iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I guess we'll find out! People seem to watch a lot of AI-generated junk on social media. Maybe there really is an audience for work that's on the spectrum between that and hand-crafted work. www.businessinsider.com/taste-labs-a...

businessinsider.com

A startup wants to replace human creativity. But first, it needs to eliminate slop.

A startup called Taste Labs hired creatives to teach AI what is good and what isn't. It raises the question, do we want AI to define what is great?

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The more ambitious vision is harder to wrap my head around. Functional design like websites and brochures — sure, I understand using AI for that. Movies? Cinematography? Literary fiction? Are they worth much without the struggle of creative growth? www.businessinsider.com/taste-labs-a...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Taste Labs approached clicked with me. I love vibe-coding. I do not know how to code (except for some rudimentary CSS), and now I will never learn how to code. It's great! Why shouldn't people use AI to express their visions in other ways? www.businessinsider.com/taste-labs-a...

businessinsider.com

A startup wants to replace human creativity. But first, it needs to eliminate slop.

A startup called Taste Labs hired creatives to teach AI what is good and what isn't. It raises the question, do we want AI to define what is great?

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The approach from Taste Labs is to essentially outsource good taste to the professionals. The aggregate preferences of "Tastemakers" is going to be better than the entire-internet slurry of data that frontier models are trained on. www.businessinsider.com/taste-labs-a...

businessinsider.com

A startup wants to replace human creativity. But first, it needs to eliminate slop.

A startup called Taste Labs hired creatives to teach AI what is good and what isn't. It raises the question, do we want AI to define what is great?

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The idea that AI can determine good taste might seem hubristic for a company based in Silicon Valley, the community that brought us Allbirds, digital tokens of unshaven apes smoking cigars, and the Metaverse. www.businessinsider.com/taste-labs-a...

businessinsider.com

A startup wants to replace human creativity. But first, it needs to eliminate slop.

A startup called Taste Labs hired creatives to teach AI what is good and what isn't. It raises the question, do we want AI to define what is great?

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A couple of months ago, I learned about Taste Labs. It's a startup aiming at one of the most vexing issues in AI: How do you end slop and make AI-generated content *good*? And how would you even figure that out? For me, it raised another question: What does that mean for creative people?

businessinsider.com

A startup wants to replace human creativity. But first, it needs to eliminate slop.

A startup called Taste Labs hired creatives to teach AI what is good and what isn't. It raises the question, do we want AI to define what is great?

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

when a New York trial judge hangs out with a SCOTUS justice — do you think they talk about the whole "Supreme Court" thing

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

One victim lawyer, Brad Edwards, reportedly tried to block a Leon Black accuser from getting paid from the settlement between Epstein victims and JPMorgan. Edwards said the accuser's claims were unbelievable. (Black denied them; the lawsuit is pending.) www.businessinsider.com/leon-black-e...

businessinsider.com

Epstein files show prosecutors investigated Leon Black sexual abuse allegations — but he wasn't charged

The Epstein files reveal that prosecutors were looking into misconduct claims against the billionaire and former Apollo CEO Black as far back as 2019.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

They also show, for the first time, that another prosecutorial office — the Manhattan district attorney — was looking into Jeffrey Epstein's associates. Not just SDNY/the DOJ. www.businessinsider.com/leon-black-e...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

These records in the Epstein files show, for the first time, that prosecutors were looking into accusations against Leon Black — not just Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. www.businessinsider.com/leon-black-e...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

NEW: Prosecutors looked into the allegations of at least four women who accused Leon Black of sexual misconduct, the Epstein files show. That includes 2 women who said he raped them in Jeffrey Epstein's mansion. www.businessinsider.com/leon-black-e...

businessinsider.com

Epstein files show prosecutors investigated Leon Black sexual abuse allegations — but he wasn't charged

The Epstein files reveal that prosecutors were looking into misconduct claims against the billionaire and former Apollo CEO Black as far back as 2019.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

There are some photos of Jeffrey Epstein's corpse here that I don't believe have been made public before www.justice.gov/epstein/file...

justice.gov

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

EXCLUSIVE: Jeffrey Epstein *did not* have a baby boy, despite an apparent message from Sarah Ferguson in the Epstein files. "If Jeff had a kid, I think I would have known," his brother Mark Epstein told me. Story here: www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

thinking about how jeffrey epstein had his mirror selfie with steve bannon printed out and framed

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

If I was Tom Goldstein I would have simply quit playing poker while I was on top

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

The House Oversight Committee can subpoena Steve Bannon any time and obtain his Jeffrey Epstein videos. I don't understand why they didn't do it months ago. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Steve Bannon discussed using an obscure legal tactic to join Jeffrey Epstein's legal team

The arrangement could explain why Steve Bannon's 15 hours of Jeffrey Epstein footage haven't seen the light of day.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Bannon said at a TPUSA event earlier this year that he'd release the "documentary" sometime "early next year." But I talked to a person close to Bannon who said there's no editing being done, no progress on the project. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Steve Bannon discussed using an obscure legal tactic to join Jeffrey Epstein's legal team

