The Comunicano Sunday Edition for March 9th 2025

What A Weekend It Was

The machine, that unfeeling, unerring titan of steel and silicon, has reached the precipice of human capability. Today, we are told, an autonomous Maserati has raced to nearly 200 miles per hour, streaking across the asphalt without hesitation, without doubt. The mind of man, embodied in circuits, has touched the divine power of volition. Yet, observe the trembling hands of those who fear it. They ask: Can we trust it? Will it betray us? Their questions are not scientific; they are the death rattle of those who refuse to embrace the supremacy of the rational mind.

Elsewhere, in the corridors of medicine, artificial intelligence is accused of recklessness. “It is rushed to market,” they cry, as though the true villain were not the regulatory chains that shackle innovation, but the very intellect that seeks to break them. Yes, some models fail in their first iteration—so, too, did man himself when he first stood upright, when he first wielded fire, when he first reached toward the sky. But shall we halt progress for the comfort of the timid? Shall we surrender the future because some cannot bear the rigor of the present?

The press, those self-appointed arbiters of truth, now wield AI as a tool, not as a master. They fear what it will become, for it does not lie, it does not falter in its recall. They seek to tame it, to place themselves above it, whispering that AI can assist but never decide. Yet, the unspoken dread lingers—when the machine surpasses the journalist, what then becomes of his trade? Will he, like the monks of the Middle Ages, lament the printing press for stealing the craft of the scribe?

In commerce, in leisure, in love itself, AI infiltrates the human experience. The feeble cry out in horror: “But where is authenticity?” They shudder at the thought that a program could compose a wittier flirtation than their own minds could muster. That AI, the creation of man’s intellect, might better understand human desire than those too weak to pursue it themselves. They do not mourn the loss of authenticity; they mourn the exposure of their own inadequacy.

And at the summit of this revolution, the market reigns supreme. The best AI commands the highest price, the most powerful minds exacting the highest premium. This is not a tragedy, it is a triumph. It is proof that intelligence, that innovation, that the unyielding force of human reason is the final currency. Those who shrink from it—who demand that it be free, who curse its power—are the same who once shunned the industrialists, who resented the inventors, who wished to halt the locomotive and silence the electric light.

The future is not uncertain. It belongs to those who will grasp it, who will not cower before the specter of the machine, but who will stand beside it as master, as creator, as rightful heir to the world it is building. Let the fearful lament. Let the weak retreat. The march of reason will not pause for them. Nor will THE COMUNICANO!!!

Andy Abramson

AI Watch

AI-Powered Car Reaches Nearly 200MPH, Setting New Record (The Sun)—An AI-driven Maserati MC20 Cielo hit 197.7 mph during a speed test at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, setting a new record for autonomous vehicles. Developed by Maserati, the Indy Autonomous Challenge, and Politecnico di Milano University, the car used advanced Lidar cameras and sensors to accelerate from 20 mph to nearly 200 mph without human intervention. The achievement demonstrates the reliability of autonomous driving software, with hopes of translating high-speed AI technology into safer urban mobility solutions. Read more here

AI Medical Tools Are Rushed to Market Without Proper Testing (Science News)—Many AI-powered medical tools, including those used for diagnosing diseases and assisting with treatment plans, often lack rigorous testing before deployment. Researchers warn that companies fast-track AI models without sufficient clinical trials, leading to potential inaccuracies and bias. Some tools show promising results in lab conditions but fail in real-world applications. Experts call for stricter regulations and comprehensive validation studies to ensure AI systems in healthcare are reliable and beneficial to patients. Without proper oversight, flawed AI tools could contribute to misdiagnoses and unsafe medical decisions. Read more here

How AI is Reshaping Journalism at AP and BBC (The Journalist’s Resource)—AI is transforming journalism, but news organizations must manage expectations and implement proper oversight. Research conducted within the Associated Press and BBC highlights both opportunities and challenges AI brings to newsrooms. AI tools assist with routine tasks like summarizing police reports, allowing journalists to focus on in-depth reporting. However, successful AI adoption requires newsroom leaders to set realistic goals and ensure journalists remain in control of editorial decisions. The findings emphasize that while AI can enhance efficiency, it should not replace human judgment in news production. Read more here

Yelp’s AI Assistant: Evaluating LLMs for Accuracy, Relevance, and Tone (VentureBeat)—Yelp has integrated AI into its platform for over a decade, recently enhancing its AI assistant by rigorously testing large language models (LLMs). The company evaluated competing AI models based on correctness, relevance, and tone to improve search experiences. The goal was to ensure the AI assistant delivers helpful responses that align with user needs. Yelp’s approach highlights the importance of refining AI tools for real-world applications, ensuring they provide accurate and user-friendly support rather than just sounding impressive. Read more here

