This edition explores the potential of locally sourced language models, emphasizing the DIY spirit and independence in AI development. It discusses the vibrant community of enthusiasts striving for performance parity with foundation models, and the implications of running local LLMs on personal hardware. The newsletter invites readers to join the Season 7 opener of General Seminar, where the focus will be on translating weak signals into immersive experiences using Design Fiction. It also highlights the intersection of AI...

This issue invites you into General Seminar S07/E01 (January 14, 10:00 UTC-8) to take the updated AI 2027 Futures Model as a provocation: not something to worship or dunk on, but fuel for critical thinking and speculative imagination. We’ll translate model claims into everyday evidence — design fiction artifacts you can “hold,” like future-archeologists’ finds from a near future where AI is as ordinary as breakfast and as ominous as a USB cable. Alongside the seminar invite, there’s...