The arrangement could explain why Steve Bannon's 15 hours of Jeffrey Epstein footage haven't seen the light of day.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

In the text messages, Bannon talked about a "narrative of redemption" for Epstein, who at the time was facing civil lawsuits and a criminal investigation over his mass rape of young girls. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

The existence of a Kovel agreement would explain something odd that Jeffrey Epstein's brother, Mark, told me years ago. He said Bannon claimed the footage was protected by attorney-client confidentiality — even though Bannon isn't a lawyer. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Kovel agreements are typically used for forensic accountants. But they can also be used by public relations professionals. If Steve Bannon was making a promotional "documentary" for Jeffrey Epstein, that would explain it. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

While going through the recently released texts between Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein, the discussion of a "Kovel" caught my eye. A Kovel agreement is a way to put the work of non-lawyers under attorney-client confidentiality. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Steve Bannon discussed using an obscure legal maneuver that would make him part of Jeffrey Epstein's legal team, potentially putting 15 hours of interviews under attorney-client confidentiality www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

NEW: As Steve Bannon filmed 15 hours of interviews with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the two texted about using an obscure legal maneuver. The maneuver could explain why the footage hasn't seen the light of day. 🔗 www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Steve Bannon discussed using an obscure legal tactic to join Jeffrey Epstein's legal team

The arrangement could explain why Steve Bannon's 15 hours of Jeffrey Epstein footage haven't seen the light of day.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Oh man, sucks for this guy that he's only a former Honduras Congressman and not a former Honduras President

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

According to the court filing, Ruemmler communicated with Epstein about lawsuits from women who accused him of sexual abuse, including from Virginia Giuffre and from women who sought to undo his controversial Florida plea deal. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

The newly unsealed court filing raises new questions about Kathryn Ruemmler's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Latham & Watkins, her old law firm, says Epstein wasn't a client. But the filing indicates Epstein's estate believes she did legal work for him. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Jeffrey Epstein's estate fights to shield over 250 emails with top Goldman Sachs lawyer

A new court filing indicates Kathryn Ruemmler, now the top Goldman Sachs lawyer, communicated with Jeffrey Epstein about sex assault lawsuits.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

NEW: Jeffrey Epstein’s estate says over 250 emails between top Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler and the now-dead pedophile are protected by attorney-client privilege www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

A foot soldier in Epstein's financial life for 22 years, Beller could help shed light on Epstein's vast fortune — how he amassed it, and what he did with all his money. Members of Congress and victim lawyers name him as someone who might have the answers. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Jeffrey Epstein's accountant of 22 years raised alarm bells at JPMorgan. Now Congress wants answers.

JPMorgan flagged Harry Beller's cash withdrawals on behalf of Epstein four times, documents show. Now Congress wants to know what he knows.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Harry Beller is something of a financial Forrest Gump of the Jeffrey Epstein money trail. He did Ghislaine Maxwell's taxes, he incorporated some of Epstein's companies, he signed checks and withdrew a lot of cash from Epstein's accounts. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

NEW: Harry Beller isn't one of the boldfaced names who can be found all over Jeffrey Epstein's social calendar and emails. But for years, the obscure accountant was entrusted with some of the most delicate parts of Epstein's financial life. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Jeffrey Epstein's accountant of 22 years raised alarm bells at JPMorgan. Now Congress wants answers.

JPMorgan flagged Harry Beller's cash withdrawals on behalf of Epstein four times, documents show. Now Congress wants to know what he knows.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

NEW: Mark Epstein says that the "Bubba" he joked about with his brother Jeffrey Epstein "is not, in any way, a reference to former President Bill Clinton."

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

And there are cryptic emails between Ruemmler and Jeffrey Epstein appearing to reference Elon Musk and "your boy." www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

There's also a wild part where — before it was announced that Eric Holder was stepping down — Ruemmler was talking with Epstein about whether she should accept the job as US Attorney General in the Obama administration. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Moreover, Jeffrey Epstein looped Ruemmler into emails with people we already know were his lawyers, like Alan Dershowitz, Marty Weinberg, and Ken Starr. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Ruemmler came on my radar again in September. The Epstein estate produced a copy of his penultimate will. It names Kathryn Ruemmler as a backup executor. That was pretty weird. How close were they? Jeffrey Epstein trusted Kathryn Ruemmler to manage his $630 million estate?

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

We've known for years that Ruemmler met with Epstein in his Manhattan mansion shortly after she left the White House, and while she was a partner at the Big Law firm Latham & Watkins. But not much more than that. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

businessinsider.com

Top Goldman Sachs lawyer asked Jeffrey Epstein for career advice, bashed Trump, private emails show

Newly released emails show Kathryn Ruemmler, now Goldman's top lawyer and a former Obama official, maintained ties with Jeffrey Epstein for years.

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Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Ruemmler confided in Epstein when a rival law firm tried to poach her, when looking for an NYC apartment, and when she was being vetted for consideration as US Attorney General. She also turned to him for minor issues, like what it's like to fly Emirates. www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epst...

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