Benedict's Newsletter: No. 636

Q: Meta and YouTube lost landmark addiction lawsuit over allegedly harmful product design, setting prec

Meta and YouTube lost landmark addiction lawsuit over allegedly harmful product design, setting precedent despite minimal financial damages.

Q: Apple is resetting its AI strategy with Google Gemini integration and opening Siri to third-party as

Apple is resetting its AI strategy with Google Gemini integration and opening Siri to third-party assistants after failing to deliver 2024 AI promises.

Q: OnlyFans founder Leonid Radvinsky died at 43, leaving behind a profitable platform with $520M net pr

OnlyFans founder Leonid Radvinsky died at 43, leaving behind a profitable platform with $520M net profit from $7.2B gross revenue and only 46 staff.

Benedict Evans·Tuesday, March 31, 2026·12 min read

Technology AI/ML Business

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AI Summary

Benedict Evans analyzes major tech developments including Meta and YouTube losing an addiction lawsuit, OpenAI's strategic challenges and focus narrowing, and Apple's AI strategy reset with Google Gemini integration. The newsletter covers regulatory moves like FCC router bans, corporate developments like the OnlyFans founder's death, and geopolitical tech issues including drone warfare trades.

Key Facts

✓Meta and YouTube lost landmark addiction lawsuit over allegedly harmful product design, setting precedent despite minimal financial damages.

✓Apple is resetting its AI strategy with Google Gemini integration and opening Siri to third-party assistants after failing to deliver 2024 AI promises.

✓OnlyFans founder Leonid Radvinsky died at 43, leaving behind a profitable platform with $520M net profit from $7.2B gross revenue and only 46 staff.

Author Takes

SkepticalBenedict Evans

Apple AI strategy

Apple spending hour at WWDC 2024 on AI vision then failing to ship was a screw-up, not strategy

SkepticalBenedict Evans

Social media addiction lawsuits

Tobacco metaphor is seductive but lacks clear chemical evidence - better comparison might be app store battles

BearishBenedict Evans

OpenAI positioning

OpenAI has no unique tech, limited user engagement, no network effects while incumbents have matched the technology

Contrarian Angle

OnlyFans' Capital-Efficient Model

Platform generates $520M net profit with only 46 staff by taking 20% cut of creator revenue

Most tech companies can't access VC funding or traditional exits due to adult content, forcing cash-focused operations

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