Lattepunk XR
Lattepunk
AI, but on your face. Amirite!?
Just watched The Game Awards last night. Not only is it a good time for me to just slap a bunch of games on my wishlist, it’s also a time where I get to marvel at other people’s creativity and art. It’s actually inspiring. What am I doing with that inspiration? Nothing.
One big news item and one thing I want to point out to you reader.
Said thing I want to point out to you
The FBI, like the actual FBI, sent out a public service announcement. I spotted this via ArsTechnica. Essentially, it’s warning that you and your loved ones (anyone that can get scammed by your voice) should have a safe word with each other. I know you reader, you’re a sick #$%@, not that kind of safe word. More like a password with each other.
With the ease of voice cloning (thanks A.I.) are voices can be used to fool people. Think of your parent getting a phone call from “you” asking to transfer money cause you’re in trouble. Or your kid getting a call from “you”, telling them to be a specific place after school. It’s a scary thought.
This is easier if you are very online, or have a podcast. Anywhere that your voice can be grabbed and used to make an A.I. copy of it. If you, like me, have a voice for silent film, I don’t think you’re in the clear. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on a call that was “Recorded for quality and training purposes”. I don’t know what happens to those recordings. So it’s safe to say this is something we should all be aware of.
I personally don’t have to worry about safe words at all. My secret? I don’t ever call my loved ones. So if they get a call from me, that is reason enough to be suspicious.
Google is getting into the glasses game...AGAIN!
Google announced Android XR. I don’t know how many times Google has tried this but it’s the third I remember off the top of my head (Google Glasses and Google Cardboard if you cared). I personally don’t trust Google with a new platform. Not only cause they will absolutely use it to sell your data and show you ads, but because they literally don’t care about their products.
But more and more this seems like the next device that’s going to take over the market. Meta has their Ray-Ban collaboration. Apple has their spatial face thing. Google ain’t one to get left out. And as always, this isn’t just glasses with a camera on it. No no no. Reader, it has A.I., because why wouldn’t it. Trust me, I’m tired of reading about it too. How many billions of dollars have been spent on A.I.? All for what? So you can type an email better or not summarize a message you got very well?
The race to control the device in your pocket and on your wrist is basically over. The race for the device on your face (and possibly your finger?) is just starting to heat up. As someone who has to wear dumb glasses to be a functioning member of society, I’ll be watching this closely.
WIRED and The Verge got up close and personal with the new devices. Check out their coverage.
things to read, if you want... i can’t force you
What do you love when you fall for AI? | Josh Dzieza for The Verge
She Was a Russian Socialite and Influencer. Cops Say She’s a Crypto Laundering Kingpin | Matt Burgess for WIRED
A Kid Made $50,000 Dumping Crypto He’d Created. Then Came the Backlash | Joel Khalili for WIRED
How WhatsApp ate the world | Issie Lapowsky for Rest Of World
Movie stars, matchmakers, and aunties: How WhatsApp became an unstoppable cultural force | Sonia Faleiro for Rest of World
On These Apps, the Dark Promise of Mothers Sexually Abusing Children | Michael H. Keller for NY Times
Poker Cheaters Allegedly Use Tiny Hidden Cameras to Spot Dealt Cards | Ben Dowsett for WIRED
Spying on Student Devices, Schools Aim to Intercept Self-Harm Before It Happens | Ellen Barry, Graham Dickie for NY Times
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