ELON MUSK: "WE'RE GOING STRAIGHT TO MARS." Musk declared on X that the Moon is a "distraction," emphasizing a direct focus on Mars colonization.
—> WHY IT MATTERS: Musk's statement challenges NASA's Artemis Program, which aims to return humans to the Moon, suggesting a shift in priorities toward interplanetary exploration.
—> MEET THE FUTURE: MUSK WANTS MARS MISSION IN 2028. Musk aims to send humans to the Red Planet by 2028, following un-crewed test flights planned for 2026.
Back to Earth…
hello, future. it’s me, kev.
…and this is a dispatch from the digital frontier. It’s time to meet the future NOW — your one-stop shop to markets, tech, and freedom. The day is 5. The year is 2025. The planet is Earth. My name is Kevin Cirilli —> LinkedIn.
Are you at CES? Let us know what you’re hearing. The Verge has a great preview of what to expect at this year’s trade show in Vegas — happening this week in Sin City.
Back to the future...
FUTURES
WHAT MARKETS WILL WATCH THIS WEEK:
JOBS REPORT FOCUS: The December jobs report (dropping Friday, Jan. 10) is expected to show 150,000 new jobs and unemployment at 4.2%. Markets will be hunting for signals—are we heading toward a stronger economy or an overheated labor market?
FED POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Wage growth and labor participation are the key metrics. A hot jobs report could stoke inflation fears, leading to tighter monetary policy.
MARKET REACTION: If the report overdelivers, growth stocks could take a hit as rate hikes loom. But if the numbers disappoint, watch for volatility as recession fears creep back into play.
IS THE JANUARY EFFECT STILL A THING? The "January Effect"—a stock market boost tied to year-end tax loss selling and small-cap rebounds—has faded in recent years, with mixed results since 2000. 📈
—> MEET THE FUTURE: Investors still chase it, betting on beaten-down stocks for quick January gains. But with markets jittery over valuations and political shifts, this year’s effect might be as unpredictable as ever. Source: Bloomberg.
NOTABLE: MICROSOFT TO INVEST $80 BILLION IN AI DATA CENTERS
Microsoft plans to spend $80 billion—half in the U.S.—in fiscal 2025 to supercharge AI-enabled data centers. This bet on infrastructure could make or break its edge in the AI arms race. Source: CNBC.
APPLE SETTLES $95M SIRI SNOOPING LAWSUIT. Apple will pay $95M to settle claims Siri secretly recorded users without consent, even when “Hey, Siri” wasn’t triggered.
BYTEDANCE: TRUMP'S TIKTOK CROSSROADS. Trump faces a Jan. 19 deadline: enforce TikTok’s sale or ban the app outright over national security concerns.
—> WHAT'S AT STAKE: TikTok's Chinese ownership fuels fears about data privacy and surveillance. Millions of U.S. users—and the future of the tech landscape—hang in the balance. Sources: CNBC, Bloomberg.
CRYPTO // DIGITAL CURRENCY
🚨IS BIG GOV KILLING CRYPTO? Crypto advocates claim federal regulators are pressuring banks to sever ties with blockchain companies in a rumored “Operation Choke Point 2.0.” Conservatives are calling on President-elect Trump to investigate.
—> FLASHBACK: OPERATION CHOKE POINT: The Obama-era program allegedly pressured banks to cut off "high-risk" industries like payday lenders.
—> FLASHFORWARD: OPERATION CHOKE POINT 2.0: Leaked FDIC documents show banks were warned against supporting blockchain services, like a planned “Bank Digital Deposit” program. Crypto advocate John Deaton has offered to lead a Trump-era investigation as the battle over crypto’s future heats up.
—> WHY YOU CARE: The FDIC’s stance could stall crypto’s entry into traditional banking. As public blockchains grow, the clash between innovation and regulation is just heating up. Source: Decrypt.
QUANTUM // ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
HOCHUL’S ‘DOGE’ PROTECTION PROGRAM? NY GOV SLAMS THE BRAKES ON AI IN GOVERNMENT. New York’s new law blocks AI from deciding on benefits like unemployment or childcare without human oversight. It also shields workers from AI-driven job cuts. 🛑🤖
—> DIG DEEPER: This is a collision of visions: Hochul’s human-first approach vs. Elon Musk’s push for AI-led government efficiency. As Musk champions a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), New York pushes back, keeping AI in check.
