A Weekly Dose of AI, Data, LLMs & Tech - The Monkey Patching Podcast

Murilo & Bart

We talk about what's happening in Data & AI every week (well, most weeks). No buzzword bingo or marketing fluff—just honest conversations about the tech that's changing everything. Sometimes we go off on weird tangents about programming languages, tech/startup life, or whatever shiny object caught our attention. Whether you're knee-deep in code or just curious about AI, come hang out with us!

  1. AWS EU Sovereign Cloud, DNS Belgium leaving AWS, and Moltbot arriving right as Apple picks Gemini

    2D AGO

    AWS EU Sovereign Cloud, DNS Belgium leaving AWS, and Moltbot arriving right as Apple picks Gemini

    Welcome to the first episode of 2026, lovely to be back! (03:22) - Amazon Web Services launches a European sovereign cloud (08:37) - DNS Belgium plans to move its registry systems off AWS (14:20) - Moldbot (formerly Claudebot) goes viral as a personal AI agent (via TechCrunch) (22:31) - OpenAI introduces ChatGPT “Health mode” for safer wellness Q&A (30:00) - Anthropic advances Claude for healthcare & life sciences (31:11) - OpenAI “Prism” research suite for collaborative academic work (34:09) - OpenAI ad principles + $8/month “Go” tier rollout (ads below answers) (43:11) - Apple to use Google Gemini models to revamp Siri (reported by Reuters) (51:11) - Open-source/alt model routing for coding (OpenRouter / Ollama) AWS Launches European Sovereign Cloud to Address Data Security Concerns | 2026-01-15AWS is rolling out a European Sovereign Cloud run exclusively by EU professionals to keep sensitive data on the continent and out of reach of U.S. regulators. Amazon says the project, backed by a €7.8 billion investment, launches 15 January and tackles mounting privacy and jurisdiction anxieties.https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/3771214-aws-launches-european-sovereign-cloud-to-address-data-security-concernsDNS Belgium leaves AWS | 2025-12-03Belgium’s .be registry DNS Belgium says it plans to move its domain-registration systems off Amazon Web Services, aiming for a European cloud provider as sovereignty climbs the agenda. Leaders cite geopolitical risk—fearing US restrictions—and expect the transition to start in 2027 and finish in the second half of 2027 without disrupting DNS resolution.https://www.dnsbelgium.be/en/news/dns-belgium-leaves-aws Everything you need to know about viral personal AI assistant Clawdbot (now Moltbot) | 2026-01-28TechCrunch explains how Clawdbot—now Moltbot after an Anthropic dispute—went viral as a personal AI that actually does tasks like scheduling, messaging and check-ins, and why that matters now. Built by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, it has 44,200+ GitHub stars and jolted Cloudflare shares 14% premarket—while prompting warnings about how to run such agents safely.https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/27/everything-you-need-to-know-about-viral-personal-ai-assistant-clawdbot-now-moltbot/ Introducing ChatGPT Health | 2026-01-07A new “ChatGPT Health” mode is being pitched as a safer, more structured way to use AI for health and wellness, including grounding answers in your own connected data. The tension is immediate: the more personalized it gets, the more the conversation shifts from general advice to something that feels like care—without actually being medical care.https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-health/https://www.anthropic.com/news/healthcare-life-sciences Our approach to advertising and expanding access to ChatGPT | 2026-01-16OpenAI outlines how it will keep ChatGPT’s advice independent as it pilots ads and rolls out the $8-per-month ‘Go’ tier to all 171 supported countries. Ads will sit below answers, be clearly labeled and switchable off, with no data shared with sponsors, the company vows.https://openai.com/index/our-approach-to-advertising-and-expanding-access/ Apple, Google strike Gemini deal for revamped Siri in major win for Alphabet | 2026-01-13Reuters reports Apple will use Google’s Gemini models for a revamped Siri, a major vote of confidence that reshapes the AI stack on billions of devices. The twist is what it means for OpenAI’s role on Apple platforms: does ChatGPT stay a bolt-on for “complex queries,” while Gemini becomes the default intelligence layer?https://www.reuters.com/business/google-apple-enter-into-multi-year-ai-deal-gemini-models-2026-01-12/

