Damon Beres in the Atlantic Intelligence newsletter:
“Although it was not the first app to offer an endless feed, and it was certainly not the first to use algorithms to better understand and target its users, TikTok put these ingredients together like nothing else before it.” The app was so effective—so sticky—that every meaningful competitor tried to copy its formula. Now TikTok-like feeds have been integrated into Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, X, even LinkedIn.
Today, AI is frequently conflated with generative AI because of the way ChatGPT has captured the world’s imagination. But generative AI is still a largely speculative endeavor. The most widespread and influential AI programs are the less flashy ones quietly whirring away in your pocket, influencing culture, business, and (in this case) matters of national security in very real ways.
