EU regulators, under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), are demanding Apple grant AI systems extensive, autonomous access to user devices. This access would allow AI to read messages, make purchases, and alter files without constant user oversight. Security researchers have already demonstrated how AI systems can be exploited to steal data and make unauthorized changes. Apple developed a solution called Trusted System Agent to enable virtual assistants to safely access device features in the EU, similar to Siri AI. They proposed launching Siri AI in the EU with an 18-month rollout for this new solution. However, the European Commission rejected all of Apple's proposals. Apple maintains that the DMA's requirements pose serious risks to users, which regulators have failed to acknowledge. Due to these significant dangers and the lack of regulatory agreement, there is currently no timeline for Siri AI's release in the EU on iOS and iPadOS. Apple is unwilling to create the open-access system demanded by the European Commission. This impasse means EU users may miss out on Siri AI's advanced capabilities.

Steven Spielberg revealed his long-held desire to direct a James Bond film. After the success of Jaws, he offered his services to producer Cubby Broccoli, but was rejected. Following the hit film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Broccoli contacted Spielberg about using its iconic five-note motif in Moonraker. Spielberg proposed a deal: permission to use the notes in exchange for directing a Bond movie, which Broccoli again refused. Despite the refusal, Spielberg generously allowed Broccoli to use the five notes in Moonraker. The notes served as a secret lab's passcode in the film, an amusing Easter egg. Spielberg believed EON Productions used the motif as fair use homage without formal permission. His persistent rejection by Broccoli fueled his collaboration with George Lucas, leading to the creation of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spielberg notes the opening sequence of Temple of Doom, with its escalating chaos and secret agent-like elements, bears a strong resemblance to the Bond franchise. He also pointed out the clever inclusion of "Club Obi Wan" in that scene as another nod to popular culture.

Apple's Siri team, including Craig Federighi, held a tech talk after WWDC to discuss iOS 18 and the new Siri AI. During the session, Federighi clarified Apple's collaboration with Google regarding AI integration. He emphasized that Apple does not use Google's Gemini app, client code, or models deployed to their customers. Furthermore, Apple's Siri system does not rely on Google Search for its knowledge base. The collaboration is strictly limited to specific agreements and does not involve extensive integration of Google's infrastructure. Federighi's statements aimed to assure the press about the independence of Apple's AI development. The tech talk featured detailed explanations and live demonstrations of Siri AI's capabilities. This event suggests Apple is increasing its commitment to live, in-person events and developer sessions. These live demonstrations showcase the practical application of their new AI features. Apple appears to be returning to a format that includes hands-on demos, which was evident in a subsequent developer session.

This is my favorite news from all of WWDC this week. I mean that. In a small way I mean it because I so loathe this aspect of MacOS Tahoe. But in a large way I mean it because it’s proof that the rot has been rooted out of Apple’s software design team.

Rishi Ó: My favorite Apple updates are not the flashy new features, but the quiet little touches: annoyances fixed, workflows made smoother, rough edges sanded down, and longstanding flaws thoughtfully reworked. To me, they’re the clearest sign of a company that cares about its craft. Here’s a collection from a WWDC26 screen-grab, organized for easier reading, on improvements coming later this year. That’s a lot of bullet points.

If you can make it in person, you should come. The California Theater is a beautiful big theater and tickets are still available. You can also watch tonight’s show in live stereoscopic immersive in the Theater app from Sandwich Vision on Vision Pro. A purchase of the ticket to the live show, the Theater app for $12.99, is also good for replay forever — with surprise bonus features included. It’s a fun, truly immersive way to experience the show. Hope to see you there tonight, one way or the other.

A brisk 76 minutes, including the post-credits Easter egg music video. The past few years ran about a half hour longer.

Julie Bort, TechCrunch: But the most telling detail wasn’t what Apple announced. It was how it chose to show some things off. Many of the Apple Intelligence demoes featured someone standing, phone in hand, pressing buttons or using voice commands in real time, while another camera showed off the phone’s response. These weren’t live onstage, anything-could-go wrong demos; they were pre-taped. But they looked far more like proof of working features than what Apple showed at WWDC 2024, when the company unveiled Apple Intelligence and a new Siri to the world through slickly produced videos that turned out to be more promise than product. The demos were all shot in single takes, with no editing. In fact, I think most of them were single takes of multiple demos back-to-back. That’s the way it should be, even when they feel a little slow. When a demo feels slow, the solution isn’t to edit the video — it’s to make the feature work faster.