—> ‘DOGE’ PROTECTION? New York’s law demands human monitoring for AI decisions and safeguards workers from AI-induced layoffs. Source: Associated Press.
BIG TECH
META KILLS OFF ITS WEIRD ‘FAKE FRIENDS’ — AI BOTS THAT WON’T SHUT UP. We’ve seen this Black Mirror episode before. Meta yanked its bizarre AI bots from Instagram and Facebook after users complained they couldn’t block them.
—> WHAT HAPPENED: These bots spammed users with unsolicited dating advice and life coaching, blurring the line between real and artificial. When users tried to block them, the bots wouldn’t go away—causing chaos and a corporate headache. Sources: Vice; The Guardian; 404media; The Verge.
FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS NET NEUTRALITY RULES. A federal court has halted the Biden administration’s effort to restore net neutrality, a major setback for FCC plans to regulate broadband .
—> MEET THE FUTURE: Republican Brendan Carr, a net neutrality critic, will lead the FCC in the Trump administration, calling such rules unnecessary.
—> WHY YOU CARE: Without net neutrality, ISPs could prioritize or block content, leaving the future of an open internet in question. Source material: Federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling.
GEOPOLITICS
CHINA ESCALATES TRADE WAR. Beijing blacklisted 10 U.S. defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, in response to Taiwan arms sales. While largely symbolic, this move signals China’s readiness to raise the stakes over Taiwan. Source: WSJ; NYT.
U.S. COMPANIES COOL ON CHINA: American businesses that once opposed Trump’s trade war are now quieter as his second administration looms.
—> FADING OPPORTUNITIES: China’s slowing economy and tighter policies have dimmed its allure for U.S. firms as more U.S. companies grow more wary about doing business in China. Source: Wall Street Journal.
Meanwhile, here’s what happening in our neck of the galaxy…
SPACE
NASA SENDS PROBE TO TOUCH SUN — AND IT WORKED! Over the weekend, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe beamed back to planet Earth that all systems are still ago. NASA's Parker Solar Probe has achieved a historic milestone — venturing closer to the Sun than any human-made object in history. 🌞🚀
—> WHAT IT MEANS: NASA’s Parker survived temperatures hotter than molten lava to capture data from the Sun’s corona, where solar mysteries like superheated winds and magnetic storms originate.
—> WHY YOU CARE: The sci-fi-worthy mission is decoding the Sun’s most dangerous secrets, paving the way to predict solar storms that could disrupt satellites, power grids, and the tech infrastructure driving our future. 🌌🔥
Back to Earth…
SUN STORM SPARKS RADIO BLACKOUTS IN SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. The sun erupted over the weekend with multiple powerful flares causing radio blackouts across parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
—> DIG DEEPER: Solar storms can mess with satellites, GPS, and power grids—vital for modern tech and finance. Space weather risks are becoming harder to ignore. Source: Space Weather Prediction Center. Source: Space Weather Prediction Center.
SPACE JUNK LANDS IN KENYA. A massive 8-foot rocket fragment crashed from space into a Kenyan village, raising questions about growing space debris. 🚀🌍
ONE MORE THING
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: IS AI YOUR NEXT PERSONAL TRAINER? AI is reshaping fitness, with apps like ChatGPT and Peloton’s Strength+ creating custom workout plans tailored to your goals.
🤖🦾 GET SCI-FI FIT: AI-driven platforms are now virtual trainers, offering strength splits, running plans, and more. Peloton’s Strength+, launched in December, is already making waves. Sources: Men’s Health; Women’s Health.
With gratitude,
Kev
ABOUT mtf.tv’s meet the future: mtf.tv’s meet the future is a cutting-edge platform focused on addressing key challenges at the intersection of national security, technology, and business. With a mission to embrace freedom to meet the future’s challenges and opportunities, mtf.tv offers forward-thinking media offerings and forums.
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