Bas' Take on Tech: OpenAI Timeline ++ Musk, X, EU ++ BlogRecorder
Hi there,
thanks for reading my tech newsletter about the recent buzz in tech.
In this issue, Eddy Vinck shares some insights into his journey of building BlogRecorder besides his day job.
Have a great week ahead!
📉 Microsoft, Apple, OpenAI
You might have thought that the drama surrounding OpenAI had reached its peak last year, but the developments in 2024 have shown that we were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The events of the past few months not only raise amusing but also deeply concerning questions that go far beyond mere competition between tech giants.
In March 2024, Microsoft made a bold move by establishing its own AI division, "Microsoft AI," signalling clear intentions to compete with OpenAI. They chose Mustafa Suleyman, one of the co-founders of DeepMind, as the head of this new division, sparking both curiosity and scepticism. Suleyman is undeniably a technical genius, but his controversial leadership practices at Google raise questions about how he will shape this new chapter at Microsoft. Regardless of these concerns, it is evident that Microsoft wants to assert its independence from OpenAI — despite its massive investments in the company.
Apple Bets on OpenAI – and Puts Microsoft in a Tight Spot
Then came June 2024, and with it, Apple's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). Apple proudly announced the integration of advanced AI features into its operating systems. Siri is set to not only listen better but also respond more intelligently. The surprising part? Apple is using ChatGPT to power these improvements — without paying for it. In an agreement that promises OpenAI massive exposure on Apple devices, the two companies have created a win-win situation. Microsoft, which has invested over 10 billion dollars in OpenAI in recent years, is likely viewing this development with mixed feelings. A hard blow, one might say, but this was only the beginning.
A Power Play Behind the Scenes: The Bizarre Boardroom Shuffle
The game continued in July 2024 when Apple unexpectedly gained a seat on OpenAI’s board, only to give it up a week later—simultaneously with Microsoft. Officially, this move was prompted by regulatory concerns from the U.S. antitrust authorities, but the timing raises many questions. It seems that the big tech companies are increasingly pressured to curb their influence on crucial future technologies. These developments clearly show that even in an industry often perceived as unregulated, there are limits—and these are increasingly being enforced by the authorities.
From Partners to Rivals: The Fault Line Becomes Visible
Finally, on July 25, 2024, OpenAI announced SearchGPT, a new AI-based search engine that directly competes with Google and other search providers. This announcement marks another turning point because just days later, Microsoft officially listed OpenAI as a competitor in their annual report. The once-strong partnership seems to be seriously faltering, raising the question of how the relationship between the two companies will evolve.
The developments surrounding OpenAI, Microsoft, and Apple are not just a fascinating power play but also raise fundamental questions: What does it mean for the future of AI when such critical technologies are concentrated in the hands of a few companies? While the rivalry between these tech giants is intriguing to watch, we must remember that this is about more than just profits and losses. The future of AI could have profound implications for all of humanity—and this decision should not be left solely in the hands of tech corporations.
🇪🇺 EU, Trump, Musk, Breton
Yesterday, Elon Musk interviewed Donald Trump on X. I usually do not comment on such political occurrences, and I won’t make an exception in this case, either.
I cannot resist commenting on Mr. Breton, Commissioner of the Internal Market at the European Union, and spiritual father of the Digital Services Act, however.
Mr. Breton, as an EU official, took pleasure in threatening X under the pretext of the safety of EU citizens in advance of said interview between a US citizen and a former president of the United States, broadcasted by a US company. In his threatening letter to X (officially represented by its CEO Linda Yaccarino), addressed to Elon Musk personally, and ironically published on his personal X account, Mr. Breton fails to explain which safety concerns could potentially occur from listening to an interview with a presidential candidate in another continent.
I felt the immediate urge to publicly explain that – as a European – I never voted for Mr Breton, holder of both, French, and Senegalese citizenship (the latter apparently for tax reasons). Then, I found out, nobody did. He was appointed.
While regulations, such as the Digital Services Act are outright harmful to Europe’s economy, as I pointed out in a previous issue of this newsletter, the EU has positive aspects, Article 11 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights being one of them.
🎙️ Eddy’s Thoughts
During THAT Conference, I met Eddy Vinck again. He is a Software Engineer, and is working on his side project, BlogRecorder. Impressively, he sponsored the conference, hustled a lot and reached a 1000$ turnover milestone just weeks after his launch. I asked him to share some insights into his journey. Here is what he recorded:
What is something that you changed your mind about in the last months?
When I look back at the recent months, one major realization stands out: I should have launched BlogRecorder much sooner. Initially, I took too much time working on the product before launching. In hindsight, this approach delayed valuable user feedback. I set up paying subscriptions and had a small group of testers, but I missed out on early insights that could have come from a wider user base. The lesson here is to launch quickly, get feedback early, and improve as you go.
What are you working on right now, and what are your goals for the next year?
Right now, I'm fresh off a conference where I did some in-person marketing for my app, BlogRecorder. The feedback has been invaluable, and I'm planning to implement new features based on user requests. Here's what's on the horizon:
Allowing users to upload audio, not just record within the app.
Removing the 15-minute limit on recordings.
Personalizing the AI model for each user to better match their writing style.
Introducing preferences for the AI-generated article's tone—be it business-like or casual.
These updates are all about enhancing the user experience and delivering on what my community is asking for.
For the next year, I would like to make BlogRecorder work for teams and organizations and start selling subscriptions in the B2B space. I have some ideas for collaborative features, too.
Could you improve a skill, a life hack, or your health in recent times?
Over the past year, I've been committed to maintaining my health and losing a lot of excess weight, but as the launch drew near, I found myself sacrificing gym time to put in more work hours. The decision to work more was intentional, but in hindsight I regret not staying more active.
Balancing life and work as a big lesson in general: Leading up to THAT Conference which started 6 weeks after launching BlogRecorder I overworked myself by taking on too much work with too few breaks. A few weeks before the conference I recognized this, and forced myself to stop working outside of my day job for a couple weeks, even though I had not finished my presentation yet. If I hadn't done that, then I probably would've burned myself out. Although this did result in having some deadline stress, but I think it was the better choice here.
🎥 GitHub Actions Talk
I finally managed to upload the video of my talk on “GitHub Actions for Fun & Profit”.
🚀 What else?
I have changed this newsletter from “occasional” to at least once every two weeks. The new format not only contains curated news and insights from the tech world but also sets the stage for fellow developers.
I will ask people about their journeys in the tech world and also in life. I’m pretty sure there is much to learn from listening to other people’s experiences, and I am excited to share that with you!
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