Apple has unveiled a significantly enhanced Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence, which now comprehends personal context. This allows Siri to access information across messages, emails, and photos, enabling users to find specific details like restaurant recommendations or confirmation numbers. Siri AI can also interact with third-party apps through developer integration with Spotlight. This new Siri can perform system-wide actions within apps, such as drafting emails or editing photos. Leveraging onscreen awareness, it can answer questions based on displayed content, facilitating tasks like brainstorming potluck contributions and adding recipes to Notes. Furthermore, Siri AI can access broad world knowledge to provide up-to-date web information and generate answers on various topics. Users can engage in extended conversations with Siri, posing follow-up questions to its responses. The new branding, "Siri AI," is seen as a crucial distinction between the old and new iterations. While impressive compared to its predecessor, its generative AI capabilities are considered standard for the field. However, its unique strength lies in its ability to access personal data on devices and execute actions based on app intents. While not as broadly capable as some other AI models in certain areas, Siri AI's potential is substantial due to its personalized approach. Apple's success hinges on execution, scalability, and widespread adoption of its App Intents and App Schemas by third-party developers. Despite these challenges, the development appears promising and realistic.

Apple Intelligence is powered by next-generation Apple Foundation Models, co-developed with Google's Gemini models. These models are designed for deep integration within Apple's platforms. The architecture prioritizes privacy, with on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. Private Cloud Compute extends iPhone's security to the cloud, offering advanced intelligence. Apple clarifies that their collaboration is with Gemini *models*, not the Gemini assistant. This distinction is crucial as Google uses "Gemini" broadly for its AI offerings. Using Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI will not share data with the Google Gemini app. Conversely, activity within the Google Gemini app remains separate and invisible to Apple's AI systems. This ensures user privacy and control over their data across different AI services. Ultimately, Apple Intelligence aims to provide powerful AI capabilities while upholding strict privacy standards.

Sign-up forms were built for humans in browsers, so how do AI agents programmatically register with services? Enter auth.md. By exposing a single, machine-readable Markdown file at your service root, AI agents can dynamically discover your OAuth Protected Resource Metadata, parse required scopes, and authenticate seamlessly. With native support in WorkOS AuthKit, you can now implement this protocol out of the box, giving AI tools a standardized, secure way to log into your application. Read the auth.md docs.

Apple intends to significantly enhance Siri by allowing integration with third-party artificial intelligence assistants. This change is planned for the upcoming iOS 17 operating system update. Previously, Siri could only access ChatGPT through an OpenAI partnership. Now, Apple will enable competing AI services to connect with Siri. The company is developing tools for App Store AI chatbot applications to integrate with the assistant. These chatbots will also function with a new Siri app and other aspects of Apple Intelligence. For example, users could direct queries from Siri to installed AI models like Google Gemini or Anthropic Claude. This capability is similar to how ChatGPT currently works with Apple Intelligence. The author speculates on potential reasons for a possible delay in this announcement. The information reportedly came from individuals with knowledge of Apple's confidential plans.

Apple’s developer message used to be that it was not just easy to develop apps for their platforms, but that it was easy to develop good idiomatically native apps. That’s still true for AppKit and UIKit, but it’s never been true for SwiftUI, and SwiftUI is now seven years old.

Alberto Romero suggests AI is like religion, demanding complete belief or disbelief with no moderate stance. He argues that tech companies spending heavily on AI features are like "fearful atheists" who don't truly believe but hedge their bets. These companies are making massive capital expenditures on AI infrastructure. In contrast, Apple's projected AI capital expenditure is drastically lower than its major competitors. The conventional view is that Apple is falling behind in the AI race, highlighted by Siri's perceived shortcomings and a lack of Steve Jobs's leadership. Romero disputes this, asserting Apple is the most powerful tech company because it acts on its core beliefs. He posits that Apple's substantial investment is not in massive infrastructure but in a different approach to AI. If Apple's strategy is successful, its benefits should become apparent soon. So far, Apple's product and service demand has remained strong in the AI era. While market leaders can grow during disruptive periods, potential threats to Apple's ecosystem have not yet materialized. This suggests Apple might be making a shrewd, unconventional bet on its AI future.

