The Comunicano for Tuesday June 24th 2025
Tasty Tuesday
You know, I’ve always said innovation is what separates leaders from followers. And if you look around today, it feels like the future is arriving... just a bit faster than expected.
We’re watching a cohort of pioneers, not giants, not yet, but scrappy, ambitious companies turning fiction into reality. They’re converting carbon into fabric, turning sunlight into heat at scale, turning waste into food. That’s not innovation for the sake of it. That’s solving problems that matter. I call that relevance.
And then there’s AI. It’s no longer some sci-fi subplot. The Big Five—Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, they’re each charting a different course through this new frontier. One’s embedding it into every device. Another’s redefining the cloud. But here’s the question no one’s answering clearly enough: are these moves just iterations—or are they transformations?
Security? That’s finally catching up. New protocols like MCP Gateway are protecting our AI from itself from being weaponized, from being exploited. We needed this yesterday, and it’s just in time.
And let’s not ignore the quiet revolution above our heads. A satellite, yes, in orbit is now a node in a decentralized network, trading tokens secured by quantum-safe cryptography. Think about that: space isn’t just the final frontier, it’s becoming the new server room.
Meanwhile, countries like South Korea are planting flags on the moon of quantum and AI chips. They're not building tech, they're building national destiny.
And yet, some things don’t change. Apple still pull ads when they make us uncomfortable. We still argue about what brands should stand for during Pride. We still get tricked by tech support scams because we trust the internet a little too much.
And Tesla? Asking regulators to look away while their robotaxis go rogue? That’s not courage. That’s hiding.
So where does that leave us?
We are at an inflection point, not because technology is evolving, but because we have to evolve with it. If we don’t ask more from the systems we build and more from the companies building them, then all this progress is just noise.
Innovation is easy. Vision is rare.
And the future? It’s not waiting. It’s here. In THE COMUNICANO!!!
Andy Abramson
Innovation Watch
Meet the Technology Pioneers driving innovation in 2025 (World Economic Forum)
—Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the World Economic Forum has selected 100 early-stage companies from 28 countries for its 2025 Technology Pioneers cohort. These trailblazers span smart robotics, spatial AI, accessible quantum computing, circular economy, advanced energy systems, and precision agriculture. Highlights include Rubi Laboratories CO₂-to-cellulose conversion, BforeAI AI-driven cybersecurity, Exowatt modular solar-heat storage systems, and novel food-waste valorization. Since 2000, the programme has supported more than 1,200 companies including Dropbox and SoundCloud, demonstrating how a community-driven model can accelerate solutions for global challenges. Read more here
AI Watch
Checking In on AI and the Big Five (Stratechery)—Ben Thompson revisits his January 2023 AI and the Big Five essay to assess the current AI posture of Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon. He revisits his thesis that 2022 marked the start of a new epoch driven by AI. The updated analysis explores how each company has deepened infrastructure, modeling capabilities, partnerships and distribution. While Microsoft and Google maintain leadership, others are repositioning strategically Apple via device integration, Meta via hardware and partnerships, and Amazon via AWS. The piece questions whether current moves meet the magnitude of Gates two-year vs. ten-year change challenge. Read more here
Operant AI Launches MCP Gateway to Secure AI Workflows (Everywhere VC/GlobeNewswire)—Operant AI has unveiled its MCP Gateway—a security gateway engineered for AI-native systems based on the Model Context Protocol MCP. As over 1,000 MCP servers go live globally, this platform provides real-time threat detection and active blocking throughout the AI stack—from GitHub Copilot to enterprise agents on AWS, Azure, and Google. It fills a growing security gap amid the rising sophistication and modularity of AI infrastructure. Read more here
5 Things AI Does in Movies and TV I’m Still Waiting On (TechRadar)
While screen AI dazzles us with intuitive, environment-aware assistants like in the movie Her, ultimate immersion remains elusive. We still aren’t seeing AI that anticipates emotion before you speak, seamlessly adjusts lighting based on mood, reads room dynamics, or choreographs cinematic scenes in real time. These cinematic staples—ambient understanding, predictive guidance, emotional nuance—are still science fiction in reality, but they set the bar for AI's potential to become truly sentient in our narratives. Read more here
Apple Watch
What’s Going On with Apple’s Ads Department (Creative Bloq)—Apple has now pulled its fourth ad in a little over a year—most recently “The Parent Presentation,” an eight-minute pitch featuring comedian Martin Herlihy aimed at persuading students' parents to buy Macs. The ad was released June 20 and removed the next day amid backlash calling it cringe and confusing in its message. Previous pullbacks include ads for iPad Pro, Apple Intelligence, and an iPhone 16 AI-feature spot. No official reason has been given, but public reaction appears to be driving these quick retracts. Read more here
Quantum Watch
