The Memo | Forbes: Paid Facebook, ChatGPT And Europe’s Most Powerful Passport

The Memo is Forbes’ global weekly newsletter curating the latest in future trends, entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Sent on Saturdays, it also includes everything you need to start your weekend, from must-listen podcasts to new book releases and much more. Sign up here.

Don’t Fear The Future

This week JPMorgan Chase became the latest organization to limit the use of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot in the workplace.

For the uninitiated, ChatGPT is much more than just a chatbot. In stark contrast to the woeful customer service chatbots that many of us know and loathe, ChatGPT is an easy-to-use interface into the cutting edge world of artificial intelligence, that’s making waves across the tech world.

For those who remember the world before the internet achieved mass adoption, AI is reaching its ‘dot-com boom’ moment. That moment when the pace of innovation is moving almost as fast as the hype in the news every day about the next big developments.

From mundane tasks like writing academic papers all the way to debugging computer programs, ChatGPT’s surprising abilities have already caught the attention of over 100 million users. Believe the hype, we are living through the next industrial revolution.

Which brings me back to the news of big corporations putting blocks on using this exciting new tool at work. I have a distinct feeling of deja vous- remember the days when you weren’t allowed to use your own devices at work? We’ve been here before when businesses clamped down on blogging, smartphones, social media and so much more before they became mainstream.

Yes, there are legitimate security concerns, which have led many other companies to take the same decision to restrict ChatGPT.

But consider how many successful startups were born from employees of businesses that didn’t embrace new technologies. It reminds us of a simple lesson: if you don’t create safe spaces for early adopters to experiment inside your organization, they’ll simply build the future without you.

Five Things We Learned

Alexis Ohanian’s family trauma inspired his interest in NFTs and future social networks. Ohanian’s ancestors’ suffered during Armenian genocide and were forced to leave behind all of their valuable heirlooms. In an exclusive interview with Forbes he reveals how this family trauma led him to his latest passion: decentralized currency and digital assets.

Paid subscriptions are coming to Facebook and Instagram. Snag yourself a badge, protection from impersonation and access to real people if you need customer support for just $11.99 per month. Bargain.

There are calls for a ‘Green Marshall Plan’ for Ukraine. As the war crosses the one-year line, plans are afoot to rebuild Ukraine with a ‘green’ approach, with cutting-edge sustainable infrastructure. The rebuild is expected to take at least a decade and require billions of dollars of funding.

Italy boasts Europe’s most powerful passport. With hassle-free travel to most countries worldwide and no travel bans anywhere in the world, behind Japan and Singapore, an Italian passport is this season’s must-have travel accessory.

The U.K. will start charging an entry free. After Venice introduced an entrance fee, and the European Union started rolling out its long-delayed electronic entry and exit system, registration fees seem to be the travel trend of 2023. The U.K.’s new Electronic Travel Authorization is expected to be a nominal fee, similar to the ESTA fee in the United States.

The Good

Moderna hopes to build on mRNA tech used in Covid shots to target genetic diseases. A new partnership with a biotech company specialized in gene editing could bring hope to some of the world’s most challenging health conditions.

The Bad

Leaders behind a Christian Ministry’s Obamacare alternative pocketed $4m according to an FBI investigation. Hundreds including two pregnant women and a heart attack sufferer were victims of an alleged fraud by the Medical Cost Sharing ministry, whose fees were to be “shared” with a network of “like-minded” Christians.

Watch

What it takes to become Johnnie Walker’s Master Blender. The first female master blender in Johnnie Walker’s 200 year history reveals the secrets behind blending the perfect dram. Forbes, YouTube, free to watch worldwide.

Listen

Live to 100. How far would you go to extend your life? Get up to speed with the latest science on aging and tips for a life lived well. No Stupid Questions, Freakonomics, free to listen worldwide.

Read

Hidden corruption, corporate greed and the fight for the future of meat. Forbes Staff Writer Chloe Sorvino presents an expansive view of the fundamental weaknesses of America’s meat industry. Raw Deal, Simon & Schuster, from $15.

Taste

Alain Ducase on life after earning 21 Michelin Stars. Culinary icon Alain Ducasse reveals the secrets behind his 50 year career at the top of haute cuisine and how he launched the careers of many of the world’s top chefs today.

Sign up here to get the The Memo newsletter delivered to your inbox every Saturday.