AGI is coming and nobody cares | The Vergecast

Intro (0s)

• The Vergecast is the flagship podcast, and the hosts are asking for direct financial support from listeners, suggesting they show up with a check. (3s)
• The hosts, Nei and David Pierce, introduce themselves, with Nei jokingly asking for money and David stating he wants slightly less money than Nei. (11s)
• David Pierce describes his personal brand as being similar to Nei's but wanting less money, and he also mentions not being very good at TV. (18s)

Verge Subscription Launch (30s)

• Kylie Robinson is set to join the discussion to talk about AI and the potential consequences if it doesn't live up to expectations (31s).
• The Verge has launched a subscription service on its website, offering exclusive content for $7 a month or $50 a year in the US and Canada (1m26s).
• Subscribers who pay $50 a year will receive a print magazine called "Content Goblins" by mail, although international shipping is still being figured out (1m35s).
• The decision to launch a subscription service is due to the economic reality that it's difficult to make money by giving away content for free on the internet (2m7s).
• The current internet model, where platforms make money while content creators struggle to earn a living, is unsustainable and has led to the rise of subscription-based services (2m27s).
• The concept of "subscription fatigue" is real, with many people feeling overwhelmed by the number of services they need to pay for each month (2m46s).
• The ad-supported model is no longer effective due to the dominance of Google and Facebook, which have disintermediated the traditional advertising model (3m10s).
• As a result, content creators are turning to brand deals and other alternative revenue streams to make up for the lack of direct payment from platforms (3m41s).
• The Verge has chosen not to pursue brand deals, citing a desire to maintain editorial independence and avoid being influenced by corporate interests (3m54s).
• The Verge has successfully implemented a subscription model, with many people signing up immediately, exceeding their estimates and goals, and even causing them to run out of print materials and order a second round (4m10s).
• The cost of printing physical materials was unexpectedly high, as the team is used to internet economics where digital products can be easily replicated and distributed (4m19s).
• The Verge has managed to avoid charging for their work for 13 years, largely due to their large audience, with 55,000 people reading the site every day for the past year (5m9s).
• The average time spent on The Verge's homepage is six minutes, a significant number in the context of digital media, which has increased since their redesign (5m30s).
• The team has made efforts to make their product valuable enough to pay for, and many readers have asked for an ad-free version of The Vergecast (5m47s).
• The ad experience on the website and podcast are often seen as the same by readers, but the team is divorced from the advertising aspect of the business and is considering an ad-free version of The Vergecast (5m52s).
• The team has learned that to most people, their various products and content feel like one cohesive thing, rather than individual pieces, which is a valuable insight (6m36s).
• The Verge's large audience has allowed them to experiment and try new things, but they risk becoming disconnected and confusing to readers if they do too much (6m41s).
• The subscription model has also led to requests for more integrated and social features across all of The Verge's content (7m6s).
• The Verge is planning to discuss various topics in more depth on their Tuesday show, including their approach to ad-free podcasts and the business side of their operations, with their publisher Helen Havac (7m27s).
• The Verge has a hotline and email for listeners to submit questions, which will be answered in more depth on their show, covering topics such as the Verge's business model and what it means to be on the internet in 2024 (7m37s).
• Helen Havac, the publisher of The Verge, has a background in business and was previously on the Samsung account at Edelman, where she worked as an engagement editor before joining The Verge (8m18s).
• The Verge's approach to subscriptions is different from other publications, aiming to keep their homepage a useful free utility for many people, and focusing on providing value to readers over time to encourage subscriptions (9m5s).
• The Verge wants readers to become subscribers because they have been consistently useful to them, rather than relying on social media or paid advertising to convert readers into subscribers (9m39s).
• The Verge is working on product development to make it clear what content is free and what is not, which is a complicated issue due to various reasons related to their business operations (10m15s).
• The goal is to create a useful free service where smart human beings curate the news and explain how things work, without relying on AI-generated content, and offer additional reporting, analysis, and reviews for subscribers who want to support the service (10m31s).
• The plan is to make the core service free and then offer additional content for subscribers, with the option to pay to support the service if users find the reporting, analysis, and reviews useful and interesting (11m0s).
• The service has reduced the number of ads, as this was the most requested feature in past surveys, with users overwhelmingly wanting to turn off or reduce ads (11m16s).
• A new ad service has been built, but it's still a bit buggy, and users are asked to be patient while the issues are worked out (11m42s).
• The aim is to build software that provides value to users, rather than just putting up a paywall, and to earn users' money by providing a high-quality service (12m10s).
• The core service will continue to be useful, fun, and high-quality, with content created by people with points of view and beliefs, rather than just AI-generated content (12m20s).
• The service is also planning to integrate with ActivityPub, a protocol that allows different platforms to communicate with each other, which will make it easier to offer new features to subscribers (12m40s).

