You will be craving for food when reading this email. Sorry for that

Nice to see you back, reader! 🤓

Whatever you are doing right now, it’s time for a break 🧘‍♂️ and my 3-minute newsletter. Fun times we are living in indeed, and this week, there was so much more I wanted to tell you, but with a bit of effort and stamina, I have chosen these 3 pieces of news to share with you 👇

Enjoy, think, subscribe and recommend to a friend - here’s to more enthusiasts in our community! 🌍 

1. I’m loving it 🍟

McDonald’s, the global fast-food giant, is at it again with their innovative marketing strategies. In Addition to their recent multi-million dollar investment in digital, they now unveiled a unique approach-scented billboard. Yes, you read that right. Let's dive into this aromatic adventure.

Imagine this: as you wander the streets of the Netherlands, the unmistakable scent of McDonald's fries wafts through the air. Your senses are instantly awakened, and you can almost taste the satisfaction of a sensory experience that draws you in, leaving you craving for more.

It is funny that the billboards are simple, unbranded having no logos or words on them. Adorned in plain red ❤️ and yellow 💛 hues, they discreetly house a compartment for storing fries. Equipped with an internal heating and ventilation system, they amplify the scent of this beloved menu item, drawing in passers-by 🚶🏻‍♀️.

Strategically positioned within a mere 200-metre restaurant, these billboards are designed to trigger immediate cravings that can be satisfied without delay. And they do their job remarkably well—I'm already feeling quite peckish just thinking about it. Here's to the power of effective marketing!

Tell me, reader, do you crave for a burger now? 🍔 

2. Dancing King 🕺

Who would have guessed but TikTok is acting at the forefront of social media 📱 not just by being extremely popular but by becoming the first platform to introduce automatic labelling of any AI-generated content. Last week, the app’s owner, ByteDance, announced a new feature to identify and flag ⛳️ all artificial videos, including the ones made using Adobe’s Firefly tool, TikTok’s own AI image generators and OpenAI’s Dall-E.

“The challenge is, we know from many experts that we work with, that there is a rise in . . . harmful AI-generated content. This is really important for our community because authenticity is really one of the elements that have made TikTok such a vibrant and joyful community 😄. . . they want to be able to understand what has been made by a human and what has been enhanced or generated with AI.” Adam Presser, TikTok’s head of operations and trust and safety, said as reported by the Financial Times.

In collaboration with tech and media giants like Adobe and OpenAI, TikTok aims to embed digital fingerprints into AI-generated content, enabling users to distinguish between human-made 🙋‍♂️ and AI-enhanced 🤖 content. This move reflects broader industry efforts to tackle the challenges posed by manipulated digital media, representing a significant step forward in the ongoing fight against online misinformation.

So, does this mean my dreams of dancing like MJ with a little AI help are dashed?...👯‍♀️

3. No Spy Online 👀

It’s not easy to be a spy, but from now on, their life might become even more complicated as they are about to be isolated from the world net for security reasons. Microsoft has developed an artificial intelligence system specifically tailored for use by American 🇺🇸 intelligence agencies, boasting for the first time a large language model to operate entirely independent of online connectivity.

Traditionally, AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT, supported by Microsoft, rely on cloud services for learning and inference processes. However, Microsoft's latest development prioritises security 🔐, aiming to provide a robust solution for the US intelligence community.

To face the truth, it might be a real game changer in the current environment. According to the Telegraph, at a recent security conference, Sheetal Patel, assistant director of the CIA for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, emphasised the competitive landscape, stating that the first nation to leverage generative AI effectively in intelligence efforts would gain a strategic advantage ☝🏻

It’s clear we are entering a new era, however, who might have known the success at this stage would be assessed by the ability to stay offline 🌳

Have you ever stopped to consider the extent to which AI is already a part of our lives? It's hard to imagine a world without it. From virtual assistants to self-driving cars, AI is everywhere around us. But with its pervasive reach, it's worth wondering if there will be a point at which a boundary is established, beyond which AI cannot be used. It's an interesting thought, and only time will tell. As always, I'll keep you up to date with any relevant developments.

Stay curious! 🧐 

Max

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