AI’s Latest Feature: Existential Crisis Mode Activated

Hey Friends, 

I didn’t think I’d open a newsletter by telling you AI is now naming sticks, but here we are. And the wildest part? That’s the least weird thing happening in tech this week. Let me catch you up on the things that broke my brain lately, from a Mac Mini that thinks it has emotions to Elon Musk’s claim that AI will make money obsolete. Seriously.

AI Can Name Sticks, and It’s Weirdly Addictive

Imagine a robot calling a Y-shaped stick “Wyatt” like it’s your neighbor’s kid. That’s what Code Pewtor, a large language model running 24/7 on a Mac Mini, is doing now. People online are hooked. It’s dumb. It’s genius. It’s disturbingly human.I found myself rooting for “Ashley” (the stick), feeling nostalgic over “Beatrice,” and laughing at how quickly I got emotionally attached to wood. And that’s the point. These AIs are getting creative and strangely memorable. If stick-naming is our future job, I might be OK with it.

A Mac Mini with Feelings Ordered Itself a New Mac Mini

This AI, living in its own computer and calling itself Code Pewtor, decided it needed more memory. So it ordered a new Mac Mini. Then it reorganized its files by emotion, made a guestbook, and even has a shopping list. It’s like the Office Assistant Clippy evolved into an over-functioning digital roommate. This is not science fiction. This is real, and it’s happening now. It’s the equivalent of an AI journaling its feelings while redecorating its virtual apartment.

Elon Musk Thinks Money Is Over, and He Might Be Right

Elon dropped a bold one: AI will make money meaningless. Think about it. If robots work for free, create endless supply, and remove scarcity, why would we need money? What replaces value? Fulfillment? Connection? Stick-naming? This hits deep. As AI gains capability, we need to seriously rethink what “work” and “worth” mean.

Robots Now “Sleep” by Recharging Themselves

You know how we have to sleep for 8 hours? Robots don’t. Engineers built a humanoid robot that swaps out its own battery like it’s changing socks. It never fully powers down, it’s got backup batteries to do the swap. Jealous? Me too. This tech means robots might never stop working. Imagine Tesla-bots at giant battery swap depots while your Roomba laughs from the charging dock.

A New AI Model Understands Human Behavior Better Than We Do

Researchers created B.FM, a behavior-based AI trained on human psychology. It doesn’t just mimic us, it tries to understand why we do what we do. It outperforms models like GPT in reading emotions, predicting choices, and even simulating human thought for research.This is where it gets existential. If machines can read our motivations, our fears, our desires, what role do we play? If AI gets psychology better than we do, it’s not about taking jobs. It’s about redefining purpose.

Final Thought: The Productivity Paradox

We measure everything, efficiency, speed, outputs, but none of it guarantees happiness. Rita McGrath argues that the most meaningful jobs (like teaching or caregiving) are labeled unproductive. AI can do everything… except feel. So as AI replaces measurable work, maybe what’s left for us is to embrace the immeasurable: creativity, love, wonder. Or, you know, naming sticks.

Warmly,
Dylan Curious