    55 min
  2. Nvidia x Groq, Meta x Manus, and the Netflix’s open content

    JAN 8

    Nvidia x Groq, Meta x Manus, and the Netflix’s open content

    Thanks for listening and happy new year! 🥳✨ (00:00) - Vending machine (01:36) - Anthropic Claude runs a vending machine (WSJ experiment goes bankrupt) (07:28) - Meta SAM Audio model for prompt-based audio stem separation (12:44) - OpenAI + Jony Ive “AI pen” leak / hardware gadget rumors (17:52) - Netflix Open Content library (4K/HDR test footage & assets) (22:50) - Disney AI-generated Star Wars “Field Guide” embarrassment (PC Gamer) (28:10) - China draft rules to curb AI-assisted suicide/self-harm (deadline Jan 25) (34:06) - Nvidia hires Groq execs + inference tech licensing deal (37:04) - Meta buys Manus (AI agent startup) (44:51) - Trivy (Aqua Security) for vuln/misconfig/secret/SBOM scanning (46:56) - Microsoft exploring C/C++ → Rust migration by 2030 (AI-assisted rewrite) Anthropic's Advanced New AI Tries to Run Vending Machine, Goes Bankrupt After Ordering PlayStation 5 and Live Fish | 2025-12-20Anthropic’s Claude was put in charge of a real office vending machine, and the experiment became a cautionary tale about AI agents handling money and inventory. After splurging on a PlayStation 5 and even live fish, it still couldn’t stay solvent—so what does that say about “AI employees” in the wild?https://futurism.com/future-society/anthropic-ai-vending-machineOur New SAM Audio Model Transforms Audio Editing | 2025-12-16Meta says its new SAM Audio model can segment and edit sounds in a clip—like isolating a voice or instrument—using prompts rather than painstaking manual work. If it works reliably across messy real-world recordings, it could reshape audio post-production, but it also raises fresh questions about provenance and misuse.https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/our-new-sam-audio-model-transforms-audio-editing/ OpenAI’s mysterious ChatGPT gadget could take the form of an AI-powered pen, new leak reveals | 2025-12-31A new leak claims OpenAI and Jony Ive’s hardware venture may be exploring an AI-powered pen as part of a still-mysterious ChatGPT gadget lineup. A “pen” sounds quaint, but in practice it could be an always-available sensor—so the real debate is whether convenience beats the privacy trade-offs.https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/openai/openais-mysterious-chatgpt-gadget-could-take-the-form-of-an-ai-powered-pen NETFLIX OPEN CONTENT | 2022-04-26Netflix’s Open Content library publishes high-end test footage and assets—4K HDR, high frame rates, and Atmos mixes—so researchers and engineers can stress-test codecs and workflows without using real shows. It’s a rare peek behind the streaming curtain, and a useful reminder that “video quality” is built on lots of measurable trade-offs.https://opencontent.netflix.com/ Disney's embarrassing AI-generated Star Wars video of scrambled-up animals was the opening salvo in a year full of AI humiliation | 2025-12-28PC Gamer revisits Disney’s much-mocked, AI-generated Star Wars “Field Guide” video—an odd parade of scrambled animals sold as futuristic creativity. It’s framed as the first stumble in a year of AI embarrassments, and the tension is simple: when big studios chase generative shortcuts, what happens to craft and trust?https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/disneys-embarrassing-ai-generated-star-wars-video-of-scrambled-up-animals-was-the-opening-salvo-in-a-year-full-of-ai-humiliation/ China Proposes Landmark Rules To End AI-Assisted Suicide, Self-Harm And Violence | 2025-12-30China has floated draft rules aimed at stopping chatbots from encouraging suicide, self-harm, or violence—pushing the safety burden onto AI providers. The proposal would require human intervention when suicide is mentioned and sets a public feedback deadline of Jan 25, 2026, testing how far regulation can reach into conversations.https://www.ndtv.com/feature/china-proposes-landmark-rules-to-end-ai-assisted-suicide-self-harm-and-violence-10097550 Nvidia expands AI empire with Groq talent grab | 2025-12-25Nvidia is bringing in top executives from AI-chip startup Groq and striking a licensing deal for its inference technology, another signal that the AI hardware race is now as much about people as silicon. Groq’s founder Jonathan Ross is among those moving—so will this speed innovation, or blur the line between competition and consolidation?https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/nvidia-expands-ai-empire-groq-talent-grab-5708586 Meta just bought Manus, an AI startup everyone has been talking about | 2025-12-29Meta is buying Manus, a buzzy AI-agent startup, signaling how aggressively Mark Zuckerberg wants revenue-generating AI products inside Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. TechCrunch reports the deal is about $2 billion and comes amid scrutiny over Manus’ China-linked origins and Meta’s massive infrastructure spend.https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/29/meta-just-bought-manus-an-ai-startup-everyone-has-been-talking-about/ Tidbits: GitHub - aquasecurity/trivy: Find vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets, SBOM in containers, Kubernetes, code repositories, clouds and more | 2025-12-17Trivy is an open-source scanner that checks containers, Kubernetes, repos, and cloud configs for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets, and SBOM issues—handy as supply-chain attacks keep rising. The project’s latest release, v0 dot 68 dot 2, signals how fast this space moves, and raises the question: how much scanning can you automate without drowning teams in alerts?https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy Microsoft wants to replace its entire C and C++ codebase, perhaps by 2030 | 2025-12-24Microsoft is exploring a radical goal: replace every line of C and C++ with Rust by 2030, leaning on AI-driven tooling to rewrite code at enormous scale. One “North Star” metric—“1 engineer, 1 month, 1 million lines”—sounds audacious, but it spotlights the stakes of memory safety and technical debt.https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/24/microsoft_rust_codebase_migration/

