This week, we discuss AI disillusionment, the good and bad of AI use cases, and VMware news. Plus, we compare tech mergers to Taylor Swift’s engagement.
Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode (https://www.youtube.com/live/CbnZ1rbCdCw?si=Psfe1gM33zDFQT1e) 534 (https://www.youtube.com/live/CbnZ1rbCdCw?si=Psfe1gM33zDFQT1e)
Runner-up Titles
I’m going to turn off the Roomba
Spider Patrol
My old office had a door
The dog was up all night
Exiting our bubble
The child’s name is Steve
We don’t want to anger the Swifties
It’s fine isn’t good enough
I am leaving my wife for Google Search
It’s all made-up anyway
Anything you see, CSV just pops out
Stop digging
Rundown
Trough of Disillusionment?
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Concedes GPT-5 Was a Misfire, Bets on GPT-6 - Decrypt (https://decrypt.co/336053/openai-ceo-sam-altman-concedes-gpt-5-misfire-bets-gpt-6)
Suddenly, Silicon Valley Is Lowering AI Expectations — New York Magazine (https://apple.news/AUWOJ5HKQSp27r74sgu9v8w)
It Took Many Years And Billions Of Dollars, But Microsoft Finally Invented A Calculator That Is Wrong Sometimes (https://defector.com/it-took-many-years-and-billions-of-dollars-but-microsoft-finally-invented-a-calculator-that-is-wrong-sometimes)
The Search for Product Market Fit
Clouded Judgement 8.22.25 - Workflows Are the New Databases (https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/p/clouded-judgement-82225-workflows?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=56878&post_id=171604013&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2l9&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email)
AWS CEO says AI replacing junior staff is 'dumbest idea' (https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/21/aws_ceo_entry_level_jobs_opinion/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email)
Coinbase CEO explains why he fired engineers who didn’t try AI immediately (https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/22/coinbase-ceo-explains-why-he-fired-engineers-who-didnt-try-ai-immediately/)
VMware
Modern Private Cloud: The Data Center’s Next Chapter - Broadcom News and Stories (https://news.broadcom.com/explore/vmware-explore-2025-vmware-cloud-foundation-news-and-momentum)
Broadcom calls for tech to go back where it belongs: On-prem (https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/vmware_explore_vcf_evolution/)
Feds: Critical Software Must Drop C/C++ by 2026 or Face Risk (https://thenewstack.io/feds-critical-software-must-drop-c-c-by-2026-or-face-risk/)
Relevant to your Interests
Microsoft says U.S. law takes precedence over Canadian data sovereignty (https://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science/microsoft-says-u-s-law-takes-precedence-over-canadian-data-sovereignty/article)
Removing XSLT From the Web Platform (https://mjtsai.com/blog/2025/08/21/removing-xslt-from-the-web-platform/)
Walmart Fires VP for Taking Daily Kickbacks Starting from $30K (https://www.ctol.digital/news/walmart-fires-vp-kickbacks-terminates-1200-contractors/)
YouTube secretly used AI to edit people's videos. The results could bend reality (https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250822-youtube-is-using-ai-to-edit-videos-without-permission)
Bye-bye barrel jack: Framework brings 240W USB-C charging to laptops (https://www.theverge.com/news/765542/framework-240w-usb-c-pd-charger-first-framework-16)
Google scores six-year Meta cloud deal worth over $10 billion (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/21/google-scores-six-year-meta-cloud-deal-worth-over-10-billion.html)
Nonsense
Nerd! How the word popularized by Dr. Seuss went from geeky insult to mainstream (https://www.npr.org/2025/08/20/nx-s1-5507053/nerd-dr-seuss-word-of-week)
K-Pop Demon Hunters os recommend in the Slack
Python Package Management tool “uv”
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Texas Linux Fest (https://2025.texaslinuxfest.org), Austin, October 3rd to 4th.
CF Day EU (https://events.linuxfoundation.org/cloud-foundry-day-europe/), Coté speaking, Frankfurt, October 7th, 2025.
AI for the Rest of Us (https://aifortherestofus.live/london-2025), Coté speaking, October 15th-16th, London. Use code SDT20 for 20% off.
Wiz Wizdom Conferences (https://www.wiz.io/wizdom), NYC November 3-5, London November 17-19
SREDay Amsterdam (https://sreday.com/2025-amsterdam-q4/), Coté speaking, November 7th.
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Recommendations
Brandon: Gmail Manage Subscriptions (https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/08/gmails-new-manage-subscriptions-tool-will-help-declutter-your-inbox/)
Matt:
Deskflow (https://github.com/deskflow/deskflow)
Search Engine: A Dubai Chocolate Theory of the Internet (https://www.searchengine.show/a-dubai-chocolate-theory-of-the-internet/)
Photo Credits
Header (https://unsplash.com/photos/a-couple-of-women-walking-across-a-lush-green-field-g9VzOpYYpzQ)
