Big Moves in Tech, Games & Crypto (What's Not to Love?)
This week in focus: A new SEC Crypto Task Force, DeepSeek, Apple Invites, the In-House LLM trend, The Sims Turns 25, Rationalist-adjacent cults -- and more!
A heartfelt dose of news and happenings taking place in the world of tech, AI, games, Rationalist-adjacent cults, and crypto.
“Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together for life’s special moments”
“What DeepSeek Means for Everyone”
Sovereign LLMs — tracking a growing trend
“Google Lifts a Ban on Using Its AI for Weapons and Surveillance”
“Securities & Exchange Commissioner Sets Expansive Goals for New Crypto Task Force”
For 25 years and counting — “The Sims Turned Players Into Gods. And Farmers. And Vampires. And Landlords”
“The Zizians and the Rationalist death cults”
Read on for details and links.
SOCIAL NETWORKS & MEDIA
🎉 Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together for life’s special moments (Apple)
Especially if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem and subscribe to iCloud, you now have access to Apple Invites — a new app that dropped from Apple that allows users to invite friends and family to events and do other stuff such as share photos. Users can customize their invitations with their own photos or select photos from a gallery. The app also integrates with weather and maps — and there are many share settings available for groups of friends or family to collaborate on things such as photos and playlists. The event organizer also has additional capabilities to manage guests and RSVPs. Apple Invites is currently available in the AppStore.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
🔎What DeepSeek Means for Everyone (Crazy Stupid Tech)
Om Malik, a veteran technology journalist and founder of GigaOm, comprehensively explores the implications of DeepSeek R1, an open-source AI reasoning model from a Chinese firm linked to the $8 billion hedge fund High-Flyer. Malik details how DeepSeek’s efficiency-driven approach upends the conventional AI arms race, proving that cutting-edge AI doesn’t have to rely solely on massive computational resources and financial firepower. This shift could democratize AI development while forcing industry leaders to rethink their dependence on vast data centers, which I contend would be a good thing for the environment and communities around the globe.
As for myself, I do think that the perceived threat from DeepSeek is probably overblown. If anything, Malik’s analysis urges us to pay closer attention to a broader theme worthy of consideration: innovative engineering may reshape the future of AI more than brute-force scaling.
Full article here: https://crazystupidtech.com/archive/what-deepseek-means-for-everyone/
DeepSeek technical report: https://arxiv.org/html/2412.19437v1
👑Will 2026 Be the Year of Sovereign LLMs? (John Szeder, LinkedIn)
When my friend John Szeder makes a tech prediction, I always take notice. The other day, John posted a well-reasoned argument on LinkedIn that more entities will move to developing their own in-house Large Language Models (LLMs). By 2026, Szeder anticipates the rise of the "sovereign LLM" as companies shift from relying on OpenAI, Google, or Meta. They will develop proprietary large language models tailored to their internal needs.
This shift to in-house LLMs is driven by concerns over data security, compliance risks, and the strategic advantage of models trained exclusively on proprietary knowledge. He writes:
Companies are becoming increasingly wary of exposing sensitive data to third-party AI providers. Even with rigorous security protocols, transmitting proprietary information to an external LLM introduces risks. A sovereign LLM ensures that critical data never leaves the organization's control, reducing exposure to cyber threats, leaks, and compliance risks.
Sovereign LLMs will give businesses hyper-specialized AI assistants that outperform general-purpose models in tasks like legal analysis, software debugging, and customer support. According to Szeder, companies leading this shift will fall into three categories: tech giants with the infrastructure to deploy custom AI, highly regulated industries like finance and healthcare that require private models, and AI-first enterprises looking to turn their proprietary data into a competitive edge. I also believe this trend will also be seen with individuals, governments, and academic institutions as the costs associated with creating proprietary LLMs are poised to decrease in the near future (if DeepSeek is any indicator).
Just scanning recent news, it’s easy to find many relevant examples of this already happening:
Robotics firm Figure drops OpenAI for its own in-house model — via TechCrunch, https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/04/figure-drops-openai-in-favor-of-in-house-models/
Goldman Sachs is piloting its own in-house AI assistant — via CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/21/goldman-sachs-launches-ai-assistant.html
Uber is taking a hybrid approach by using open-source and in-house tools — via Uber, https://www.uber.com/blog/open-source-and-in-house-how-uber-optimizes-llm-training/
Snapchat is creating its own in-house image generation tool — via Android Headlines, https://www.androidheadlines.com/2025/02/snapchat-developing-in-house-image-generator-tool.html
As this practice accelerates, AI literacy won’t just be a tech skill for the few, it will become a necessity for full participation in this new paradigm.
John Szeder’s post here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jszeder_thefutureiscoming-thefutureishere-llm-activity-7292231012380487681-0i_5
🕵️♀️Google Lifts a Ban on Using Its AI for Weapons and Surveillance (Wired)
Google is revising its 2018 AI policy to update language regarding the potential use of its AI tools, platforms, and models in weapons or surveillance applications. Along with the release of their 2024 Responsible AI Progress Report, two Google execs wrote the following:
There’s a global competition taking place for AI leadership within an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. We believe democracies should lead in AI development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights. And we believe that companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security. (Via Google — Responsible AI: Our 2024 report and ongoing work)
Full story here: https://www.wired.com/story/google-responsible-ai-principles/
CRYPTOCURRENCY
🪙 Securities & Exchange Commissioner Sets Expansive Goals for New Crypto Task Force (Coindesk)
Commissioner Hester Peirce of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has outlined key priorities for a newly established Crypto Task Force, which she leads. Known for her pro-innovation stance and criticism of the SEC’s past approach to cryptocurrency regulation, Peirce aims to bring greater clarity to crypto policy through this initiative.