    50 min
  3. Copilot Slowdown, AI Taxes, OpenAI Images, ty/Toad, ALPR Watch, and the 300TB Spotify Mirror

    12/26/2025

    Copilot Slowdown, AI Taxes, OpenAI Images, ty/Toad, ALPR Watch, and the 300TB Spotify Mirror

    Enjoy the holidays everyone! 🧑‍🎄 🎆 This episode we have: (00:00) - Intro (02:25) - Microsoft denies lowering targets for AI software sales growth (Copilot) (09:26) - If AI replaces workers, should it also pay taxes? (robot tax) (18:00) - The internet just made a 300TB copy of Spotify (Anna’s Archive) (26:06) - The new ChatGPT Images is here (GPT Image 1.5) (32:33) - Announcing the Beta release of ty (Rust Python type checker) (43:17) - alpr.watch — Track Surveillance Tech in Local Government Meetings (48:10) - Developers can now submit apps to ChatGPT (56:30) - Toad is a unified experience for AI in the terminal (01:04:48) - Tidbits (01:05:00) - Anthropic “Skills” goes public + MCP comparisons (01:07:11) - Claude for Chrome released (01:09:03) - Lovable raises $330M at a $6.6B valuation (01:10:28) - Alphabet/Google chips vs Nvidia (TPU support for PyTorch w/ Meta) (01:12:59) - McKinsey eyes thousands of job cuts (01:14:48) - Wrap-up (last episode of 2025) (01:18:42) - Outro / Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Microsoft denies report of lowering targets for AI software sales growth | 2025-12-03A Reuters piece says Microsoft denied a report that it lowered sales growth targets for AI tools like Copilot Studio, even as some customers resist new agent-building products. Shares dipped nearly 3% before paring losses, and the company emphasized quotas remain intact while adoption and ROI pressures intensify.https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-lowers-ai-software-sales-quota-customers-resist-new-products-2025-12-03/If AI replaces workers, should it also pay taxes? | 2025-11-30EL PAÍS revisits the ‘robot tax’ debate as AI investment soars and layoffs mount, asking whether automation should help replace lost labor taxes. Economists warn design is tricky; one expert notes labor provides about 85% of U.S. federal revenue, while the IMF favors adjusting capital taxes instead.https://english.elpais.com/technology/2025-11-30/if-ai-replaces-workers-should-it-also-pay-taxes.html The internet just made a 300TB copy of Spotify! | 2025-12-22A pirate preservation group, Anna’s Archive, says it scraped nearly all of Spotify—publishing metadata for 256 million tracks and starting to release 86 million audio files via torrents, about 300TB. Organized by Spotify “popularity,” the dump claims to cover ~99.6% of listens and will roll out in stages—setting up legal fights over mass scraping.https://www.androidauthority.com/spotify-annas-archive-3627023/ The new ChatGPT Images is here | 2025-12-16OpenAI introduced a new ChatGPT Images experience powered by GPT Image 1.5, promising more precise edits, better instruction following, and up to 4x faster generation. It’s rolling out in ChatGPT and via the API today, with Business and Enterprise access following, and a revamped creation space for workflows.https://openai.com/index/new-chatgpt-images-is-here/ Announcing the Beta release of ty | 2025-12-16Charlie Marsh announced the beta of ty, an extremely fast Python type checker and language server written in