Google's Sergey Brin Calls U.N. Report on Big Tech's Relationship With Israel ‘Antisemitic'
Brin's response came in an internal forum for employees of Google's artificial intelligence arm DeepMind, screenshots of which were shared with the Post. 'With all due respect, throwing around the term genocide in relation to Gaza is deeply offensive to many Jewish people who have suffered actual genocides,' Brin wrote. 'I would also be careful citing transparently antisemitic organizations like the UN in relation to these issues.'
A United Nations Special Committee, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) have all called Israel's ongoing actions in Gaza a genocide. It's unclear if Brin believes all of those organizations are also grounded in antisemitism or are 'throwing around the term genocide.' In a statement to the Post, Brin said that his comments were in reference to 'an internal discussion that was citing a plainly biased and misleading report.'
The report in question concluded that Google—along with other Big Tech firms like Amazon and Microsoft—by continuing to work with Israel, are partaking in a 'joint criminal enterprise' and that their respective business-as-usual approaches 'ultimately contribute to a whole economy that drives, supplies and enables this genocide.' It specifically points to Google's work on Project Nimbus, a billion-dollar project aimed at providing cloud computing infrastructure and artificial intelligence services to the Israeli government and military. The company also reportedly 'rushed' to sell more AI tools to Israel following the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked and killed more than 1,200 Israelis.
Google's decision to continue working with the Israeli government has become a major point of contention among employees. Some of the company's employees took part in protests and sit-ins on Google campuses, organized by the group No Tech for Apartheid. Google responded by firing about 50 employees who participated in the demonstrations. Additionally, the company dropped a prior pledge not to use AI in the development of surveillance tools or weapons, opening up new avenues for profit that will likely come at the expense of those who will be targeted by such tools.
According to the Washington Post, Brin's comments on the UN 'confused and upset some employees.' It doesn't seem like he'll be getting fired over it, though.
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Android Authority
18 minutes ago
- Android Authority
After six years, it's finally time for me to switch back to a Pixel
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority In my five years working as an Android journalist, I've been known as the Samsung guy. That's been an accurate description, but it may surprise you to learn that I used to be a Nexus/Pixel fanatic, using every Google flagship from the Nexus 6 to the Pixel 3XL. That changed toward the start of 2019, when I became tired of how unreliable Pixels were for me in a few areas and started to use Samsung phones exclusively. Recently, I got to spend a month with the Pixel 9 Pro, and after six years, it could be time for me to rejoin team Google. A lot has changed, and these are the reasons my next smartphone purchase could be a Pixel. Would you switch from a Galaxy to a Pixel, or vice versa? 0 votes Yes — Galaxy to Pixel NaN % Yes — Pixel to Galaxy NaN % No, I like my Galaxy NaN % No, I like my Pixel NaN % Pixel favorites Ryan Haines / Android Authority Since my switch to Samsung phones, there have been features I've missed from the Pixel experience. Now Playing is something that's easy to take for granted when you have it, but I've missed while using non-Pixel phones. That sums up a lot of the Pixel experience — subtle features that can seem minor in a vacuum but come together to make a more complete product. Call Screening and all of its associated functions are another example of this. Although Call Screening debuted with the Pixel 3 and 3XL, which I owned, the UK didn't get access to it until 2021 with the Pixel 6. Samsung may have its version now, but it doesn't quite compare to what a Pixel can do. Hold For Me, Direct My Call, and Wait Times set Google's phone call experience apart from what Samsung has done with One UI so far. Calling my doctor or the hospital is a prolonged experience of waiting in line for an operator, and instead of smashing my head against the wall while the horrible hold music played, I could go about my day and let the Pixel handle that for me. Joe Maring / Android Authority At A Glance is another one of those small but mighty features I miss when I use a non-Google phone. Sure, I can use it as a widget on my Samsung phones, but it's not the same as having it built-in, especially on the lock screen. At A Glance shows you what you need to know when you need to know it, and its absence makes