🤖 Klarna’s AI replaced 700 workers - now wants humans back

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Greetings! Your latest quick tech update is here:

☀️ On this day: On May 20, 1891, Thomas Edison demonstrated the Kinetoscope, an early motion picture exhibition device, at his laboratory. This invention was a significant step toward the development of cinema, influencing both entertainment and the evolution of visual technologies.

What’s happening:

• 🤖 Siri flop sparks Apple AI crisis

• 🗣️ Siri may lose default spot on iPhones in EU

• 🤖 Klarna backtracks on AI after $40B valuation drop

• 🚫 Deepfake, revenge porn ban becomes federal law

• 🌐 Nearly half of UK youth want life without internet

• + 📊 Daily poll and results

• + 📈 Trending tools and resources

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Hand-picked news:

🤖 Siri flop sparks Apple AI crisis ↗️LINK

• What: Apple’s Siri overhaul fell apart after a rushed push into AI following ChatGPT’s rise. Internal issues with old code, buggy features, and underwhelming chatbot performance plagued the Apple Intelligence rollout.

• Why: Apple underestimated generative AI. Execs scrambled to catch up, but slow progress, poor coordination, and Giannandrea’s cautious leadership hindered results.

• Impact: Missed features, pulled ads, and lawsuits followed. Giannandrea was replaced, and Apple now leans on OpenAI to salvage its AI ambitions and rebuild Siri’s reputation.

🗣️ Siri may lose default spot on iPhones in EU ↗️LINK

• What: A new Bloomberg report says Apple is preparing to let EU users choose third-party voice assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini as the iPhone’s default, ending Siri’s exclusivity.

• Why: Apple is responding to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which targets monopolistic behavior. Siri’s delayed upgrades and rising AI competition are adding pressure.

• Impact: This shift could weaken Siri’s influence and open Apple’s ecosystem to rival AI assistants. The move may extend to iPads and Macs, marking a major break in Apple’s walled garden strategy.

🤖 Klarna backtracks on AI after $40B valuation drop ↗️LINK

• What: Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski admits replacing 700 support staff with AI hurt service quality. The fintech is now rehiring humans and piloting a flexible support model using remote workers.

• Why: The cost-focused AI shift led to lower customer satisfaction, harming Klarna’s brand. Reinvesting in human support is now seen as essential for service quality and trust.

• Impact: After a massive valuation plunge, Klarna is rebalancing AI and human roles. While AI remains central, the pivot signals a broader industry rethink on automation in customer experience.

🚫 Deepfake, revenge porn ban becomes federal law ↗️LINK

• What: President Trump signed the Take It Down Act, criminalizing nonconsensual intimate image (NCII) sharing, including AI deepfakes. Platforms must remove flagged content within 48 hours, or face FTC penalties.

• Why: The bill aims to combat image-based abuse but critics, including CCRI and EFF, warn the takedown rule could harm victims, enable censorship, and clash with encryption-based services.

• Impact: Survivors gain a legal tool, but enforcement concerns loom. Critics fear selective FTC actions under Trump’s politicized leadership could weaponize the law and chill free expression online.

🌐 Nearly half of UK youth want life without internet ↗️LINK

• What: A UK study found 46% of 16–21-year-olds would prefer a world without the internet. Nearly 70% said social media makes them feel worse about themselves, and half support a digital curfew after 10pm.

• Why: Young people report deception online, with many using burner accounts or faking identities. The internet’s impact on mental health and safety has sparked calls for stronger protections and platform accountability.

• Impact: The findings fuel pressure on tech firms and lawmakers to regulate addictive algorithms and create safer online spaces. There's growing demand to prioritize well-being over platform engagement.

🧠 Keep your mind sharp with these newsletters!

Want to stay on top of the latest trends and discover new resources? Here are a few of my favorite newsletters that I think you'll find valuable:

Today’s Poll:

Vote and find out about the result tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Poll Result:

Would you pay more for an iPhone made in the USA?

• A) Yes – Supporting local jobs is worth it - 18%

• B) No – Price matters more than location - 82% 🏆

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