So they've missed the innovation train due to regulation, and now they are likely to axe the side-effect benefit of said regulation.

> I love the idea of this but the mention of Hedy Lamarr could be confused as parody too

Exactly, that was a bit puzzling.

Also because it’s mid :)

> Adobe seems to have gotten the memo though.

So far Adobe AI tools are pretty useless, according to many professional illustrators. With Firefly you can use other (non-Adobe) image generators. The output is usually barely usable at this point in time.

I heard it’s useful for non illustrators? Surely those non professionals will pay for Adobe software.

Another one bites the dust.

"We can drive the value of a service towards zero and create additional value at the same time," was the thinking here.

I think you mean "We can drive the cost of a service towards zero and create additional value at the same time," was the thinking here.

Don't think they realized they'd also be driving the value to zero.

Exactly what I meant indeed. They probably thought how nice and how much cost-savings they were gonna get.

But they did ironically also drive the value they offered towards zero in this case ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Of course.

New Age is the absolute worst, even though it might contain elements of truth.

A modern analogy: New Age is to spirituality what using an LLM is to reading a book in search of knowledge.

> When mall is called a public space... Public space situation is really sad.

Absolutely, but still, that is a reality in many cities. They are places where "going to the mall" is the main form of entertainment left.

Uh I grew up in NJ suburbs in the 80’s and 90’s - that was already the case, and there was a hit movie 3 decades ago about it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallrats

(But malls are much less popular now, probably mainly due to the rise of Internet retail)

Ironic that the US is embracing Middle Eastern culture (specifically the Gulf countries). Honestly it's funny when Americans criticize cities like Doha and Dubai for being lacklustre and cultureless when most American tier-2 cities and towns are boring af. I've been told in some towns and suburbs that the best thing to do for leisure was to visit the local Walmart.

I don't think Doha or Dubai are "tier 2" cities of the Middle East.

Exactly. If anything, Gibson's evocative style reminded me of the Strugatsky brothers; while the story is different, you get this sense of looming despair all through the book.