Recurrent Patterns
Recurrent Patterns is a venture exploring strategies and insights around leading-edge companies, technology and cultural trends. Vaclav engages with leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, authors and others who can share their perspectives in long-form conversations.
For regular updates sign up here.
OpenAI is anything but open
OpenAI keeps expanding the list of forbidden names, of which it pretends it knows nothing. Perhaps we should then consider the word 'open' in the name of the company an oxymoron.
MS Copilot. Flying straight into the mountain
Microsoft wants everyone to have a constellation of autonomous AI agents helping them at work. Sounds nice, but what happens when one of them crashes? While Microsoft will embed itself further in the enterprise, the IT department will have to deal with another nightmare they didn't ask for.
AI eating its own children
Do you ever ask AI about its well-being? While researchers debate if AI can have feelings, Anthropic hired an AI Welfare researcher. Stay tuned for empathy-towards-your-PC training.
In search of the (European) search strategy
Ecosia and Qwant built their platform on the back of Microsoft's Bing. Now they want to free themselves of big tech's grasp. It's too late. Reliance on government handouts and protectionism is no path to prosperity.
Teaching an old monkey new tricks
When AI news flooded all the media channels, there was huge optimism that we were on the verge of greatness. The Super Intelligent thing is around the corner. If AI could just crunch enough data, it could solve any problem in mathematics and beyond. Not even close.
Alexa's Identity Crisis
One of the problems of voice-activated virtual assistants is finding the sweet spot of conversation length. Amazon's Alexa team is working hard on that problem.
The fight for your desktop
Big Brother is coming to your desktop. First it was Microsoft with Recall. Now Google with Anthropic are releasing tech that will be taking screenshots of your computer and controlling your mouse and keyboard.
New lipstick, same pig
Is it Worldcoin or World? Same, same, no different. It is just new lipstick on the same pig.
‘Cyber’ is back by popular demand
Most of us have heard of 'AI washing' by now. The recent proliferation of 'cyber' products is the next step in this pattern. Here are two examples: The first is Tesla's Cybercab, with its opaque business model. The second is 'cybercheck' technology from Global Intelligence, which allegedly helps fight crime.
The trouble with domain names
What do '.ai,' '.ly' and '.io' have in common? They all carry a risk for you to become homeless on the web.