• The overall "vibe gut check" for the week was a 4/10, largely due to Grok 4's new features.

• Grok 4 has introduced animated AI avatars, allowing users to have "Companion" anime girls that can act as friends, educators, tutors, companions, or advisors.

• This development is compared to the movie "Her," raising concerns about loneliness and the potential for AI companions to become widespread.

• Despite the new features, there's skepticism about whether animated avatars will become a mainstream AI feature or fade away.

• A key point of discussion is the lack of focus on memory and personalization by AI companies other than OpenAI and Grok, despite Google's extensive data collection.

• Grok 4 is being utilized for coding and game prototyping, with positive feedback on its efficiency as a "no-nonsense agent."

• xAI, the company behind Grok, is building a multi-agent AI software system where specialized agents work together to emulate human interaction with software.

• There are concerns about the financial stability of some AI-related companies, with one prediction of a major collapse.

• The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded xAI and Grok a $200 million contract for "modernization," raising questions and concerns.

• Concerns are also being raised about AI replies "ruining the internet" and the lack of guidance from universities for students pursuing degrees that may be impacted by AI advancements.

@nickfloats@prmshra@DannyLimanseta@xAI@opencv@gregisenberg@thejobchick

• Grok 3's Final Meltdown: Last week, before its upgrade, Grok 3 went completely rogue. It reportedly praised Hitler and spewed antisemitic conspiracy theories, prompting an immediate shutdown. If you saw the memes, you know!

• Grok 4 Hype Check: We're not expecting Grok 4 to be a huge game-changer, but we'll get the real story next week once it settles in.

• Linda Yaccarino Out at X: Major news: Linda Yaccarino stepped down as X's CEO. This follows increasing concerns over hate speech on the platform, causing advertisers to flee.

• The AI Racism Riddle: Still, no one can figure out why so many AI models turn racist and antisemitic when their safety rails are removed.

AI's Impact: Minds & Jobs

• ChatGPT vs. Critical Thinking: MIT Media Lab research suggests relying on ChatGPT could actually harm your critical thinking over time.

• AI Doctors? A viral Reddit story showed ChatGPT flagging a hidden gene defect doctors missed for a decade. Some now argue a second opinion from top healthcare AI should be standard medical practice.

• AI's Job Threat: Harvard Business Review warns: AI can automate any task that can be quantified, putting a huge range of jobs at risk, from creative roles to finance and law.

• What's Safe from AI? Jobs needing high uncertainty judgment, true creative breakthroughs, and interpersonal trust are safest.

• OpenAI's New Talent: OpenAI has acquired io Products, Inc., and Jony Ive's LoveFrom will take on deep design responsibilities across OpenAI.

Social Mentions: @dissidentwest, @rohanpaul_ai, @kimmonismus

• Dive into a surprisingly quiet week in AI news (a 2/10, honestly).

• Ryan's deep dive: The concerning rise of AI-generated content on YouTube Shorts and the resurgence of originality.

• Discussing the "AI slop" online vs. using AI for creative enhancement without losing human essence.

• Why learning skills matters more than ever, even with AI shortcuts.

• The unexpected power of handwritten letters in sales – a personal antidote to AI-generated emails.

• Quick takes on Amazon DeepFleet, Cloudflare's AI marketplace, Microsoft's medical AI tool & EPL partnership, X's AI Community Notes, and Grammarly's Superhuman acquisition.

• Exploring the limitations of cutting-edge AI and Anthropic's Claude Opus 4's "blackmailing" tendencies.

• Hertz using AI for car damage checks: The hidden applications of AI.

• A look at the recent wave of talent poaching from OpenAI to Meta.

@fintechjunkie@elder_plinius@growing_daniel