People vs Algorithms Systems Are King
35 snips
Mar 13, 2026 They trace how platforms won by building systems: recommendation algorithms, ad stacks, creator economics and apps. They debate AI in newsrooms, voice-to-AI funnels, and how surveillance shapes workplaces. They unpack X’s raw information power, YouTube’s infrastructure dominance, and publishers pivoting to events and talent as audiences age.
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AI Writing Wins Snippets But Suffers Wearout
- AI writing can outperform human snippets in controlled tests but shows wearout and stylistic ticks in longer form.
- Brian cites a New York Times experiment where readers often picked AI text, yet newsroom pushback remains cultural.
Open Web Splits Into Harvested Scale And Artisanal Niches
- The open web is bifurcating into hyper-monetized mass pages and artisanal niche publishers rebuilding from scratch.
- Publishers are shifting to events, newsletters, video and tiny paid products as their harvested web pages decline.
Media Will Follow Where Wealth Concentrates
- Wealth concentration is shifting media incentives because ~75% of wealth is held by 55+ audiences.
- Troy notes this will drive more media toward older, higher-net-worth demographics and association-style models like AARP.