The Comunicano for Wednesday July 2nd 2025
Wet Wednesday
You want to know where tech is going? Don’t look at the gadgets. :ook at the gaps. That’s where the story is. The gap between what tech promises and what it delivers. Between hype and humanity. Between China and the U.S., for that matter. We’re in the middle of an AI arms race, but it’s not just about who has the fastest chip—it’s about who gets to define the rules, who gets to shape our digital lives, and who’s left watching from the sidelines.
Look at Hightouch. They’re solving identity chaos in the data warehouse. That’s not just a marketing win; it’s a signal. Brands are saying: “We want personalization, but we’re done sacrificing privacy to get it.” That’s a seismic shift.
Or take LooksMapping, an AI that ranks restaurants by how attractive the diners are. Sounds like satire, right? But it’s deadly serious in what it reveals: we’re using machine learning to rate beauty now? That’s the new Yelp? It’s not just shallow—it’s algorithmic vanity, and it’s laced with bias.
Then there’s Google pushing Gemini AI into places others can’t go with lower bandwidth, tighter privacy. Sounds inclusive, until you realize it also deepens dependency on one platform to power the world.
This isn’t just evolution. It’s consolidation. VCs aren’t just funding innovation—they’re rolling up industries and wrapping them in AI. Predictability over disruption. Private equity with a hoodie.
The point? Tech is telling us what it values. Efficiency. Scale. Control. But if we’re not careful, we’ll automate away the very friction that makes innovation meaningful.
So here’s the call to action: Look closer. Ask harder questions. Don’t just admire the tech—interrogate it. Because in the end, it’s not just about what AI can do. It’s about what we allow it to become. And you will know, all by reading, THE COMUNICANO!!!
Andy Abramson
AI Watch
LooksMapping Uses AI to Rank Restaurant Goers by Attractiveness (New York Times)—Riley Walz, a 22-year-old developer, created LooksMapping—an AI-driven site that scans millions of Google reviews to rank restaurants by the attractiveness of their diners. With hotspots like Carbone scoring a 9.7, the site maps NYC, SF, and LA based on how “hot” the crowd is. While Walz calls it cultural satire, critics highlight how it exposes AI’s racial biases and societal obsessions with looks. It reflects a curious shift: diners choosing venues for eye candy over cuisine, a phenomenon equal parts tech gimmick and social mirror. Read more here
China Closes the Gap on US in Global AI Race (Wall Street Journal)—China is rapidly narrowing the AI gap with the United States, challenging dominance through aggressive state funding, practical deployments, and fast-growing adoption abroad. Chinese models from DeepSeek, Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu are being used across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East—even by firms like HSBC and Aramco. Open-source alternatives like Qwen are gaining traction, while US models struggle to justify high costs. This fragmented landscape underscores an emerging AI cold war, where geopolitical divides shape standards, innovation, and influence. Read more here
Hightouch Launches AI Identity Resolution Built for the Data Warehouse (CMSWire)—Hightouch has rolled out Adaptive Identity Resolution, an AI-driven solution that enables real-time customer identity matching directly within data warehouses. Unlike traditional tools, it avoids moving data, preserving privacy and compliance. Marketers can toggle between high-accuracy deterministic and wide-net probabilistic matches, customizing identity logic to fit their needs. The system unifies fragmented customer profiles across touchpoints, empowering precise personalization and reducing reliance on third-party tools. This marks a major step in solving one of marketing’s biggest headaches—clean, unified customer data. Read more here
Google Watch
Google Opens Gemini AI in Regions Where Other AI Can’t Operate (Analytics India Magazine)—Google is breaking geopolitical and regulatory boundaries by launching Gemini AI in areas where other platforms remain restricted. Unlike rivals hampered by local laws or infrastructure, Gemini works with low bandwidth and integrates privacy protocols, allowing developers in underrepresented regions to join the AI wave. It’s a strategic leap that positions Google as a near-universal AI provider while reigniting debates on platform centralization, digital access, and market dominance. This global reach may redefine AI equity—but not without scrutiny. Read more here
Venture Watch
Tech Venture Firms Embrace Private Equity Roll Up Model for Consolidation (Financial Times)—Venture capital giants like Thrive Capital and General Catalyst are adopting the private equity playbook, funding tech startups to acquire rivals and build industry-spanning conglomerates. Thrive led a 72 million dollar round for Savvy Wealth, which will use the funds to roll up smaller advisory firms and integrate artificial intelligence into its operations. General Catalyst is pursuing similar strategies across legal services and property lettings with 750 million dollars allocated. While VCs traditionally chase high-growth startups, this shift signals a bid for predictable returns amid a tough IPO climate. Critics caution that rebuilding old businesses around AI poses significant structural hurdles. Read more here
Huawei Watch
Huawei to Stand Trial in US Over Criminal Charges Including Racketeering and Bank Fraud (Reuters)—A US federal judge has ruled that Huawei must face trial on key criminal charges, including racketeering, trade secret theft, and bank fraud. The case stems from allegations that Huawei misled banks and violated US sanctions by conducting business in Iran through Skycom, a company prosecutors claim is a Huawei front. Judge Ann Donnelly denied motions to dismiss 13 of the 16 charges, citing substantial evidence. The trial is set for May 2026 and could last several months, marking a significant legal front in the ongoing tech standoff between the US and China. Read more here
Marketing Watch
Flat Budgets, Rising Demands: The CMO’s AI Balancing Act (CMSWire)—CMOs face the challenge of delivering AI-driven marketing results without increased budgets. According to the article published June 30 2025, marketing budgets have remained at 7.7 percent of revenue since 2024 cmswire.com+1cmswire.com+1. To navigate this, leaders are doubling down on ROI by leveraging existing technology, automating workflows, and building internal AI capabilities. Clear KPIs and data-driven strategies guide implementation. The full article dives into budget paradox, optimization tools, talent needs, and strategic reallocation to balance performance with financial restraint. Read more here
Microsoft Watch
Microsoft Cuts 9000 Jobs Amid Strategic Realignment (CNBC)-Microsoft is laying off about 9000 employees—roughly 4 percent of its workforce—in its third round of cuts this year. The layoffs affect roles across Xbox, sales, and engineering as the company refocuses on AI and cloud computing. Despite reporting 70 billion dollars in revenue and 26 billion in profit last quarter, Microsoft continues trimming management layers and restructuring. Severance, healthcare, and placement support are being offered to affected workers. The move reflects tech’s ongoing recalibration as it shifts from pandemic-era growth to post-AI optimization. Read more here
Smartphone Watch
Honor Debuts Worlds Thinnest Foldable Phone with Built In AI Agent (South China Morning Post)—Honor has launched the Magic V3, now the thinnest foldable smartphone on the market at just 88 millimeters folded and weighing 217 grams. Powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite and a 6100 milliamp silicon carbon battery, it features dual 120 hertz OLED displays and a strong focus on on-device AI. The new Alpha AI agent performs smart photo sorting, deepfake detection, eye strain reduction, and motion capture entirely offline. The strategy aims to leapfrog rivals like Samsung by blending sleek hardware with localized AI, signaling a new frontier in foldable and AI mobile tech. Read more here