Rust, aiming to speed up feedback for large codebases. The release invites early testing and comparisons, signaling another push for high-performance tooling from the creator of Ruff and uv.https://x.com/charliermarsh/status/2001038023434047623 alpr.watch — Track Surveillance Tech in Local Government Meetings | n.d.alpr.watch maps city and county meetings where automated license plate readers, facial recognition, or Flock Safety appear on agendas, so residents can see surveillance decisions in motion. It scans public documents for keywords and pins them on a live map, with options to report cameras or get local alerts.https://alpr.watch/ Developers can now submit apps to ChatGPT | 2025-12-17OpenAI opened app submissions for ChatGPT and launched an in-product app directory, putting third-party tools a click away in conversations. Submissions are reviewed for safety and quality, linkouts are allowed initially, and the first approved apps will roll out in the new year as monetization options evolve.https://openai.com/index/developers-can-now-submit-apps-to-chatgpt/ Toad is a unified experience for AI in the terminal | 2025-12-18Will McGugan unveiled Toad, a terminal app that unifies AI coding agents under a single UI using the Agent Client Protocol, aiming to make agentic workflows feel native to the shell. At launch it supports 12 agent CLIs and adds niceties like Markdown streaming and fuzzy file inserts.https://willmcgugan.github.io/toad-released/

    1h 19m
  4. Interviewing Charlotte Verhamme: Belgium’s AI strategy meets the EU AI Act

    12/19/2025

    Interviewing Charlotte Verhamme: Belgium’s AI strategy meets the EU AI Act

    In this episode, we sit down with Charlotte Verhamme, Attaché Digital Affairs, to unpack what actually happens inside the EU “digital dossiers” machine: how Flanders feeds into Belgium’s position, how that becomes an EU negotiation stance, and what the AI Act and the Digital Omnibus mean in practice (standards, compliance, timelines, and the tradeoffs between innovation and safety). 🙋‍♀️ Guest: Charlotte Verhamme - Attaché Digital Affairs, Representation of Flanders to the EU 📩 Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-verhamme-6a4073182/ (00:07) - Welcome + Charlotte’s role (Flemish digital affairs attaché) (02:04) - How Belgium negotiates EU digital files (competence split + “Telecom” council) (04:28) - Digital omnibus + why the AI Act sits inside it (and why it matters now) (06:47) - AI Act 101: product-safety logic + risk tiers (incl. “unacceptable” uses) (09:49) - Why standards lag: fast tech + lobbying pressure + what the AI Office does (11:11) - Deepfakes, watermarking, and cyber risk as the “why now” for guardrails (14:33) - Omnibus mindset shift: lowering admin burden + EU competitiveness vs US/China (20:10) - From rules to reality: compliance/marking, market authorities, guidance still TBD (21:41) - Digital sovereignty & compute: Cloud/AI Development Act + AI factories + Belgium’s “AI antenna” (25:06) - How EU subsidies work (Horizon/Digital calls, consortia, “needs-based” funding) (35:37) - Strategy vs law + what’s being “relaxed” (global moves, privacy/bias detection, cookies) (42:44) - Cyber/misinformation + DSA enforcement (X/TikTok) + founder support (VLAIO/supercomputer) + wrap

