speculations

https://www.engadget.com/ray-bans-meta-sunglasses-can-now-identify-and-describe-landmarks-054026843.html We should have checked. But how could we have checked everything? The whole point was that the glasses know more than we do. We’re not historians, or teachers for that matter. We wanted to be good parents, help Chris learn. And he was delighted. Always wanted to wear them… Read the rest

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/10/24096762/kate-middleton-edited-photo-royal-family-possible-fake You need a good memory obviously. And attention to detail is pretty important too! They used to have people doing the job in film and TV. Taking notes at the end of each scene and making sure everything was the same in the next scene. The job of continuity… Read the rest

https://www.wired.com/story/ai-dolls-for-older-adults/ Of course I expected an AI. My interview had all been about how I’d worked with my partner at college, what we’d done, how I’d improved them. They’d presumably asked the same questions when they interviewed her. So I was expecting to be using their Arts when I joined.… Read the rest

https://www.theverge.com/24073300/smart-home-new-house-old-tech It was hard moving out. There was obviously all the logistics and packing and the team of security movers who came in to unplug the sensors, wipe the feeds and clear the database. That took a while. But no it was the emotional toil of leaving that we found… Read the rest

https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/live-video-purpose-marketing-hits-and-misses-doritos-notco-and-more/2544976 I am from a political background, from a long line of activists and before that trade unionists. For as long as I can remember I heard tales of anti-apartheid and miners’ strike struggles. Righteous anger at the latest injustice. From early on I was culture jamming and ethical hacking.… Read the rest

https://arstechnica.com/?p=2008453 They hate me. Really. It’s personal. No, I’m not being paranoid. Just look at my marks. Biased. They have it in for me. I can’t prove it of course. How could I? It’s all secret and oh so objective. But look at the evidence. They hate me. Only explanation.… Read the rest

https://www.adweek.com/media/why-marketers-welcome-ads-in-chatbots/ I remember when we first had ads. The fuss! It wasn’t as though people weren’t used to ads but there was something about breaking into a conversation that got people really animated… So eventually only the cheaper ones had ads. But inevitably things weren’t left there. Those “brains” in… Read the rest

https://hyperallergic.com/875659/brooklyn-museum-and-pen-america-accused-of-silence-on-gaza-ceasefire/ It was the week the National Curriculum called “museum visit”. The teacher could plan the trip but this was the week because next week was another test. The children logged on. Some had customised their headsets with stickers but the teacher looked out across a class uniformly lining up… Read the rest

https://www.theverge.com/24087874/smart-kitchen-appliances-cooking-cleaning-vergecast It was *that* date. He checked the room systems again, arguing about the right playlist. In the end he bowed to the data and agreed. He checked the light and heat schedules, again letting the system decide. It knew his date best after all. He looked in the quiet… Read the rest

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/mar/02/can-ai-chatbot-therapists-do-better-than-the-real-thing Apparently kids used to hide the fact they had problems, let alone a therapist. Some embarrassment or something. It explains a lot about my dad. I’m glad I’m growing up in a different age. Me and my mates are happy to take about feelings, insecurities, fears… the lot. Having… Read the rest