South Korea Elevates Quantum and AI Chip Design to National Strategic Technologies (The Quantum Insider)—South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT and KISTEP have officially designated two cutting-edge technologies—EYL’s quantum random number generation for quantum cryptography and Boss Semiconductor’s low-power AI chips for autonomous vehicles—as national strategic technologies under the Special Act. This new status unlocks robust support mechanisms: preferential financing, military service exemptions, and specialized development programs. The move underscores Seoul’s ambition to build a super gap in secure communications and next-gen mobility, positioning quantum and AI chip design at the heart of its national tech leadership strategy. Read more here
WISeSat and SEALSQ Debut First-Ever Space-Based DePIN with Quantum-Safe Comms (Morningstar/GlobeNewswire)—WISeKey subsidiaries WISeSat.Space and SEALSQ launched the WISeSat 3 satellite aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-14 on June 23 CEST, integrating SEALSQ’s Quantum RootKey for onboard post-quantum cryptography. It enables SEALCOIN token exchanges directly from space via Hedera, marking the world’s first Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network DePIN in orbit. The initiative pioneers quantum-resistant communication technologies aligned with NIST standards, showcasing a new frontier in satellite cybersecurity, blockchain payments in orbit, and decentralized finance infrastructure. Read more here
Regulation Watch
ACCC Wants Stronger Regulatory Powers Over Big Tech in Cloud, AI (Tech Monitor)—Australia’s competition regulator, the ACCC, is urging the government to grant it expanded powers to intervene earlier in oversight of cloud computing and AI markets. In its final Digital Platform Services Inquiry report, the ACCC highlights emerging anti-competitive risks posed by dominant players such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Recommendations include service-specific mandatory codes of conduct and ex-ante before harm regulatory tools to safeguard consumer choice and market fairness. Read more here
Tesla Watch
Tesla Asks NHTSA to Hide Its Response to Robotaxi Questions (Electrek)—Tesla requested the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA to keep its answers regarding robotaxi safety confidential, citing proprietary concerns. This included data from prelaunch questions filed by June 19th, especially about Level 4 autonomy compliance. Videos have surfaced showing robotaxis straying into the wrong lane, speeding, and dropping passengers midintersection. Tesla’s request continues the company’s trend of limiting public disclosure of its Autopilot and Full SelfDriving data. Read more here
US Safety Agency Contacts Tesla on Robotaxi Snarls (Reuters)—NHTSA confirmed it is probing Tesla following online clips that show a robotaxi using the wrong lane and speeding near another autonomous vehicle. The agency is reviewing Tesla’s responses about safety protocols, especially performance in poor weather. Tesla’s Austinbased trial offering limited robotaxi rides under supervision is under scrutiny, though NHTSA does not preapprove such systems. The broader Full SelfDriving investigation, ongoing since October, already covers 2.4 million Teslas after four crashes including one fatal. Read more here
Hack Watch
Apple Netflix Microsoft Sites Hacked for Tech Support Scams (SecurityWeek)—Scammers are embedding their phone numbers into legitimate websites for Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and others using search parameter injection. They purchase Google ads that lead unsuspecting users to official help pages—but with a malicious twist fake support numbers. Once users call, they risk exposing personal data, financial details, or granting remote access to their computers. Malwarebytes warns against clicking tech support ads and recommends navigating directly to official sites instead. Read more here
Retail Watch
Retailers Ditching Pride Could Backfire Later (Marketing Dive)—Major retailers like Target have scaled back Pride Month merchandise after protests and vandalism, opting for subdued campaigns this year. While Target claims continued corporate support and community sponsorships, marketing experts caution that this retreat risks long-term reputational damage. Research highlights that withdrawing Pride messaging can erode trust with both supporters and critics. Unlike peers such as Costco and Lush, who maintain their commitment, brands pulling back now may struggle to regain credibility. Read more here
Marketing Watch
The 95 Advantage (Brand Chemistry)—Brand Chemistry’s 95 Advantage concept examines how strategic clarity and technical excellence can transform B2B positioning. By aligning brand messaging with digital systems from SEO to content marketing, companies can amplify their industrial heritage while delivering measurable growth. This approach weaves strategic brand identity with marketing execution, helping firms stand out without losing authenticity. Read more here
Websites with More Traffic Get More AI Mentions (Ahrefs)—Ahrefs’ data study shows that sites generating more organic search traffic are disproportionately represented in AI-driven answers. AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini—responsible for over 98 percent of AI referrals tend to cite high-traffic sites. For Ahrefs itself, just 0.5 percent of AI search visitors accounted for over 12 percent of signups. The insight boosting organic visibility increases AI-powered brand mentions and conversions. Read more here
