Ever feel like the internet is blasting you with information at full pressure, leaving you more frazzled than informed? You’re not alone. In this episode, we wrangle the wildest threads from recent tech news, blog think-pieces, and cultural trends—distilling them into practical, human-centered insights you can actually use.
Drawn from everything I’ve been reading between July 28th–August 1st, this episode is my way of grounding what I’m learning—and letting you in on the surprising connections that pop up when you look across industries. It’s a chance to slow down, process the flood of ideas, and discover practical threads tying tech, culture, and neurodiversity together. Think of it as a guided walk through the latest digital landscape, with plenty of curiosity and a focus on insights you can actually use.
AI Reality Check
2025 Mid-Year LLM Market Update: Foundation Model Landscape + Economics [Menlo Ventures, Tim Tully, Joff Redfern, Deedy Das, Derek Xiao]
The LLM space is experiencing a seismic shift: Anthropic surges past OpenAI in enterprise, code generation becomes the “killer app,” and real business value—not just hype—is deciding market winners.OpenAI Strikes Partnership to Bring Stargate to Europe [The Wall Street Journal, Mauro Orru]
The hunt for sustainable, massive AI infrastructure ramps up with OpenAI’s Stargate Norway, leveraging renewable energy and highlighting how geography and climate are becoming strategic assets.
Human at the Center
Choose Boring Technology, Revisited [Aaron Brethorst]
In an age of generative AI, sticking to familiar tech stacks and understanding the code you deploy is more important (and powerful) than ever.
Neurocomplexity & Burnout
Confessions of a Recovering AI Porn Addict [Wired, Jason Parham]
A personal account on the addictive potential of AI-generated porn—plus what therapists say about tech, compulsion, and how AI can amplify underlying vulnerabilities in mental health and relationships.
Emerging Tech, Real Impact
ShopMy Doubles Down on Its E-Commerce Ambitions [Business of Fashion, Diana Pearl]
ShopMy is reinventing itself as a full-fledged shopping destination, blurring the lines between influencer content, commerce, and brand visibility.
Digital Safety & Ethics
Gamers Are Furious About the Censorship of NSFW Games—and They’re Fighting Back [Wired, Megan Farokhmanesh]
The battle over financial censorship in gaming heats up as creators and players resist industry pressure on payment processors—and raise tough questions about equity and free expression.
Global Tech Politics
Is Silicon Valley Losing Its Influence on DC? [Wired, Zoë Schiffer and Jake Lahut]
As tech giants and crypto navigate new dynamics with Washington, D.C.—especially under a changing political landscape—this episode connects the dots between policy, influence, and power.The Hype is the Product [Michał "rysiek" Woźniak]
Why hype, rather than actual usefulness, has become the main product for many big tech companies—and what that means for users, investors, and the health of the tech ecosystem.Why Hyping Art as an Investment Needs to Stop [Business of Fashion, Marc Spiegler]
When culture becomes commodity: Positioning art as an “asset class” is distorting values—here’s why it isn’t working, and what the real future of creativity and value looks like.
Episode Highlights:
LLM Market Tumult: Anthropic outpaces OpenAI in enterprise, code generation eats the world, and performance—not open source or price—is driving enterprise adoption.
AI + Infrastructure: OpenAI’s Stargate Norway marks a pivot to renewable, globally strategic datacenters.
Practical AI Caution: Using new AI tools is powerful, but only if you deeply understand the tech underneath; otherwise, beware of “cargo culting” and hallucinated code.
Digital Intimacy (and Danger): AI porn isn’t always an addiction risk, but for some, it supercharges existing compulsions—and could complicate real relationships, according to therapists.
Gamers and Free Speech: Financial censorship via payment processors is pushing NSFW games—and marginalized creators—off platforms, as gamers push back.
Tech, Politics, Power: The Trump-era Republican party, crypto’s ties to influence, and shifting approaches to tech regulation all forecast an evolving D.C.–Silicon Valley relationship.
Hype Over Substance: Big tech chases headlines, not users, creating a cycle where buzz comes before real value—for both products and (unexpectedly) the art market.
Key Takeaways
Tech should empower, not overwhelm. Trust, clarity, and accessibility are non-negotiable.
Neurodiversity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a blueprint for more resilient, creative teams.
The future of AI isn’t just about smarter algorithms, but about building systems that foster genuine trust and connection.
Curiosity and kindness are your best tools for navigating both tech and life’s complexity.
Reflection Prompt
What single area from today’s episode felt most relevant—or disruptive—to you? What new questions does it raise about your own work, creativity, or wellbeing? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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