In yesterday’s post I mentioned the prospect of fighting a losing war against Skynet, hoping for the reward of a frothy mug of mead in Valhalla. My friend Allan asked where to get a frothy mug of mead on the living side of things. To explain that I’ll have to give a quick lesson on…
(I just noticed that the lady on the right has three legs! Thanks, Midjourney!) Summary: Computers don’t understand relevance, and it’s unlikely they will any time soon. “Relevance realization” is what sets humans apart from AI, and “general artificial intelligence” won’t happen until someone solves this. Remember that fun video where the kids are throwing…
Summary: The New York Times has apparently made a deal with Apple and Spotify that allows them to authenticate subscribers with NYT credentials on those platforms. This is great news for publishers with podcasts. This has been a very long time coming, but I’m glad it’s finally happened. Bo Sacks sent this article out to…
Summary: There are many ways to restrict access to content, and there are a lot of issues to consider when developing such a strategy. Here’s a start. When advertising revenue declines, as it has been, publishers start to think about paywalls, as they have been. I was talking with a client about this the other…
Summary: Our free speech culture should be skeptical of any form of censorship, but there are times when it’s appropriate to restrict children’s access to certain books. While it’s good to have an instinctive reaction against censorship, some books should be banned for some people in some circumstances. The phrase “book banning” conjures up images…
Summary: The article discusses using ChatGPT and Midjourney to enhance content creation by generating images, summaries, and outlines. It highlights their effectiveness in transforming ideas into visuals, organizing content, and sparking new ideas, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining control over the creative process. ChatGPT and Midjourney are useful tools that can make your content…
Summary: This article explores five strategies for designing a compelling book cover, including trusting personal instincts, seeking input from friends, consulting experts, mimicking similar covers, and testing different designs. It emphasizes the importance of audience expectations, brand consistency, and the book title. I’m finishing up a short book on customer data platforms. It’ll be available…
Summary: AI agents will revolutionize the entire content industry by allowing users to customize and access content in their preferred format — whether text, audio, or video. AI will also manage complex licensing agreements, which means that publishers must adapt to protect and monetize their content in this new landscape. The entire process of content…
Summary: Search is following the print trajectory and will soon be replaced by AI agents. This has big implications for content creators. I love tea. I love the bitterness and the astringency. I love the aroma. I love that it has no calories. And yes, I love the caffeine, although caffeine doesn’t love me. I’ve…
Summary: This article examines common phrases used by hiring managers and questions whether they indicate underlying dysfunction in the workplace. The hiring manager has one thing in mind when using these phrases, but you might want to dig deeper and make sure they’re not a sign of some disfunction. “We want a rock star.” Are…
Summary: A lot of life involves finding the balance between extremes. This article expresses the concept as “fine lines” between two approaches to an issue. There’s a fine line between being data-driven and losing touch with the people behind the numbers. “Data-driven” is overused. It’s actually very easy to be misled by data. I’ll post…
Summary: “We’ve always done it this way” may be a sign of obstinate inflexibility, or it may be a sign of respect for the people who created the rules in the first place. They had to have their reasons. I saw a thread on LinkedIn criticizing the old “we’ve always done it this way” as…
Summary: The following is a very lightly edited conversation I had with ChatGPT. Q: What are some practical tools, methods, mindsets, activities, etc., to improve an individual’s ability to plan, focus attention, manage multiple tasks, and regulate their behavior to achieve goals? Improving executive function involves strengthening cognitive processes through practical tools, methods, activities, and…
Summary: AI is a useful tool, but, just like journalists, it has its biases. Here are some tools to get past the AI superego and get more useful information. Cold: Would AI have moderated the Trump-Harris debate better than the folks from ABC? I usually avoid political topics on this podcast, but it’s Friday the…
Summary: The old saying “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” is misleading. Repetition can be the key to success. You’ve heard it many times: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” The saying is often…