Hi there, 

Here is this week in charts.

Here we go again. Bookkeeping jobs dropped amid the rise of spreadsheet software like VisiCalc, Lotus 1-2-3, and Excel, falling 44% from 1985 to 2017. However, at the same time, the number of management analysts and financial managers jumped by nearly 4x. So while the advancement of tech like generative AI, for instance, may threaten some positions, it also opens up new opportunities for folks that can use emerging tech to generate value. Dive deeper into generative AI advancement and the licensing strategies that big tech could employ to develop a competitive edge in the fast-growing space.

Stealing the spotlight. Earlier this week, we revealed that
earnings call mentions of cryptocurrency (or crypto) declined over the course of 2022. This decline has carried into 2023, with mentions falling yet again from Q4’22 to Q1’23 (as of 3/29/23). Mentions of artificial intelligence (or AI), on the other hand, have rebounded spectacularly amid mounting generative AI hype, rising 79% over the same period to reach a record high. We go beyond the buzz to quantify key trends in our State of Generative AI report and reveal where leaders like OpenAI are investing to move forward right here.

Recovery. Tech stocks are bouncing back, particularly for Google parent company Alphabet. The company’s market value has increased more than $130B amid a 12% jump in shares this month, putting the stock on course for its largest monthly increase in nearly 2 years. This follows a February slump driven in part by mounting concerns over the ability of its Bard chatbot to compete with rival ChatGPT. However, analyst reports following Bard’s recent launch have helped mitigate this concern to some degree. What's next for Google? Dive into its growth plans across healthcare AI, blockchain, and
pharma.

Them Apples. The Apple Pay user base is steadily growing, so Apple stands to make a big splash with the introduction of Apple Pay Later, its "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) offering. While it only extended Apple Pay Later to a select group of users earlier this week, it will roll out the service to its entire user base later this year. With 1M+ retail stores currently accepting Apple Pay and 48.7M users projected to use Apple Pay in the US this year, Apple could see a swift rise in BNPL adoption and continued growth in the space. What other areas is Apple exploring in its quest for growth? Find out in this strategy map.

Opioid crisis. The leading cause of death among US individuals aged 1-44 is “unintentional injury,” according to CDC data as of 2020. This category covers motor vehicle crashes, unintentional falls, and poisoning. The number of deaths specifically related to poisoning (e.g., drug overdoses) increased 17x from 1981 to 2020. And poisoning’s share of deaths by “unintentional injury” has increased as well, rising from less than 5% to more than 60% over the same period.

Cool circles bro. Utter nonsense. Big thanks to newsletter subscriber Roman Lutsiv for replying with this monstrosity.

I love you. 

Anand

@asanwal

P.S. The nature of investing has evolved considerably over the past decade. So what’s next? Join us on April 18 to discover how emerging tech is shaping the future of investing.
 

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