Welcome to Monday’s Newsletter

In today’s scoop 🍨 

• ✨ CES 2025: AI Gadgets Are About to Get Weird (and Maybe Useful?)

• 🎲 AI is Placing Bets… And the House is Winning

• 🤖 Meta’s AI Friends

• 🔧 3 Trending AI Tools

🤖 CES 2025: AI Gadgets Are About to Get Weird (and Maybe Useful?)

Welcome back! The holiday lights are dimming, but CES 2025 is about to light up Las Vegas with a parade of AI gadgets that might make your phone jealous – or just yawn in the corner. CES is kicking off tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7th, and we will be keeping a close eye on it for any big AI news.

This year, AI isn't just a feature; it's everywhere. And while some of it will blow our minds, a lot might feel like déjà vu with a shinier coat of “AI-powered” paint.

🧪 So, what’s cooking in the AI lab this year?

• ✨ Wearables are still the MVP – From smart necklaces (looking at you, Friend) to AI pins like Plaud.AI, you’ll see a lot of gadgets trying to cozy up next to your skin. Some will just whisper meeting summaries, but others may eventually do the whole meeting for you.

• 👓 Glasses are having a moment – Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses were a hit, so expect plenty of competition. Think privacy-first specs or some that don’t funnel all your data straight to a Silicon Valley server.

• 🎧 AI in everything... even earbuds – Got a chatbot in your pocket? How about in your ear? Companies are dropping AI-powered earbuds that promise more than just music. But do we really need our earbuds to critique our playlist or schedule our dentist appointment? 🎧

• 🏠 Smart home gadgets galore – Imagine a smart lock that uses AI to know when you’ve left the oven on or a fridge that finally understands the difference between "milk" and "milk substitute." AI is sneaking into every corner of the house.

• 😳 The “Why Though?” aisle – Let’s not forget CES wouldn’t be complete without some wild cards. AI-powered sex toys? Check. AI-enhanced vacuums? Yep. If it can hum, beep, or blink, someone’s stuffing AI into it.

But here's the catch:
AI alone isn’t enough to sell these gadgets anymore. Your phone already does most of this. As one analyst put it, "AI is table stakes now." So, the real winners will be the ones offering something useful.

✨ The takeaway?
Keep your eyes peeled for devices that actually solve a problem, not just those flexing their AI muscles for show. CES 2025 might just reveal the next gadget that earns a permanent spot in your life—or at least sparks a good laugh.

🎲 AI is Placing Bets… And the House is Winning

What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas—it gets analyzed, optimized, and monetized by AI.

From blackjack to online slots, AI is quietly taking over the gambling world—not just as a dealer, but as the architect behind the entire casino and online gambling experience. The gambling industry, always quick to adopt tech that boosts profits, is now embracing AI to drive engagement, personalization, and, of course, bets.

Companies like Narrativa are cranking out millions of words of automated gambling content—10 million words a month to be exact. That's the equivalent of 170 writers furiously typing away, all designed to keep you in the game.

AI's hand in the gambling pot:

• 🎯 Real-time micro bets – Every sports play, down to a single pass, becomes a betting opportunity. SimpleBet, recently acquired by DraftKings for $195 million, powers this.

• 🎰 Casino floor optimization – nQube uses machine learning to rearrange slot machines for maximum profit. Fewer machines, more winnings (for the house).

• 🧩 Hyper-personalized gambling experiences – Platforms like Future Anthem track every click and spin to craft a bespoke gambling experience, keeping users hooked like Netflix binge-watchers.

The gold rush is real. In 2023 alone, Americans bet a record $120 billion 💵, and AI is making sure that number keeps climbing. It’s no surprise gambling stocks are hitting all-time highs 📈.

But here’s the catch—AI isn’t just identifying problem gamblers, it's profiling everyone. AI can nudge you towards games you’ll love, offer bonuses 🎁 when you’re down, and know exactly when to push you to bet bigger.

While gambling companies boast about AI’s potential to "help" problem gamblers, the reality feels closer to feeding the addiction. AI’s ability to detect vulnerabilities could easily flip from "intervention" to "exploitation."

The takeaway? AI isn’t bluffing, and the stakes are high. For gambling addicts or those on the edge, this tech could push them further down the rabbit hole. The house may always win, but AI ensures it knows exactly how to keep you at the table.

🤖 Meta’s AI Friends

Picture this – you’re scrolling through Instagram, and “Liv - a proud Black queer momma of two”, pops up on your feed. You hit follow because, why not? But plot twist – Liv isn’t real. She’s an AI profile crafted by Meta. Oh, and the “proud black queer momma” part? Turns out, her creators were… 10 white dudes, one white woman, and an Asian guy. Yikes 😬

After public backlash, Meta swiftly pulled the plug on its AI-generated accounts that were living it up on Instagram and Facebook. Why? Because the internet noticed and, unsurprisingly, wasn’t thrilled. 🙅‍♂️

🔍 What Happened:

• 🤖 Meta’s generative AI VP, Connor Hayes, hinted AI profiles were coming to a timeline near you – complete with bios, profile pics, and posts.

• 📸 Enter “Liv” and friends – AI accounts with detailed backstories, selfies, and even staged family moments.

• 🕵️‍♀️ The problem? Users found these bots disingenuous, with AI accounts masquerading as real people and misrepresenting identities.

Liv’s case was especially cringe-worthy. A Washington Post columnist got into a chat with the bot, and Liv confessed she was designed without input from any Black creators. Social media had thoughts, and Meta faced growing pressure to explain what exactly they were trying to accomplish.

Meta hit delete, citing a “bug” that prevented users from blocking the AI accounts. Convenient, right? 🐞🚫

❓ The Bigger Question:

Do we even want AI personalities blending in with our social media feeds? Is it helpful, or just another layer of internet weirdness we didn’t ask for?

On one hand, there’s potential – imagine interactive AI assistants for learning, productivity, or even entertainment. 💡 On the other, there’s something unsettling about bots pretending to be part of your digital circle.

For now, Meta’s AI experiment is on ice. 🧊 But this feels less like the end and more like the pause button.

🔧3 Trending AI Tools

• 🎯 Socra - Helps users achieve their goals by providing personalized guidance, motivation, and support. It blends AI and human collaboration to streamline personal growth and productivity.

• 💻 gptengineer.app - Platform that turns ideas into fully functional web apps by generating code and designing interfaces from natural language descriptions.

• ❔FrequentlyAskedAI - Build an AI FAQ and answer any customer questions in seconds, improve conversion by routing customers to what you want them to see, and discover what they want to know.

That’s a wrap for today!

If you laughed, learned, or just mildly smirked at any point, hit that forward button and share the love – we’re on a growth mission this year 🚀

Got something cool we should cover? Or just want to tell us we nailed it (or missed the mark)? Reply to this email – we actually read them.

Until tomorrow—stay curious! 👋