Metrics to Avoid Zombie Startups, Alibaba Breaks Up, T2's Verification Program, and Microsoft's Bing Chatbot Gets Ad-ified, Plus AI Tools for Designers and more!

If you're running a startup, tracking profitability metrics is essential. While revenue growth and customer acquisition costs are important, they don't tell the whole story. To get a better idea of your startup's financial health, keep an eye on metrics like net revenue retention, gross margins, and contribution margins. By doing so, you can avoid becoming a "zombie startup" and ensure long-term success. So, don't let your startup become a walking dead, use these metrics and give your business the best chance to succeed!

Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant, will split into six separate business groups, each managed by its own CEO, to improve efficiency and agility. The move will also allow each unit to navigate their respective sectors better during uncertain economic times. The conglomerate will become a holding company, and each new business may seek out funding or individual IPOs. It will be interesting to see how the businesses perform as a standalone company. The resources under each group will be split and become more siloed as they grow.

Twitter alternative T2 has launched a new verification program and hired a new CTO, the former engineering head at Discord. T2 aims to provide a more user-friendly and privacy-focused social media experience, with features like decentralized identity and peer-to-peer messaging. The new verification program will allow users to verify their identities and earn badges, while the new CTO brings expertise in scaling and building robust technology. It's like Twitter, but cooler.

Microsoft has added ads to its AI-powered chatbot on Bing, prompting quick backlash from users. The chatbot was meant to offer help and answer questions but now seems to be trying to sell something at every opportunity. It's not clear yet how Microsoft plans to respond to the negative feedback.

The article talks about AI tools that designers can use to enhance their work, including Sketch2Code, Artbreeder, and Deep Dream. These tools can help automate tedious tasks, generate new design concepts, and add special effects to designs. With AI, designers can save time and expand their creative possibilities.