My thanks to Mux for sponsoring last week at DF. Mux is what developers reach for when they need to do more with video. Video files are packed with data and context waiting to be unlocked. Mux Robots are AI workflows that unlock that data inside your video for summarization, caption translation, moderation, and more. Configure once and your workflows run automatically on new uploads. Mux is video infrastructure trusted by Patreon, Substack, and Synthesia. Start building for free. Use code FIREBALL at signup for an extra $50 credit.

Ben Sandofsky returned to analog photography after decades of digital use and found it surprisingly freeing. He discovered that having a few excellent choices was more satisfying than an overwhelming array of digital options. This inspired a partnership with colorist Cullen Kelly to develop a curated collection of high-quality, physically accurate "looks" for the Halide Mark III app. These new looks are designed with specific intentions and have been meticulously verified. Halide has long been acclaimed as a top iPhone RAW camera app, facilitating manual post-processing. The Mark II introduced Process Zero, which achieved natural, film-like results without AI. Process Zero was the precursor to the integrated "looks" in Halide Mark III, which Sandofsky praises for their quality and limited number. He prefers a few excellent processing options over an abundance, feeling overwhelmed by too many choices. Sandofsky desires the ability to shoot, apply a desired look instantly, and share, while still retaining the flexibility for post-editing if needed. Halide Mark III, along with other apps like Not Boring Camera and Analogue, now offers this blend of simplicity and advanced control. The team at Lux has successfully launched Mark III, making it an attractive option for users who previously found Halide too demanding for post-processing.

Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim, in a memo to the 60 Minutes staff obtained by The New York Times (gift links): We have had a hard time deciding whether to stay at 60 Minutes. We’re still deeply upset by the firings of Tanya and Draggan, strong leaders who everyone respected. As far as we can tell — because no explanation has ever been offered, they were expelled because they fought for our 60 Minutes values and stood up to protect our independence and integrity. Newsrooms are not supposed to be run like dictatorships. Collaboration and argument are the way we have always worked at 60. Don Hewitt actually encouraged loud passionate advocacy for our pieces. [...] We feared that our returning might be construed as an endorsement of the existing power structure. That is simply, categorically not the case. Here’s why we’re are staying: We don’t want to see 60 Minutes die. We’ll see how long this lasts.

During a hearing concerning the president's actions regarding White House property, a judge posed a critical question. The judge inquired if the president could also demolish the Statue of Liberty without facing any legal opposition. A Department of Justice lawyer confirmed this, stating the president could indeed destroy the Statue of Liberty with no one able to stop him. This hypothetical highlights the far-reaching implications of the arguments presented. The analogy of an estate administrator was used to illustrate the absurdity of the proposition. An administrator is hired to manage, not destroy or sell off assets belonging to the estate. Similarly, the president is hired to administer the country and enforce laws. The president does not own the country or its properties. The article criticizes those who support such a viewpoint as "pathetic lickspittles."

Laura Hazard Owen analyzed engagement on X (formerly Twitter) for 18 news publishers and three non-publisher accounts. She scraped the 200 most recent tweets from each account to track likes, comments, and retweets. Six of the publishers included in the analysis had paywalls. Nine publishers did not have paywalls, and three accounts were identified as breaking news aggregators without links. The analysis revealed a strong correlation between including links in tweets and lower engagement. Traditional publishers that frequently share links were clustered in an area of low engagement on the resulting charts. This suggests that links hinder the amount of interaction a tweet receives. Owen concludes that X is no longer a platform for news aggregation but rather a "walled garden." She likens visiting X to a "seedy neighborhood." She emphasizes the need for users to be cautious and aware of the platform's current nature.

