Chaos & Amazement #2414 Weaponized AI in Gaza, the Rise of Short Videos, and the 500 Mile Email
This week's newsletter reflects on the somber realities of AI in conflict, explores eerie generative AI creations, and updates on Meta's shift to vertical videos, among other tech highlights.
Tech News
This is the type of AI use that needs to be banned on a global level, just like we did with nuclear weapons after Hiroshima. Israel’s use of powerful AI systems in its war on Hamas has entered uncharted territory for advanced warfare, raising a host of legal and moral questions, and transforming the relationship between military personnel and machines. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/03/israel-gaza-ai-database-hamas-airstrikes
Fresh AI
Truly horrifying: Generative AI’s answer to “What does hell look like?” Apparently, it involves lots of hands grabbing your face.
https://twitter.com/historyinmemes/status/1775433303908032804
OpenAI released a Music Video with Sora. It’s pretty shitty, actually.
From my blog
Social Media Gets Shorter and Sweeter: The Rise of Short Videos https://www.bnox.be/2024/04/social-media-gets-shorter-and-sweeter.html
The TikTokification of social media has begun.
Meta updates Facebook's video player, going all-in on vertical videos. https://about.fb.com/news/2024/04/exploring-videos-on-facebook-just-got-easier/
More focus on: Reels, longer videos, and Lives as fullscreen video.
LinkedIn tests TikTok-style video feed in app, focusing on professional content. Aimed at boosting engagement and helping users discover relevant videos. Potential new platform for creators to share career advice. https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/27/linkedin-is-experimenting-with-a-tiktok-like-video-feed-in-its-app/
Meanwhile, WhatsApp is becoming the world’s default communication app. https://engadget.com/how-whatsapp-became-the-worlds-default-communication-app-144520113.html
Weird and Wonderful
500 Mile Email is a hilarious collection of tech glitches. From Wi-Fi that only works in the rain to apps crashing because of Coke, these stories are guaranteed to to make you chuckle. 500 Mile Email - Absurd Software Bug Stories
American pharma companies when they talk about their products’ possible side effects: