s so much crazy stuff going on. Here’s some you may have missed.)
Ivey calls special primary for Alabama State Senate Districts 25 and 26
Gov. Kay Ivey voided primary results and called a special election for two Alabama State Senate districts after a court decision allowed the state to revert to a previously struck-down map.
https://aldailynews.com/ivey-calls-special-primary-for-alabama-state-senate-districts-25-and-26/
White House reclassifies federal epidemiologists and other Scientists from civil servants to “at will” hires
The executive order effectively transforms these jobs—which include “epidemiologist,” “health scientist” and “toxicologist”—into “at-will” hires, meaning they can fire them without cause.
Trump administration dismantles ambitious ocean monitoring program
Scientists across the country are expressing alarm as the Trump administration dismantles another tool for understanding how the planet is changing. More than 900 deep-sea ocean sensors will be pulled out of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans off the coast of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, North Carolina, and Greenland. Researchers say these are critical ocean observation tools.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-administration-dismantles-ambitious-ocean-monitoring-program
The Jan. 6 Pardons: How Many Clemency Recipients Have Faced Other Charges?
At least 97 of the more than 1,500 individuals granted clemency by President Trump for their roles in the January 6 Capitol attack have been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of crimes separate from Jan. 6 since their participation in the Jan. 6 riot. Almost one in 16 insurrectionists subject to the president’s clemency order has been arrested for and charged with—and in the vast majority of cases convicted of—other crimes, at least some of which were actively enabled by the clemency actions.
It’s No Wonder Grads Are Booing Their Commencement Speakers
By @MollyJongFast The big shots who have been brought in to inspire a next generation of graduates have used their speeches as opportunities to extol the limitless possibilities that artificial intelligence will bring. They’re speaking to graduates who are entering a shaky job market and are already burdened by tens of thousands of dollars of student debt. However, companies of all stripes are using A.I. as an excuse to slow entry-level hiring and lay off workers. Tech executives have been warning (though it sometimes seems as if they are bragging) that their technologies will be job destroyers.
Technology
Bipartisan members introduce new bill to protect creators from AI style theft
Adobe supports bill that attempts to separate inspiration from impersonation, but creators don’t register their style and indepedent arbitrator determines veracity.
https://www.axios.com/2026/06/02/creator-style-ai-protections-congress-bill
Publishers in UK can opt out of Google AI search results
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c775pp26yz5o
Google highlights links from subscribed publications in new AI Overviews update
AI Overview now highlights whether it includes info. from a publication the user subscribes to.
CNN Sues AI Firm Perplexity, Alleging It Engaged in ‘Massive Copyright Infringement’
https://variety.com/2026/biz/news/cnn-sues-perplexity-alleging-copyright-infringement-1236760987/
Damages in major label lawsuit against Suno could top $9 billion after Sony and Universal add another 61,026 tracks
Audible reveals users have streamed more than 50 million minutes of AI-generated audiobooks
Audible says listeners spent >50M mins engaging with AI-generated audiobook content, as they expand AI-powered production, translation & distribution capabilities
Meta rolls out a new AI creator assistant on Facebook
It helps creators analyze performance, generate content ideas, and grow their audiences. Meta also expanded AI-powered Reels translations to additional languages to help creators reach global audiences
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/04/meta-rolls-out-a-new-ai-creator-assistant-on-facebook/
Meta’s AI agent for WhatsApp Business is now available globally
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/metas-ai-agent-for-whatsapp-business-is-now-available-globally/
What we learned at Microsoft Build: Autopilots, MAI-Thinking-1, and Nvidia RTX Spark
Microsoft is building Project Soltera – its own version of OpenClaw — and a new agentic OS based on Android rather than Windows. MAI-Thinking-1 is a mid-sized, 35-billion-parameter model with a 128,000-context window, and Microsoft was keen to emphasize its low token cost compared to similar models – it will be available in Microsoft Foundry and various other Microsoft products, such as PowerPoint and OneDrive. Microsoft Scout, an agent, is an “always on” AI assistant connected to the Microsoft suite of apps like Outlook and Teams. Think Copilot, but a more powerful version that can work across apps.
https://mashable.com/tech/microsoft-build-2026-keynote-everything-we-learned
Microsoft Copilot Updates
Copilot in Word can now edit documents by default, including rewriting text, inserting content, & adjusting formatting, while keeping all changes transparent & reversible.
https://releasebot.io/updates/microsoft/microsoft-copilot
Anthropic warns Claude Mythos Preview finds bugs faster than developers can patch them
Anthropic releases Opus 4.8 with new ‘dynamic workflow’ tool
https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/28/anthropic-releases-opus-4-8-with-new-dynamic-workflow-tool/
Google is letting social media stars customize their search result page
Big creators and publishers can claim dedicated Search profiles that let them highlight everything they do online.
https://www.theverge.com/tech/943233/google-search-profiles-custom-page
Like Apple Watch at start, Apple’s smart glasses plan will challenge the entire industry
The Next AI Battleground? Your Senses
Due this fall: Glasses with Google Gemini AI, Samsung hardware, & Gentle Monster/Warby Parker design. in-built speakers, cameras & mics, so wearers can look up info, make calls, take photos, get live translations and directions on demand.
https://www.vogue.com/article/the-next-ai-battleground-your-senses
Websites Can Now Spy on You Through Your Hard Drive
https://www.wired.com/story/websites-can-now-spy-on-you-through-your-hard-drive/
Chinese AI Company Rolls Out ‘95% Accurate’ Pet Translator to Help Owners Finally Understand Dogs
Meng Xiaoyi launched AI-powered pet translator collar for 799 yuan ($118) + got >10K pre-orders w no peer-reviewed research/independent validation of claims
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ai-powered-pet-translator-breakthrough-barking-wrong-tree-1798530
Think for Yourself
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2026/06/25/think-for-yourself-ai-dan-chiasson/
Publishing & Media
USBS 2026: Publishing CEOs Warn Against AI ‘Witch Hunt’
Publishers want to preserve human curation and authorship while not ignoring tools that may improve operations. Publishers risk becoming “a kind of tech pipeline” if they bypass curation.
Substack Plans Future in Video, Interactivity
Substack said it sees a future where people use the platform to subscribe to favorite channels and listen to podcasts.
https://www.businessinsider.com/substack-moves-into-its-tv-era-2026-5
Netflix Launches Hub Featuring ‘Bridgerton,’ More Book-to-Screen Adaptations Targeting Nine Reader Types
Netflix aims to turn readers’ “To Be Read” lists into subscribers’ “To Be Watched” queues this summer with the launch of its new book-lovers-themed hub.
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/bridgerton-netflix-book-adaptations-hub-1236764322/
Everand now bundling e-books, audiobooks, and book clubs
They have 2 apps, 5M readers, + >1.5M-title library of audiobooks and e-books, plus Fable’s nearly 200K online book clubs. As you read or listen in one app, that activity is synced to the other.
Spammers and Scammers: How to Spot a Publishing Scam in 2026
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/how-to-spot-publishing-scams/
Does Social Media Still Sell Books?
With Orna Ross. HT @annerallen via @IndieAuthorALLI
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-does-social-media-still-sell-books/
Book Cover Design Lessons Learned from 20,000 Self-Published Books
HT @annerallen
https://kindlepreneur.com/book-cover-design-lessons/
How Books Became Fashion’s Favourite Flex
Fashion brands from Coach to Dior are piling into literature as books become key status symbols and markers of knowledge and taste in an age of visual overload and AI slop. Which strategies have substance? #teamPRH https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/marketing-pr/how-books-became-fashions-favourite-flex/
Having trouble focusing on your book? Try immersive reading
Simultaneous listening & reading is picking up steam among online book communities. Searches for “immersive reading” on TikTok increased 10x btwn Jan-May.
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/20/nx-s1-5790811/immersive-reading-trend
The Declaration of Human: A Preview of the Seoul International Book Fair
More than 530 publishers, organizations, and rights folks from 18 countries to “explore the unique path of humanity at a time when living alongside AI has become inevitable.”