Nate Silver argues that social media, particularly Twitter/X, has become a "freak show." He observed that the most engaged-with accounts in early 2026 were of extremely low quality and highly partisan, many unknown to him. His analysis revealed a strong right-leaning bias on the platform. Silver dismisses the idea that this is solely due to left-leaning users abandoning the platform, calling it nonsense. He asserts that the algorithm is rigged, evidenced by Elon Musk's own outsized prominence. Before Musk's purchase, his account was not the most prominent. Silver's data indicates that X is dominated by low-quality, right-wing accounts. He suggests that refusing to play the rigged game is the only way to not lose. Many still use X as a primary posting platform, even if it requires linking to content there. Competing politically on the platform is futile unless content aligns with Musk's preferences. He likens Musk's influence to an anvil on the scale, not just a thumb. Despite this, interesting people continue to share interesting content on X.

Yours truly, last August: I can’t see why Apple would want to get involved with a company like this though. Gurman’s report makes it sound like his sources are inside Apple, but man, this “Apple + Perplexity” thing feels more like something Perplexity would be seeding than one that Apple executives would be leaking. Perplexity is still occasionally in the news (often not in good ways), but it seems to me they’ve slipped into the “afterthought” tier of AI startups — which is exactly why they started leaning into clownish stunts last year. Everyone who previously suggested Apple should — or even might — buy them has gone silent.

Ed Morrissey believes Scott Pelley faced consequences for his actions, suggesting Pelley's attempt to intimidate colleagues backfired. Morrissey criticizes Pelley for what he perceives as a conceited and mean-spirited approach. He believes executives often make examples of those who feel untouchable to assert authority. Morrissey argues Pelley overestimated his own indispensability in the declining TV news industry. He questions Pelley's motivation, suggesting it was about institutional integrity and protecting colleagues, not just personal gain. Morrissey dismisses accusations of Pelley's actions being performative, suggesting critics lack belief in integrity itself. Bari Weiss is presented as effectively leading CBS News, implied by Pelley's situation. Katie Notopoulos suggests that achieving financial independence allows one the freedom to express strong dissent. The core of the situation revolves around Pelley's departure from CBS News and the interpretations of his motivations and consequences.

Location: The California Theatre, San Jose Showtime: Tuesday, 9 June 2026, 7pm PT (Doors open 6pm) Special Guest(s): For sure Price: $45 The annual live audience episode of The Talk Show during the week of WWDC. If you can make it, you should come. You’ll even enjoy the prelude, mingling with fellow DF readers and listeners.

All this Sturm und Drang surrounding 60 Minutes has me thinking about a re-watch of The Insider, Michael Mann’s great 1999 movie. Letterboxd’s synopsis: “A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco.” It’s a great movie, and feels apt AF at the moment. Here’s the original segment on 60 Minutes, which ran an entire half hour. What’s going on today is like if — instead of getting shady, threatening, and litigious — the tobacco companies had just purchased CBS, purged the staff at 60 Minutes, and hired a bunch of pro-cigarette stooges to replace them.

Microsoft's Build conference this year carried an air of significant change and new opportunity. CEO Satya Nadella highlighted the importance of developer conferences during such times. AI chief Mustafa Suleyman expressed a clear ambition for Microsoft. He stated the goal is to become one of the top four AI labs globally. Currently, he believes only Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic hold that status. Suleyman emphasized his intention to build the best frontier models from scratch. This involves developing fully multimodal capabilities independently. However, the author draws a parallel to Microsoft's previous aspirations for Bing. They note Bing's position as a search engine has been largely irrelevant and uncompetitive with Google. This suggests a recurring pattern of ambitious goals without significant market impact. The underlying message is that Microsoft is striving for AI leadership, mirroring past, less successful ventures.

Lingon is a Mac application designed to simplify the process of scheduling tasks. It allows users to easily set up and run applications, scripts, shortcuts, and commands on a schedule. Tasks can be configured to run at specific times, at regular intervals, or upon system login. Lingon offers optional notifications to help users monitor their scheduled tasks. There are two versions of the software: Lingon, a free app available on the Mac App Store, and Lingon Pro, a paid version with advanced features. The author experienced an issue with Maestral, a file synchronization client, crashing silently. To solve this, they initially created a complex Keyboard Maestro macro to monitor and restart Maestral. Peter Borg, the developer of Lingon, suggested that Lingon would provide a much simpler solution for this problem. Beyond creating custom scheduled tasks, Lingon is also useful for examining all login items and background agents on a Mac. Exploring these system elements, including those installed by applications like Google Gemini, highlighted Lingon's utility. The author highly recommends at least installing the free version of Lingon, considering it a unique and valuable Mac utility from a reputable developer.

