My main newsletter, Complex Machinery, includes a section called "In Other News..." It's where I list one-liners about interesting articles that didn't fit into any segments.

You can think of this list as a version of In Other News, but with a wider remit than Complex Machinery's "risk, AI, and related topics."

Above the fold

1. AI companies are loading up on debt like bonds and loans. In credit default swap (CDS) markets, investors express their expectations of defaults. (IFR)
2. How finance pros use games to hone their skills. And no, it's not just about poker. (Bloomberg)
3. Humanoid robots are all the rage. At least, that's what builders of humanoid robots think. One reporter is not so convinced. (Harper's)
4. How Google Maps acts as a market-maker of the London restaurant scene. A piece that, indirectly, explains so many other "algorithmically" curated sites. (Lauren Leek)
5. That web page is named "contact" but it says "get lost." Welcome to "the f*** off contact page." (Nic Chan)
6. The Verge's Mia Sato explores the power of influencer-driven "shopaganda" to drive purchases. And debt. (The Verge)
7. The lesson of complex systems is that large, painful incidents usually stem from several smaller issues meeting in an unfortunate manner. The Black Death was no exception. (Ars Technica)
8. Creating AI "actress" Tilly Norwood. (WSJ)
9. A new attack vector for prompt injection: poetry! (Wired)
10. Insurance company denies claim of lung cancer patient … who happens to be a lung cancer specialist. (SF Chronicle)

This was a tough week for picking the top links. The next section is longer than usual because it includes several amazing reads that (just barely) didn't make the above-the-fold cut.

The rest of the best

• You think AI datacenter builds are jacking up household electricity builds now? Just wait till the AI hype wave collapses. (CNBC)
• A fake image led to real train cancellations. And all the costs that come with. (BBC)
• A nice rundown on cash flow, narrative, and financial markets. (Bain Capital Ventures)
• Facebook groups dedicated to "miracle" genAI-based photo editing – like, say, including deceased relatives in photos. (Le Monde 🇫🇷)
• You know how people keep chatting with and trusting genAI bots? Turns out that might sway their decisions. Even, y'know, voting decisions. (Washington Post, MIT Technology Review)
• One data labeling company centers on a neurodivergent team. (The Observer)
• genAI-as-search strikes again. This time, getting people to pester librarians about nonexistent resources. (Scientific American)
• Meta "clarifies" its position on EU law, offers non-data-harvesting accounts without fee. (Le Monde 🇫🇷, New York Times)
• Salesforce considers renaming to "Agentforce" – because, hey, we see how that worked out for FaceMeta. (Business Insider)
• A police department adopts genAI for its sketches of suspects. I'm sure this will be fine. Just fine. (Washington Post)
• And so it begins: Australian kids under 16 are subject to government-mandated social media ban. (The Guardian)
• It was only a matter of time: new services offer to catch vibe-coded software problems. (Financial Times)
• Gartner notes that AI-based web browsers could cause trouble in work environments, and advises companies to block them. (The Register)
• Google's Doppl tool offers virtual try-ons. Since, y'know, every online experience has become a shopping trip. (TechCrunch)
• How genAI systems can use games for training. (The Observer)
• One restaurant offers a dining experience for you and your AI companion-bot. (Tom's Guide)
• On bot-driven mental health incidents. (The Atlantic)
• Dynamic pricing. It's hardly new, but it's getting a fine-tuned twist. (Wired)
• ChatGPT serves as a violent stalker's deranged echo chamber hype crew. (404 Media)
• People really, really trust ChatGPT to answer medical questions. (New York Times)

Did I miss anything?

Have something I should read? Send the link my way.