the lockscreen on my Galaxy phones feel lifeless by comparison. Google For the first time since the introduction of One UI, I'm starting to prefer how Google's flavor of Android looks thanks to the Material 3 Expressive overhaul in Android 16 QPR1. The redesigned notifications and quick settings panel look fantastic, and the focus on bouncy animation and haptics makes a Pixel phone feel alive in ways Samsung phones don't, even on One UI 7 or 8. There are still things I prefer about One UI — more on that later — but it isn't as cut and dry as it used to be, and the Pixel feels more fun. Build and reliability Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority Here lies the reason I stopped using Pixel phones in the first place. My Nexus 6, 6P, Pixel XL, 2XL, and 3XL all had issues that led to multiple repairs or warranty replacements for each. To Google's credit, their support was great, always getting me a replacement phone within a single working day of reporting an issue. But after nearly five years of constant problems, I'd had enough. I could only tell myself things would be better next year for so long, and when my Pixel 3XL couldn't even keep my music player in memory and take photos at the same time, thanks to the pitiful 4GB of RAM, it was time for me to move on. I could only tell myself things would be better next year for so long. I've kept up to date with Pixels since — my wife had a Pixel 4, my Grandad had a 3a, 6a, and now an 8a, and I used a Pixel 6 Pro and later an 8 Pro for work a few times. Each of those devices, while great, didn't inspire the same confidence that my Samsung phones have, all of which have been flawless, except my S20 Ultra, which needed a motherboard replacement after overheating. The Pixel 9 Pro feels incredible. The materials and build quality are top-notch and rival that of my S24 Ultra, and at no point in my month with it did I experience any of the issues I did with Pixels of old. Tensor G4 has been fast, stayed cool even during an awful heatwave, even when all my friends' iPhones were showing the 'iPhone needs to cool down' warning. It hasn't given me any problems with signal strength, either, which was a particularly weak point for previous generations of Tensor. At no point did the 9 Pro feel slow — it powered through everything I needed a Pixel for without complaint. Battery and camera Joe Maring / Android Authority I didn't expect battery life to be this good with the 9 Pro, but it has been nothing short of outstanding. Despite the size and weight difference, the battery in the Pixel isn't much smaller than the one in my S24 Ultra — 4,700mAh vs 5,000mAh. The Pixel 9 Pro got me through some tough days, even though I ran it in the Android 16 QPR1 beta for the duration. In my final two weeks with the phone, I made two trips to London. The first was a trip with friends, including a boat ride along the Thames and several hours at Hampton Court. Later, I returned to London for a press briefing. Both of these trips spanned an entire day, leaving home at around 7 AM and returning home at 6 PM. These days were hard on the phone with almost-constant GPS usage for public transport around London, plenty of photo and video capture, and music streaming. All of this during a heatwave that left my S24 Ultra running hot, no matter what I was doing, while the 9 Pro stayed cool for the duration. On both of those days, I got home with at least 20% battery left, more than my S24 Ultra ever managed on similar trips. On more mundane days, working from home and staying almost entirely on Wi-Fi, I was going to bed with at least 35-40% left. I've always loved taking photos and always enjoyed that experience on older Pixels. The Samsung phones I've owned have all been solid, except for the S20 Ultra, and so over the years, I forgot what the magic of a Pixel camera felt like. The 9 Pro reminded me of what I've been missing, especially now that the zoom hardware truly rivals Samsung. Every photo I took on the Pixel 9 Pro was sharp, in focus, and pleasing to look at. Don't get me wrong, my S24 Ultra takes solid photos, but I always feel the need to take multiple at a time to ensure shutter lag or missed focus doesn't ruin the result. The Pixel has a point-and-shoot capability that few phones possess, more so than even the iPhone 16 Pro I tried last year. I might not take as many photos as Rita, but I took enough to know I love this camera. The Pixel also inspired me to record more video. That's something I've never tended to do on mobile. I hate inconsistent framerates, and my Pixels of old and the Samsung phones I use now have always had issues with dropping frames, especially when switching between lenses. On top of that, Samsung's tendency to over-sharpen everything looks awful in video, depending on the subject. The video I captured on the Pixel 9 Pro had no such issues, especially