Loren Brichter experienced significant slowdowns on his new MacBook Pro in 2020. He discovered that Google Chrome's updater, Keystone, was causing excessive CPU usage in the system process WindowServer. This made his entire computer sluggish, even when Chrome was closed. After uninstalling Chrome and all associated Google files, his computer's performance dramatically improved. Many other Mac users reported similar issues with Chrome installed. Brichter believes Google eventually resolved these bugs, possibly through macOS updates. He argues that third-party applications shouldn't install background components solely for self-updating when not in use. He contrasts this with iOS's locked-down approach, which prevents such background activities. This lockdown, he suggests, contributes to iOS's greater popularity over macOS. While macOS offers power, it also allows users to cause problems for themselves.

The Gemini native Mac app, launched two months ago by Google, is functional but falls short of ideal. While superior to Claude's Electron app, it still doesn't match the overall performance of ChatGPT as a native LLM client. A significant issue with the Gemini app is its installation of background helper processes, "GeminiAppLauncher" and "GoogleUpdater," without explicit user permission. Furthermore, if a user attempts to remove these processes, the Gemini app automatically reinstalls them. This behavior is perceived as disrespectful and entitled, reflecting a concerning mindset of some large companies toward user systems. The author finds this lack of user control and inability to disable these background features unacceptable. Consequently, the author uninstalled the Gemini app and its associated launch agents. The Gemini app's underlying technology is also noted as peculiar, reportedly stemming from a Java-to-Objective-C converter with Android origins. The overall sentiment is that Google's approach to its Mac software lacks respect for user autonomy and system control.

Jason Snell observes a remarkable resurgence in new Mac app development, with a particular focus on indie applications built with native frameworks. This trend contrasts sharply with a period a decade ago when iOS dominated Apple's development landscape. The primary catalyst for this revival is artificial intelligence, which empowers users, regardless of their coding experience, to build applications that fulfill their visions. AI-assisted programming has rejuvenated Mac development, transforming it from a stagnant state to one of resurgence. This shift is crucial for the platform's future, as a decline in native Mac application development was a long-standing concern. Mac users are now actively seeking out Mac-specific software and, thanks to AI, can create it themselves. This movement challenges the dominance of cross-platform solutions that prioritize broad reach over native Mac experiences. The re-energized community signifies a positive turn for the Mac's software ecosystem. Snell himself has also joined in this creative wave.

I look forward to pseudoscience like this finally getting some airtime on 60 Minutes. For 58 long years the program has been hopelessly biased toward actual science.

Back in 2011, when he was a tech columnist at The New York Times, Nick Bilton figured out that Apple was soon going to launch an Apple branded-television set, with no remote control. You’d just talk to it. This made no sense of course, as I pointed out. Bilton closed his column thus: The company is now close enough that it could announce the product by late 2012, releasing it to consumers by 2013. It is coming though. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Maybe it’ll launch in time for Bilton’s first season at the helm of 60 Minutes this fall, with his all-new lineup of correspondents.

Scott Pelley has resigned from CBS News after 37 years, citing a collapse in values at the top of the organization. He believes the new network owner is abandoning the venerable show 60 Minutes to gain favor with the Trump administration. Pelley states that the program's senior leadership and two top correspondents were recently fired without cause for defending journalistic integrity. He was instructed to inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story and include unverified assertions. Pelley also notes that politicians are now being allowed to choose their interviewers on the broadcast. He describes incompetence and unprofessionalism from new management, which has caused significant disruptions. Pelley feels the leadership of 60 Minutes is no longer recognizable, and the principles he holds dear are gone. He expresses deep gratitude for his colleagues at CBS News and hopes for a return of sanity, competence, and courage. Pelley believes the waste of 60 Minutes' legacy is heartbreaking. He is leaving because the program's core values have been compromised.