Cable TV's Comeback and Streaming Wars (12m56s)

• The TV industry is trying to reinvent itself to resemble the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a focus on bundling and always-on content, similar to traditional cable television (14m15s).
• Disney has announced that it will be adding ESPN to the Disney Plus app, following a similar move with Hulu earlier in the year, which added Hulu as a tab and included its content within Disney Plus (14m44s).
• HBO Max is introducing always-on channels, but the approach is considered flawed, and the concept of always-on content is seen as a key aspect of the future of streaming (15m3s).
• The trend of bundling and always-on content is seen as a return to the traditional cable television model, where users can turn on their TV and be presented with content immediately, rather than having to navigate through multiple menus (15m24s).
• The fast channels, such as Tubi and Pluto, have been successful in replicating the traditional cable experience, allowing users to flip through channels and start watching content without having to log in (15m59s).
• The addition of ESPN to Disney Plus is seen as a significant move, but there is some confusion about what content will be available, as the ESPN app already offers live sports, including NFL Prime Time (16m27s).
• The Disney Plus app offers a limited selection of ESPN content, including select live events and studio shows, but not all of them, such as the show "Good Guy Bad Guy" (16m40s).
• The app's content selection is described as a "weird cut down version of ESPN" that lives inside Disney Plus, with only select studio shows available (17m6s).
• The idea of Disney Plus as a new cable box is discussed, with content from various networks, including ESPN and Hulu, being shoveled through the app (18m43s).
• Other streaming services, such as Max and Peacock, are also creating a cable-like experience within their apps, with channels and content available to start watching immediately (19m4s).
• The concept of having multiple cable box apps on a single device is criticized, with the suggestion that platforms like Roku and Apple TV should just provide content directly (19m21s).
• The animating principle behind Amazon Channels and Apple's efforts is to allow users to subscribe to content natively within the system, providing UI upsides and ease of use (19m34s).
• However, streamers have no interest in doing this, as it would give precious user data and branding to other companies, and may also result in a degradation of video quality (20m1s).
• The first-party service often has the best quality, as seen in streaming services like Max, where the highest quality is usually available when streaming directly from the service rather than through a partner (20m18s).
• The cable era was not ideal for user choice, pricing, or experience, but it had its advantages, such as everything working seamlessly once the TV was turned on, and the industry making a lot of money, employing many people, and producing good TV content (21m48s).
• The cable companies controlled their distribution, which allowed them to make money and produce content, despite their flaws, and this control is something that modern streaming services are trying to regain (22m2s).
• The shift to internet distribution has disrupted the traditional model, with many companies struggling to make money, and the rise of influencers and free content has changed the landscape (22m48s).
• Companies like HBO do not want to put their content on platforms like YouTube, instead preferring to have users access it through their own services, where they can charge more money (23m12s).
• This shift may lead to a less user-friendly experience, with subscribers having to navigate multiple services, such as Disney+, to access the content they want (23m33s).
• The industry's attempt to regain control over distribution and make more money may not be successful, but it is clear what companies are trying to achieve (23m7s).
• The current streaming model is shifting towards a more personalized and upselling-based approach, where users are offered a small portion of content and then encouraged to pay for more, similar to how cable channels used to operate, with Disney being a prime example of this strategy (23m54s).
• This model can be seen as a way for companies like Disney to sell bundles and subsidize less popular content, such as ESPN, for users who want to watch it, while also making it more difficult for users to access the content they want without paying extra (24m41s).
• The abundance of free content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, created by users who are not paid enough to sustain a business, has created an unsustainable economic model that may eventually collapse due to the increasing number of creators and the limited amount of money available (25m24s).
• As a result, popular creators like Mr. Beast are turning to platforms like Netflix, which can offer them better pay rates, to produce higher-quality content, highlighting the value of distribution and the need for creators to seek out platforms that can provide them with fair compensation (26m9s).
• The challenge for creators is finding alternative platforms that can offer them better pay rates and more opportunities, as the current model seems to favor established companies like Netflix and Disney, which are content to "skim off the top" and offer better deals to top creators while leaving others to struggle (26m42s).
• Vio is an American company based in California that makes cheap TVs with ad-tracking software, subsidizing the cost with the lifetime value of advertising, which has been a point of controversy due to its intrusiveness (27m13s).
• The company's business model involves selling low-cost TVs and making money from ads displayed on the devices over time, with the goal of owning the interface and charging for software or ad installations (28m3s).
• Roku uses a similar model, giving away or selling low-cost devices and taking a 30% cut of ad revenue from apps like Peacock (28m12s).
• Walmart has acquired Vio, recognizing the potential for profit in connected TV advertising, which is expected to be a significant source of ad revenue (28m24s).
• The acquisition allows Walmart to own the ad network on TVs and track data, creating a "perfectly efficient system" for advertising and revenue generation (29m16s).
• Walmart plans to run ads on TVs in its stores as a revenue stream, leveraging Vio's platform and advertising business, which now accounts for all of the company's gross profit (29m29s).
• Vio's advertising business, paired with Walmart's advertising business, Walmart Connect, is expected to be impactful and allow for further investment in the company (30m11s).

