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2023 marked a year of significant turbulence and transformation on the web. Social media, a sector dominated by a few major players, is now at a crossroads, experiencing a shift as users seek new alternatives in the wake of Twitter's downfall. This shift, as Anil Dash points out, signals a return to the old web vibes – a more democratized, fragmented internet reminiscent of the 90s. However, I've noticed a trend within my network: a tendency to gravitate towards the 'next big thing' rather than consciously crafting a personal digital presence. While Dash celebrates this era as a significant opportunity for change, I perceive it as a period that's set to get only 'a bit weirder.' The rise of AI, contrary to decentralizing the web, might lead to even bigger tech conglomerates.

The ease of creating AI assistants with tools like ChatGPT has opened up new possibilities. Anyone can gather publicly available data and create a specialized AI 'coach' on any topic. This raises ethical questions, as seen in the case of renowned psychologist Martin Seligman. Without Seligman's consent, a creator in China used his publicly shared insights to craft a virtual replica of him. This incident is not isolated. The article delves into several such instances, shedding light on the current legal landscape surrounding the unauthorized creation of digital personas. AI technology races ahead, leaving legislation struggling to catch up.

The quest for a quieter workspace leads to an unexpected comeback of the office cubicle in the US. Personally, I've never worked in a cubicle office. My experience has been primarily with open-floor plan offices, both as an employee and while running my own business. These environments often tended to be noisy and distracting. This contrast became even more apparent to me in the spring of 2023 when I moved into a new office in Vienna. The most striking feature of this new space is its tranquility. The impact on my productivity has been substantial.

This is a fun activity I did with ChatGPT. To make this work, you should set your custom instructions in ChatGPT first (example).

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Provide and analyze revenue data
• Analyse social media follower growth
• Get feedback on website traffic data
• Analyze productivity by uploading time management data

When you upload data into ChatGPT, be sure to anonymize it before (removing personally identifiable data)

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f.lux is a free app that automatically adapts your display's color to the time of day. While the basic concept of f.lux has been implemented at the operating system level, f.lux offers more granular settings.

Aboard is a new bookmark manager app (Web, Browser extension, iOS) that allows you to organize your bookmarks as cards on boards. These boards can be shared online and collaborated on. You can also define custom fields to add additional information to bookmarks. Check out this example board showcasing TV series.

Microsoft published their Copilot apps for iOS and Android, which have a similar feature set compared to the ChatGPT mobile apps from OpenAI. They are built on top of OpenAI, so the results are very similar to what you get from ChatGPT. I see the following benefits in using the Microsoft apps: You can use your existing Microsoft account, as opposed to having another account at OpenAI. Secondly, the apps are also free for advanced features, like creating images or chatting about images you upload.

What is your favorite social media platform?

After parting ways with Twitter, I've found my niche on LinkedIn. It's become my primary platform for engagement and content creation. The shift has been rewarding, and I am seeing positive results. However, it's also led to a neglect of my newsletter's frequency. Recognizing this, I'm recalibrating my focus: prioritizing the newsletter is now at the forefront. My strategy for 2024? Produce the newsletter first, then engage on social media. 

What does your 2024 social media strategy look like?

Is 2024 the year you will upgrade to a smart toilet?

Created by Rolf Mistelbacher

A curious marketing nerd, content creator, and entrepreneur.
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