Paramount's "Press Express" page for 60 Minutes incorrectly lists all eight correspondents for the 2025-2026 season. In reality, significant changes have occurred within the program's on-air talent. Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Cecilia Vega are no longer with the show. Cooper departed after two decades, while Pelley, Alfonsi, and Vega were fired. The brand of 60 Minutes is built on its stability and consistency over decades. Unlike shows with flashy intros or sets, it features a simple ticking stopwatch and a minimalist aesthetic. Its longtime correspondents historically measured their tenure in decades, not years. Lesley Stahl is the only remaining correspondent who has been with the show since 1991. Since David Ellison's acquisition of CBS and Bari Weiss's appointment as editor-in-chief of CBS News, half of the on-air talent has been lost. Of the four remaining correspondents, L. Jon Wertheim and Norah O'Donnell are part-time. Bill Whitaker is 74 and Lesley Stahl is 84, raising questions about their future. Behind the scenes, changes have also been drastic. Former executive producer Bill Owens resigned a year ago due to corporate interference. Last week, Tanya Simon, who had been with the program for 30 years, was fired and replaced by Nick Bilton, who lacks television news experience. Executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, a 28-year veteran, was also dismissed. The departures and new appointments suggest a radical shift away from the show's historical foundation. This upheaval has been described as the "murder of the institution."

A letter obtained by The New York Times states that CBS News correspondent Pelley was terminated for cause. The author of the summary views this termination as an admission of guilt by Mr. Bilton, implying Mr. Pelley's criticisms were valid. Mr. Pelley, in a separate interview, expressed his devotion to "60 Minutes," highlighting his past dangerous assignments. He stated he risked his life and family's well-being for the broadcast. In an earlier statement to The Times, Mr. Pelley criticized the new CBS News leadership. He described their management as incompetent and unprofessional, causing significant damage. Mr. Pelley also claimed that senior managers pressured him to introduce bias into "60 Minutes" stories. He did not offer specific examples of these biased segments. The author expresses anticipation for these details and speculates on the nature of the alleged bias.

Joanna Stern, on YouTube: People across the country are offering a service on Facebook Marketplace to disable the recording light on Ray-Ban Meta glasses. They call it “Stealth Mode.” Joanna paid $100 for the modification and went inside the growing business of turning smart glasses into covert cameras. She investigates who is doing it, whether it’s legal and what some are doing to try and stop it. Of course there’s a market for this. But the true chef’s kiss is that the market to find people who offer the service is on ... Facebook Marketplace. Using a Meta platform to find people to hack a Meta device so you can surreptitiously record strangers. So perfectly Meta.

Meta is reportedly developing multiple smart glasses prototypes. Two are slated for release in the fall, with two more codenamed "Mojito VIP" planned for December. Among the fall prototypes are "Artemis" and "SSG," which stands for "supersensing glasses." These supersensing glasses are designed to have always-on cameras. The goal is for these glasses to function as ambient virtual assistants. They could potentially remember where items were placed or offer vision-based reminders. The underlying motivation for Meta's interest stems from its business model of extensive data collection. Initially, Meta aimed to track user activity within a virtual metaverse. However, that strategy did not fully materialize as envisioned. Therefore, the company is shifting its focus to creating real-world devices for continuous tracking of user actions, sights, speech, and sounds.

One more bit of “metaverse fever dream” follow-up. The one company in the field that Nick Heer doesn’t mention is Apple, makers of the best-known (albeit not best-selling) virtual reality headset. Think and say what you want about the Vision platform (I still think it’s the first inning of a long game), but no one at Apple ever once gave a hint of endorsing “metaverse” hype. In fact, as I’ve noted before, at a 2022 WSJ event, seven months before Vision Pro was announced and over a year before it was released, Joanna Stern asked Greg Joswiak and Craig Federighi: Stern: You have to finish this sentence, both of you. The metaverse is... Joz: A word I’ll never use. “Fever dream” is right.

