Why does #Microsoft want to implement #Recall? It's not about images. It's about modelling what workers do on Windows, and then replacing them.
The most expensive part of a computer is the fallible feelings-filled unpredictable meat sack that operates it.
Google has YouTube, Google Photos, Maps, and a bucket load of search data, Google Analytics, advertising, as well as it's #GCP data (e.g. #STT transcriptions). And a bunch of data from Android services. From this data they can model speech, model videos and model advertising systems, and how humans respond to them.
But they can't model what people do on computers.
Amazon has Prime data, and a bucket load of compute. But no operating system data. They can build models based around e-commerce and advertising systems.
But they can't model what people do on computers.
Meta has waves hands enough analytics to model human behaviour in the Metaverse.
But they can't model what people do on computers.
Microsoft has GitHub.
Microsoft has LinkedIn.
Microsoft has SharePoint.
Microsoft has Teams.
Microsoft has Dynamics.
Microsoft has O365.
Microsoft has Windows telemetry data.
Microsoft can model what people do on (Windows) computers. Like fill out spreadsheets.Write emails. Synthesize web pages of research. Interact with colleagues on Teams. Create and edit documents.
Microsoft wants #MicrosoftRecall data so they can model what people do with operating systems.
Then replace them.
Imagine a CoPilot that doesn't just write buggy code. Imagine one that also does spreadsheets. That creates documents on SharePoint. That communicates with colleages on Teams. That has a customer pipeline on Dynamics.
That's what Recall is about - 360 degree surveillance of the worker, to model their functions, make them fungible, replicable - and replaceable.
It's job application weekend again with 5 weeks on the current clock. It is painful. there's nothing that really "fits" skills or location (Bendigo, Victoria, Australia). No permanent roles, all short term.
If you want to headhunt a highly trained, super experienced, skilled researcher and geospatial data analyst, who can lead teams and develop concepts from dream to strategy to reality to results, and is trusted to get remote work done - reach out! Save me and my referees a pile of effort.
Apart from being egregiously out of touch, it's also a huge power move, one that I don't think people grasp.
The polarisation of society into those deriving an income from return on capital - capitalists - and those deriving an income from labour - workers - has been driven in large part by venture capital and their hunger for new asset classes.
Housing is an asset class, it's no longer social infrastructure.
Stocks are an asset class - they're no longer a way to ensure survival of the best organisations - because many companies with little revenue have high valuations.
Compute is now an asset class. It allows organisations to gain advantage, and create a moat from their competitors. Compute is an asset.
By substituting compute for money (another asset class), Altman is trying to substitute compute for currency more broadly.
And who creates currency?
Typically, the state. Who now creates currency, sorry I mean compute? The MAANGs that have taken the place of the state.
Compute is currency.
Replacing currency with compute is a form of wrestling control from the state.
In the most glorious "fuck you" I have seen in a while, you know the book that Cumberland City Council banned because they're homophobic bigots - Holly Duhig's "A focus on Same Sex Parents"? Well, the publisher, BookLife Publishing, have made a PDF version of the book available for free.
Sure be a shame if it was shared far and wide now, wouldn't it?
Every time you ban a book filled with hope and kindness, and care and love, we will resist.