Flock Law, Mouth Tech, and The Jetsons Era 🦷

An Atlanta-based startup has a controversial focus on surveillance. It has rapidly deployed car tracking cameras across 4,000 cities spanning 42 states. 

The $4 Billion startup, Flock, specializes in AI-based tracking tools for local police. It "fingerprints" vehicles, cross-referencing car model, make, and appearance with license plate data in the DOT database. It charges a lucrative $3,000 annual fee for this tech, contributing to its staggering 2,700% growth since 2020. Flock claims its cameras, covering nearly 70% of the population, assist in solving approximately 2,200 crimes daily. For example, in Riverside County, California, a network of 309 cameras have been scanning 27.5 million cars per month. 

However, according to a Forbes recent investigation, Flock has showed quite the willingness to skirt permitting regulations. The report shows that Flock has been violating state laws in Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. In June 2022, Flock's coercive tactics came to light as an Illinois DOT official received veiled threats, implying that 30 police chiefs would intervene if the permitting process wasn't expedited. 

Despite potential legal infringements, cops love Flock, praising it for its cost-effectiveness compared to other big name competitors.

The buzz around flying cars has reached new heights. 

A flying car startup backed by a key SpaceX investor has almost 3,000 pre-orders. Alef Aeronautic’s Model A flying car (image below) costs a whopping $300,000. But that hasn’t deterred futuristic buyers. The clamor for these airborne wonders has surpassed expectations since Alef opened its order books in October 2022. 

Alef embarked on its flying car odyssey back in 2015, taking flight with a prototype in 2019 and winning over venture capitalists like Tim Draper – a name synonymous with early investments in Tesla and SpaceX.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave the company the green light to take it to the skies last July at which point the car started taking pre-orders. 

Speed and Specs 

On land, the two-seater Model A might not break any land speed records at a modest 35 miles per hour, but once it takes to the air, it's a different story. Cruising at a cool 110 miles per hour, this airborne marvel has attracted 2,500 pre-orders by July of last year.

Alef aims to launch the Model A car around next year. 

Your mouth is about to get a whole lot of tech upgrade. 

An AI platform for dentistry, called Overjet, secured a groundbreaking $53.2 million in a Series C funding round – the largest AI investment in dentistry to date.

Founded in 2018 by MIT and Harvard PhDs, the Boston-based company is currently valued at around $550 million.

How does it work? 

The platform's primary focus is on diagnosis, care recommendations, claims review, and optimizing business operations, according to a company statement. According to Overjet’s CEO, the platform has the potential to enhance dental operations and elevate diagnostic accuracy, particularly in identifying issues like cavities. Overjet's AI tool undergoes rigorous training on millions of use cases, validated by clinical specialists.

🛬 The Airport Grab - Haiti went into a 72-hour state of emergency last week after gangs, including nearly 4,000 prison escapees, attempted to seize control of the main airport.

🔻 Falling Apple - Apple's iPhone sales in China are estimated to have plummeted 24% in the first 6 weeks of this year

ℹ️ Get Your Data Out - Amazon will let customers leave its data ecosystem for free.

🏀 A Basketball Union - In a history-making move, Dartmouth men’s basketball players became the first-ever American college sports team to unionize.

😮‍💨 Smuggling Gases - A California man became the first person to be prosecuted for smuggling greenhouse gases into the US and selling them on Facebook Marketplace.

🏝️ Land for Charity - Salesforce CEO, Marc Benioff, has purchased almost $100 million worth of land in Hawaii since 2000, and says he's given away 75% of it