Happy Friday Reader! ​
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when a 4 AM Amber Alert jolts you awake with a false evacuation warning, and your kids are making videos with their dolls about the fire, you realize this isn’t going to be your typical CES newsletter.

I was excited to share my show highlights with you today, but instead, I want to begin with gratitude: we're safe.

While the LA fire is dangerously close, and the air quality is worsening in Venice Beach, we’re not in the evacuation zone. Your messages checking in on us, offering help, and sending kind words have meant the world to me. Moments like this remind me how lucky I am to have a community I can truly count on.

You’re not just random connections; you’re real friends.

Tuesday was supposed to be special — one of those rare occasions when my husband and I attended a business event together. Everything was meticulously planned, including childcare, until news of the fire hijacked our thoughts at CES. Suddenly, our Vegas trip turned into an exercise in long-distance emergency communication, strategizing to keep our kids and nanny safe.

Walking through CES 2025, AI was everywhere — from AI companions promising to be your best friend to smart home systems claiming to predict your every need. But standing in front of an AI-enabled refrigerator that orders groceries, all I could think was:

Meanwhile, back home, our school parents' WhatsApp groups were buzzing with real-time updates on wind directions, evacuation zones, and tips on how to leave the city during a fire.

It hit me: Are we directing our technological innovation toward the right priorities?

Sure, there were glimpses of AI addressing real-world challenges at CES, but these efforts felt overshadowed by an endless parade of consumer gadgets promising to make our comfortable lives slightly more convenient.

Do we really need a cute little robot that blows cold air on my coffee to cool it down?

In the Equality Lounge at CES, I attended a talk highlighting storytelling as the number one future skill. Yet, watching events unfold at home, I realized the most important skills we can teach our children are resilience and the ability to stay positive in the face of challenges. No matter how advanced our technology is getting, it feels like the unpredictability of our world increases.

One of our schoolteachers lost everything in the fire. She was teaching while the flames spread, and by the time she could return home, her child had already been evacuated from preschool, and her house was gone. It’s heartbreaking. Usually, you see something like this on the news — now, it’s happening to someone in our circle of friends.

Our situation right now has been a stark reminder of how fragile life is.

In the last few days, I’ve been so deeply grateful for ours. Our school organized help within minutes, matching those in need with those who could offer support. WhatsApp groups buzzed with evacuation updates and coordination efforts. Friends took care of our kids like their own while we navigated the chaos from afar.

On the flight home, my husband and I talked about what we’d grab if we had to evacuate. Besides the essentials, I instinctively reached for my baby photo album and thought to myself, "I have to digitize my old family pictures".

What would you take?

After seeing all the AI and tech innovations at CES, I realized something profound:

What truly matters in these times is having family, friends, and a supportive community around you — and I hope my newsletter today inspires you to focus on building that foundation while life feels steady.

Stay safe, everyone.

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💞 From Venice Beach,
Simone