I’m clearly a big fan of AI and believe it’s helpful in many ways. I feel comfortable with that because I’ve used it for over two years now and rely on it daily for a wide variety of tasks, both work- and personal-related. That means I know exactly what it’s capable of, what it’s good at, and what it’s not good at. Me and the robot have a good relationship: we know how to work with each other.

Enterprises pouring money into GenAI and CEOs treating AI agents like cheap labor - yet only 25% see ROI right now. Vibes: “Europe’s long holiday from history is over.” Also: IBM does RTO, predictions about DOGE layoffs, the term “platform” remains a favorite excuse for overcomplicated tech, and “autonomous killer robots.” AI comes for HRWhat to make of using AI to automate HR processes? Melody Brue and Patrick Moorhead look at Oracle’s work there:

In this episode: AI eschatology, assology, and a deep, intellectual commitment to hating mayonnaise. Tariff trouble, security panic, and NVIDIA shrugging off DeepSeek. Young voters shift rightward, no one agrees on ‘medium roast,’ and Hollywood still relies on glue to critique its own youth obsession. Wastebook“immanetize the AI eschaton,” Charlie Stross. “The ass is a very strong symbol of how our body is not neutral in the public space. How our body is constantly scrutinized, has been shaped to please the man’s eyes, has been seen as a body part that was objectified, that was detached from the person who was simply bearing it.

Lots of links and stuff this episode: AI isn’t a coworker, it’s just automation wrapped in hype. Tech moves fast, but nothing lasts—except bad takes, questionable business models, and the creeping realization that managers just want fewer humans to manage. Meanwhile, we live like kings and don’t even notice. Put it on iceGood episode of Software Defined Talk this week, especially the opening moment of absurdity where we, yet again, try to solve Europe’s ice problem.

Catch-up: yesterday, I went over everything you need for tech strategy and marketing. What do I know about security: limiting AI use in enterprisesI find the restrictions on using public AI chat things baffling versus the potential, but obvious benefit. But I don’t know the CISO perspective and way of thinking. What am I missing? Yes: From Melissa Incera, S&P Global Market Intelligence.But: From Melissa Incera, S&P Global Market Intelligence.My theories: It’s just too new and unknown, we don’t even know the risk and (is this a layman’s term?

In tech product management marketing, there are three phases of your “story” and execution: strategy, planning, and doing (“execution”). I think a lot of people mix up these phases, talk too much about strategy, don’t do enough planning, often poorly communicate the plans to staff, and are not “throw it all at the wall” enough with doing. I’ve worked in this area for, I don’t know, 20 years. Here’s my latest organized brain-dump from watching people from afar and close-up at many places.

This episode: AI is coming for your software job, or at least for the parts of it you actually enjoyed. Meanwhile, businesses are still stuck in pilot purgatory with generative AI, IT leaders remain unconvinced of AI’s ROI, and Java is apparently coming for Python’s AI crown. The economy may be changing not because of interest rates or labor shortages, but because everyone is drinking more water and eating fewer snacks.

Writing with ChatGPT and ClaudeI’ve been using ChatGPT and Claude a lot for writing recently. I had a long conversation in the car ride between Ghent and Amsterdam with one of my old DevOps pals and they described their AI writing process. It’s best describe it as “layering.” Well, actually, it’s just how writing is always done: incrementally at first, and then iteratively until you run out of time. Here’s the technique.

Today it’s all wastebook. Garbage Chairs of Amsterdam, June Bug edition.Wastebook“gizmocrat” and ”gizmocrats,” new govt IT outsourcing term? “Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was tweeting about guacamole prices over the weekend as Musk took over key functions of the government.” Two weeks in. “Anything threatening to be a subculture is commodified before it can walk,” attributed to William Gibson. “Tariffying,” The Economist. “There’s probably a couple of kinks in that slinky,” Sen.

Hello. How are you today? Wastebook"MAGA makeover' and “Texas Blowout.” US hair news from the UK. “your dissimilar appearance to other social media influencers.” Aaron on my influencer aesthetics. “Some people want something else, and that’s fine for them.” John Dickerson, Political Gabfest, Jan 30th, 2025. ”romantasy, which blends spicy sex scenes and romance tropes with supernatural elements, is not a fleeting trend." At which Rebecca Yarros excels. "groyperfication, "John Ganz.