You couldn’t create a more anti-news internet if you tried
If there were a dictator of the internet who intentionally set out to destroy your ability to get accurate information, the result would look a lot like what’s already on your screen.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/05/you-couldnt-create-a-more-anti-news-internet-if-you-tried/
The Lenfest Institute launches $1 million Philadelphia Local News 2030 Initiative
The Side That Won the Civil War is Now Banning Books About Why the Civil War Was Fought
In the days before the Civil War, the South worked hard to censor any literature that cast slavery in a negative light. Officials in Charleston, S.C. went through mailbags for abolitionist newspapers. Legislatures passed laws banning any publication that may show “a tendency to make our slaves discontented.” Anyone found with a copy of the explosive novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was subject to arrest. I wrote about this censorious mania to preserve the fiction of “happy and contented slaves” in a recent book about the important role played by enslaved people in achieving their own freedom. I could not have dreamed that my book itself would be censored—by the U.S. Government, the side that supposedly won the Civil War.
Resources & Opportunities
Career Transitions: Finding Your Next Opportunity
6/17 12-1pm via Zoom. FREE for WMG members, $15 for non-members.
Are you looking for your next career move or considering a change of direction? Join WMG for an insightful conversation led by executive recruiter and Headhunter Confidential: The Unwritten Rules for Landing a Job You Love author Kathy Bremer. Kathy will share practical strategies for navigating career transitions, whether you are searching for a new role in your current field or exploring opportunities related to your dream career.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6713242
WMG Small Group Socials
Take a look at WMG’s exciting mix of in-person and virtual members-only small group socials! Affinity groups include children’s books, audiobooks/podcasts, and beachgoers. I’m hosting one in July and hope to see you there!!
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/events
LinkedIn Strategies for Career Growth
8/5 12:30-1:30pm via Zoom. FREE for WMG members, $15 for non-members.
Join this event to learn how to improve your LinkedIn profile and position yourself for new career opportunities. Lynne Williams, Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, will share practical tips for strengthening your personal brand and optimizing your profile. Lynne will cover:
- How to clearly define and communicate your personal brand
- How to effectively incorporate keywords throughout your profile
- How to strengthen your headline with a unique selling proposition
- Where to find free tools and resources to enhance your LinkedIn presence
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6715943
PRH Banned on the Run Fundraiser
Can you help me protect something that should never be taken for granted? That’s the freedom to read. Across the country, books are being challenged and removed from shelves, often silencing stories that young people, families, and communities need most. As a book lover & PRH employee, I am a passionate advocate for protecting the right to read. I hope you’ll join me in supporting this cause! The Freedom to Read Foundation protects & defends the 1st Amendment. From 6/8-6/12, I’ll be tracking my activity and on 6/12 I’ll be participating in a walkathon at PRH. #teamPRH
https://penguin-random-house.charityfootprints.com/bannedontherun26/participant/kathryn-sandler
The Practicing Writer 2.0: June 2026
Spotlighting 55+ fee-free AND paying/funded opportunities for writers of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Via @erikadreifus.
https://erikadreifus.substack.com/p/the-practicing-writer-20-june-2026
2027-2028 Cullman Center Fellowship
MT @CullmanNYPL Attn. writers of all genres – academics, visual artists, translators: The application for the 2027-2028 Cullman Center Fellowship
@nypl is now live. Deadline 9/25.
https://www.nypl.org/about/fellowships-institutes/cullman-center-scholars-writers
FSG Writer’s Fellowship
NBC TV Writers Program
MT @CindyBegel NBC has opened submissions on its TV writing program. No application fee. You need 2 original pilots of the same basic type, a resume, & 2 personal essays of 400 words apiece. They accept submissions until 6/21.
https://www.nbcuniversallaunch.com/tv-writers-program
64 things you can get for free for your birthday in New York City
https://secretnyc.co/nyc-birthday-freebies-perks/
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