ChatGPT and Generative AI Developments

The newsletter provides updates on the latest developments in the field of generative AI, with a focus on ChatGPT and its applications:

• OpenAI launched the GPT Store, offering customized ChatGPT experiences and a teams product for small businesses.
• The Rabbit Phone, a $200 tablet designed by Teenage Engineering, uses a cloud-based LLM assistant to access and operate various services like Uber and Instacart on the user's behalf.
• Walmart unveiled a generative AI search tool, enabling users to search for products using natural language queries like "find me stuff to buy for a picnic."
• L'Oreal is exploring generative AI suggestion tools to enhance its digital transformation and beauty tech offerings.
• Duolingo, the language learning platform, cut 10% of its contractors in favor of increased AI adoption.
• The European Union (EU) will investigate Microsoft's stake in OpenAI, raising potential concerns about competition and monopolistic practices.

Apple Vision Pro and Virtual Reality

The newsletter covers the upcoming launch of Apple's Vision Pro AR/VR headset and its implications for the virtual reality and metaverse space:

• Apple's Vision Pro headset, priced at $3,500, will be available for pre-order on Friday, with delivery starting on February 2nd.
• The Vision Pro is considered an experiment rather than a mass-market product, aiming to explore worthwhile experiences beyond gaming in the AR/VR space.
• Mark Zuckerberg is shifting his focus from the metaverse to AI, despite Meta investing $16 billion in VR over the past year.

AI, Technology, and Industry News

The newsletter covers a range of news and updates from the technology and AI industry:

• Substack faced criticism for initially allowing and then banning certain content creators, raising questions about content moderation and platform policies.
• Ofcom, the UK's telecommunications regulator, has expanded its workforce to include 350 people focused on trust and safety, aiming to better understand and regulate the online industry.
• The SEC approved a Bitcoin ETF after losing a court case, but its Twitter account was hacked the day before the announcement.
• Apple's Airdrop feature in China appears to have a vulnerability that allows the government to identify users spreading dissenting content, raising privacy concerns.
• Google announced layoffs, including shutting down its Fitbit fitness tracker and cutting hundreds of AR team members.
• Fox Corp launched an open-source, blockchain-based system for content producers to securely sign their work, aiming to facilitate licensing and AI training data usage.
• Google began testing the removal of third-party cookies, a move that raises concerns about privacy and competition in the advertising industry.
• The streaming industry is experiencing a "crash," with major players like Amazon making deep cuts to their Prime Video studios amid rising competition and changing consumer preferences.

Ideas, Analysis, and Insights

The newsletter includes thought-provoking ideas, analysis, and insights from industry experts and analysts:

• A feature story from Bloomberg explores Mark Zuckerberg's shift from the metaverse to AI, further cementing his legacy.
• OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) made submissions to the UK House of Lords committee and the US Copyright Office, arguing for the benefits of open-source models and fair use of copyrighted data for AI training.
• McKinsey published an industry survey on the state of autonomous cars, indicating that the expected timeline for their widespread adoption continues to extend.
• Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, declared "social media is dead" in a leaked memo, highlighting the challenges of competing against network effects and constantly reinventing pop culture.
• Shein and Temu, popular online marketplaces, are facing challenges in managing their networks of Chinese manufacturers, providing insights into the complexities of globalized e-commerce.

Data and Statistics

The newsletter includes relevant data and statistics from various sources:

• Luminate's comprehensive end-of-year data for the recorded music industry.
• The Reuters Institute's annual journalism and news statistics.
• Useful metrics from Beehiiv on email newsletter performance.

Outside Interests and Miscellaneous Updates

In addition to technology and AI news, the newsletter covers interesting stories and updates from other domains:

• An iPhone survived a 16,000-foot fall from a plane without any damage, demonstrating the concept of terminal velocity.
• NASA is testing the X-59 "quiet supersonic" plane, aiming to reduce sonic booms.
• A second-by-second video reconstruction of the evacuation of a Japan Airlines crash.
• A detailed analysis of Stanley Kubrick's film "Barry Lyndon" as part of the "Every Single Frame" series.