It’s like Siri went to college

December 12, 2024

📱 It’s like Siri went to college: The smart assistant now uses ChatGPT on the iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16. If you grant permission, the iOS 18.2 update allows OpenAI’s GPT-4 to step in if Siri can’t help you. No ChatGPT account, free or paid, is needed. It’s kinda weird. I opened an email and it automatically generated a reply that was pretty damn good.

Tags: AI (artificial intelligence), Apple, Apple iPhone 15, Apple Siri, ChatGPT, email, OpenAI, smart assistants

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Bank fraud is rising – How to protect yourself

The scams don’t stop — and here’s another one you need to know about. Your phone rings. It’s a rep from your bank, and they’re warning your account has been compromised. You’re smart, so you immediately suspect it’s a scam.

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8 ways your phone is tracking you - That you can stop now

You understand that your phone knows where you’re located. This is how GPS works, how Find My sees your location and why you get local ads on Facebook and Google. Like other data on your phone, that location data is a hot commodity for internet marketers.

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Will we need teachers in the future?

Across 266 school districts, K-12 students are testing a new AI tutor. Khan Academy’s Khanmigo runs on OpenAI’s tech. helps answer students’ questions, flags other AI-generated answers and creates lesson plans for teachers in seconds. FYI, “Conmigo,” means “with me” in Spanish.

10 followed by 24 zeros

That’s 10 septillion. Today’s best supercomputer would take that many years to compute what Google’s new Willow quantum chip can finish in just five minutes. That’s over seven times the age of the universe. Speaking of which, this breakthrough could prove we live in a multiverse. I bet you’re still reading this newsletter in every reality.

$60,000 reward

For helping to catch the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer. A tip from a McDonald’s employee ultimately led to 26-year-old Luigi Mangione’s arrest. If he’s convicted of Brian Thompson’s murder, the Secretary of State decides if the tip is worth a payout. I’d say from what I’ve read, the answer’s a big yes.

7 days

To regain access to your Gmail account after it’s been hacked. Google says you have a week to enter the phone number connected to the account or it may be gone forever. Now, make sure your recovery number is set up correctly.

15 minutes

To create diamonds. Real diamonds form 100 miles below the earth’s surface at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. A team in South Korea used a special gallium-silicon mixture to create a diamond foundation in 15 minutes at room temp. No pressure — the whole thing was done in 2.5 hours.

Share via email - Most-streamed songs and artists globally on Spotify (2024)

Share on Facebook - Most-streamed songs and artists globally on Spotify (2024)

Share on LinkedIn - Most-streamed songs and artists globally on Spotify (2024)

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Spotify: Most-streamed songs and artists globally, 2024

I’m pretty darn proud of myself — I know all but one of these artists.

$120,000

The price of living on a Virgin Voyages cruise ship for a year. The new all-you-can-sail pass covers two guests, laundry services, speedy Wi-Fi, priority boarding and a balcony cabin. Hey, it’s about the same as an assisted-living facility, just sayin’.

$100-plus

Potential per-hour rates for a professional back-scratcher. It’s not just scratching someone’s back; you play with their hair, too. One pro scratcher quit her six-figure job to open a spa. Now, she’s making even more money.