The Comunicano for Thursday February 20th 2025

Look around you. The world is shifting, accelerating—propelled by an intelligence we have created but scarcely understand. Artificial Intelligence. It is here, reshaping industry, rewiring commerce, redefining the very nature of work itself.

In the United Kingdom, the call has been sounded: expand, innovate, accelerate. The time for caution has passed—scientific advancement demands power, computational might beyond what we once imagined. A nation’s destiny may hinge not on politics, but on silicon and code.

Elsewhere, the future of work is being rewritten by machine intelligence. Google’s ‘Career Dreamer’ seeks to guide human ambition, offering visions of what could be. Wendy’s, forging ahead with AI-powered drive-thrus, finds itself grappling with the friction between efficiency and the irreplaceable nuance of human service. The line between progress and frustration, it seems, is not so easily programmed.

Investment, too, bends to AI’s predictive force. If an algorithm can foresee the success of a startup with 95% accuracy, does it render human intuition obsolete? Or does it merely sharpen the lens through which we view potential?

And as one titan rises, another marches upon the halls of power. Mark Zuckerberg, the architect of social networks, stands before the architects of law, seeking to shape the framework that will govern AI’s dominion.

But even as we look to the future, we see conflict. In the realm of speech and censorship, voices are unshackled—and others, distorted. Perplexity AI challenges control, while call center workers find their accents altered by machines, raising the specter of identity lost in the pursuit of clarity.

This is the crossroads. This is the moment. The machines are not coming. They are here. The only question left: who leads them, and who follows?" That’s why you’re reading THE COMUNICANO!!!

Andy Abramson

AI Watch

A New National Purpose: Accelerating UK Science in the Age of AI (Tony Blair Institute for Global Change)—The Tony Blair Institute's recent report emphasizes the UK's urgent need to revamp its scientific institutions to thrive in the AI era. It advocates for a tenfold increase in compute capacity, aiming for exascale capabilities within a year, rather than by 2026. The report also calls for deep collaborations between academia and industry, streamlined regulatory frameworks, and significant investments in AI research and development. This strategic shift is deemed essential for the UK to maintain a competitive edge in global science and technology. Read more here

Google Introduces 'Career Dreamer' to Personalize Job Exploration (Google Blog)—Google has unveiled 'Career Dreamer,' an AI-driven tool designed to simplify and personalize career exploration. Part of the Grow with Google initiative, this experiment aims to assist individuals in navigating potential career paths by providing tailored recommendations based on user interests and skills. By leveraging artificial intelligence, Career Dreamer offers a more intuitive approach to understanding and pursuing various professional opportunities. Read more here

Wendy's Implements AI Voice Assistants in Drive-Thrus Amid Customer Criticism (New York Post)—Wendy's plans to integrate AI voice assistants to handle drive-thru orders at numerous locations by the end of 2025. CEO Kirk Tanner announced this technological shift aimed at enhancing efficiency and customer service. However, early adopters have expressed dissatisfaction, criticizing the AI systems for frequent errors and misinterpreted orders. Many customers claim the experience is frustrating, with the AI struggling to understand accents and modifications, leading to social media backlash. Read more here

Crunchbase’s AI Can Predict Startup Success with 95% Accuracy—Will It Change Investing? (VentureBeat)—Crunchbase has introduced a new AI-driven model that claims to predict a startup’s success with 95% accuracy. Using vast datasets of funding rounds, executive backgrounds, and market trends, the AI model identifies patterns that correlate with long-term viability. While promising, investors remain cautious, noting that human intuition, market fluctuations, and unforeseen challenges still play a significant role in startup success. If widely adopted, this technology could transform venture capital decision-making, potentially reshaping how funding is allocated. Read more here

