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AI
- Prepare for AI: There are ideas in this article that are worth considering for anyone that uses technology. I would not do some of the things he suggests – like give AI a client’s tax return. There’s a lot of AI hype out there, some of it overblown, but this is a good perspective on what’s here and what’s coming. (Link)
- If you care about privacy, AI is a new area that needs watching. Many are concerned about privacy with AI. Google added AI functionality to Gmail, which by default is on. If you want to opt-out, you need to manually do that. (NYT)
- AI Assistants: Previously I mentioned AI personal assistants were taking shape. These will have a profound impact on most people. Federico Viticci writes about using OpenClaw (OC) to design one. Many scrambled to setup OC. It was so popular that Open AI hired its designer, Peter Steinberger. But not everyone considered the security risks of running OC, including a UK CEO who got hacked. Still companies are scrambling to announce their versions of OC, but safer. (Link and Link)
- Remember Yahoo? They’re still around and trying to stay relevant with an AI feature powered by Anthropic’s Claude. (Engadget)
- AI is hurting searching engines, or is it? One study shows Google search referral trends are getting clobbered. But there is a counterpoint. Basically, at this point nobody knows what happens to classic search engines, and the two big ones are bettering on AI. (Link and Link)
- Developing with AI agents: Many posts throw the term agents around without really understanding how agents relate to coding or what’s changing in software development as it relates to agents. This is a good primer on this topic. (Link)
Innovation
- Computer backups that sound like science fiction: Microsoft’s Project Silica is about storing data permanently on a slab of glass, which requires no power and can survive for thousands of years. This could revolutionize backups. Will physical backup media eventually make a comeback like vinyl records? (Ars Technica and Visual Capitalist)