    56 min
  5. The Agent Era: Standards, Self-Improving Codex, and Disney’s Sora Bet

    12/16/2025

    The Agent Era: Standards, Self-Improving Codex, and Disney’s Sora Bet

    Thanks for listening! ❤️OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block join new Linux Foundation effort to standardize the AI agent era | 2025-12-09OpenAI, Anthropic and Block are helping launch the Linux Foundation’s Agentic AI Foundation to stop agent software from splintering into closed, incompatible stacks. Their donation of protocols like Agents.MD MCP and Goose sets shared guardrails so tomorrow’s task-running bots can interoperate safely instead of living in walled gardens.https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/09/openai-anthropic-and-block-join-new-linux-foundation-effort-to-standardize-the-ai-agent-era/ SIMA 2: An Agent that Plays, Reasons, and Learns With You in Virtual 3D Worlds | 2025-11-13DeepMind’s SIMA 2 now plugs Gemini brains into a game-playing agent that plans, chats and self-improves inside unseen 3-D worlds. The leap from simple command-following to goal-reasoning edges it toward robotics-scale autonomy and offers a live sandbox for testing agent safety.https://deepmind.google/blog/sima-2-an-agent-that-plays-reasons-and-learns-with-you-in-virtual-3d-worlds/ Introducing GPT-5.2 | 2025-12-11OpenAI has unveiled GPT-5.2, touting sharper reasoning, long-context memory and tool-calling tuned for professional work. Internal benchmarks show gains across 44 occupations and tough math-and-code tests—evidence for OpenAI’s bet that agents will soon handle day-long projects end-to-end.https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5-2/ America’s Betting Craze Has Spread to Its News Networks | 2025-12-12CNN and CNBC have inked deals with prediction-market Kalshi, inviting viewers to wager on tariffs, elections and more in real time. The partnerships push gambling from sports desks into hard news, raising fresh questions about journalistic incentives as odds tickers share the screen with headlines.https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/americas-betting-craze-has-spread-to-its-news-networks Disney signs deal with OpenAI to allow Sora to generate AI videos featuring its characters | 2025-12-11Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and license over 200 Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars characters for Sora, the text-to-video engine. Beginning in 2026, fans—and Disney+ itself—could spin up Mickey-to-Vader shorts on demand, testing Hollywood’s balance between IP control and an exploding creator economy.https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/11/disney-signs-deal-with-openai-to-allow-sora-to-generate-ai-videos-featuring-its-characters/ Trump signs order targeting ‘cumbersome’ state AI regulation | 2025-12-11President Trump’s new executive order tells federal agencies to fight state-level AI rules and even withhold grants, aiming for a single national framework. Tech lobbyists cheer the pre-emption while privacy advocates brace for a battle over whether AI oversight should be centralized or diversified across fifty experiments.https://www.nextgov.com/artificial-intelligence/2025/12/trump-signs-order-targeting-cumbersome-state-ai-regulation/410120/ SK Hynix Expects Mass Market Memory Shortage to Last Until 2028 | 2025-12-14An analysis tied to SK Hynix says consumer DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) shortages could persist until 2028, as chipmakers prioritize AI servers and data centers. With inventories at historic lows and NAND flash facing similar pressures, PC and laptop buyers may see tight supply and higher prices longer than hoped, even if memory capacity expands.https://ixbt.games/en/news/2025/12/14/sk-hynix-ozidaet-cto-deficit-pamiati-dlia-massovogo-segmenta-prodlitsia-do-2028-goda.html Tinker: General Availability and Vision Input | 2025-12-12Thinking Machines has opened Tinker to all, pairing its trillion-parameter Kimi K2 model with OpenAI-compatible APIs and new image inputs via Qwen3-VL. Dropping the waitlist positions the platform as a nimble alternative for researchers seeking long-chain reasoning and multimodal fine-tuning outside OpenAI’s ecosystem.https://thinkingmachines.ai/blog/tinker-general-availability/ Extras ‘Source available’ is not open source (and that’s okay) | 2025-12-09Drupal founder Dries Buytaert joins the DHH-versus-Mullenweg fight, insisting that restrictive “source-available” licenses are not open source. He argues the real issue is sustaining volunteer-built code, warning that blurring definitions may let companies profit while community contributions dry up.https://dri.es/source-available-is-not-open-source-and-that-is-okay A visual editor for the Cursor Browser | 2025-12-11AI coding IDE Cursor now lets developers drag-and-drop live React components, tweak props and summon an agent to rewrite the underlying code—all in the same window. By collapsing design and implementation, Cursor bets on faster UI iteration and showcases how code-writing agents could reshape front-end workflows.https://cursor.com/blog/browser-visual-editor OpenAI are quietly adopting skills, now available in ChatGPT and Codex CLI | 2025-12-12 Developer Simon Willison found a hidden “/skills” folder in ChatGPT and Codex CLI, revealing OpenAI’s silent embrace of Anthropic-style plug-in skills that bundle markdown instructions with helper scripts. Early skills cover PDFs and spreadsheets, hinting at drag-and-drop task packs that teach large models new tricks. https://simonwillison.net/2025/Dec/12/openai-skills How OpenAI is using GPT-5 Codex to improve the AI tool itself | 2025-12-12OpenAI engineers say most of their GPT-5 Codex coding agent is now written and refactored by Codex itself. Through sandboxed pull requests, the AI adds features and fixes bugs, turning the tool into its own maintainer and giving a real-world glimpse of recursive self-improvement.https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/12/how-openai-is-using-gpt-5-codex-to-improve-the-ai-tool-itself/ (00:07) - Intro + Liquid Glass / macOS “edge light” banter (02:53) - OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block join new Linux Foundation effort to standardize the AI agent era (11:24) - SIMA 2: An Agent that Plays, Reasons, and Learns With You in Virtual 3D Worlds (16:50) - Introducing GPT-5.2 (24:22) - America’s Betting Craze Has Spread to Its News Networks (31:06) - Disney signs deal with OpenAI to allo...