The author elaborates on Nick Heer's point that metaverse hype precisely coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. This overlap suggests that the isolation and loneliness experienced during that period fueled the desire for technological replacements for real-world interaction. The author questions whether the metaverse hype would have gained traction without the pandemic. Facebook's rebranding to Meta might have occurred anyway due to its tarnished reputation, but the specific timing strongly links it to the pandemic's influence. The prolonged lockdowns, enabled by emerging technologies like Zoom, were sustained because they seemed like a viable substitute for in-person activities. However, the author argues that technologies like Zoom were insufficient for education, work, and social gatherings. This technological inadequacy created a void, making people receptive to the siren call of the metaverse. The metaverse promised a better substitute for real-world experiences, appealing directly to the socially ailing population during the pandemic. Essentially, the pandemic created a receptive audience for the unfulfilled promise of the metaverse.

CBS News is experiencing significant turmoil following a heated staff meeting. Scott Pelley, a veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent, publicly criticized the program's new executive producer, Nick Bilton, and directly accused editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of destroying the show. Pelley expressed doubt about Bilton's qualifications for the role. He also questioned CBS's commitment to "60 Minutes" future, referencing recent firings as "Black Thursday." These firings occurred despite the show winning two news Emmys and experiencing a 9 percent increase in TV ratings year-over-year. Digital video views for "60 Minutes" have also doubled, indicating the program's success. Bilton defended the need for adaptation in broadcast media, stating the show must evolve. He asserted that Weiss is dedicated to the institution of "60 Minutes." However, Pelley strongly disagreed, claiming Weiss was hired to dismantle the program. Pelley further stated that Weiss's changes to the "Evening News" have been disastrous.

Jason Zweig shares a three-part rule for making a living, inherited from his father. The first way to get rich is by deceiving those who desire falsehoods. The second method, by providing truth to those who seek it, allows one to make a living. However, attempting to tell the truth to people who want to be lied to will lead to financial ruin.

The author expresses frustration with "dickover" marketing tactics, specifically first-time buyer discounts. These offers, often a percentage off, penalize returning customers who are ineligible. For new customers, the choice to sign up feels illusory, with a penalty for not doing so. The author details a personal experience with New Era's website, where a promised discount for an email signup required an additional commitment to SMS marketing. This "double-dicking" practice, as the author calls it, led to annoyance and a negative impression of the brand. Despite purchasing the cap, the author immediately revoked marketing permissions. The hassle outweighed the discount, leading to a preference for simpler price reductions. This experience significantly soured the author's perception of New Era, making them less likely to buy directly from them in the future, even though they appreciate the product. The author criticizes marketing professionals for implementing these schemes, noting that their data often fails to capture negative customer experiences and brand alienation. These "dickovers" and similar pop-ups, while claiming to convert users, neglect to measure the damage to customer loyalty and the creation of avoidance behaviors. The author concludes that a true discount is simply a lower price, and anything else is a form of scam or manipulative marketing.

Mux is what developers reach for when they need to do more with video. Video files are packed with data and context waiting to be unlocked. Mux Robots are AI workflows that unlock that data inside your video for summarization, caption translation, moderation, and more. Configure once and your workflows run automatically on new uploads. Mux is video infrastructure trusted by Patreon, Substack, and Synthesia. Start building for free. Use code FIREBALL at signup for an extra $50 credit.

Nick Heer's essay extensively details the rise and fall of metaverse hype, tracing its origins to Matthew Ball's January 2020 prediction. Ball envisioned the metaverse as a trillion-dollar computing platform and the gateway to most digital and physical experiences. This vision gained traction amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased reliance on virtual interactions for work and social life. Heer critiques the metaverse as promoted by figures like Mark Zuckerberg, labeling it a "bill of goods." The essay highlights how proponents of the metaverse are now attempting to distance themselves from their previous enthusiasm. Futurists like Cathy Hackl are presented as having reframed their predictions to align with evolving realities. This ability to retroactively adjust predictions allows them to appear prescient. Heer's reporting is lauded for its comprehensiveness and compelling narrative. The essay effectively deconstructs the inflated claims surrounding the metaverse. It suggests that proponents are now trying to salvage their reputations by redefining their past statements.

