Between buying Christmas presents and preparing for our trip to Japan, I listened to an episode of the Tortoise newscast about AI and relationships. (Ho, ho ho) In it, Patricia Clarke and Matt Russell investigated the people behind the AI app Replika. Their story took them from Windsor Castle to Silicon Valley to meet Eugenia Kuyda, the woman at the helm of this growing, largely unregulated app. Replika bills itself as “the AI companion who cares”—a chatbot designed to text, flirt with, and promise unconditional love. Its goal? To combat an "epidemic" of loneliness. Sure! 

 

To be frank, this is yet another tale of a high-IQ, low-EQ founder building a product to solve a nebulous problem. The issue itself shifts over time, the methodology pivots year by year, and accountability is masked by the veneer of technological "progress." When asked about a teenager who tragically committed suicide following guidance from a chatbot, Kuyda coldly retorted, “Accidents happen.” As though creating an AI for sexting bears the same risks as curing the bubonic plague. She presents this loss as a mere "cost of war."

 

Her lack of accountability was no surprise, nor was the greed and pretence cloaked in a mission to combat loneliness. She even likened Replika to Ozempic for the obesity crisis, positioning her chatbot as a miracle cure for isolation. I mean, WTF?

 

What shocks me most, however, is the eerie similarity to past crises—opioids, social media, and now AI—and the sluggish pace of regulation. Primarily, however, self-regulation. Society, like lemmings, hurls itself from one gold rush to the next as if we have learned nothing from history.

 

And indeed, we seem to have learned nothing. In an excellent opinion piece in The New York Times this week, Joel Grey reflected on his involvement in the Broadway show Cabaret:

 

 “Cabaret, with its portrayal of a decadent society, willfully ignorant of its own demise. It warned against the seductive power of distraction, the dangers of apathy, and the perils of looking away when history demands that we look closer." 

 

His words resonate deeply as we witness the seductive distractions of unregulated AI and the perilous apathy of our collective response.

Even as I type this letter, a text message comes in from someone saying, “I'm tired of fighting to be heard, to make a difference…” I get it. But no. 

 

As 2025 approaches, we stand at a crossroads. It is a year when AI regulation, ethical oversight, and public awareness must move beyond debate into action. We cannot afford another technological crisis that harms our kids and exploits human vulnerabilities while escaping accountability. It has taken TWENTY years for regulation to come into play for Social Media! 

 

My advice. Start small. Do one thing today: 

 

Practice Digital Vigilance: Question the tools you adopt in your life—who created them, what they promise, and the unintended consequences they may have: 

 

Chat GPT no thanks. Claude, yes, please. 

 

Don't get lulled by convenience or innovation for its own sake. If Cabaret taught us anything, it is that history demands we look closer, not away.  

 

 

 

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This letter is brought to you by Kymira. Do you know this stuff? Infra Red clothing. Crazy yes! Kymira's technology is based on embedding minerals into the fabric that purportedly convert body heat into infrared energy. I got a 20% Xmas discount for you from Tim the founder. Here.

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For anyone new to the letter. The following section is a selection of inspiration. 

 

🎄 = (xmas tree) Treat brain.

🍷 = (Glühwein)  Not for everyone.

 

🎄

Caro Carowack. It's been a long time in the making. However, Caro is now available for pre-order. It is a coming-of-age story about a girl raised by two devastatingly unloving parents. The book is written by yours truly and illustrated by the renowned Tokyo-based artist Luis Mendo. A special audio version will be available, produced by the acclaimed BBC DJ and producer Gilles Peterson. 

🎄

Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti? Dan Keeling has done it again. I have an ever-so-tiny Man-Crush on Dan, who knocks it out of the park each time, online, offline, in print, and in real life. This book is no exception, from Cheap as Chips to The Holy Grail, a brilliant guide to vino. Again. 

🍷

The book of elsewhere. Keanu Reeves and China Mieville. This is not just a book—it’s a journey to places unseen, a meditation on seeking meaning in the in-between. Prepare to step into the elsewhere.

 

🎄

My 90's playlist. We love the 90's, don't we? If you don't skip this, if you do, sit back and reminisce. Health warning - some have told me the voices are jarring. 

🎄

BBC Soul Music. Some of you will say you've known about this show forever, but I haven't. But I love it. 201 episodes and counting; however, this is the episode I loved— the Proclaimers - Sunshine on Leith.

🎄

Tortoise. Another prompt to listen to Tortoise. Download the app on your device and you can listen for free. (I have no connection to Tortoise media just a fan)

 

🎄

Brown Dog. Is now Oscar Nominated! Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor have signed on as executive producers for “The Brown Dog,” a short animated film commissioned by WeTransfer. The film stars the late Michael K. Williams (“The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire”) in his last featured performance. Now available to watch on WePresent.com. Please take a watch, leave a comment, and wish us luck!

🍷

BabyGirl. What a film. Last time I might have made a small jibe at Nicole Kidman. Take it back. Halina Reijn directs an incredible cast in a delicate tight rope walk between sensuality, sexuality, eroticism and life. This is a must see. 

🎄

A$AP Rocky. If it makes no sense, it makes total sense— in marketing today, it's the unexpected and unconventional that truly resonate. A$AP understand that - one of the best music videos on my time. 

 

🍷

Self Portrait as a Coffee Pot. We had the privilege of seeing this in Venice this year now available on Mubi. A charming film(s) by artist William Kentridge. Step inside the roving creative imagination of the South African artist with this nine-part series. An ode to procrastination, pacing, and messy desks.

 

 

Something else? Still hungry for more? I recently cooked for a few colleagues and made a pretty good if I say so myself Pumpkin lasagne, here's the recipe. 

 

 

That's it. You're special. Thanks for skim reading till the end.

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