Issue #64
Creators at Coachella, Palantir's manifesto and Trump's AI influencer army
As “fake” as some may perceive it, at least Coachella is an actual event. Real life moments increasingly stand out in a sea of AI clones, AI slop and clip-slop. But not content with their domination of the the internet and social media, AI companies have designs on our material world. Here are my top five stories from April.
Fast Company
1. Coachella proves IRL content is evergreen
Amid news of war and crises, is it ok to enjoy memes of Madonna dancing and Justin Bieber reminiscing? Seems like we can’t get enough of Coachella. (Fast Company)
2. Why Palantir’s manifesto has sinister vibes
Palantir, the AI analytics company, shared 22 points from CEO Alex Karp’s new book. The summary reads like the monologue of a comic book villian. (Conversation)
3. How to resist a data centre
Nothing demonstrates the materiality of digital better than a data centre. Data centres are part of our critical national infrastructure. But do you want one near you? (My blog)
4. Iran is winning the social media wars
From Lego liability to a naff eighties popstar, Iranian animators are nailing it as they produce a flood of memes aimed squarely at the Trump administration. (Guardian)
5. The fake army of pro-Trump influencers
AI-generated fake influencers have surged on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube in an apparent bid to hook conservative voters. (NYTimes)