The framework thousands of teams use daily
Organizations worldwide are adopting Smart Brevity to move faster with clearer comms. This free 60-minute session shows you how the methodology works and how to start applying it immediately.
Beginners in AI
Good morning and thank you for joining us again!
Welcome to this daily edition of Beginners in AI, where we explore the latest trends, tools, and news in the world of AI and the tech that surrounds it. Like all editions, this is human curated and edited, and published with the intention of making AI news and technology more accessible to everyone.
THE FRONT PAGE
"Look Uglier": Instagram's Solution for 3 Billion Users Drowning in AI Slop
TLDR: Instagram's chief just admitted Meta can't reliably detect AI content and wants camera makers to certify real photos instead.
The Story:
Adam Mosseri posted a 20-slide year-end memo declaring that "authenticity is becoming infinitely reproducible" on Instagram. His proposed fix? Stop trying to label fake content and start cryptographically signing real photos at the moment cameras capture them. Mosseri called this "fingerprinting real media, not just chasing fake," a notable admission that Meta's own labeling efforts have failed. His advice for creators who want to prove they're human? Post "raw" and "unflattering" content, because polished photography now reads as suspicious.
Its Significance:
This is Meta waving a white flag after spending tens of billions on AI while its own Oversight Board called its content labeling "incoherent and unjustifiable" just months ago. For Instagram's 3 billion users, Mosseri's message is clear: trust nothing you see, and expect the burden of proving authenticity to fall on individual creators rather than the platform. Photographers who've already complained about algorithm suppression now face an even stranger demand. They're being told to deliberately look worse to seem more real. It's a preview of where social media is headed in 2026: a race to the bottom where imperfection becomes the only remaining signal of humanity.
QUICK TAKES
The story: Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot has begun working at a Hyundai factory in Georgia, marking its first real-world industrial deployment. The 5'9", 200-pound robot learns tasks through supervised learning and VR demonstrations, powered by Nvidia chips.
Your takeaway: This is AI leaving the lab. Factory robots that can learn new tasks on the fly changes the calculus for manufacturers considering automation.
The story: Tech executives sold $16 billion in stock as AI-fueled valuations soared. Jeff Bezos led with $5.7B, followed by Oracle's Safra Catz ($2.5B), Michael Dell ($2.2B), and Nvidia's Jensen Huang ($1B) - all through pre-arranged trading plans.
Your takeaway: When the people building AI are selling at these prices, it tells you something about how they view current valuations.
The story: Security researchers found Eurostar's AI chatbot could be tricked into bypassing safety guardrails, leaking unchecked user IDs, accepting prompt injections, and enabling HTML injection attacks. Despite having a vulnerability disclosure program, the company was slow to respond.
Your takeaway: Companies are rushing AI chatbots onto customer-facing websites without proper security testing. If a major rail operator can get this wrong, so can others.
The story: Two-thirds of tracked data center proposals worth $98 billion across 11 states have been blocked or delayed by community opposition since April. Local residents are fighting energy-hungry AI infrastructure over rising electricity prices, water usage, and quality of life concerns.
Your takeaway: The AI boom is hitting a wall at the local level. Tech companies need power and land, but communities aren't willing to pay the price in higher bills and lost farmland.
TOOLS ON OUR RADAR
🔄 Syncthing Free and Open Source: Sync files between devices without cloud servers—peer-to-peer encryption keeps your data private and under your control.
👥 Folk CRM Freemium: Manage relationships in a spreadsheet-style CRM with instant LinkedIn import and automatic contact enrichment.
📅 Morgen Freemium: Combine all your calendars into one beautiful app that syncs across every device you own.
🎨 Leonardo.AI Freemium: Generate stunning AI images with 150 free tokens daily using multiple AI models including FLUX.
TRENDING
Samsung Unveils AI Home Vision at CES 2026 - Samsung announced "Your Companion to AI Living" at CES, featuring a 130-inch Micro RGB TV, Vision AI Companion display tech, and Family Hub refrigerators with Google Gemini built in.
South Korea Tests AI-Powered Ambulances - Yonsei University's Severance Hospital is testing an emergency platform with 10 AI models that converts paramedic voice notes to clinical records and predicts patient deterioration. Early trials showed 86% satisfaction from paramedics.
Utah Police AI Wrote Report About "Princess and the Frog" - Heber City Police testing AI report-writing software got an unexpected result when the system picked up a Disney movie playing in the background and generated a fairy tale-themed incident report.
New Injection Regrows Knee Cartilage in Mice - Stanford researchers found that blocking a protein called 15-PGDH can regrow cartilage in aging mice and prevent arthritis after knee injuries. Human tissue samples also responded positively, and an oral version is already in clinical trials.
TRY THIS PROMPT (copy and paste into Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini)
Imposter Syndrome Coach: Combat self-doubt with accomplishment tracking, cognitive reframing, and comparison trap detection
IMPORTANT: Build this as a fully functional React artifact that renders immediately as an interactive web application. Do not just show code - create the actual working app.
Build me an interactive Imposter Syndrome Coach as a React artifact that helps you recognize and challenge imposter feelings with evidence-based techniques.
The console should include these sections:
1. **Trigger Assessment** - What set this off?:
• Current imposter thought (what's making you feel like a fraud?)
