Florian's Filter — W37 2026

It is back! And almost at the right day of the week!

If you are wondering where the last xx weekly newsletter editions went - here's the inside scoop. Apologies again.

Without further ado - here are some links I thought were well worth sharing with you.

Articles

• Review: The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI
  Sami Makelainen reviews Cory Doctorow's new title on "how to think about AI before it is too late". The piece examines the concept of the reverse centaur in an era of increasing automation. Basically: is technology serving man, or is man serving technology? I mostly agree with Sami's take on the book (reading it myself currently). Especially in the topics that Cory is immersed for decades, it is a strong read that makes one think through different perspectives.
• Stop Building a Case for It
  This perspective on the danger of optimizing leisure time resonates deeply with my consultant's mindset. Rick Mans argues that free time is not a problem to be solved or an efficiency gain to be captured, and he is right! Now I just have to get my brain to accept this truth.

Videos

• TDF 2026 - „The human in the loop“ – AI induced skill atrophy
  This talk explores how using generative AI as the human in the loop can lead to a decline in core professional skills. Sarahfops examines the tension between control mechanisms and actual competence (in German).
• Everything AI Does When You Ask It to Start a Lemonade Stand
  AI is perhaps not yet ready to manage the complexities of a lemonade stand... Genspark AI pits ChatGPT and Claude against each other in a practical test of operational capability - they go all the way, and it is hilarious.
• MRMCD2026 - Palantir Überwachungstechnologie und tödliche Kriegswaffen mit KI im CyberWarfare
  This is a levelheaded and frightening analysis of Palantir's current product offerings. The talk by Manuel "HonkHase" Atug at MRMCD 2026 details the intersection of surveillance technology and AI-driven warfare that Palantir is heavily engaged in (in German).
  

Tools

• Hyperkey
  This tool transforms the underutilized caps lock key into a powerful shortcut starter for macOS. It has proven to be one of the most useful small productivity helpers that I discovered this year, and it saves me weird finger acrobatics every day.