Ex Google, Meta, and 4x founder. Advisor, operator and investor focused on AI, fintech, and emerging markets.
The reaction to the Microsoft Copilot Plus PC from expected and unexpected corners shows how attuned people are these days to privacy and second order effects. There is deep seated concern about using a local or cloud AI that is tied to your cloud provider and may be tied to an ad-based model. It also seems people are skeptical of the screenshot recording approach. Casey Newton on Hard Fork yesterday: "I do continue to have trust issues with Microsoft. This is a company that just last month started testing ads in the Windows 11 start menu so ... the more AI is on my computer the less I'm excited about a company that is looking to shove ads into different parts of the interface" (source: https://lnkd.in/gb5TX3Qv) Eva Galperin of the EFF: "If you start logging very detailed and revealing data about what a user is doing at all times, bad actors will attempt to get their hands on it." (source: https://lnkd.in/gaf-QNn7) Kris Shrishak: "People might avoid visiting certain websites and accessing documents, especially confidential documents, when Microsoft is taking screenshots every few seconds." (source: https://lnkd.in/gxmXiAA7) Kevin Beaumont: "Thanks, Microsoft, for your service to enabling malicious hackers.” (source: https://lnkd.in/ggy3Yfw2) There is a better way -- check out Knapsack.
