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Mon. 02/05 – The Most Shocking Deepfake Scam Of The AI Era Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

Let me tell you the story of the most shocking AI deepfake scam we’ve heard yet, because it’s a warning to all of us going forward. An Apple Vision Pro teardown explains why EyeSight looks so blurry. Another sign that Google is losing interest in the web. And an interesting peek behind the curtain revealing the economics and motivation of tech media.

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ShipStation.com/ride code: ride

Links:

YouTube Video Of Vision Pro Demos

(Bonus) a16z's Chris Dixon On His New Book And Web3 Feb 03, 2024

Show notes

Our friend Chris Dixon is back to talk about his new book: Read Write Own! How Web3 and the blockchain can save the web as we know it!

Fri. 02/02 – Facebook’s Golden Age Is Now Feb 02, 2024

Show notes

A run down of some interesting details from Tech’s big earnings day yesterday. Rufus is Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant. The Browser Company continues to be the catalyst for me thinking about how AI is going to change the web. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.

Sponsors:

Nutrafol.com/men code: RIDEHOME

Links:

Amazon debuts ‘Rufus,’ an AI shopping assistant in its mobile app (TechCrunch)
Cloudflare hacked using auth tokens stolen in Okta attack (BleepingComputer)
The Browser Company Announces Act II for Arc: ‘The Browser That Browses For You’ (MacStories)
The Arc browser is getting better bookmarks and search results, all thanks to AI (The Verge)

Weekend Longreads Suggestions:

AI Can Speed Drug Discovery. But Is It Really Better Than a Human? (Bloomberg)
The scariest sound on TikTok (The Verge)
The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Movies of All Time (Rolling Stone)
LATE BLOOMER (Vanity Fair)

Thu. 02/01 – A Tech Regulation Tipping Point? Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

Why I think yesterday’s Congressional hearings might actually be a tipping point for tech regulation. What would a Kids Online Safety Act actually mean? More proof of YouTube’s dominance. Celsius and FTX customers are about to get some money back. And Google’s new text to image AI processor.

Sponsors:

Kolide.com/ride

Links:

Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids online safety bill (TechCrunch)
Americans’ Social Media Use (Pew Research Center)
Celsius to Distribute $3B Crypto to Creditors as Firm Emerges From Bankruptcy (CoinDesk)
Google launches an AI-powered image generator (TechCrunch)

Wed. 01/31 – Tech Execs Back Before Congress Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

The tech execs have been called before Congress once again. Universal Music Group pulls its songs from TikTok. Is 23andMe in danger of going out of business? Figure is an AI robotics company that Microsoft and OpenAI might be about to invest in. And say hello to the Chief AI Officer job title.

Sponsors:

Kolide.com/ride

Links:

Social media chiefs on defensive at US online child protection hearing (FT)
TikTok CEO Pledges $2 Billion to Protect 170 Million US Users (Bloomberg)
Child Safety Hearing (NYTimes)
Universal Music Group Warns It Will Pull Songs From TikTok After Deal Expiration (Variety)
23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0 (WSJ)
Humanoid Robot Startup Figure AI in Funding Talks With Microsoft, OpenAI (Bloomberg)
Figure AI in talks with Microsoft and OpenAI for funding (ReadWrite)
Figure-01: AI learns how to make coffee like a human (ReadWrite)
Microsoft and OpenAI are in talks to inject $500 million into humanoid robotics startup Figure AI, report says (Business Insider)
Hottest Job in Corporate America? The Executive in Charge of A.I. (NYTimes)

Tue. 01/30 – The Vision Pro Reviews Are Here Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted its device into a human for the first time. You can search for Taylor Swift X again, but was a Microsoft tool to blame for the deepfakes? Better AI coding from Meta. And I read all the Apple Vision Pro reviews so you don’t have to.

Sponsors:

Notion.com/ride

Links:

Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants brain tech in human patient for the first time (CNBC)
Microsoft Closes Loophole That Created AI Porn of Taylor Swift (404 Media)
Meta releases ‘Code Llama 70B’, an open-source behemoth to rival private AI development (VentureBeat)
Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not (The Verge)
Apple Vision Pro review: A revolution in progress (Tom's Guide)
Apple Vision Pro Review: The Best Headset Yet Is Just a Glimpse of the Future (WSJ)
Apple’s Vision Pro is nearly here. But what can you do with it? (Washington Post)
Apple Vision Pro Review: A Mind-Blowing Look at an Unfinished Future (CNET)

YouTube Video Of My Interview With Chris Dixon

Mon. 01/29 – Is Arc Search The Future Of Search I Was Talking About? Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Amazon calls off its iRobot acquisition. Is Arc Search the future of search we were talking to Baratunde about this weekend? Why you can’t search for Taylor Swift on X at the moment. How many ads will be in streaming? And who is quietly killing it in subscription gaming? The answer may surprise you.

Links:

(Bonus) Baratunde Thurston On The Apple Vision Pro Jan 27, 2024

Show notes

The great Baratunde Thurston join Chris and Brian to talk about his hour-long in-person demo with the Apple Vision Pro. In the second half, we discuss the idea of whether or not Google Search (and maybe the web) is doomed in the era of AI.

Fri. 01/26 – CRACK! The App Store Opens Up. Or Does It? Jan 26, 2024

Show notes

Apple has announced major changes to the App Store. In the EU, alternative app marketplaces, but does the new Core Technology Fee mean it’s still a shell game? Also in Europe, alternative default browsers. And for everyone, game streaming apps are now permissible. Also, cheaper GPT from OpenAI. And is Cruise in trouble with the Feds?

Links:

iOS 17.4 Introduces Alternative App Marketplaces With No Commission in EU (MacRumors)
Apple will prompt users to set default browsers and allow third-party web engines on iPhone in the EU (9to5Mac)
Apple opens App Store to game streaming services (The Verge)
Apple's EU Core Technology Fee Could Bankrupt Freemium App Developers (MacRumors)
OpenAI drops prices and fixes ‘lazy’ GPT-4 that refused to work (TechCrunch)
DOJ and SEC investigate GM-owned self-driving car company Cruise (WashingtonPost)

Baratrunde Thurston Bonus Episode Video On YouTube

Thu. 01/25 – Will Nintendo Try To Shut Down Palworld? Jan 25, 2024

Show notes

As Palworld surpasses 8 million in sales, The Pokemon Company says it will “investigate and take appropriate measures” with regards to those IP infringement allegations. Layoffs at Activision Blizzard and Xbox. Google’s Lumiere is a text to video AI generator. And how the rising prices of streaming services are fueling a resurgence in piracy.

Links:

Inquiries Regarding Other Companies’ Games (The Pokemon Company)
Microsoft lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees (The Verge)
Google’s latest AI video generator can render cute animals in implausible situations (ArsTechnica)
Pixel facing new storage issue, likely tied to January Google Play system update (9to5Google)
Microsoft Teams now supports 3D and VR meetings (The Verge)
Microsoft Closes at Record, Ends Just Shy of $3 Trillion Value (Bloomberg)
Streaming Pirates Are Hollywood’s New Villains (Bloomberg)

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