Twenty twenty five
Hey, it’s 2025! Happy New Year. May it be better than we hope and fear. Here are my technology predictions for the year. Here are my resolutions / OKRs. Ready or not, here we go!
Ben Werdmuller
Ben Werdmuller helps leaders at newsrooms, non-profits, and mission-driven organizations to navigate their biggest technology challenges.
Tintin and the fascists
As a child, I freaking adored Tintin, the Belgian comic strip about a boy detective and his little white dog, Snowy. There was something intoxicating about the mix: international adventures, a growing cast of recurring characters, conspiracies, humor, hi jinx. Even the ligne claire style of drawing — cartoonish figures on
Predictions for tech, 2025
You know what they say: predictions are like resurgent nationalist movements. Everyone’s got one. I missed the deadline for Nieman Lab’s always-excellent Predictions for Journalism this year, so I thought I’d share a few more bite-sized predictions about various topics I’ve written over the
Technology
Tech pace layers
[Ryan Barrett] Ryan Barrett takes Stewart Brand's Pace Layering and adapts it to model technology progress: "I’ve been a fan of Stewart Brand‘s Pace Layering for decades now. Really great framework for thinking about how different ecosystems and emergent forces interact. I’ve been thinking
Technology
Massive VW Data Leak Exposed 800,000 EV Owners’ Movements, From Homes To Brothels
[Thanos Pappas at CarScoops] There are a few different levels to this story about the VW Group's terrible cybersecurity: "According to a new report from Germany, the VW Group stored sensitive information for 800,000 electric vehicles from various brands on a poorly secured and misconfigured Amazon
Stuff I loved in 2024
For many of us, myself included, it’s been .. a year. Rather than rehash all of that again, I thought I’d mark the end of the year by just listing some things I’ve loved. Here you go. Books Julia, by Sandra Newman Not just a retelling but a
Business
If You Don’t Like Sales, Don’t Start a Company
[Hunter Walk] As Hunter points out, it's impossible to start a company without tackling sales, and you aren't absolved from it no matter which route you take: "If you avoid sales or are poor at it, you are doing a disservice to your team, your
Notable links
Secret Service Admits It Didn’t Check if People Really Consented to Being Tracked
[Joseph Cox at 404 Media] The contracts and relationships that seemingly allow law enforcement and federal agencies to use private services and data brokers to monitor the activities of American citizens without obtaining a warrant seem to be based on a nudge and a wink. 404 Media obtained an email
Terrifying thing I learned once: if you ...
Terrifying thing I learned once: if you donate your body to science it turns out they can also often use it for art.
Creating a framework for living well
As part of a coaching exercise, I’ve been trying to describe what I want my life to look like. The idea is that if I’m armed a better understanding of what I’m aiming for, I’ll be able to make more informed decisions that more intentionally lead
Culture
I’m Tired of Pretending Physical Media Isn’t Still Better Than Streaming Digital
[Sabrina Graves at Gizmodo] I agree with every word Sabrina Graves writes here. Streaming services are far worse. Physical media is better quality, comes with unrestricted access - and may actually work out to be cheaper. This is eye-opening: "At the start of the year, when I was early
AI
Why OpenAI’s Structure Must Evolve To Advance Our Mission
[OpenAI] OpenAI's for-profit arm is becoming a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation: "Our plan is to transform our existing for-profit into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation(opens in a new window) (PBC) with ordinary shares of stock and the OpenAI mission as its public benefit interest.