According to the SEC, the Crypto Task Force will focus on clarifying how federal securities laws apply to the crypto asset market while recommending policy measures that balance innovation and investor protection.
The Task Force aims to provide greater clarity on cryptocurrency policies:
The Crypto Task Force seeks to provide clarity on the application of the federal securities laws to the crypto asset market and to recommend practical policy measures that aim to foster innovation and protect investors. (SEC website)
In her post from February 4, 2025, Commissioner Peirce specifically outlined ten key priorities for the Task Force. I’ll briefly describe some of these goals here. Unless you’ve spent a lot of time working in crypto, many of the terms she uses might seem unfamiliar. Some of the priorities include:
Security Assets
Clarifying the treatment of different kinds of crypto assets as securities.Registered Offerings
Creating a pathway towards easier and more streamlined protocols for introducing new cryptocurrencies and assets.Crypto Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs)
Exploring frameworks for crypto-based ETFs, including how staking (where token holders contribute to blockchain security and earn rewards) fits into investment products.Cross-Border Sandbox
Determining whether to allow greater experimentation with cross-border efforts, given the frequently international nature of so many crypto initiatives.Read the full list of initial Crypto Task Force priorities here: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/peirce-journey-begins-020425
Beyond these 10 initial priorities, the Task Force will review past SEC enforcement actions and regulatory approaches to determine if adjustments are needed. Under former Chair Gary Gensler, the SEC took a strict enforcement-driven approach to crypto, often clashing with industry players. Peirce’s Task Force suggests a potential shift toward a more open regulatory framework, which could signal greater support for cryptocurrency markets in the U.S.
GAMES
👶The Sims Turned Players Into Gods. And Farmers. And Vampires. And Landlords (New York Times)
“A long time ago, I decided that game design is applied psychology,” Will Wright in The New York Times
The Sims turns 25 — can you imagine? I remember when The Sims first launched way back when. At the time, I had already had the experience of working on a virtual pet simulation product a couple of years earlier and learned first-hand just how much players enjoy interacting with on-screen pets and other characters. Of course, The Sims went on to be an enduring phenomenon — generating over $5 billion in revenues and securing its place in millions of people’s hearts.
Electronic Arts (EA) is pulling out all the stops for this quarter century birthday celebration with events. A 24+ hour livestream to celebrate this milestone also streamed via multiple channels, including YouTube, on February 4-5, 2025.
EDGE-CASE DYSTOPIAS
🔥 The Zizians and the Bay Area Rationalist death cult (Max Read & SFGate)
A spate of recent murders has placed closer scrutiny on an extreme “death cult” with roots in Rationalist-adjacent communities. But who are the Zizians and what do we mean by extreme Rationalists?
The Zizians, a radical faction influenced by Rationalist discourse, have been linked to multiple violent incidents across the U.S., including a deadly shootout with a Border Patrol agent in Vermont and several homicides involving former allies and acquaintances. Emerging from Rationalist-adjacent circles, particularly in the Bay Area, that emphasize extreme reasoning and AI-driven philosophies, the Zizians are followers of the teachings of Jack "Ziz" LaSota, a former AI researcher who fused radical veganism, justice-driven morality, and an esoteric cognitive theory into a militant belief system. Their ideology frames much of society as irredeemably evil, and while not all followers advocate violence, their rigid moral framework has led members toward extreme actions, including violent confrontations.
Rationalist discourse, particularly as it exists in online communities like LessWrong and Slate Star Codex, focuses on applying rigorous logic, Bayesian reasoning, and cognitive 'de-biasing' techniques to optimize decision-making and avoid cognitive errors. Rationalism is deeply tied to AI safety and emphasizes refining thought processes to mitigate cognitive biases and improve decision-making. While the Rationalist movement aims to formulate frameworks for better decision-making, its principles have also influenced the development of insular subcultures, such as the extremist Zizians.
Over time, the Zizians escalated their actions into violent confrontations and legal conflicts, including protests that required police intervention and a series of murders fueled by internal disputes and ideological purity tests. Their evolution, from participants in AI and rationalist forums to fugitives implicated in shootings and stabbings, highlights how intellectual movements can breed extreme offshoots when social and ethical checks and balances fail. The Zizian creation story underscores how radical intellectual movements can sometimes spiral into extremism, particularly in environments such as the Bay Area, where there is a long-standing history of openness to new (and sometimes radical) ideas.
Read more here:
SF Gate — https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/bay-area-death-cult-zizian-murders-20064333.php
KRON 4 — https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/who-are-the-zizians-recent-deaths-linked-to-bay-area-cult/
Less Wrong — https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ygAJyoBK7MhEvnwBc/some-thoughts-on-the-cults-lw-had
Max Read — a must-read comprehensive overview:
