Out of Scope Issue 104: The Pope’s New Clothes
Plus: The TikTok ban, and Florida loses the keys to the kingdom.
Conventional wisdom states everybody talks. And talk they did this week. Regrets surrounding AI development, comments about Gwyneth Paltrow’s height, and concerns regarding Kamala Harris’ aptitude were all expressed in various corners of our information ecosystem. When everyone’s talking (and it seems, talking about anything but the news that really matters), how do you get a word in edgewise?
💡ON OUR MINDS: It’s A(I) Race to the Top
This week, over 2,000 prominent technologists and researchers — including Elon Musk — signed an open letter calling for an immediate, six-month halt on the development of advanced A.I. systems. The signees rallied around the sentiment that “powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable.”
Their precaution is no wonder when you reflect on the past few weeks of headlines. From models and memes to genuinely unhinged marriage proposals, even the more subdued examples of A.I. Gone Wild portray just how quickly the relationship between ethics and innovation can blur.
We saw it firsthand this week when Levi’s announced it would be using AI-generated models to supplement human models in an effort to “increase the number and diversity of our models”... somebody tell them diverse human models already exist.
Meanwhile, people were duped into thinking Pope Francis was entering his hypebeast era by a highly-realistic, AI-generated photo, showcasing the potential for misinformation and that perhaps it’s time the adage saying “only believe half of what you see” gets an update.
It’s too early to tell if the global, industry-agnostic A.I. race has the makings of becoming the 21st century’s space race equivalent, but it sure is in the news a lot.
📡 ON OUR RADAR
Just when we thought everything and everyone who could possibly rebrand had, the Partnership for New York City announced the city that never sleeps would be rebranding from “I ❤️ NYC” to “WE ❤️ NYC.” Designed to “cut through pandemic-era negativity” and modernize the logo best displayed on kitschy tank tops and key chains, the sans-serif-fueled rebrand was met with abject horror from every corner of the internet. It shows that in an age when cultural reverence is so hard to come by, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
The aftermath of last week’s congressional hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over the potential app ban is creating a frenzy among social media users and executives. TikTok users have taken to the platform to valiantly defend Chew and the app’s continued domination, whereas business owners and marketers have expressed fear that a ban would prevent them from promoting their businesses as effectively as they do currently.
Disney has crowned headlines in recent weeks, announcing it has shuttered its metaverse division — a move that does not bode well for 2022’s buzziest business topic. But fear not; there are other (real) worlds that Disney can conquer. This week, the superpower claimed its first protectorate, effectively partitioning the real estate known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District from the government of Florida by invoking the British monarchy. Disney’s move into state-making comes in response to 2024 hopeful Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claims he would take control of the region in retaliation for Disney’s vocal support of LGBTQ+ rights last year.
The court of public opinion has done a 180 on their ruling on actress Gwyneth Paltrow. After retired optometrist Terry Sanderson alleged Paltrow ran into him while skiing and caused permanent damage, the wellness maven countersued for $1, stating that Sanderson ran into her. After two weeks of testimonies, memes, and a courtroom-chic lookbook, Paltrow was found not liable. The trial won Paltrow more than a singular dollar. Merely weeks before, she faced scrutiny for promoting an unrealistic and unhealthy lifestyle after revealing her meager diet and high-maintenance wellness routine. Paltrow has a more favorable public opinion than ever before making the past backlash feel like a distant memory and ushering in a new Age of Gwynoccence™.
🥊QUICK HITS:
In case you missed these stories.
VP Kamala Harris has broken the glass ceiling in a major way— but when it comes to public opinion, she just can’t catch a break.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried recently pleaded not guilty to an array of criminal charges, including new accusations of bank fraud and bribery, bringing the total number of counts to 13. The latest accusation includes orchestrating a $40 million bribe to Chinese officials to unfreeze $1 billion in funds held by his trading firm, Alameda Research.
It’s been ten years since Robin Thicke released the misogyny anthem “Blurred Lines.” Check out this long read from Pitchfork about the media’s evolution since that first, fateful “Everybody, get up!”.
Thanks for reading,
HL
===
This week’s newsletter is brought to you by the mysterious case of the invisible billionaire and his fantastic $7 billion tax payment.