Bob Ross completed 1.1k+ paintings over the 31-season run of “The Joy of Painting,” but one from the very first episode depicting a stone path, a pond, and some trees is getting outsized attention right now. It’s on the market — listed at $9.85m. Its original owner? A PBS volunteer who likely spent less than $100 on it.
In today’s email:
That’s trippy: Psychedelic retreats are popping up everywhere.
A cycling sham: One man’s quest to end virtual cheating.
AI as translator: Tests are expanding, but so are the problems.
Around the web: A cake for sheep shearing, nine biz ideas, an emoji game, and more.
👇 Listen: Who needs Italy when you can just get high on ‘shrooms?
The big idea
Ready for a trip? Psychedelic retreats are going mainstream
The next travel trend is one strange trip.
2023-09-27T00:00:00Z
Sara Friedman
When planning your next vacation, your options might include destinations like Italy, Greece, or Spain.
But a growing number of adventurous travelers are looking for a different kind of trip: a psychedelic one.
Though they’re still illegal in much of the US, psilocybin mushrooms are gaining popularity as states, like Oregon and Colorado, introduce new regulations and ease restrictions.
In the meantime, psychedelic retreats are taking travelers abroad to legally experience magic mushrooms along with some spiritual guidance:
Beckley Retreats runs psilocybin retreats in Jamaica and the Netherlands.
Also in the Netherlands, Alalaho hosts guided retreats.
The Buena Vida holds women-led psilocybin retreats in private villas around Mexico.
Silo Wellness offers retreats in Jamaica, with Oregon trips coming soon.
And some companies are already catering to specific niches: The Journeymen Collective is an invitation-only luxury experience in Canada designed for executives and entrepreneurs.
Psychedelics are gaining momentum…
… as more than just a fun trip. They’re increasingly being used to treat mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
And researchers are exploring whether psilocybin can be used to alleviate issues beyond mental health, like Alzheimer’s disease and smoking addiction.
Plus, other psychedelics are gaining popularity at retreats and clinics alike: ayahuasca, LSD, and ketamine in particular.
But no cure…
… comes without a cost — and psychedelic retreats can get pricey.
Prices vary depending on the duration and location of the retreat, but can range from $2k to $10k+. They’re also not for everyone, and come with some serious risks.
But, for the right traveler, a psychedelic retreat might be the perfect vacation.
You’ll just have to figure out how to explain it to your boss…
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Today in the Taylor economy, sales of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s jersey spiked ~400% after the musician attended his game on Sunday. He’s also gained 251.4k+ followers on Instagram.
SNIPPETS
The Federal Trade Commission filed its long-awaited suit against Amazon yesterday, accusing the retailer of monopolistic practices, including artificially inflating prices and harming its rivals.
ChatGPT is becoming even more human. The generative AI program will now be able to see, hear, and speak, allowing users to have voice conversations or show it photos they have questions about.
Out of this world: Sierra Space raised $290m — on top of $1.4B raised in 2021 — valuing the company at $5.3B. The new investment will fund work on the company’s Dream Chaser space vehicle and commercial space stations.
Spotify launched Jam, a collaborative playlist that up to 32 people can contribute to and control together — making hogging the aux a thing of the past.
Oh, boy: Ireland’s Southeast Technical University is offering the country’s first degree in influencing. The Bachelor of Arts in content creation and social media covers topics like video editing, creative writing, and business.
The Meta Connect 2023 VR event begins streaming on Facebook (and Horizon Worlds for Quest users) today at 1pm EST, featuring updates on Meta’s forthcoming $500 Quest 3.
SAG-AFTRA membersvoted in favor of a video game actors strike, which authorizes performers to strike after Sept. 26. The union is negotiating with game studios for better pay, safety, and AI regulations.
The Streaming Innovation Alliance — the streaming industry’s first lobbying coalition — will have Netflix, Paramount+, Max, Peacock, and Disney+ on its board. Apple and Amazon are notably not involved.
FROM THE BLOG
Google seemed unshakeable, until AI threw its future up into the clouds. We looked into what the future holds for Google, and the lessons entrepreneurs can take from it.
Cycle Scam
One man’s quest to end cheating in virtual cycling
Luciano Pollastri’s bike inched along, his calves searing at the unforgiving incline. As he watched a rider on an opposing team pull away from the peloton, he knew he couldn’t catch him, not now.
After Pollastri crossed the finish line, at 2.2k feet, he hopped off his bike, powered down his computer, and walked upstairs, ready for dinner.
Pollastri was riding in his basement on Zwift, a multiplayer virtual training program that lets cyclists train together at home. He’d been riding in the Zwift Racing League, the largest competition on the platform, against riders all over the world.
Pollastri is a self-described data freak, so on the heels of his team’s loss that day in February 2022, he called up the stats of his competitors. He wanted to see what they’d done differently.
Right away, he realized a discrepancy. He had no idea the magnitude of cheating his sleuthing would expose.
Read the full story →
Loaded language
Spotify and OpenAI are just the tip of the AI-translation iceberg we’re about to crash into
Converting top podcasts into different languages is a big moment for AI translation tools, but it’s worth treading carefully around them.
2023-09-27T00:00:00Z
Ben Berkley
Live voice translation is one of the most tantalizing prospects of an AI-fueled world. It’s also one of its scariest.
Top-of-mind worries we drummed up include:
More convincing deep fakes
More effective scams
Misinterpretation leading to an international incident
That all may seem like a big leap from this week’s harmless podcast-specific news — that Spotify and OpenAI are teaming up to clone podcasters’ voices and translate English episodes into other languages.
But there’s already been trouble
The developing field of AI translation has already seen its fair share of issues:
The US immigration system has used AI-powered translation tools in place of human interpreters, at great cost to asylum seekers. Advocates say the tools aren’t ready for high-stakes situations, and are especially ineffective across language systems.
Meta’s AI translation model, SeamlessM4T, is the latest to show bias (it overrepresents the masculine form), following a study that found other models 2x more likely to incorrectly transcribe Black speakers.
They will ultimately supplant trained professionals who apply critical nuance to important communications. (Gizmodo’s parent company firing its Spanish translation staff in favor of a faulty AI program was the first warning shot here.)
Its output can also feel inauthentic
Machine-aided translation tools are worth testing, but an overreliance on them is another potential problem to track.
Journalist Izadeli Montalvo warns brands against relying on AI translation, saying connection isn’t just about language, but culture and emotions as well: “It’s about crafting messages that resonate, not just translate.”
Spotify’s biggest shows morphing into Spanish represents the biggest test of this technology to date — though not the best one.
That honor will always go to the Japanese researchers using AI translation tools on chickens’ clucking; they now think the machines can interpret chicken emotions, including hunger, fear, anger, contentment, excitement, and distress.
AROUND THE WEB
⛪ On this day: In 1590, Pope Urban VII died of malaria just 12 days after his appointment, marking the shortest ever papal reign.
🎂 That’s interesting: Cacen gneifo is a traditional Welsh “shearing cake,” eaten by farmers tending to their sheep. Here’s its history and a recipe.
🎧 Podcast: On My First Million, Shaan Puri and Sam Parr share nine business ideas, from Dribble for X to an AI-enabled marketplace for teachers.
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Today’s email was brought to you by Juliet Bennett Rylah and Sara Friedman. Editing by: Ben “Ready to retreat with mushrooms… on a pizza” Berkley.
