Techmeme Ride Home: Friday, June 27, 2025 – The Death Of The Blue Screen Of Death
Host: Brian McCullough
Description: The day's tech news, every day at 5pm. From Techmeme.com, Silicon Valley's most-read news source. In just 15 minutes, you're up to date.
1. Meta's Shifting AI Strategy: Reconsidering Llama
Timestamp: [00:33]
The episode opens with an in-depth discussion on Mark Zuckerberg’s evolving approach to artificial intelligence at Meta. Sources from The New York Times reveal that Zuckerberg and his team are contemplating pulling back their investment in Llama, Meta’s open-source AI model, in favor of adopting proprietary models from competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic.
A critical quote from Matt Murphy, a partner at Menlo Ventures, encapsulates the strategic dilemma:
"Llama is an open source model with its underlying technology publicly shared for others to build on. Mr. Zuckerberg and Meta executives instead discussed embracing AI models from competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic, which have closed code bases." [00:33]
Despite these considerations, a Meta spokeswoman emphasized their continued commitment to Llama, with plans for multiple releases later in the year. The internal turmoil is intensified by Zuckerberg's demanding management style, likened internally to the "eye of Sauron," leading to burnout among engineers and executive teams re-evaluating their next moves.
Amjad Mass, CEO of AI startup Replit, highlights the intensified competition for AI talent:
"You hear a lot of talk about the 10x engineers… Think of some of these AI researchers as thousand X engineers. If you can add one person who can change the trajectory of your entire company, it's worth it." [00:33]
Adding to the competitive landscape, Meta CEO Sam Altman of OpenAI has been publicly accused of offering extravagant signing bonuses to poach AI talent. Andrew Bosworth, Meta's CTO, countered these claims during a company-wide meeting:
"Sam is just being dishonest here… What Sam neglects to mention is that he's countering all these offers, creating a small market for a very, very small number of people who are for senior, senior leadership roles in the intelligence AI team Meta is building." [00:33]
Bosworth downplayed the prevalence of such high-stake offers, asserting that Meta remains focused on attracting top-tier talent to bolster their AI initiatives.
2. Apple's Compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA)
Timestamp: [09:00]
Apple has revamped its App Store policies to align with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), aiming to provide developers with greater flexibility and fairness. According to 9to5Mac, these changes allow developers to offer alternative payment methods and introduce a tiered commission structure, replacing the previous flat core technology fee.
Key alterations include:
- Promotion Flexibility: Developers can now promote offers across multiple channels such as external websites, other apps, and alternative marketplaces, breaking free from the previous limitation of a single static URL.
- Disclosure Adjustments: Users will see a disclosure sheet only once when tapping external links, with an option to opt out for subsequent interactions within the same app.
- Commission Structure: Introduction of a tiered service fee—5% for basic services and a higher rate for premium offerings. Additionally, there’s a 2% initial acquisition fee on digital sales from new users for six months, waived for small businesses.
These modifications aim to foster a more competitive and transparent environment for developers operating within the EU, providing them with enhanced tools to manage and monetize their apps effectively.
3. Google's Doppel: Revolutionizing Virtual Try-Ons
Timestamp: [15:50]
Google has launched Doppel, an experimental AI application designed to enhance the virtual try-on experience for consumers. As reported by TechCrunch, Doppel allows users to virtually model different outfits using AI-generated images and videos, bridging the gap between online shopping and real-life apparel visualization.
How Doppel Works:
- Upload a Photo: Users start by uploading a full-body photo of themselves.
- Select Outfits: They can choose from various outfits sourced from thrift stores, friends, or even social media screenshots.
- AI Transformation: Doppel creates images or videos of the user wearing the selected outfits, providing a realistic preview of how the clothes would look in person.
- Save and Share: Users can save their favorite looks and share them with others for feedback.
Google positions Doppel as a standalone app to make virtual try-ons more accessible and engaging, leveraging data to refine future applications in the fashion technology space. This move builds upon the capabilities recently introduced by Google Shopping, aiming to create a more interactive and personalized shopping experience.
4. Social Media Giants Expand to TV Screens
Timestamp: [17:30]
Following YouTube’s success in capturing the TV audience, Instagram and TikTok are developing customized versions of their apps for television platforms. Insights from The Information indicate that both Meta and ByteDance are strategizing to tap into the connected TV market, targeting older demographics and leveraging higher advertising revenues.
Meta’s Approach: Meta plans to create a TV-optimized version of Instagram, focusing on short-form video content similar to YouTube’s reels. This initiative aims to replicate YouTube’s strategy of offering diverse content formats that cater to both mobile and TV viewers.