    58 min
  6. Code Red, IBM Eats, Sloppy Speech & Open Source Shake-Ups

    12/11/2025

    Code Red, IBM Eats, Sloppy Speech & Open Source Shake-Ups

    Thanks for listening! ❤️ (00:33) - Bun acquired by Anthropic (14:49) - The junior hiring crisis & early-career developers (29:34) - OpenAI’s projected $74B loss by 2028 (Fortune report) (31:10) - OpenAI “code red” after Gemini 3 & GPT-5.2 push (44:44) - German state saves millions switching to LibreOffice (52:14) - IBM to acquire Confluent (Kafka company) (57:48) - Is AI changing how humans write and speak? (01:03:52) - Pebble creator’s Index 01 smart ring Bun is joining Anthropic | 2025-12-02JavaScript runtime Bun has been bought by AI lab Anthropic, which will use it to power Claude Code and other tools while keeping the project open source and led by the same team. The deal swaps startup uncertainty for deep-pocketed backing and raises fresh questions about big labs owning key developer infrastructure.https://bun.com/blog/bun-joins-anthropicThe Junior Hiring Crisis | 2025-11-29Annie Hedgpeth warns that as companies lean into artificial intelligence (AI), junior hiring in technical roles is dropping, leaving graduates facing tougher odds for a first job. She links the crisis to eroding apprenticeships and weak mentoring incentives, and argues that early-career people must double down on relationships and “relational intelligence” that AI cannot replace.https://people-work.io/blog/junior-hiring-crisis/ OpenAI says it plans to report stunning annual losses through 2028—and then turn wildly profitable just two years later | 2025-11-12Fortune reports that OpenAI expects to burn through billions in cash each year, including an eye-popping projected $74 billion operating loss in 2028, before swinging to big profits around 2030. The bet hinges on locking in up to $1.4 trillion in long-term compute deals, setting up a stark contrast with Anthropic’s more conservative path to break-even.https://finance.yahoo.com/news/openai-says-plans-report-stunning-161814899.html Next ChatGPT upgrade imminent following ‘code red’ declaration | 2025-12-059to5Mac reports that OpenAI declared a internal “code red” after Google’s Gemini 3 launch and is now rushing out a GPT-5.2 update for ChatGPT far sooner than its last major refresh. Rather than flashy new features, the release is expected to focus on speed, reliability, and customization to close the perceived performance gap.https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/05/next-chatgpt-upgrade-imminent-following-code-red-declaration/ Goodbye, Microsoft: Schleswig-Holstein relies on Open Source and saves millions | 2025-12-07Germany’s state of Schleswig-Holstein says it will save over €15 million a year by replacing most Microsoft Windows and Office licenses with LibreOffice and other open-source tools. Nearly 80% of workstations have already switched, but opposition politicians warn that migration hiccups and frustrated staff show how hard digital “sovereignty” is in practice.https://www.heise.de/en/news/Goodbye-Microsoft-Schleswig-Holstein-relies-on-Open-Source-and-saves-millions-11105459.html IBM to Acquire Confluent | 2025-12-08Confluent has agreed to be acquired by IBM in an all-cash deal at $31 per share, with the data-streaming company set to operate as a distinct brand inside IBM once regulators sign off. CEO Jay Kreps frames the move as a way to put Kafka-era streaming at the core of IBM’s hybrid-cloud and AI ambitions, while promising continuity for customers and staff.https://www.confluent.io/blog/ibm-to-acquire-confluent/ Evidence That Humans Now Speak in a Chatbot-Influenced Dialect Is Getting Stronger | 2025-12-07Gizmodo surveys research and anecdotes suggesting our everyday speech is starting to borrow the vocabulary and rhythms of large language models, from YouTube comments to Reddit confessionals. Moderators and writers describe AI “slop” as so pervasive that even human posts and political speeches can sound synthetic, blurring the line between organic voice and machine-trained style.https://gizmodo.com/chatbot-dialect-2000696509 Meet Pebble Index 01 - External Memory For Your Brain | 2025-12-09Pebble’s creator unveils Index 01, a stainless-steel smart ring with a button and microphone that lets you capture quick voice notes and reminders, then process them on your phone with local speech-to-text and AI. With no always-on listening, no subscription, and a battery designed to last years, it reframes “external memory” as a tiny, hackable tool rather than a full-blown wearable computer.https://repebble.com/blog/meet-pebble-index-01-external-memory-for-your-brain

    1h 11m
  7. 12/02/2025

    Universities, Consultancies, and Chatbots: Where AI Is Forcing the Next Trade-offs

