Friction is the Enemy

We spent a year marvelling at the AI magic trick. Now we're all focused on building the boring, necessary plumbing.

Multimodal AI Just Got a 6x Speed Boost

But the real story is our shift from AI spectacle to building the plumbing.

GMI Cloud's new Inference Engine promises to run complex AI models up to six times faster. It's built for multimodal AI, handling text, images, and audio in real-time without the lag we've come to accept as normal. This is the technical horsepower needed to move AI from a cool demo to a responsive product.

But this isn't just about speed; it's a signal that the AI gold rush is entering its next phase. The initial spectacle of watching AI do magic tricks is over. Now, the serious, unglamorous work of building reliable, scalable infrastructure is underway, with companies selling the picks and shovels required for a digital industrial revolution.

This is the stuff that allows real products to move beyond the prototype stage. For developers and businesses, it means cheaper, faster, and more reliable AI that can actually power an application without breaking the bank. It's the essential foundation for the next wave of actually useful AI.

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The Brain Upgrade

While some are building the AI backbone, others are using it to give your brain a serious upgrade.

Strater AI: Your personal AI tutor for everything

This turns any online content into a structured lesson with quizzes and flashcards. It's about making learning an active process, not just passive consumption.

Infira: For when you need to see the idea

It generates interactive visual maps from complex information. We're finally getting tools to move beyond the limits of linear text to understand systems.

Vector: The Mac search tool you've been waiting for

This brings on-device semantic search to your Mac, finding what you mean, not just what you type. It's how you make a lifetime of digital files actually useful.

New Ways to See

Our media consumption is also getting a radical redesign.

CastReader: Turns your books into an animated series

It gives characters unique AI voices and visualises scenes as you listen. The line between reading a book and watching a show is officially starting to dissolve.

Series Graph: The cheat code for your streaming queue

Its episode-by-episode rating heatmaps let you see exactly where a show jumps the shark. This is a data-driven weapon against endless scrolling and content fatigue.

Quick hits

There: Your browser-based cosmic compass
A clever tool uses your phone's sensors to point a 3D arrow to any planet in the solar system, no install required.

PowerWash Simulator: The most satisfying game you'll ever play
The ridiculously zen cleaning game just landed on Apple Arcade, bringing its unique brand of digital therapy to the masses.

Hohoho: Finally, a Secret Santa app that works
A simple, free tool for organising remote gift exchanges is here to solve the usual logistical holiday chaos.

My takeaway

The most interesting innovation is happening one layer below the surface.

We spent a year obsessed with chatbot personalities and dazzling image generators. But the real, lasting change is coming from the new infrastructure, search models, and consumption patterns being built right now. This is the boring plumbing that enables the next wave of magic.

This means the next killer app might not be a chatbot, but a tool that fundamentally changes how you learn or find information. The question is shifting from 'what can AI do?' to 'how can I build with it?'.

What 'boring' foundation built today will unlock the next spectacle?

Drop me a reply. Till next time, this is Louis, and you are reading Louis.log().