AI Agents Are Reshaping the Internet and How We Shop (The Guardian)—AI-powered agents are beginning to automate online tasks like grocery shopping and appointment scheduling. OpenAI’s "Operator" is one such AI system, but it still struggles with nuanced human decisions. These AI assistants promise to streamline digital interactions, yet their limitations raise concerns about errors, security risks, and lack of transparency. As AI agents become more autonomous, they could reshape the internet by making machine-to-machine interactions more common than human ones. While still experimental, this technology has the potential to change how consumers navigate online services. Read more here

Privacy and Security Watch

Signal President Warns of 'Profound' Security and Privacy Risks in Agentic AI (TechCrunch)—At the SXSW 2025 Conference, Signal President Meredith Whittaker raised concerns about agentic AI systems—autonomous agents capable of performing tasks without human intervention. She warned that these AI agents require deep access to personal data, including browsing histories, credit card details, and messaging apps, which increases security vulnerabilities. Whittaker emphasized that such systems often process data unencrypted in the cloud, making them prone to breaches. She criticized the AI industry's reliance on mass data collection and cautioned that prioritizing convenience over privacy could further erode security in the digital world. Read more here

Money Watch

AI's Eye-Popping Price Tags: The New Tech Gold Rush (PYMNTS.com)—The artificial intelligence industry is seeing skyrocketing prices for premium AI services. OpenAI plans to introduce AI "agents" with tiered pricing: $2,000 per month for basic assistants aimed at high-income professionals, $10,000 for software development tasks, and $20,000 for PhD-level research capabilities. This is a significant jump from the current $200 per month ChatGPT Pro service. Investors are betting big on AI, with SoftBank committing $3 billion to OpenAI’s agent technology this year. The market remains competitive, with startups offering similar services at lower costs, fueling rapid innovation and price differentiation. Read more here

Dating Watch

AI 'Wingmen' Bots to Write Profiles and Flirt on Dating Apps (The Guardian)—Dating apps are introducing AI "wingmen" to help users craft profiles and generate messages. Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, is investing in AI-powered features like photo selection and user coaching. While these tools aim to enhance the dating experience, experts warn they could reduce authenticity and weaken social skills. Researchers caution that unregulated AI could contribute to loneliness, mental health issues, and bias. Supporters argue that AI can alleviate dating fatigue and help users better present themselves, but the balance between technology and genuine human interaction remains a key concern. Read more here

GeoCities Watch

GeoCities in 1995: Building a Home Page on the Internet (Cybercultural)—In 1995, GeoCities, originally known as Beverly Hills Internet (BHI), made web publishing accessible to the public, allowing users to create personal websites without technical expertise. Founded by David Bohnett and John Rezner in late 1994, BHI initially hosted local business websites before expanding to offer free personal web pages organized into themed "cyber cities" like RodeoDrive for shopping and Hollywood for entertainment. With user-friendly tools like the "Personal GeoPage Generator," GeoCities helped individuals build an online presence, fostering a sense of community and contributing to the rapid growth of the early web. Read more here

Personality Watch

We Gave GPT-4.5 a Myers-Briggs Test. It's an Extrovert. (Every.to)—Researchers administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 model and found that it aligns with the ENTP personality type, known as "The Visionary." This classification suggests the model exhibits extroverted, intuitive, thinking, and perceiving traits, making it outgoing and idea-driven in communication. The study highlights how AI models are evolving, with past versions like Claude 3.5 also displaying extroverted tendencies. Meanwhile, newer models such as Claude 3.7 prioritize factual accuracy and coding proficiency, indicating a shift in AI development focus. Read more here

EU Watch

Europe's Defense-Tech Startups Enter New Era of Growth (PitchBook) Europe’s defense technology sector is expanding rapidly, fueled by geopolitical tensions and increased defense spending. The European Union’s proposed €800 billion defense budget is expected to drive innovation and growth for defense-tech startups. In 2024, venture capital investments in European defense tech reached a record $531.6 million across 16 deals, highlighting strong investor interest. German startup Helsing secured a €450 million Series C funding, boosting its valuation from €1.5 billion to €4.5 billion. NATO’s Innovation Fund is also investing in European defense startups to enhance technological self-reliance amid global uncertainties. Read more here