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Reading Room

Read the arguments shaping this field: original letters and essays, independent reporting, interviews, and podcasts. Every item says whether the text is available here or should be read at its publisher.

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All reading (51)

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Building a Beacon in the Fog of AIInterview or podcastWatch/listen
Nilam Ganenthiran, Rick Buhrman, Paul Buser · Colossus / Joys of Compounding

Episode page highlights trust, permanent capital, the acquisition machine, and the operating platform. Includes useful chapter timestamps.

Letter to FoundersEssay or blogExcerpt
Nilam Ganenthiran · Beacon Software

Describes permanent ownership alongside a central operating platform, engineering help, and local company continuity.

Aravind Srinivasan; Samay Shamdasani; Arthur Fernandes Araujo; John de Wasseige · OpenAI / Thrive Holdings

Describes a practitioner-feedback and evaluation loop for Tax AI. Reports a 7,000-return pilot, roughly one-third less preparation time, and about 50% greater throughput.

Announced May 4, 2026. Long Lake Management agreed to acquire American Express Global Business Travel in an all-cash take-private valued at approximately $6.3 billion, with support from General Catalyst and Alpha Wave; Koch Equity Development was also reported in the syndicate. Shareholders receive $9.50 per share, a 60.2 percent premium to the May 1 closing price. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary conditions and regulatory clearances. American Express is selling its roughly 30 percent stake for $1.5 billion and expects to record a pre-tax gain of about $975 million; its brand license and other commercial agreements with Amex GBT remain in place. Paul Abbott is chief executive of Amex GBT, which operates in more than 140 countries. Ken Chenault, General Catalyst chairman and former American Express chief executive, commented on the deal. Long Lake was founded in 2023.