after Video Boost worked its magic. It's naturally sharp, the colors aren't oversaturated, and the framerate is consistent with little juddering between lenses. Those lenses keep the quality consistent between them, too. All of this, combined with useful features like Add Me, makes the Pixel experience more of an unmatched champion than ever, and I'd forgotten how much fun Google's approach to photography is. The best part of the battery and camera experience is that I got it in a phone that isn't unwieldy. I love my S24 Ultra, but it's big, heavy, and pointy. If I had a nickel for every time that led me to drop the phone on my wife when showing her memes in bed, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice. The Pixel 9 Pro isn't small, but it is easy to use one-handed, and at no point did I feel like I was going to drop it. If Samsung doesn't bring the S25 Ultra's cameras to a smaller phone, specifically the 5X telephoto, I'll be disappointed. Nobody's perfect Robert Triggs / Android Authority There are still things I prefer about Samsung phones. I praised the battery life on the 9 Pro earlier, but I'm not as happy with the charging situation, especially wireless charging. Samsung phones can charge up to 15W wirelessly, while the Pixel 9 Pro can charge up to 21W wirelessly. That sounds like a win for the Pixel, but it isn't. A Pixel can only achieve that maximum wireless speed with a Pixel Stand, a product Google no longer sells. On a regular Qi charger, which manages 15W on my S24 Ultra, the Pixel 9 Pro will only charge at 12W. A difference of 3W doesn't sound like much, but 15W is enough for quick top-ups on my S24, while wirelessly charging the Pixel doesn't feel worth it. Likewise, the wired charging is too slow for my liking. 27W charges the 4,700mAh battery resonably fast, but my S24 Ultra is faster at 45W. It's not a deal-breaker when the phone lasts as long as it does on a charge, but it was frustrating when I wanted to give it a quick boost before going out for the evening. Giving your 'pro' phone 128GB of storage, especially when photos and videos take up so much space, is unforgivable. Storage is another pain point for me. The Pixel 9 Pro is £1,000 and only comes with 128GB in its base configuration. The S25 series, except for the base model, starts at 256GB, and Samsung regularly runs promotions that get you double the storage for no extra cost. Giving your 'pro' phone 128GB of storage, especially when photos and videos take up so much space, is unforgivable in 2025. While I love Material 3 Expressive in Android 16 QPR1 and the Pixel-specific features mentioned earlier, One UI still has a lot of things I'd find hard to give up. Widget Stacks is something I use all the time. Like iOS, One UI lets you stack multiple widgets in the same place so you can scroll through them. That means you can have every widget you'd need on your primary homescreen and eliminates the need to scroll through multiple home pages. In my setup, I have the Google Search bar stacked with the controls for my Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, my Calendar stacked with a Tick Tick to-do list, and my Google Home light controls with pinned notes in Google Keep. Good Lock is another thing that makes me hesitant to switch away from Samsung phones. Good Lock offers unrivaled customisation, from overhauling Android's gesture navigation to fine-tuning animations and icon shapes. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority I know it's a cliché, but the Samsung ecosystem would be difficult to leave. I have multiple Samsung phones, a Galaxy Watch 6, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and a Tab S10 Plus. Likewise, my wife uses all-Samsung devices as well. There are perks to keeping to that ecosystem. Samsung's implementation of shared calendars is better than Google's, Galaxy Buds seamlessly switch audio sources between Samsung devices, and my S24 Ultra can act as a color palette and tool picker for my Tab S10 Plus when I'm drawing in Samsung Notes. Am I buying a Pixel? Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Probably. January is upgrade time, and based on the current rumours surrounding the Galaxy S26 series and the Pixel 10, the Pixel is what I'm leaning towards. Above all else, my experience with the Pixel 9 Pro made me realise I want a phone that's smaller, lighter, and still packs the camera prowess I want from a phone. That's the icing on top of a phone that nails all of the fundamentals of what I want, and it's so good I think I'm willing to give up the features I've grown accustomed to in One UI. MKBHD once called the Pixels 'the smartest smartphone,' and it's true. Google's thoughtful approach to software and hardware is something I didn't realise I missed, and now that I've experienced it again, I remember why I used to love Google phones in the first place.
