Happy Wednesday, tech friend. Let’s kick today off with trivia. The FTC just banned noncompetes, clauses companies use to keep workers from going to competitors. With the ban, does the FTC expect a decrease in … A.) Wages earned, B.) Startups founded, C.) Patents filed or D.) Health care costs? Answer’s at the end!

Get in early. RYSE is changing the smart-home game with its shades and curtains, and you can be one of its investors. Find out more here. Your clicks help keep this newsletter hitting your inbox — for free! Now, on to the top tech news hand-picked by me, never AI! — Kim

If you've logged into Instagram or Facebook recently, you've probably noticed things look a little … different.

Meta's new AI-powered search window is right at the top of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp. Think of it as Siri or Alexa for social media — without a cute name.

Here's the kicker: There's no real way to opt out of the feature. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to protect your data while using the apps. My top three tips are below!

Have you tried turning it on and on again?

Meta wants to make your FB or IG search bar work more like ChatGPT. I tried it and thought it was kind of lame. So what happens if you just ask the bot to go away? It says it is possible and even gives phony “instructions.” Don’t waste your time. I tested them — they’re bogus.

When Fast Company asked about the discrepancy, Meta referred to its AI help section, which says responses “may not be accurate … and should not be used to make important decisions.”

Gee, thanks a lot, Mark …

You’re stuck with Meta AI for the time being. The good news is you have a few options to protect your data so it’s not just sold off to anyone and everyone.

Pro tip: Want to cut the Meta AI cord completely? You must submit a request through Meta's Generative AI Data Subject Rights page.

They say it’s not a sure thing your info will be deleted, but it's worth a shot. Crazy, right?

If enough people push back, maybe Big Tech will stop force-feeding us AI tools we didn’t ask for. Good thing you have me looking out for your privacy. Those companies aren’t going to.

AI is everywhere, and the tech is doing more than just making life easier — it’s making a heck of a lot of money, too.

In real estate, it was worth a staggering $163 billion in 2022. Imagine what that number is now. It’s being used to make the buying and selling process easier, slash energy costs, and make living simpler. That brings me to RYSE.

You’ve heard me talk about this smart-shade company. Right now, they're prepping for a brand-new product launch that’s already attracted attention from renowned real estate developers and big-box retail.

RYSE’s new SmartCurtain puts them a step closer to becoming the dominant brand in automated shades, and you can still reap the early rewards.

👨🏻‍💻 It just keeps getting worse: Think of one person you’d call friend or foe. Now, know it’s either them or you who just got their medical ID and health care details stolen. Yup, 50% of Americans were hit. Cybercriminals were in Change Healthcare’s system for nine days (paywall link) before launching their Feb. 21 ransomware attack. You really need to watch out for medical theft. Steps are on my site.

Chirp off the old block: Chirp Systems’ app controls smart locks in tons of rental homes. The app's “hardcoded credentials” could let anyone remotely lock or unlock your door. Chirp says a fix is on the way. Swap out Chirp smart locks with this one from Amazon.

Acts Retirement Services data breach: It happened in 2022. If you had an account with them, you could get $25 per hour for the time you spent dealing with the breach. And if your identity was stolen, get up to $3,500. Submit your claim by May 1.

🚄 Full steam ahead: Well, full electric, technically. Construction has kicked off on America's first high-speed rail, connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas. In as few as four years, the all-electric, zero-emission train will take you 218 miles across the Mojave Desert in just over two hours — twice as fast as driving!

Don't buy a new iPad yet: Apple’s “Let Loose” event is May 7. Expect a redesigned lineup of iPad Pros and a new 12.9-inch iPad Air. This should also knock down prices on the last models. Another clue? Tim Cook’s animated teaser featuring an Apple Pencil.

Tesla tragedy: In Washington, a motorcyclist died after a Tesla on autopilot rear-ended him at high speed. The driver said he trusted the Tesla to drive for him while he was scrolling on his phone. Now he’s charged with vehicular homicide. So, so avoidable. Autopilot is not “self-driving;” it's just glorified cruise control and lane assist.

😎 #Komandodiditfirst: Isn’t that a great hashtag?! The NY Times just published an exposé on GM and LexisNexis’ shady data collection for drivers. But you probably already knew that — I shared the news three weeks ago right here in my free newsletter! I’ll always get you the inside scoop. If you missed it, here’s how to stop their snooping.

Jeff Bezos needs the money: Amazon’s new grocery delivery has hit the streets. For $9.99 per month, you’ll get free delivery from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, Rite Aid and a few local spots … but only on orders over $35. You can get a free 30-day trial. Instacart is getting too expensive. Listen to this to learn how much.

Protect your docs: Medical identity theft is scary, and victims often don't realize something is wrong until it’s too late. Store hard copies of medical records and documents with personal identification information in a safe or lockbox.

Get smart(er): Look for the new Matter or Thread standards when you buy smart-home tech. These give you spy-worthy security. Just keep an eye out for one of those words on the box or online product listing.

More life out of your dying phone: On an iPhone, enable Low Power mode. Open Settings, scroll and tap Battery, then toggle on Low Power Mode On Android, it’s called Battery Saver. Open Settings, then tap Battery > Battery Saver and turn it on.

Ding-ding-ding! Sign up for text and email alerts from your bank. I do, and, yes, it’s a bit annoying to approve purchases I’ve made, but it’s also notified me a few times someone got their hands on my card. In your banking app, go into Settings and look for Alerts or Notifications.

No more “password1”: Move random characters at the beginning or end of your password into the password itself. Ideas: Replace the letter “O” with a zero, like this: k0mand0_scholar. Or sub in a character for a letter it resembles (e.g., f@nt@syFormer). Better yet, get the password manager I do and use this link for 50% off.*

Little helpers to make your washroom sparkle, your loo shine, your powder room glisten, your restroom glitter … you get the idea.

It’s a pickle ball. (I made this using ChatGPT!)

The answer: D.) Health care costs will go down now that noncompetes are toast. That surprised me, too! Wages, startups founded per year and the number of patents filed per year should all increase.

🌅 Keep this newsletter free to you and click the link to today’s sponsor. RYSE is changing the smart-home game, and you can still become an investor.

See you right back here tomorrow, friend. Be sure to rate this newsletter. This helps us know if we’re on the right track. — Kim