It’s time for another Can’t Let It Go, and since we’re both obsessed with the Olympic Games, that is the obvious theme for the week.
Cardboard Beds at Home?
Nikki: The 2021 (2020) Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo made headlines featuring a unique bedding situation, rumored to be to prevent the athletes taking part in extra-curricular activities and limiting the spread of COVID-19. That wasn’t actually the case, but it made for a fun headline.
In Paris, the beds are BACK. The organizers touted the sustainability of corrugated cardboard to manufacture, and to dispose of, a key element in the host nation’s efforts to minimize the environmental impact of the games. And apparently, they’re pretty legit. British diving star Tom Daley took to TikTok (and Instagram Reels) to showcase the beds durability, comfort and storage features. I have to say, I wasn’t convinced.
So imagine my shock when the NY Times headline popped up asking if I should be sleeping in a cardboard bed. My first thought was “absolutely not, no.” Immediately followed by, “This is a thing? How? Why? They’re so ugly and they canNOT be comfortable.” But, alas. It’s a thing. And the team at the NY Times tested them out.
The takeaways? They’re not quite the design eyesore of the beds in the Olympic Village. And they’re fairly comfortable. But they’re probably not your most economical option. Besides questionable durability, the two brands on the market run about the same as your typical platform bed. And if you’re a cat owner, forget about it.
After reading this article, I’m certainly not going to rush to pick one up. But I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it furnishing a hotel room or a glamping site. The air conditioning though? That’s non-negotiable.
The Dark Side of AI
Jason: Everyone has an opinion on AI: Some of us love it and see it to enhance our business, some hate it and fear the coming of our computer overlords.
As the Olympics started last weekend, Google went viral with an ad for it’s Gemini AI platform for all the wrong reasons. If you haven’t seen the ad: A dad talks about his daughter’s love for American track and field star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. It shows the young girl training with tips from Google. Then, the commercial takes a dark turn when the dad asks Gemini to compose a fan letter from his daughter to McLaughlin-Levrone.
This tweet from Will Leitch (of Deadspin fame) captures my thoughts well.
We use Gemini as a force multiplier. We use it when we’re stuck. We use it in a number of innovative ways that makes our work product stronger. I want AI to enhance human creativity and help people express their true selves.
Using AI to slowly suck away the creative life of a young girl is an epic advertising fail for Google (like Apple’s from earlier this year) that I can’t let go.
(Image: Screen capture from YouTube.com)