Artificial Intelligence: The AGI Debate (34m29s)

• The Vergecast is taking a break and will be back to discuss artificial intelligence with Kylie (34m29s).
• Legal Zoom is a sponsor of the Vergecast and provides services to help business owners with registering and setting up their businesses (34m35s).
• Legal Zoom offers reliable business formation, experience guidance, and legal and tax services to help business owners take their first step and every step after (34m50s).
• Over the last 20 years, Legal Zoom has helped start, run, and protect millions of businesses (35m2s).
• Listeners can use the promo code "Verge 10" to get 10% off any Legal Zoom business information product, excluding subscriptions and renewals, until December 31st, 2024 (35m11s).
• Legal Zoom provides access to independent attorneys and self-service tools, but is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice except through its subsidiary Law Firm LZ Legal Services LLC (35m30s).
• Shopify is another sponsor of the Vergecast, and provides services to help businesses convert browsers into buyers (35m42s).
• Shopify helps businesses manage various aspects of their online presence, including abandoned carts, average order values, AB testing, and product photography (35m44s).

OpenAI's 12 Days of Shipmas (36m3s)

• The Vergecast is sponsored by Shopify, an all-in-one digital commerce platform that helps businesses sell better, with features like Shop Pay that can boost conversions by 50% (36m3s).
• Shopify offers a $1 per month trial period, and businesses can sign up at shopify.com/vergecast (36m40s).
• The Vergecast is also sponsored by Ipsy, a beauty subscription service that delivers personalized beauty products to customers' doors, with options like the Glam Bag and BoxyCharm (36m55s).
• Ipsy's Glam Bag is a curated selection of makeup, skincare, and hair products worth more than the subscription cost, making it a high-end beauty experience without the high price tag (37m11s).
• Ipsy subscriptions can be gifted, and the recipient can redeem them whenever they choose, with options starting at $50 for a 3-month subscription (37m55s).
• Kylie Robinson, senior AI reporter, discusses the recent announcements from tech CEOs about the arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) (38m10s).
• OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, announced the "12 Days of Shipmas," a series of announcements and releases from OpenAI, including a new video generator called Sora and a new reasoning model (39m39s).
• The first announcement of Shipmas is a $200 per month OpenAI plan, which has sparked interest and speculation about what this plan will include and what it means for the future of AI (40m9s).

The Reality of AI Hallucinations (40m19s)