Breaking Down Grok 3: The AI Model That Could Redefine the Industry (VentureBeat)—Elon Musk’s AI company xAI has unveiled Grok 3, its latest large language model, aiming to compete with OpenAI’s GPT-4. This iteration boasts improved reasoning capabilities, real-time internet access, and an architecture optimized for efficiency. Grok 3 is designed to be more aligned with human-like responses while maintaining the ability to process complex queries. Industry experts speculate whether its open-source nature will give it an edge over competitors, potentially setting a new standard for AI accessibility and transparency. Read more here

Meta Watch

Mark Zuckerberg Lobbies U.S. Senators on Artificial Intelligence (Bloomberg)

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited Capitol Hill to engage with U.S. senators on artificial intelligence (AI) policy. This visit underscores Meta's commitment to influencing AI regulation and ensuring that legislative measures align with the company's strategic interests. Zuckerberg's discussions with lawmakers are part of a broader effort by tech leaders to shape the future landscape of AI governance in the United States. Read more here

Perplexity Watch

Perplexity AI Releases 'R1 1776' to Eliminate Chinese Censorship in AI Models (Sherwood News)—Perplexity AI has introduced "R1 1776," an open-source language model designed to remove Chinese Communist Party (CCP) censorship and propaganda from AI outputs. This initiative addresses concerns that existing models, particularly those originating from China, often refuse to engage with sensitive topics due to embedded censorship protocols. By fine-tuning the DeepSeek-R1 model, Perplexity AI aims to provide users with uncensored and factual responses on approximately 300 topics typically restricted by the CCP, such as Taiwan's independence and the Tiananmen Square events. This development signifies a significant step toward promoting free expression and unbiased information in AI-generated content. Read more here

VoIP Watch

Sanas Uses AI to Change Call Center Workers' Accents in Real Time (TechCrunch)—Sanas, a startup specializing in AI-powered voice technology, is introducing a tool that modifies call center workers' accents in real time. The goal is to make conversations more comfortable for customers by reducing misunderstandings and perceived biases. While companies see this as a way to improve customer service, critics argue it reinforces linguistic discrimination instead of fostering inclusivity. This development raises ethical concerns about identity erasure and the broader implications of AI-driven speech modification in global workforces. Read more here

Amazon Watch

Amazon to Retire Android Appstore in August 2025 (Thurrott.com)—Amazon has announced plans to discontinue its Amazon Appstore for Android devices on August 20, 2025. This decision will not impact the Appstore's availability on Amazon's own Fire TV devices and Fire tablets, where it serves as the primary app marketplace. Users with remaining Amazon Coins, the platform's virtual currency, will receive refunds for any unused balance after the shutdown date. The Appstore has already been removed from the Google Play Store, but existing users can continue to access it until the August deadline. This move comes as many of the apps offered on the Amazon Appstore are also available on the Google Play Store, reducing the necessity for a separate marketplace. Read more here

Crypto Watch

SEC Launches New Unit to Combat Fraud in Crypto and AI Sectors (The Block)—The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has established the Crypto and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU) to enhance investor protection against fraudulent activities in the cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence sectors. This initiative aims to address the increasing misuse of AI and machine learning in deceptive schemes and fraud involving blockchain technology and digital assets. The formation of CETU reflects the SEC's commitment to adapting its regulatory framework to evolving technological landscapes, ensuring robust oversight and enforcement in these rapidly developing industries. Read more here

Spotify Watch

Spotify Partners with ElevenLabs to Expand AI-Narrated Audiobooks (The Verge)—Spotify is enhancing its audiobook offerings by collaborating with ElevenLabs, an AI voice startup, to introduce more AI-narrated content on its platform. This partnership aims to provide a diverse range of audiobooks narrated by synthetic voices, making literature more accessible and affordable for users. ElevenLabs' advanced text-to-speech technology enables the generation of lifelike speech, capturing vocal emotions and intonations to deliver a natural listening experience. This move signifies Spotify's commitment to integrating innovative AI solutions to enrich its content library and offer varied listening options to its audience. Read more here