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As a reminder, each week, every Friday, we’re sending out this overview of content in the Stratechery bundle; highlighted links are free for everyone. Additionally, you have complete control over what we send to you. If you don’t want to receive This Week in Stratechery emails (there is no podcast), please uncheck the box in your delivery settings.

On that note, here were a few of our favorites this week.

1. Who Invests and Why? As Mark Zuckerberg and Meta inflame the already raging talent wars, I wanted to explore if there was a way to understand who was willing to invest to win, and who was not. I came up with two scales: how big is the business opportunity for a given company, and whether or not that company’s philosophy is about helping users, or doing things for them. Not only does this intersection of Tech Philosophy and AI Opportunity explain the actions of Meta and Apple, it also helped me fully rectify some of my long-standing confusion about Google. — Ben Thompson
2. Apple Searches for an AI Partner. If Apple isn’t going to pay for AI talent, then they need a partner, which is why Apple is considering a partnership with either Anthropic or OpenAI to power a new version of Siri. For one, thinking about what OpenAI and Anthropic would want from a deal with Apple provides a window into the goals distinguishing two of the leading AI labs in the world. As for Apple, the news highlights the corner that they’ve backed themselves into after several years of failed AI efforts internally and one prolonged and very public failure with last year’s Apple Intelligence rollout. The choices now? Either surrender control and branding to OpenAI, or pay big money to Anthropic (a far cry from collecting $20 billion a year from Google for default search placement). In either case, Apple management will have to leave its comfort zone, and looking at the past few years, perhaps that comfort zone was the problem. — Andrew Sharp
3. Is Xi Jinping on His Way Out? Every week I survey the news to prep for Sharp China, and for about two months now, there’s been a steady thrum of rumors concerning the political fate of Xi Jinping. Connecting the dots between Xi’s unexplained absences from public view, a spate of dismissals of powerful generals from the People’s Liberation Army, and a surprise absence at the BRICS summit in Brazil a few weeks ago, various internet sleuths and commentators are wondering whether Xi’s long-unshakeable hold on power may be waning. For the second half of this week’s episode, Sinocism’s Bill Bishop, who’s been studying the CCP for 30 years, explained why he finds the public evidence unconvincing and the rumor ecosystem increasingly frustrating. It was a rollicking conversation, and one that I caveated with my own note: what’s most remarkable to me about this rumor cycle is that because of the CCP’s unbelievable opacity, there is a hard limit on what any expert can conclusively say about the future of anyone in power—even the big man, himself. — AS

Stratechery Articles and Updates

Dithering with Ben Thompson and Daring Fireball’s John Gruber

Asianometry with Jon Yu

Sharp China with Andrew Sharp and Sinocism’s Bill Bishop

Greatest of All Talk with Andrew Sharp and WaPo’s Ben Golliver

Sharp Tech with Andrew Sharp and Ben Thompson

This week’s Stratechery video is on Checking In on AI and the Big Five.

Everyone’s talking about AI but the conversation often focuses on its potential rather than tangible business outcomes. However, Lenovo’s second CIO survey into ‘AInomics’, or the value of AI to businesses, uncovered concrete insights into business leaders’ perceptions and adoption of AI. 

According to the research, 94% of AI projects undertaken in the last 12 months in EMEA at least met expectations, with 31% exceeding them. This is fuelling a 104% increase in expected AI investments this year.

These findings formed the basis for a panel discussion between five industry experts on how AI can drive business success. 

Increased use cases and satisfaction

Greg Smith, executive director and general manager, EMEA SSG at Lenovo says: “We’re seeing that the uptake of AI projects and use cases is increasing. One of the things driving that growth is the shift from experimentation into full implementation of generative AI use cases.” He adds that the survey results show organisations are now starting to see the value of AI-powered devices and solutions to boost productivity and enhance customer experience.

“The key point is that people now see the benefits,” he says. “That creates a reason to move from experimentation into implementation. It’s delivering on expectations, which is driving higher satisfaction. Organisations are strategically aligning AI investments with business plans and values.” 

Matthew Unangst, senior director at AMD, adds: “This whole generative AI space is still very nascent. It’s really been in the last 12 to 18 months that the broader industry has started to see this as a major trend, and businesses have been scrambling to wrap their heads around it and catch up. We’re seeing more and more valuable use cases across different industries.”

Clare Walsh, director of education at The Institute of Analytics, agrees, noting a trend towards specialised AI roles – whether in traditional machine learning, automation or newer LLM-based solutions. “We see companies being more successful when they have a very clear idea of the benefits of each of these approaches,” she says. “With this large range of options available, they’re more likely to hit on something that either generates new income or protects existing income from emerging threats.”

Meri Williams, chief technology officer at Pleo, adds that early on, “GenAI was a hammer looking for a nail”, with teams trying to use it for everything. Many leaders have since realised traditional machine learning is sometimes more suitable: “It’s very costly and not necessarily the best solution to just reach for GenAI every time.”

Johan Huss is vice-president and head of digital machining at Sandvik Coromant. He adds that his company approaches AI adoption in three ways: improving the manufacturing process, supporting office-based roles like sales and enhancing customer outcomes. “Those three areas are all important, but they’re also using different phases of the AI boom,” he explains, noting that GenAI plays a significant role in the latter two.