• Open AI has released a new $200 a month plan for a special 01 model, which is supposed to be better at coding and aggressive research, but the actual capabilities are unclear due to a lack of external testing and proof (40m27s).
• The new model may be more capable, but it's also possible that people are willing to pay for the perceived edge or status symbol, similar to the Apple watch edition (41m1s).
• Some people may pay for multiple paid accounts or premium features due to a fear of missing out (FOMO) or to participate in a perceived arms race in the AI world (41m59s).
• The price elasticity test is being conducted in the AI world, where companies are trying to figure out how much people are willing to pay for certain features or services (43m0s).
• Open AI's plan may be to generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue, with the new $200 a month plan being a part of that strategy (43m15s).
• The new model may appeal to certain individuals who want to be seen as having the latest and greatest technology, even if they don't actually use it (43m21s).
• The AI world is experiencing a trend where companies are trying to one-up each other with premium features and services, and the new $200 a month plan may be a part of that trend (42m16s).
• A new, expensive AI model is being released, but there are concerns about whether AI capabilities are scaling as expected, with some reports suggesting that models like Gemini are plateauing (43m38s).
• The hype surrounding AI advancements may be unnecessary, and companies may be struggling to keep up with the expectations they have created (44m34s).
• Some AI leaders believe that the industry has simply gotten used to the rapid progress made in recent years, and that scaling laws should continue to drive advancements, but it remains to be seen if this will be the case (44m55s).
• Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has made a remarkable claim that AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) will be achieved sooner than most people think, but it will have less impact than expected (45m19s).
• Altman's statement has raised questions about what AGI will actually be capable of, with some interpreting it as suggesting that AGI will be equivalent to a "dumb person" or a smart college student, rather than a superintelligent being (45m54s).
• There are concerns that OpenAI has created unrealistic expectations around AGI, and that the company may need to temper these expectations in order to avoid disappointment (46m20s).
• OpenAI has a deal with Microsoft that allows it to exit the partnership if it decides that it has achieved AGI, which was previously tied to the company's nonprofit structure and the goal of achieving AGI safely (46m36s).
• Microsoft is tied to a deal with Sam Altman, where if Altman decides it's AGI, he gets to leave the Microsoft deal, which is seen as a weird set of incentives (47m1s).
• Mustafa Suleyman, the ex-co-founder of DeepMind and current CEO of Microsoft AI, was interviewed on the Decoder podcast and did not agree that AGI will be achieved with current hardware (47m29s).
• Suleyman questioned the definition of AGI and current hardware, moving the goalpost for AI, and stated that AGI is not the singularity (47m43s).
• The hype around AGI has been that it could destroy the world if created before humans are ready, which is why some people are leaving OpenAI to start companies focused on safer superintelligence (48m15s).
• Ilia Sutskever described AGI as a computer system that can automate the great majority of intellectual labor, which is a useful definition (48m34s).
• Sam Altman has spent a decade making AGI a thing, and it's not fair to let him off the hook for downplaying its significance now (48m48s).
• Altman's comments on AGI are seen as political maneuvering to make his life easier and to get out of the Microsoft deal (49m13s).
• Declaring AGI now would also help with the hype, as it's clear that the moment when AI "wins" is not going to happen soon, if ever (49m20s).
• Sam Altman stated that OpenAI and Microsoft are not disentangling, but Mustafa Suleyman's response to the same question was more ambiguous (49m51s).
• Open AI had a huge launch and live stream, with Microsoft making several announcements, which were reposted by Satya Nadella, but not by Sam Altman, who seemed to be ignoring the event, which could be seen as a deliberate move, as most tech CEOs think before posting on social media (50m14s).
• Open AI is set to announce new products, including a model that they think is worth $200 a year, while Sam Altman is moving the AGI goalpost, claiming that he can achieve AGI with a Nvidia 4060 for $20 (51m15s).
• The Columbia Journalism Review released a report that tested the ability of a language model to identify the source of 200 quotes from 20 publications, and it failed to do so, producing partially or entirely incorrect responses on 153 occasions and only acknowledging its inability to accurately respond seven times (51m44s).
• The language model's performance highlights the limitations of current AI technology, despite the hype surrounding it, and the potential risks of relying on these tools without critical thinking (52m13s).
• The use of AI tools without a second thought can lead to the spread of misinformation, as seen in the case of Anna Navarro, who cited a list of presidential family members who have been pardoned by presidents, including a non-existent person named "Hunter To Butts", which was likely generated by a language model (52m45s).
• The incident highlights the need for fact-checking and critical thinking when using AI tools, as they can produce incorrect or misleading information, and the importance of holding them accountable for their mistakes (53m40s).
• Google is shifting from a search engine that provides sources to an answer engine that gives direct answers, often with links to footnotes that users rarely click, which can lead to the spread of misinformation (54m14s).
• A professional journalist prefers AI search for quick answers but doesn't rely solely on the answers provided, instead clicking on relevant links to verify information, as Google is not good at attributing sources (54m32s).
• The head of ChatGBT initially thought the product would be disliked due to its tendency to "hallucinate" or provide confidently incorrect information, but it was released as a research preview and became popular despite its flaws (54m56s).
• Two years after its release, ChatGBT still "hallucinates" frequently, and its popularity has led to billions of dollars in revenue, raising questions about why people continue to use it despite its inaccuracies (55m20s).
• The issue of "hallucinations" in AI tools was previously downplayed, but the recent spread of misinformation on the internet highlights the need to address this problem before declaring a technology as AGI (55m35s).
• The fundamental question surrounding these tools is whether they can actually do what people claim they can do, specifically distinguishing between true and false information (56m0s).
• The search function of AI tools like ChatGBT is particularly concerning, as its primary job is to find relevant and true information, making its tendency to provide incorrect answers a significant issue (56m52s).
• The pivot from using AI tools for tasks like writing code, where mistakes can be tolerated, to using them for search, where accuracy is crucial, highlights the need for improved performance in this area (56m57s).

