Techno-politics

Yesterday, I wrote, "Get ready to be inundated with hyper-targeted AI-generated bot-delivered messaging. There will be no escaping it. (There's no way this gets regulated or stopped. I won't print the reason here, but if you're interested, reach out and I'll explain it in a private email.)" I had no idea how many of you were going to email and text me about this. So, instead of a private email, here's my reasoning… Continue Reading →

I'm not sure if George Lucas was prescient (or just lucky) when he wrote C-3PO's famous self-introduction: "I am C-3PO, human/cyborg relations." It always announced itself as a purpose-built artificial life form. Ethics? Protocol? Law? Truth in labeling? Requirement? We won't need to recognize the future; it's already here. Continue Reading →

Have you seen Google’s “Dear Sydney” Olympic ad featuring a father using Gemini AI to help his young daughter write a fan letter to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone? It is one of the most disturbing commercials I’ve ever seen. Continue Reading →

Greetings from a train from NYC to Washington DC where I hope to board an evening flight to SFO. Like tens of thousands of air travelers, I've been Crowdstruck! Continue Reading →

No one born today will ever live in a world where they are smarter than AI. But what does that really mean? Is there a way for human beings to understand how smart AI is? Is IQ a fair test? Is it even reasonable to apply ideas about human intelligence to machines? If IQ tests aren't right, how will we know when an AI model is smarter than we are? Continue Reading →

Apple unveiled a suite of AI features aimed at transforming its entire ecosystem. The Apple Intelligence initiative introduces a conversational Siri, custom AI-generated “Genmoji,” and GPT-4o integration. Coming this fall, the new macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 will feature advanced AI functionalities and customizable home screens. Unsurprisingly, these features will only work on late model iPhones (15 Pro and 15 Pro Max) and Macs and iPads with M1 chips and above. Here's a quick summary. Continue Reading →

A bipartisan effort is underway in Washington to introduce the NO FAKES Act, aimed at regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Tom Tillis (R-NC) are spearheading this initiative, addressing growing concerns about AI-generated replicas of artists' voices and likenesses. Continue Reading →

In May 2023 there was a big verdict in the world of copyright law. The decision? Ed Sheeran's 2014 hit, "Thinking Out Loud," did not infringe on Marvin Gaye's and Ed Townsend's 1973 hit, "Let's Get It On." As I will explain in a moment, from a musical standpoint, this was the only possible outcome. The copyright laws were applied as expected, and human composers in the United States are free to compose as they have been doing for centuries. But what about AI? Is it free to compose? Let's explore. Continue Reading →

A Senate working group has proposed $32 billion in annual funding for AI programs, covering a wide range of areas from infrastructure to national security risk assessments. In theory, this "roadmap" sets the stage for future legislation, identifying key investment areas to keep the US competitive in the global AI landscape. Continue Reading →

One of the best ways to create competitive advantage with generative AI platforms is to enable the AI to dynamically incorporate relevant external information (aka your data) into its response process. Continue Reading →