ZD 24.32: Distilled Mix Tape
Mix tapes are the best tapes.
In this mix: the state of AI; dangers of boredom; economic hardship survey flaws; live streaming echo chambers.
Distilled Mix Tape
It has been a hectic week — I didn’t have time to pull together any overarching thought. Enjoy this week’s mix tape.
The Distilled Spirit
🚀 The State of AI (
)Nathan Beniach and his team have been covering AI since before it was extremely hot. This is the seventh annual edition of this report. The executive summary video is worth the watch and gives you great context around it. Read more to learn about the rise of open source models, NVIDIA’s continued hardware dominance and looming regulatory pressures. This report is an annual read for a reason.
🔊 Boredom Is A Dangerous Drug (Studies in Stupidity)
Staying focused is tough even for the elite. Athletes and CEOs aren’t immune to boredom’s effects. The article explores how figures like Travis Kelce, Aaron Rodgers and Jeff Bezos seek out novelty when their primary focus fades. It underscores how restlessness can cause even the most successful to pursue distractions that dilute their achievements, emphasizing the challenge of staying focused. I wonder where Elon Musk is on this scale.
💵 Don’t Believe the Economic Hardship Hype ()
Ben Krauss critiques the common narrative that a majority of Americans are financially struggling. It seems that much of the narrative relies upon a fundamentally flawed survey from the LendingClub that drastically oversimplifies economic realities. Focusing on more accurate indicators, like net worth and cash savings, paints a less dire picture of American financial health. Of course that would provide less dramatic headlines.
🎥 Live Streamers and the Unfiltered Echo Chamber ()
The baseline for streamer behavior TikTok live and Twitch live streams is wild. Almost like it pays off to be more controversial. Jermiah Johnson dissects the dynamics that make live streamers prone to wild political opinions. Unlike scripted influencers, streamers must constantly engage audiences, often resulting in unplanned rants and audience-driven drama. The incentives align for drama not civility.
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