• Situation: New role, Promotion, Public speaking, Expert asked, Comparison, Feedback
• Intensity (1-10 scale)
• Physical symptoms (racing heart, sweating, avoiding)
• "Analyze This Feeling" button
2. **Accomplishment Logger** - Evidence against fraud:
• "List your wins" prompts:
- Recent achievements (last 3 months)
- Skills you've developed
- Problems you've solved
- Positive feedback received
- Times you've helped others
• Auto-save to achievement bank
• Visual achievement wall (badges, milestones)
• "When did you earn this?" timeline
• Search past accomplishments
• Reminder: "These are facts, not opinions"
3. **Cognitive Reframe Tool** - Challenge the thoughts:
• Your imposter thought displayed
• Reframing questions:
- "What evidence supports this thought?"
- "What evidence contradicts it?"
- "Would I say this to a friend?"
- "Am I confusing a feeling with a fact?"
- "What would a confident version of me think?"
• AI generates balanced reframes
• Common imposter patterns identified:
⚠️ Discounting success ("I just got lucky")
⚠️ Perfectionism ("If I can't do it perfectly, I'm a failure")
⚠️ Comparing inside to others' outside
⚠️ Attributing success to external factors
• "Try this perspective" alternatives
4. **Comparison Trap Detector** - Stop measuring wrong:
• "Who are you comparing yourself to?"
• Unfair comparison checker:
- Comparing your beginning to their middle
- Comparing your behind-the-scenes to their highlight reel
- Comparing different contexts/resources
• Reframe: "What can I learn from them?" vs. "Why am I not them?"
• Growth mindset prompts
• "Your own progress" timeline (you vs. past you)
5. **Competence Reminder** - Why you're actually qualified:
• Qualification checklist:
✓ Credentials/education
✓ Years of experience
✓ Projects completed
✓ Skills demonstrated
✓ People who trust you
• "How did you get here?" career path review
• "What would they have to know to hire/promote you?"
• External validation log (emails, reviews, recommendations)
• Dunning-Kruger explanation (the more you know, the more you doubt)
6. **Pattern Tracker** - When does this happen?:
• Imposter episode history
• Patterns identified:
- Triggers (new challenges, visibility, success)
- Frequency (getting better or worse?)
- Intensity over time
- What helps (which reframes work)
• "This feeling is familiar, not factual" reminder
• Recovery time tracking
• Progress visualization
7. **Quick Relief Tools** - In-the-moment help:
• Grounding techniques:
- "Name 3 facts about your qualifications"
- "List 3 times you succeeded at this"
- "Who else feels this way?" (normalization)
• Affirmation generator based on your achievements
• "Call a friend" prompt (who to talk to)
• "Search Imposter Syndrome" for expert advice
• Professional help resources (when it's severe)
Make it look like a supportive progress tracker with:
• Achievement wall with visual trophies/badges
• Warm, encouraging color palette (soft golds, greens, blues)
• Progress bars showing growth over time
• Before/after thought comparison
• Gentle, supportive language throughout
• Personal growth aesthetic
• Motivational quotes and affirmations
• Clean, calm interface (reduce overwhelm)
• "You're not alone" visual elements
• Highlight reel of your wins
Create this as a complete, working React artifact with all functionality implemented. The app should render immediately when generated, not display as code.
When I click "Search Imposter Syndrome," use web search to find research on imposter syndrome, coping strategies, and expert insights on overcoming self-doubt.What this does: Combats imposter syndrome by logging concrete accomplishments, reframing negative thoughts with evidence, detecting unfair comparisons, and tracking patterns over time, turning "I'm a fraud" feelings into recognition of actual competence.
What this looks like:
WHERE WE STAND(based on today’s Quick Takes and Trending news)
✅ AI Can Now: Start actual factory shifts - Boston Dynamics' Atlas is now working a real job at Hyundai, learning tasks through VR training rather than hard coding.
❌ Still Can't: Handle background noise intelligently - Utah police AI couldn't distinguish between an officer's report and "The Princess and the Frog" playing nearby.
✅ AI Can Now: Help predict which ambulance patients will deteriorate - Korea's 10-model emergency platform gives paramedics early warning on high-risk cases.
❌ Still Can't: Get built without local approval - $98 billion in data center projects have been blocked by communities refusing to absorb higher electricity costs and lost farmland.
FROM THE WEB
RECOMMENDED LISTENING/READING/WATCHING
This documentary profiles the people building AI. The researchers and engineers, asking whether they're considering the consequences. It follows the development of facial recognition, autonomous weapons, and social media algorithms, showing how quickly these tools are being deployed.
iHuman doesn't have easy answers. Some of the people interviewed are optimistic about AI improving lives. Others think we're building something we can't control.
The best marketing ideas come from marketers who live it. That’s what The Marketing Millennials delivers: real insights, fresh takes, and no fluff. Written by Daniel Murray, a marketer who knows what works, this newsletter cuts through the noise so you can stop guessing and start winning. Subscribe and level up your marketing game.
Thank you for reading. We’re all beginners in something. With that in mind, your questions and feedback are always welcome and I read every single email!
-James
By the way, this is the link if you liked the content and want to share with a friend.
Some links may be affiliate or referral links. This helps support the newsletter at no extra cost to you.
