Britain Already Scrutinizing Microsoft’s New AI Recall Feature; Amazon Alexa Getting Big AI Upgrade-But for a Fee; Spotify Rolling Out its Own Font; Humane for Sale After Smart Pin Flop

Microsoft just announced to great fanfare the new AI Recall feature that will be spotlighted in their new generation of tablets and laptops. According to gizmodo.com, Recall, uses AI to build a “photographic memory” of a user’s laptop activity that they can then search. In other words, Recall constantly takes screenshots of a user’s activity on the computer, whether they’re searching for new recipes online, watching videos, or using apps. This could be good or creepy…your choice…but now, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has told BBC it is reaching out to Microsoft for more info. An ICO spokesperson told the Beebe that companies must “rigorously assess and mitigate risks to peoples’ rights and freedoms” before launching new products, especially those that are potentially invasive. I’d say that a system that records every single thing you do on your computer probably qualifies as invasive!

Amazon is readying a big AI upgrade to Alexa. This will probably be nice to have, as all of the assistants need to get better….looking at you, Siri. If you can’t wait to try it, here’s a little fly in the ointment…Amazon is going to charge a separate subscription on top of the $139 it already whacks you for to be a Prime member. CNBC reports that Amazon has refused to comment on the additional fee so far. If you want to give it a test drive for free while it’s still being tested, you can tell your Echo unit “Alexa, let’s chat,’ and Amazon will notify you when you can access the preview. With Google already getting its Gemini AI assistant out, and Apple about to upgrade Siri with AI at WWDC in June, the race is on to get to smarter…or at least less stupid…assistants. 

Spotify now has its own bespoke typeface…and it is rolling out today. The platform thinks Spotify Mix will improve the experience for your eyeballs. Why call a font ‘Mix?’ Well, theverge.com says Spotify is claiming the name is an homage to the “dynamic and evolving nature of audio culture over the years.” Spotify says “We subtly incorporated the shapes of sound waves to evoke a rhythmic feel. The combination of sharp angles and smooth curves gives the typeface a distinctive character that feels quintessentially Spotify.” Why do I feel like an ad agency wrote that? Although Apple used the Chicago font years ago, even mighty Apple has stooped to using fonts used by we mortal users.

You may recall the hype and fanfare around the AI Pin from startup Humane. It was a pin you could query and get answers via AI, and it even projected some on to your hand. The little jewel ran $700 plus $24 a month for a subscription. Well, TechCrunch.com notes that Humane has now put itself on the block for between $750 million and a billion. Not bad for a company that had raised $230 million from some big tech hitters, and got so much buzz…then laid a big ostrich-sized egg with the pin. Besides being pricy and in search of a market, the pin allegedly had overheating and battery life issues. Need a big write-off right now, and looking for a hip sounding company with a failed product…here’s your chance!

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.