Smith notes that only a year or so ago, many businesses were concerned about how to avoid failure, monetise AI and make GenAI work. He says that now a lot of organisations understand the breadth of available use cases. “It’s less about the hype and more about intelligent decisions aligned to business outcomes,” he says. “It’s amazing how much this has moved on in just 12 to 18 months.”

The rise of AI-powered devices

One of the newer developments in this space is AI-powered devices. Smith points out that only 1% of the people surveyed by Lenovo said they’re not considering using AI PCs. “AI PCs are really the gateway to having a more successful implementation of GenAI,” he says. “It’s the bit that touches everybody.” He also expresses surprise that so many leaders have heard of or are using AI PCs, “given how embryonic the AI PC industry is”.

Unangst adds that user experience will be key to broader adoption, but “more and more applications that run on a notebook or a desktop are going to take advantage of these new AI PCs.” He agrees the AI PC space is still “embryonic”, but expects the next 12 to 18 months to see the beginnings of a new industry built around it.

Walsh adds: “It’s a synchronicity. We now have these technologies embedded in machines we use every day, so it’s impossible to ignore them. At the same time, it’s enabling our data scientists and skilled technicians to do more and do better. So it’s a happy coincidence of lots of events coming together.” 

She concludes that companies now understand this is no longer something that they can ignore. “We’re seeing a flourishing of roles around data and data use with new titles appearing every month, as companies get the message that we have to embed it at every level.” 

What once felt like a grand experiment is now evolving into a strategic imperative, with AI increasingly being measured by the tangible impact it has on businesses.

For more information, visit lenovo.com/gb/en/business/benefits/

Everyone’s talking about AI but the conversation often focuses on its potential rather than tangible business outcomes. However, Lenovo’s second CIO survey into ‘AInomics’, or the value of AI to businesses, uncovered concrete insights into business leaders’ perceptions and adoption of AI.

According to the research, 94% of AI projects undertaken in the last 12 months in EMEA at least met expectations, with 31% exceeding them. This is fuelling a 104% increase in expected AI investments this year.

These findings formed the basis for a panel discussion between five industry experts on how AI can drive business success. 

Increased use cases and satisfaction

Noninvasive brain tech is transforming how people interact with robotic devices. Instead of relying on muscle movement, this technology allows a person to control a robotic hand by simply thinking about moving his fingers. 

No surgery is required. 

Instead, a set of sensors is placed on the scalp to detect brain signals. These signals are then sent to a computer. As a result, this approach is safe and accessible. It opens new possibilities for people with motor impairments or those recovering from injuries.

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PARALYZED MAN SPEAKS AND SINGS WITH AI BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE

How noninvasive brain tech turns thought into action

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have made significant progress with noninvasive brain technology. They use electroencephalography (EEG) to detect the brain’s electrical activity when someone thinks about moving a finger. Artificial intelligence, specifically deep learning algorithms, then decodes these signals and translates them into commands for a robotic hand. In their study, participants managed to move two or even three robotic fingers at once, just by imagining the motion. The system achieved over 80% accuracy for two-finger tasks. For three-finger tasks, accuracy was over 60%. All of this happened in real time. 

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Meeting the challenge of finger-level control

Achieving separate movement for each robotic finger is a real challenge. The brain areas responsible for finger movement are small. Their signals often overlap, which makes it hard to distinguish between them. However, advances in noninvasive brain technology and deep learning have made it possible to pick up on these subtle differences. 

The research team used a neural network called EEGNet. They fine-tuned it for each participant. Because of this, the system allowed for smooth, natural control of the robotic fingers. The movements closely matched how a real hand works.

A robotic finger being controlled by non-invasive brain technology  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why noninvasive brain tech matters for everyday life

For people with limited hand function, even small improvements can make a huge difference. Noninvasive brain technology eliminates the need for surgery because the system is external and easy to use. In addition, this technology provides natural and intuitive control. It enables a person to move a robotic hand by simply thinking about the corresponding finger movements. 

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The accessibility of noninvasive brain technology means it can be used in clinics and homes and by a wide range of people. For example, it enables participation in everyday tasks, such as typing or picking up small objects that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to perform. This approach can benefit stroke survivors and people with spinal cord injuries. It can also help anyone interested in enhancing their abilities. 

What’s next for noninvasive brain tech?

While the progress is exciting, there are still challenges ahead. Noninvasive brain technology needs to improve even further at filtering out noise and adapting to individual differences. However, with ongoing advances in deep learning and sensor technology, these systems are becoming more reliable and easier to use. Researchers are already working to expand the technology for more complex tasks. 

As a result, assistive robotics could soon become a part of more homes and workplaces.

Illustration of how the noninvasive brain technology works  (Carnegie Mellon University)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Noninvasive brain technology is opening up possibilities that once seemed out of reach. The idea of moving a robotic hand just by thinking about it could make daily life easier and more independent for many people. As researchers continue to improve these systems, it will be interesting to see how this technology shapes the way we interact with the world around us.

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If you had the chance to control a robotic hand with your thoughts, what would you want to try first? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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