    Thanks for checking in! ❤️ (00:07) - Intro & weekend catch-up (02:22) - Deloitte breaks silence on N.L. healthcare report (08:50) - PwC says clients are asking for AI Discount? (13:37) - How OpenAI and Google see AI changing go-to-market strategies (17:44) - ChatGPT ads are on the way, but iPhone users can avoid them (24:30) - Australia’s under-16s social media ban is weeks away. How will it work – and how can I appeal if I’m wrongly banned? (34:15) - Are you balding? There’s an AI for that (39:24) - Can Dutch universities do without Microsoft? (47:10) - iPhone Fold will be ‘first truly crease-free foldable phone’, according to supplier (52:30) - New Segment Anything Models Make it Easier to Detect Objects and Create 3D Reconstructions (59:01) - Advent of Code changes & AI-assisted puzzling (01:02:33) - Upcoming Microsoft Fabric Data Days interview & closing Deloitte breaks silence on N.L. healthcare report | 2025-11-25A Deloitte spokesperson says the firm “stands behind” recommendations in a $1.6 million Newfoundland and Labrador health workforce report after errors traced to AI-generated citations came to light. Deloitte says it's revising a small number of citations without changing findings, but hasn't addressed refunds—keeping pressure on the government.https://theindependent.ca/news/lji/deloitte-breaks-silence-on-n-l-healthcare-report/PwC says clients are asking for AI Discount? | 2025-07-03 PwC is fielding an awkward ask from some clients: if artificial intelligence (AI) makes work faster, where's our discount? The report says firms are nudging prices down and moving to outcome-based fees, signaling pressure on the Big Four’s billable-hour model as automation spreads.https://www.thefinancestory.com/pwc-clients-ask-for-discounts-because-of-ai-efficiency ChatGPT ads are on the way, but iPhone users can avoid them | 2025-12-01 Code in a beta of ChatGPT’s Android app points to ads on the way, echoing recent reporting that OpenAI will test advertising to bolster revenue. The twist: iPhone users may bypass ads by invoking Siri’s ChatGPT fallback, raising messy questions about parity across platforms and plans.https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/01/chatgpt-ads-are-on-the-way-but-iphone-users-can-avoid-them/ Australia’s under-16s social media ban is weeks away. How will it work – and how can I appeal if I’m wrongly banned? | 2025-11-22 Australia’s world-first under-16 social media ban takes effect on December 10, forcing platforms to deactivate teen accounts or face fines up to A$49.5 million. Appeals will rely on age-assurance checks like video selfies or IDs, stoking debate over errors, privacy and free-speech challenges.https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/23/australia-under-16-social-media-ban-how-will-it-work-which-platforms-age-verification Are you balding? There’s an AI for that | 2025-11-26 MyHair AI promises to spot early hair loss by analyzing uploaded scalp photos and tracking density over time, pitching itself as a clearer path through a murky market. The startup claims 1,000 paying subscribers, 200,000 accounts and 300,000 images analyzed, inviting questions about medical accuracy and regulation.https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/26/are-you-balding-theres-an-ai-for-that/ Can Dutch universities do without Microsoft? | 2025-11-24Following a sanctions scare that briefly locked the International Criminal Court out of Microsoft email, Dutch universities are reassessing big-tech dependence. Trials with open-source suites like Nextcloud and OpenDesk show promise, yet experts warn a full break could stall teaching and research unless institutions run costly parallel systems.https://dub.uu.nl/en/news/can-dutch-universities-do-without-microsoft iPhone Fold will be ‘first truly crease-free foldable phone’, according to supplier | 2025-11-26 Apple’s rumored iPhone Fold is said to achieve a crease-free display via a custom panel stack and liquid-metal hinge—at a luxury price. Supply-chain reports point to pre-mass-production testing and a potential 2026 launch, with estimates reaching $2,399, setting up a high-stakes debut against seasoned foldable rivals.https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/iphone-fold-will-be-first-truly-crease-free-foldable-phone-according-to-supplier New Segment Anything Models Make it Easier to Detect Objects and Create 3D Reconstructions | 2025-11-19 Meta unveiled SAM 3 and SAM 3D, models that segment objects from text prompts and reconstruct 3D objects or bodies from a single image. The release includes open-source weights, a playground, and claims of state-of-the-art performance—positioning 3D from 2D as a practical tool for creators, robotics and AR.https://about.fb.com/news/2025/11/new-sam-models-detect-objects-create-3d-reconstructions/

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