This Reddit post begins with the user KnightTrain expressing frustration after watching “John Wick 4” and searching for information about a potential “John Wick 5.” The comments show a broad frustration with the current state of internet search engines, particularly Google, which many users feel has devolved into a platform filled with AI-generated content, ads, …
A Reddit post titled “After Working on LLM Apps, I’m Wondering: Are they really providing value” reflects the author’s skepticism about the advantages of LLM-based applications compared to traditional automation tools. They note that LLM apps primarily process text inputs to determine user intent and call appropriate functions, which doesn’t seem significantly different from previous …
The technology industry has largely moved away from warnings about catastrophic AI risks in 2024, focusing instead on practical applications and business opportunities. According to Maxwell Zeff’s report in TechCrunch, this shift was led by prominent Silicon Valley figures like Marc Andreessen, who actively promoted a more optimistic vision of AI development. The change came …
The 38th Chaos Communication Congress (38C3) in Hamburg, Germany, was the latest installment of the annual four-day conference on technology, society and utopia organised by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) and volunteers. From the long list of talks, I chose six I found especially relevant for readers of Smart Content Report and myself. I used …
Atlanta has implemented new restrictions on data center construction amid concerns about their impact on urban development. According to Will Parker’s report in The Wall Street Journal, the city council banned new data centers near transit and the popular Beltline area in September 2024. The decision comes as Atlanta experiences a 76% increase in data …
Nick Heer, writing on his blog Pixel Envy, analyzes a recent Wired article by AI critic Gary Marcus questioning the viability of generative AI. Marcus argues that generative AI systems are fundamentally flawed, describing them as “autocomplete on steroids” that cannot fact-check their own output. The critic points to OpenAI’s reported financial challenges and customer …
Technology journalist Om Malik warns that AI platforms are fundamentally changing how people consume media content. In his recent article, Malik argues that AI’s ability to provide precise summaries and personalized responses threatens traditional media revenue streams. Unlike search engines, AI platforms like OpenAI and Claude deliver direct answers rather than directing traffic to publisher …
The 2024 U.S. presidential election outcome indicates a significant change in the country’s approach to artificial intelligence regulation and development. According to an analysis by Gary Grossman, Executive Vice President at Edelman and global lead of the Edelman AI Center of Excellence, the victory of President-elect Donald Trump marks a turn toward accelerationist policies in …
Music streaming giant Spotify has been running a secretive program called Perfect Fit Content (PFC) that places low-cost, anonymously produced music on popular playlists, according to an investigation by Liz Pelly published in Harper’s Magazine. The program aims to reduce royalty payments by replacing tracks from known artists with cheaper alternatives on mood and activity …
Character.AI has implemented new safety measures to protect teenage users on its chatbot platform. According to reporting by Adi Robertson for The Verge, the company has developed a separate language model for users under 18 that places stricter limits on bot responses, particularly regarding romantic content. The system now includes suicide prevention resources and will …