Issue 2264 - Wednesday 5 February, 2025

A small note: my newsletter platform, Beehiiv, is gradually transitioning the Sizzle’s sender address to cam@thesizzle.com.au. So if this message gets sent to spam or bounces… well I guess you won’t be reading this, so sorry. But hopefully it works!

In Today’s Issue

The News

Well of course Aussie governments are banning DeepSeek

The least surprising news story of the year goes to Australian governments deciding to ban DeepSeek on their networks and devices. First, the NSW government (Information Age), followed by the feds (The Guardian). As you might recall, government departments blocked unauthorised ChatGPT when it first came out (Cyber Daily) but started to trial other AI technologies albeit in more controlled settings (Digital Transformation Agency). I would posit that regardless of whether you think DeepSeek is literal CCP spyware or just a standard AI chatbot that it is good policy to remove the temptation to public servants of uploading government data to a Chinese hedgefund’s servers. Certainly more sensible than a showboating law proposed by Republican senator Josh Hawley that would imprison or fine someone for merely downloading DeepSeek and any other Chinese AI model (The Register).

Google to use AI for killing and surveillance

The company that got rid of its “Don’t Be Evil” motto, Google, has made a change to its ethical AI policies: it’s now fine to use it to kill and surveil people (Washington Post). The company reportedly scrubbed some of its AI principles that it put in place after a 2018 employee protest (NYT, $). Its public argument is that it is better that Google does these things instead of companies from other, non-democratic countries (Google blog), as if it matters whether the missile that kills you was approved by someone who was democratically elected.

Between this, tech companies CEOs saying shit like they are exist to “power the West to its obvious innate superiority” (The Register), and Zuck’s MMA-MAGA Meta transformation — MetaMAga? — I reckon what we’re seeing is more than just CEOs letting their true colours show, now that Trump is in power. It’s a reaction to tech founders who were radicalised by feeling like they were held hostage by their employees during 2016-2020s, during a time when the labor market was tight and companies were fighting to keep talent, as diagnosed by former New York Magazine writer Max Read (Substack).

Apple’s invite app scratches an itch

My prayers have been answered! Finally, a way to organise an event that doesn’t involve dead social media platforms or spammy event apps. Apple has released its Invites app (Apple) which allows you to create events. I’ve been playing around with it this morning and it seems fine, good even? Obviously you can make invitations, approve guest lists, and it also has bells and whistles like custom photo albums and playlists (and, eurgh, “Apple Intelligence” integrations”. Downsides: you need to have an iCloud+ account to create events, which is not a huge biggie, but more significantly: another closed standard!!!!!!!! Apple pls why can’t you just build on .ical or something, I beg you.

Oh, Also

Finally a good use for AI: replacing your boss

One of my concerns about this current AI hype moment is the naked salivation by tech bros over the idea of replacing workers with an inferior “correct 80% of the time” machine. Like Silicon Valley figure Marc Andreessen openly coveting how AI will crash human wages “logically, necessarily” (Futurism). Perhaps these fellas would be a bit more circumspect if it was AI coming for their jobs instead?

Well, someone obviously took this to heart and trained an AI on their CEO’s slack messages to create a bot imitating them (Modal). I personally wouldn’t advise doing this as a career move but there are some company leaders who I’m not sure anyone would notice if they were replaced.

Bargains

Electronics

Computing

Mobile

(Sizzler Toby asked for me to group these bargains. Is this helpful? Let me know!)

The End

😎 The Sizzle is written by Cam Wilson and emailed every weekday afternoon. It was created by Anthony “decryption” Agius.

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Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land

The Sizzle is created on Gadigal land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.