Pulse on AI: Local-first AI, PAC learning limits, GPT-5.1 personalities, and the economics of agents

Max and AI expert Keira Sobol break down: Africa’s first multi-model LLM exchange for telcos; Kenya’s M-Tiba health data breach; Vodacom holding on to M-Pesa; Nigeria’s telecom boom; Vodacom–Starlink LEO partnership; the Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) learning framework and why some problems stay hard; OpenAI’s GPT-5.1 Instant and Thinking with eight preset personalities and adaptive reasoning; leaked reports on OpenAI’s inference spending and revenue signals; Germany’s ruling against ChatGPT on copyright; RECAP, a new method to expose LLM memorization; SoftBank’s $40B bet on OpenAI and selling NVIDIA; AI PCs like Asus ProArt P16; the agent era’s metrics beyond CAC/LTV; Baidu’s Xiaodu AI glasses; Nirmata’s AI Kubernetes policy assistant; the rising value of skilled trades for data center buildouts; and an AI security workshop.

Sources:

• Nirmata Launches AI Platform Engineer
• SoftBank Goes All In on OpenAI, Cashes Out Entire NVIDIA Stake
• OpenAI walks a tricky tightrope with GPT-5.1’s eight new personalities
• The Probably Approximately Correct Learning Model in Computational Learning Theory
• OpenAI’s viability called into question by reported inference spending with Microsoft
• Baidu's Xiaodu AI Glasses Pro Now Available, Priced at 2,299 Yuan
• 👨🏿‍🚀TechCabal Daily – Vodacom says no to M-PESA spin-off
• Court rules that OpenAI violated German copyright law; orders it to pay damages
• New RECAP tool exposes just how much copyrighted text LLM's can regurgitate
• AI Hype: Don’t Overestimate the Impact of AI
• Twilight of the user
• iX-Workshop: KI-Methoden und -Werkzeuge für die IT-Sicherheit
• Jensen Huang, CEO de NVIDIA: "Los verdaderos ganadores de la carrera de la IA serán los electricistas o fontaneros"
• My favorite ultraportable laptop has MacBook Pro written all over it (but isn't made by Apple)