The Cloud Provider Showdown (1h2m25s)

• The development of AGI is highly competitive, with companies like Open AI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google making rapid progress and often achieving milestones within weeks of each other (1h2m35s).
• This competition is driving rapid commoditization, making it challenging for companies to differentiate themselves, and leading to a cycle of one-upmanship in terms of performance on benchmarks (1h2m49s).
• Companies are trying to convince others that they have something bigger and better in the works or that they can productize their models faster, with Google focusing on its ability to build products quickly (1h3m25s).
• Google's strategy involves integrating its models into existing products like Gmail and Google Drive, highlighting its ability to deploy its technology rapidly (1h3m41s).
• Incumbents like Amazon have their own set of models, and Open AI is reportedly working on a customizable Enterprise product, giving them a competitive advantage (1h4m1s).
• The competition is not just about developing the best models, but also about productizing them and making them usable for a wide range of applications (1h4m3s).
• The incumbents have a significant advantage in this competition, given their existing infrastructure and resources (1h4m7s).

OpenAI and Defense Contracts (1h4m8s)

• The hype cycle surrounding AI is constant, and it's essential to be cautious and not trust everything being said, as statements like "we're not going to raise prices" or "we're close to AGI" are often made but not always reliable (1h4m10s).
• It's crucial to only trust what is released and can be used in front of you, rather than relying on claims or promises (1h4m27s).
• Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, could have made a bold statement by saying they achieved AGI two years ago with CH GPT, but instead, the company seems to be trading on people's love for smooth talkers who can speak confidently and convincingly (1h4m31s).
• The ability to talk fast and confidently can take you far in America, and OpenAI's chatbot, often referred to as "Chat," has become a household name, with some people, like the author's niece, using it as a go-to source for information (1h5m0s).

Lockheed Martin's Game Boy (1h5m9s)

• The current relationship people have with certain products is concerning, as they seem to be accepting of inaccuracies and unreliability, with some even lying about the product's capabilities, which is terrifying (1h5m10s).
• However, it is expected that once enough damage is done, such as researchers getting caught or lawyers presenting fake citations, the markets with significant financial resources will stop investing until they can guarantee reliability, accuracy, or efficacy (1h5m23s).
• The current natural language tools being developed feel like the next wave of interfaces, but they are not yet actual products, which is why a huge cloud provider fight is expected to take off in the near future (1h5m46s).
• Amazon has recently launched its Nova product, which is where a significant amount of money is expected to be invested for the foreseeable future (1h5m58s).
• A cloud provider fight is anticipated, with Kylie suggesting that this is where the focus will be, and it is expected to be a significant development in the industry (1h5m50s).

Lightning Round: Bitcoin, Browsers, and Threads (1h6m6s)