WIRED
19 minutes ago
- WIRED
Gear News of the Week: Chrome OS Will Merge With Android and Sony Surprises With a New Camera
Plus: Omega drops a summery Seamaster, EcoFlow unveils a whole-home energy backup system, and Viture has new smart glasses. Courtesy of Omega; Sony; Viture All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. It's been speculated on. It's been rumored. It's been hoped for. And according to an interview with TechRadar, it's happening. Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat says Google plans to combine Chrome OS and Android 'into a single platform.' Google has kept its phone and tablet operating systems distinct from its laptop platform. There has been plenty of crossover over the years—the biggest being the introduction of Android apps to Chromebooks back in 2016—but they have always coexisted. With Samat's new statement, though, change is afoot. In the interview, Samat also followed up on a comment made to WIRED's Julian Chokkattu at Google I/O this year, hinting at a future Google laptop, stating that 'he's interested in how people are using their laptops these days.' The last Google laptop was the Pixelbook Go in 2019, which followed the ill-fated Pixel Slate 2-in-1 in 2017. If Google does plan to merge the new platforms, having flagship Google hardware on hand is a must. — Luke Larsen Pixels Are on the Way Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of devices and services at Alphabet Inc., during the Made By Google launch event in Mountain View, California, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Alphabet Inc.'s Google is rolling out upgraded smartphones, watches and earbuds, aiming to take on Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. and offer more ways to use artificial intelligence. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via GettyIn other Google news, the company has set a date for its Made by Google event, where it's expected to debut the Pixel 10 series smartphones, a new Pixel Watch, and new wireless earbuds. The keynote takes place on August 20 in Brooklyn, New York, and it kicks off at 1 pm ET (10 am Pacific). It'll be livestreamed as usual. Google used to hold its big hardware event in October, but changed things up last year, putting the Pixel release date ahead of the iPhone, with more breathing room ahead of the holiday shopping season. The highlight of this year's release—other than marking 10 years of Pixel—is that Google is rumored to be moving to TSMC chips for its Tensor G5 chipset due to issues with Samsung's foundry. Sony Surprises With a New Camera Sony has dropped a new full-frame camera out of the blue, the RX1R III. The RX1R series was last updated nine years ago. Why now? If I had to guess, I'd say it has a lot to do with the success of compact fixed-lens cameras, like the Leica Q series, Fujifilm X100 series, and the Fujifilm GFX100RF. Sorry you had to wait almost 10 years, RX1 fans, but better late than never. What do you get out of a 10-year development cycle? Turns out … not that much. The RX1R III is pretty much a repackaged a7R V in terms of image capabilities. There's the same 61-megapixel full-frame sensor paired with the a7R V's Bionz XR image processor and the dedicated AI chip. That's a significant upgrade for this camera relative to the last model in the series, but there's no brand-new tech here. More interesting are the design changes. The RX1R III ditches the pop-up electronic viewfinder of the RX1R II in favor of a rear-mounted viewfinder, making it look a bit like Sony's high-res travel camera, the a7R C. Also, Sony dropped the articulating rear screen; this one is fixed like the very first RX1R. Probably the best upgrade here is that the RX1R III uses Sony's larger batteries, the NP-FW50, which will dramatically improve battery life. One thing that hasn't changed at all since this series was launched in 2012 is the built-in Zeiss Sonnar T* 35-mm f/2 lens. The big question here is, how will this more-than-a-decade-old lens work with the latest and greatest autofocus? We'll let you know when we get our hands on a review unit later this year. — Scott Gilbertson Omega's Summer Seamaster Omega this week dropped a bright, summery version of its excellent Seamaster Diver 300M, following on February's bronze gold and burgundy watch. While, yes, it's not exactly a groundbreaking departure from last year's original, it hits all the right notes, mainly thanks to how strong November's first iteration was. However, this model has an edge over its siblings. The aluminum bezel and stylish mesh bracelet remain, but look closely and you'll see subtle changes, most pleasing of which is that the wave-pattern on the dial has been replaced with a flat, matte-textured black. For the orange enthusiasts, note the lollipop seconds hand, and indices at 12, 3, 6, and 9 have all been given a pop of color. A final flourish is the matching orange 'Seamaster' dial signature. As with last year's 42-mm original, we'd still opt for the mesh bracelet ($6,800), but if you want to go totally tangerine, then spec the integrated orange rubber strap at $6,500. Regardless of strap selection, with the Caliber 8806 inside (certified as a Master Chronometer by METAS) and water resistance to 300 meters, this piece—either in orange or the original black—is currently WIRED's pick of Omega's lineup. — Jeremy White EcoFlow Launches a Home Battery System Whether you're worried about