The great AI replacement

Time to retrain as phlebotomists: It's AI and 996-schedule proof just in case you're wondering.

Welcome to a new edition of mostly cool stuff, a space dedicated to the the random news and things I come across online and offline that get my attention as per the dozens of screenshots, pictures and links in my phone to remind me about them.

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• Last week Microsoft published a research paper in which they released a list of the 40 jobs most AI-applicable and the 40 jobs least AI-applicable. In other words: how likely you are to be replaced by AI based on your profession. The results are revealing: Historians, translators, sales representatives, writers of course, data scientists, and even models are definitely cooked. On the other hand, phlebotomists, roofers, maids and dredge operators are out of the danger zone. Here is my two cents: It’s never too late to retrain as a cement mason and concrete finisher if you feel AI is coming for your job.

If what you do for a living is listed here, you’ll be fine

• For further proof on how historians may soon be a thing of the past, Google DeepMind has launched Aeneas, an AI tool that helps them date, decode and restore ancient Latin inscriptions. Aeneas has ben co-develop with the Universi of Nottingham and trained on a significant dataset comprising over 176,000 inscriptions to help historians and scholars contextualise engravings more easily. The model has also shown an impressive 73% accuracy rate when helping restore damaged texts with missing characters.

• OpenAI has shared that ChatGPT receives 2.5 billion prompts from global users every day. Oh, one more thing, ChatGTP 5 could be ready next month. Just in case you thought there was hope in the horizon.

  

  Love it

• Sillicon Valley AI startups have started to demand prospective employees are willing to embrace the controversial 996 schedule (9 am to 9 pm 6 days a week) in order to remain competitive against Chinese rivals. The work-life balance shift prompted by the pandemic and the importance of mental health at the workplace are things of the past in the new world order AI demands to keep the wheels turning.

• Closer to home Google has launched a new AI mode search feature in the UK, a shift from the direct link results that could shake up the online advertising model and impact web traffic to company’s websites.

• But that’s not all in the AI front. Substack’s recent AI report may offer a glimpse of where the platform’s future intentions are in regards to rolling out AI-powered features under the premise that AI offers greater accessibility. Which is true and is a great thing to make content more inclusive for a greater number of people but I am not quite sure those are the sole intentions of Substack after their recent round of investment powered by Chernin and Andreessen Horowitz.

  

  Source: Substack AI report

• Anna Wintour’s chair may still be warm but Vogue seems to have already taken a U turn to her editorial approach. In fact, Vogue Agust print edition has shocked with a flawaless AI model on a Guess ad featured in the publication. As Tame Impala would say, it feels like we only go backwards, baby.

• Meanwhile, in the UK Tesla has successfully tested self-driving cars, following in the steps of Uber which had announced earlier in the year their plans to test autonomous cars next spring.

• Should the great AI and automation replacement happen before we expected and leave us with plenty of time in our hands overnight as we’ll have nothing to do anymore, I suggest we all head to the Wallace Collection and enjoy Caravaggio’s masterpiece Victorious Cupid, which will be on display for the first time in the UK this November.

  

  Luckily Caravaggio is safe from AI… for now.

• When you start questioning the future of humankind, along comes someone who renews your faith in the power of human creativity and inventiveness. Take for instance a couple who has sued Waitrose for racist discrimination after being fired for having tanned skin. The judge has dismissed the couple’s racist claim after it emerged their new skin colour was suspiciously developed over the two months they spent away from the UK on unathorised leave. It is reasuring to know that tannism remains extremely rare in UK workplaces, but watch out because it is quite catching while you are on warmer and sunnier territories and we still have a lot work to do.

Your honour, is it a crime to want to look like this?

• Astronomer, the company whose name we are familiar with only as a result of its CEO and Chief of HR having been caught together on camera at a Colplay concert less than two weeks ago, has hired Gwyneth Paltrow as a temporary spokesperson in a PR move that could be equally considered a stroke of genius or simply kamikaze but since we live in the era of the meta joke, I’m inclined to believe this whole thing will be remembered as a meme. If they had waited six months, this could have been done by Paltrow’s AI avatar directly.

• Threads, Meta’s Twitter launched at the height of the Musk-Zuckerberg wars before they became MAGA pals, is finally catching up with its rival in terms of daily users. Not that I use any of them but better late than never, I suppose.

• Buckingham Palace is working on a major exhibition to commemorate the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II birth. The theme? Her changing fashion style. I am pretty sure it remained very much the same for decades, but who am I to judge when I spent the period between 2020-2023, aka the pandemic years, in the same pair yoga pants? In case you want a hint of things to come, here’s Tatler on Queen Elizabeth II most elegant and timeless looks.

• And from one queen to another as the first images of The Devil Wears Prada 2 have already appeared and we can be reassured queen of style Miranda Priestly will be killing it again on the looks department.

Beige coat for spring? Groundbreaking

• A new study has dismantled the 10,000 steps a day myth, which apparently originated as a savvy marketing move by a Japanese pedometers business around the Tokyo Olympics. In the new study, it has been established that we can get as many benefits with only 7,000 steps a day. Someone please let Raynor Winn know she doesn’t need to stretch her books so much from now on. Oh wait, she may not need to.

• Trader Joe’s tote bags have become the latest status symbol in London despite there is not a single Trader Joe’s outside the US. Apparently their American-ness is to blame for their popularity. Won’t be surprised if New Yorkers start carrying a Sainsbury’s bag for life any minute now after a trip to the UK for its Britishness.

• I’m of the opinion that we have enough franchises and remakes as it is, but can I just say that the reboot of The Naked Gun may be one of the exceptions? Besides, casting Liam Neeson (an actor with the closest sounding name to Leslie Nielsen) is a genius move for this role. He’s proven his comedy skills several times, whether in a sketch with Ricky Gervais about improv comedy or in his cameo in Derry Girls, and his straight face delivery will work wonders with the absurd humour The Naked Gun movies are famour for.

  I’m also glad this movie has brought him and Pamela Anderson together as they have great chemistry and seem genuinely happy to be around each other. They have in fact appeared very affectionate during the London premiere last week, which has prompted The Times to call their relationship a new late-life love story although it’d seem they’re only good friends who support each other. I’m rooting for them whatever they are or want to be and I’m looking foward to watch them in action on screen.

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