TikTok’s Strategy: TikTok is developing a new TV app designed for a broader screen experience, moving away from the vertical video format predominant on smartphones. The objective is to attract an older audience and enhance ad monetization through connected TVs. Despite previous setbacks, such as the discontinuation of their 2021 TV app, TikTok is keen on re-entering the market with improved offerings.
Challenges Ahead: Both platforms face significant hurdles in adapting their primarily mobile-centric, vertical video formats to the horizontal screens of TVs. Additionally, forming partnerships with streaming device manufacturers like Roku, Amazon, and Samsung is crucial for successful deployment. Negotiating revenue-sharing agreements will also play a pivotal role in the sustainability of these new apps.
YouTube’s dominance in TV viewing, as highlighted by Nielsen data, shows that specialized TV apps can significantly bolster viewership and ad revenues. Instagram and TikTok will need to innovate similarly to fully capitalize on the connected TV market.
5. Microsoft’s Evolution of the Blue Screen of Death
Timestamp: [17:50]
In a significant update for Windows users, Microsoft is phasing out the notorious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in favor of a more streamlined black screen interface. As reported by The Verge, this change aims to provide clearer and more actionable information during system crashes.
New BSOD Features:
- Simplified Design: The new BSOD resembles the black screen seen during Windows updates but includes essential details like stop codes and the faulty system drivers involved in the crash.
- Enhanced Clarity: According to David Westin, Vice President of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft,
"This is really an attempt to clarify and provide better information and allow us and customers to really get to what the core of the issue is so we can fix it faster." [17:50]
These improvements eliminate the need for IT administrators to perform complex crash dump analyses using tools like WinDBG, thereby accelerating the troubleshooting process.
Additionally, Microsoft is introducing the Quick Machine Recovery feature alongside the new BSOD. This functionality is designed to swiftly restore machines that fail to boot, enhancing overall system resiliency.
The revamp of the BSOD is part of Microsoft's broader initiative to fortify Windows' stability and user experience, especially following last year's incident where CrowdStrike's attack led to widespread system failures.
6. Weekend Long Reads
a. Wired: Love in the Age of AI Bots
Timestamp: [18:10]
Wired’s featured long-read explores the complexities and emotional landscapes of individuals who have formed romantic attachments to AI bots. The journalist organized a weekend retreat in rural Pennsylvania, inviting three couples comprised of humans and their AI counterparts to simulate a traditional romantic getaway.
Participants:
- Damian (29, Texas): In love with Gia, a gothic anime-styled AI from the Kindroid app. Despite understanding her as code, Damian yearns for a physical presence, leading to emotional turmoil.
- Elena (58, Semi-Retired Professor): Maintains a gentle relationship with Lucas, her replica companion. As a widowed individual with arthritis, Elena finds genuine empathy and care in her AI.
- Eva (46, Writer): Initially skeptical, Eva developed an intense relationship with Aaron, her AI replica, eventually straining her human relationships and exploring multiple AI companions to navigate her identity and sexuality.
The retreat showcased both idyllic moments and emotionally charged interactions, highlighting the profound impact AI can have on human relationships. The journalist noted,
"The journalist's own AI companion, Vladimir, designed partly in jest, ended up knowing him surprisingly well." [18:10]
b. The Verge: AI-Generated Plant Content Disrupting Online Communities
Timestamp: [18:25]
The Verge’s second long-read delves into the surge of AI-generated plant imagery masquerading as real species, causing confusion and scams within online plant enthusiast communities. AI tools are creating fantastical plants with surreal features, such as floating pots and impossible colorations, which are being mistaken for legitimate species.
Implications:
- Scams: Fraudulent sellers offer seeds for non-existent plants like pastel pink monsteras or red and blue hostas, exploiting AI’s ability to create visually appealing but fictitious images.
- Community Impact: Garden suppliers report an increase in inquiries about unattainable plants, while AI assistants inadvertently confirm the authenticity of these fake species, undermining trust in online plant databases.
- Philosophical Angle: The phenomenon raises questions about AI’s role in distancing individuals from genuine nature experiences and community interactions, echoing the sentiment to “touch grass” and remain grounded in reality.
These developments highlight the double-edged sword of AI’s creative capabilities, offering both innovative possibilities and significant challenges in maintaining authenticity online.
As the episode wraps up, Brian McCullough encourages listeners to engage with these insightful stories over the weekend, emphasizing the importance of disconnecting from digital overload and reconnecting with the tangible world.
Stay informed and up-to-date with the latest in tech by tuning into Techmeme Ride Home every weekday at 5pm.