power outages or unpredictable weather events, or looking to better manage rising energy costs, EcoFlow's new Ocean Pro system is targeting you. This whole-home energy backup system pairs modular 10-kWh batteries (expandable up to 80 kWh) with an inverter that can handle up to 40-kW solar panel arrays. Ocean Pro can output up to 24 kW continuously, enough to fully power most households, including HVAC systems, EV chargers, and other appliances. The brain of the Ocean Pro system is its Smart Home Panel, allowing for real-time energy monitoring and AI forecasting on weather, pricing, and usage to automate your smart home systems. The system can act as a backup with a 10-millisecond switchover time should the grid fail. Ocean Pro can also export power to the grid, and there's support for the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) network to export excess energy based on need and electricity prices. EcoFlow offers a 15-year warranty, with an IP67 rating for water resistance and flood resistance up to 2.6 feet. The kit can handle extreme temperatures (from –4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit) and has built-in fire prevention. The Ocean Pro also passed the UL 9540B safety certification for energy storage systems. Most folks install them on the side of their house, so the batteries come in a choice of aluminum, carbon fiber, or walnut finishes. These systems are a big jump up from the EcoFlow portable power stations and power banks we've tested, but the company has been selling its PowerOcean home batteries in Europe for a while, and they have a decent reputation. The Ocean Pro beats Tesla's Powerwall 3 on two key fronts: It can handle more solar (double) and it can store more energy (Tesla maxes out at 54 kWh). But Ocean Pro will not be cheap. Exact pricing depends on your home and the size of the system, but just a couple of batteries and the inverter will cost around $10,000. Ocean Pro is available directly from EcoFlow now. — Simon Hill Viture's Luma Series Smart Glasses Purveyor of gaming-focused virtual display glasses, Viture just announced a whole new lineup. The Luma Series has four models: Luma, Luma Pro, Luma Ultra, and the Beast. Aside from a sharper display across the board, Viture's main addition in the top three models is a front-facing camera to allow for spatial capture and 6 degrees of freedom (dof) using its Spacewalker app, though this is not available yet. The Luma Pro I have been testing gives you a 152-inch virtual display with a 52-degree field of view at up to 1200p resolution and 1,000 nits of brightness. Viture describes them as 4K-like, despite the resolution, but what it means is that this is its sharpest display yet. The clarity and brightness are excellent. There's also electrochromic film to darken the shades, and full customization with nose pieces, diopter dials, and adjustable temples with lighting effects. Viture's Pro XR glasses topped our Best Smart Glasses guide until the Xreal One Pro displaced them. The key advantage Xreal's glasses have is a hardware chip that allows 3 dof, so you can pin screens in place. Up until now, Viture's virtual displays moved with you when you moved your head (unless you used its Pro Neckband wearable Android computer or Spacewalker app). But the Luma Pro and up will support 6 dof, allowing you to move in 3D space, though it will still be handled through software on your connected device. Viture also offers AI-powered 2D to 3D conversion across its glasses. The entry-level Luma ($399) lacks the camera and is set to land in September. The Luma Pro ($499) is available now, but the 6-dof functionality will be enabled via Spacewalker later. The Luma Ultra ($599), coming in August, gets a little brighter with newer Sony Micro-OLED panels, and also sports dual-depth cameras and wider 6-dof platform support, including MacBook and Windows. The flagship model, the Beast ($549), landing in October, ups the field of view to 58 degrees and the display size to 176 inches, and it has built-in hardware to enable 3 dof, with 6 dof via software, and a built-in microphone. — Simon Hill Sony and NFL Have a Headset Deal for 2025 Season Sony is jumping into business with the National Football League. The two megabrands announced a partnership this week that includes a custom-developed Sony headset as the primary communications device for NFL head coaches. The headset may look familiar to fans of Sony's popular wireless headphones, as the design borrows heavily from the brand's flagship WH-1000X series, from engineering insights to the look and feel of the earcups. Sony says the headset has undergone extensive testing in rain, snow, cold, and extreme heat to take on the notoriously bad-weather games NFL coaches endure, as well as drop testing for mishaps (and presumably flaring tempers). Sony not only brought its years of noise-canceling experience to the system, but also optimized it for real-game environments using crowd noise at over 100 decibels, according to Sony Audio product manager Gator Nakahashi. Sideline communication will be handled by a custom mic transmitted over Verizon Business' Private Wireless Solution. The headsets will hit the field at the start of the 2025 season as the Cowboys take on the Eagles on September 4. — Ryan Waniata
Business Insider
19 minutes ago
- Business Insider
I'm an avid traveler and finally found a useful way to use ChatGPT to plan my trips that saves me hours
