OpenAI bought a media company, which says something about where the AI race is heading. Companies want to sit closer to where the story takes shape. It’s a logical move, yes, but not an entirely comfortable one.
I dig into this more in my latest piece.
Pokémon Red & Green sold poorly in Japan when they launched in 1996, only catching on months later. Apples and oranges, I know, but this is indicative of the shift in how execs at game publishers, streaming services, and Hollywood studios need instant results or they pull the plug. It's unhealthy.
Xbox graphics is hiring With an AI ad
Sony patents system to generate AI podcast in the voices of your favorite PlayStation characters
Wild that Sony and Xbox are in flux with such solid business ideas
Good thread
Last fall, I wrote that intentional tech would go mainstream in 2026. A few weeks into January, post-CES, it already feels like it’s accelerating. Keyboard phones turned out to be a surprisingly clear signal, but it's about more than that.
Read my latest:
joshmcconnell.substack.com/p/ces-just-a...
US Navy choppers are flying super low around the East River right now. Assuming exercise drills, but these days it could be anything, amirite
It's nice that politicians keep saying things like this, but maybe they should, you know, do something about it? It's essentially just a bunch of "thoughts and prayers" being sent out.
Did @wired.com get hacked? 👀
IT HAPPENED. I FINALLY GOT MAMADOU.
now why are you doing my boy dirty with this headline?
CWVC’s 2025 comp report is out and after digging into the numbers early the signal is clear: Ambition isn’t the issue in Canadian tech. The structure is.
Pay is up, but pathways are tightening. This isn’t just about VC. It’s about the ecosystem.
My piece: joshmcconnell.substack.com/p/when-ambit...
I was included in this year's Muck Rack panel of experts who looked ahead to PR and storytelling in 2026.
Worth a read if you’re thinking about where communications is headed and what parts of the job are quietly becoming more important, not less. Read it here:
muckrack.com/blog/pr-pred...
we have to go back. to warn them.
Many men feel the stripper really likes them. Scientists say it's time to consider whether they're onto something
What a console. It's so gutting to see Xbox fall apart today.
The more I talk to people, the more I hear the same thing: attention is stretched thin, feeds feel noisy, and we’re all craving a bit more intention in how we use tech.
I pulled together five predictions for where things are headed in 2026:
joshmcconnell.substack.com/p/five-trend...
As a subscriber to the print version, I'm a big fan of this news.
Interesting. Amazon is starting to chase the used car market in the US, which Canadian startup Clutch will no doubt want to keep an eye on north of the border.
Gift Bloomberg link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Ubisoft just postponed its earnings report and halted the trading of its shares. Unclear why at this point but could indicate a major announcement related to the company.
Imagine booking a table at Chili's and being told you have a $1000 min spend. I'd say that's the proof we're living in a simulation.
Totally agree. We may as well have a ruling king or queen at that point (and I actually mean that without the irony of having a king).
For sure. Just like I hope that Canadians are deeply embarrassed at how the country continues to treat its First Nations communities, rolls back gender identity rights, cuts environmental protections, and beefs up military spending. For some reason, Canadians just like talking about others more.
I mean, this was other Canadians saying it at events, in business meetings, etc. I just kept my mouth shut because I knew better.
Also, again, polarization is what's wrong with humanity today. We need more empathy today. "We're better than them" doesn't help anything, it just fires up the other side.
I'm *not* saying I disagree with what you've said. I'm just saying, punching down is still a version of throwing fists.
I mean, now you're just doing a textbook logical fallacy. I was saying above that Trump has no honor and his goons are running wild. I'm also not American.
My point is being careful about painting a population in broad strokes. The majority didn't vote for him, and polls show many who did regret it.
People 100% felt smug. I saw it regularly on work trips in U.S., Singapore, Amsterdam and many other places. When it was Obama and Trudeau in power, everyone seemingly looked at North America as the progressive power house of the world. When Trump got in, "at least we still have Trudeau" was said.
IMO, painting in broad strokes is exactly how everything has become more polarized in the first place. Particularly now as so many are just trying to literally survive due to decisions of a group of people who decided the old honor and a handshake was something to exploit for personal gain.
In other places I've been, including typical red states, I'll get so many people apologize for their president when they hear that I'm Canadian. And for me to tell people back home that "this isn't us." I'm not saying it's the norm, but it's often.
But my biggest surprise living in the U.S. has been just how nice everyone is, even in NYC which is notorious for being rude. Yes, people are trying to get from A to B and in a rush, so they can be short or get frustrated. But you need a hand? Drop something? They're first to stop and help.
There's also a historical context. Similar to how Aussies can be a bit more brash and struggle with toxic masculinity because the country was founded as an island of convicts, so there's some deep-seeded issues, America was founded on war and a us vs. them. So again, bit more brash seeps through.