• The actual business of AI is centered around cloud providers, with companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft competing with each other for Enterprise contracts, which is where the majority of the money is, and these companies need big clients to pay for their services in order to train their large models (1h6m6s).
• The current state of AI tools is that they can make up information and lie, which raises concerns about their reliability and trustworthiness, with one example being a hypothetical smart college student who lies 40% of the time, which would not be considered trustworthy (1h7m5s).
• The disconnect between the capabilities of AI tools and their lack of actual knowledge is a significant issue, and it's unclear if these tools are ready for the high stakes that come with being used in defense contracts and other critical applications (1h7m25s).
• The next turn in the development of AI tools may involve them becoming more for-profit, with companies like OpenAI signing deals with major companies and potentially getting deeper into defense contracts, which raises concerns about the stakes getting higher and the potential consequences (1h7m43s).
• The industry is expected to see serious consequences as a result of the increasing stakes, but it's unclear if this will cause the industry to re-evaluate what they're building (1h8m25s).
• Palmer Luckey, the founder of Anduril, made a Game Boy, which is a notable example of innovation and creativity, and will be featured in an upcoming article (1h8m35s).
• The podcast is coming to a close, and the guest, Kylie, is thanked for joining the show (1h9m26s).
• OpenPhone is a business phone system that helps separate personal life from growing business, offering features such as AI-powered transcription and automated messages, and is available for $15 a month with a 20% discount for the first 6 months (1h9m37s).
• OpenPhone integrates with HubSpot and hundreds of other systems, and can port existing numbers from other services at no extra charge (1h10m4s).
• ServiceNow is an AI platform for business transformation, providing tools to remove friction and frustration for employees, supercharge productivity for developers, and make customers happier (1h10m42s).
• The lightning round is presented by Amazon Q, a new generative AI assistant from AWS (1h11m23s).
• The idea of having listeners sponsor the lightning round and read the ads is discussed, with the possibility of offering this as part of a subscription (1h11m46s).
• The concept of having listeners read ads is compared to NPR shows, where listeners are allowed to read the credits at the end (1h12m21s).
• Michael Jordan's house in Highland Park, Chicago, has been on sale for years, and the price keeps going down, despite having a basketball court and a room where Michael Jordan likely got drunk, smoked cigars, and played poker (1h12m57s).
• The idea of buying Michael Jordan's house was briefly considered but quickly rejected for various reasons (1h13m48s).
• The lightning round segment is sponsored and aims to quickly run through headlines, separating it from other segments on the show (1h13m57s).
• Bitcoin has hit $100,000, but the only reason people care is because of its value in dollars, not its usefulness or the number of transactions taking place (1h14m30s).
• The incentive to spend Bitcoin is effectively zero, as its value is expected to increase, making it an asset class rather than a currency (1h15m11s).
• The number of people discussing Bitcoin as the future of the internet has decreased, while those talking about making money from it has increased (1h15m25s).
• Bitcoin is viewed as a speculative investment, similar to baseball cards, and while some people have made a lot of money from it, there is growing skepticism about its underlying tech story (1h15m56s).
• The discussion revolves around the concept of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its potential impact, but the focus shifts to Bitcoin and the story of Adrian buying pizza with it, highlighting the potential value of holding onto cryptocurrency (1h16m25s).
• The crypto lobby is excited about the potential value of cryptocurrencies, but their enthusiasm is primarily driven by the prospect of making money (1h17m3s).
• Dia is introduced as the browser company's AI-powered follow-up to Arc, a browser that was well-received but ultimately discontinued (1h17m8s).
• Dia aims to be a mainstream, everyday product that leverages AI to reimagine the way people interact with the web (1h17m31s).
• The browser features a contextual AI menu that can be accessed by clicking on the cursor in any text box, allowing users to perform various tasks within a webpage (1h18m11s).
• The reaction to Dia's launch has been mixed, with some users questioning why the features couldn't be integrated into Arc and others expressing concerns about the proliferation of AI-powered features (1h18m32s).
• The concept of agents is mentioned, where users can instruct the browser to perform tasks on their behalf, such as ordering a sandwich, and the browser will browse the web to complete the task (1h18m53s).
• The idea is that a web browser is an ideal platform for agents, as it has access to the web and can work in conjunction with the user to complete tasks (1h19m8s).
• A browser company is working on a project that involves creating an operating system for the web, allowing web apps to run within it, with the goal of making the browser more "operating systemy" and connecting various web apps (1h20m2s).
• The company's vision is to create a system that can run web apps, but their current project, Arc, seems to be a diversion from this goal, focusing on a power user redesign of a browser rather than an operating system for the internet (1h20m25s).
• The company has not revealed much about their new browser, but it has been described as a high-minded concept with the goal of making the internet more accessible (1h20m38s).
• The response to the new browser, Dia, has been mixed, with some people expressing dissatisfaction with the direction the company is taking (1h20m46s).
• Threads, a social media platform, has taken a step towards federated integration by allowing users to follow people from Mastodon servers, with the ability to view profiles and posts, but not see them in their feeds (1h21m0s).
• This development is seen as a positive step towards federated integration, but the implementation is still in its early stages and has some limitations, such as requiring users to visit the profile page to see posts (1h21m40s).
• The ability to follow users from other servers is a signal that the hardest part of the integration process has been completed, and the focus can now shift to co-mingling posts from different sources (1h22m1s).
• The goal of federating quick posts and figuring out how to handle incoming posts, referred to as the "inbox" problem, is still being worked on (1h22m25s).