ChatGPT saved me hours of research when planning a trip to Door County, Wisconsin. Whereas I normally do a lot of background research before planning a trip, AI could do it for me. I found it was really good at giving a comprehensive overview of a destination. Before I plan a trip, I have a straightforward goal: Learn everything there is to know about the place I'm visiting. I know, I know. That sounds time-consuming. And truthfully, for me it is. But for ChatGPT? I stumbled upon this AI use case when starting to plan a relatively uncomplicated trip to Door County, Wisconsin, for later this summer. Rather than doing the hours of background reading that I usually do to get the lay of the land in a new destination, I let OpenAI 's chatbot do it for me. For context, I travel frequently in my personal life and cover travel for Business Insider, but until now, I'd yet to find a use case for AI that I felt really made my trip planning process more efficient. I'd experimented with AI-powered trip planning tools but had never found them particularly useful. I'd also tried using ChatGPT as a glorified Google, describing to it vaguely what my interests were and asking it to recommend restaurants or attractions. The results were less than promising. From what I could tell, our individual tastes are still too personalized — and chatbot answers too universal — for specific recommendations to be helpful. But for replacing all my pre-planning background reading? It was great. AI does all my background reading for me Let me give you a sense of my usual process. Once I know I am visiting a place, I will Google the most generic things a tourist could think to ask: Top attractions. Must-do activities. Neighborhood guide. Best restaurants. One-day itinerary. Three-day itinerary. Weeklong itinerary. I will do all of these searches, open more tabs than any browser should be reasonably expected to host, and then, I read. I read the top 10 or so results for every search. Then I do more niche searches like best neighborhoods to live in or best vintage shopping, and do the process all over again, this time also rifling through countless Reddit threads where locals discuss the goings-on in their own neighborhoods. Next, I move to social media — often TikTok — to scroll all the videos I can find about the destination to get some visual context and, most importantly, to learn which restaurants or attractions are viral so that I can avoid them. It takes hours, and it's arguably more information than a tourist technically ever needs. But by the time I am done, I feel I have a shockingly full understanding of a place, as both a tourist destination and even as a place where real people live. I feel I could recommend to my friends which neighborhood would be uniquely right for them, which highly-rated restaurants are overrated, and which niche museum is actually a lot cooler than the one ranked first on TripAdvisor. The process is excessive, but it gives me confidence that when I get to the hard planning stage — selecting a neighborhood, narrowing down hotels or Airbnbs, booking restaurant reservations — that my hard-earned PTO is being put to its best possible use. Luckily for me, it turns out ChatGPT is pretty good at doing this. ChatGPT helped me plan my trip to Door County, Wisconsin I was recently planning a trip to Door County, which is a small peninsula in northeast Wisconsin situated between Lake Michigan and Green Bay that's known for being one of the prettier natural places in this part of the Midwest. I wanted to book a house on the water for a busy travel weekend, so I knew I needed to do it quickly. So, instead of embarking on my usual trip planning odyssey, I did something that I had previously been very skeptical about: I turned to AI. The kind of comprehensive overview that I get from reading all the top Google results, ChatGPT was able to give me with just a few prompts. I asked which popular attractions are frequently called overrated and which ones people say are worth weathering the crowds. I asked it to include any tips or tricks on the best times to visit certain places, and to provide several sample itineraries that were varied so I could get a complete picture of my options. I even described my vague travel preferences — good food, good drinks, nature, away from crowds, vintage shops, where locals actually go — and asked it what town I should stay in. It gave me a quick summary of what each of the towns were best known for and which were most likely up my alley. I also asked follow-up questions and played devil's advocate, as AI can tend to repeat marketing-speak or be overly optimistic. In about half an hour I felt like I understood visiting Door County almost as much as I would've if I had spent those hours consuming everything myself. It's able to summarize the 90% of recommendations that pop up on every list and then also include the more unique ones. The responses were not perfect. It recommended at least two restaurants that closed several years ago. And to be clear, I doubt that I know Door County as well as I would if I had done all that reading myself. But I felt like I knew it enough to be confident in my choices while planning — enough so to book a rental home that same night, a decision that would generally take me a lot more time. And yeah, I'm still going to do a bit of excessive reading for the hidden gems. What can I say? Old habits die hard.