Hamilton Nolan explores the reasons behind hiring seemingly unqualified individuals for prestigious roles. While genuine recognition of genius is possible, it's rarely the primary explanation. Another reason could be that the hiring manager is incompetent, which does happen. However, Nolan posits that the most common and frankly unsettling reason is the candidate's willingness to perform unpleasant tasks. This often causes anxiety among existing staff who fear the new hire is a "hatchet man." He then introduces Nick Bilton, recently appointed head of 60 Minutes. Bilton's attempt to introduce himself to the remaining staff was poorly received. This event underscores Nolan's point about the unsettling nature of such hirings. The apprehension stems from the suspicion that the new hire is there to implement unpopular changes or cut staff. Therefore, the prestige of the job doesn't necessarily indicate exceptional talent. Instead, it might signal a readiness for ethically dubious actions.

The Adventures of Pinocchio, published serially in 1881, was initially designed to impart harsh moral lessons to Italian children. The story features extreme suffering, including the puppet being hanged and swallowed by a giant fish. Pinocchio navigates a world saturated with predators, where protective institutions are absent, corrupt, or actively harmful. Many recall the story solely for Pinocchio's growing nose as a consequence of lying. However, this interpretation overlooks Collodi's deeper critique of a society permeated by deception. The book examines how lies are embedded in institutions and transactions. Courts unfairly punish victims, and authority figures often feign competence. Experts in this society are merely ornamental. Social cohesion relies on appearances and routine, not genuine accountability. Into this world steps a naive Pinocchio, susceptible to promises of easy gains. The most significant deceptions in the narrative are not the obvious ones, but those that are effectively maintained and believed. The author suggests this analysis applies to both the post-AI technological landscape and the post-Trump political climate.

Katie Notopoulos, a month ago at Business Insider: Amazon has launched a new feature that uses AI to generate a short, podcast-like audio segment where two “hosts” discuss the merits and reviews of a specific product. I think it could be one of the funniest, closest endpoints to human civilization we’ve seen yet in our new AI-enabled world. If this sounds a little confusing, here’s an example. I tried it out for diaper rash cream, and, voila! A podcast! (Sound on.) I don’t know what’s worse: that anyone at Amazon thought actual people would really listen to these, or if actual people really are listening to them.

Location: The California Theatre, San Jose Showtime: Tuesday, 9 June 2026, 7pm PT (Doors open 6pm) Special Guest(s): For sure Price: $45 The annual live audience episode of The Talk Show during the week of WWDC. If you can make it, you should come. You’ll even enjoy the prelude, mingling with fellow DF readers and listeners. Also: at least one sponsorship slot is still available. If you’ve got a product or service you’d like to see me promote at the start of the show, shoot me an email.

My thanks to exe.dev for sponsoring last week at DF (with a very cool graphic ad — just love the way it looks). exe.dev is a cloud for the agent era — it gives you a pool of VMs with SSH, root, and web auth by default. Secrets injected at the network edge stay out of the LLM’s hands. Persistent servers, internal tools, vibe coding, disposable devboxes, whatever. You can share your web server as easily as you can share a Google Doc, and your VMs share CPU/RAM — you pay for underlying resources, not per VM. It’s just a computer.

Mark Gurman, on Twitter/X (XCancel link) Kelsey Peterson, the Apple AI employee who introduced the never-launched Siri revamp in 2024, just started at OpenAI — so we’ll be getting someone new next month for Attempt 2 at WWDC. Pretty sure we were going to get someone different for the second crack at a next-gen Siri introduction at WWDC no matter what. If they had made a Titanic II, they would have hired someone new to host the christening.

Meta is expanding its subscription services across its core platforms: Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. These paid subscriptions, dubbed "Plus" plans, offer users extra features for a monthly fee. Subscribers can access profile customization, special reactions, and enhanced story insights. Meta's head of product, Naomi Gleit, indicated that more features will be added in the future. The article highlights the use of in-app purchases (IAP) on both iOS and Android. This means Meta will need to share revenue with Apple and Google through their respective app stores. The author questions how Meta will manage the balance between IAP and potential efforts to encourage subscriptions through the web. The author observes that Zuckerberg's resentment of Apple and Google might influence their approach. The writer also anticipates possible strategies for directing users to the web. The ultimate goal is to avoid app store commissions and maintain greater control over subscription management.