How close are we to losing control of AI?

Hey there,

Today we’re talking AI moves that are reshaping search, customer service, enterprise strategy and how close we really are to the edge of superintelligence.

In today’s post:

• Google Search gets a chatbot facelift (and yes, ads are coming with it)

• AI experts can’t agree on the future and that might be the problem

• Agentic AI could run 68% of tech support by 2028

• Salesforce drops $8B on data power to fuel its AI empire

• Trending AI tools + GIVEAWAY

What’s Trending Today

Update

Ads are moving Into the chat window (AI mode)

Google is rewriting the rules of search. Last week's rollout of AI Mode in the U.S. replaces the classic search results page with something that feels more like chatting with an AI assistant. And yes, ads are coming along for the ride.

Here's everything you need to know:

• Google VP Dan Taylor says AI Mode marks a transformational shift, far from the "10 blue links" era.

• Ads are now being tested within AI Mode, making them part of an ongoing conversation.

• These ads will evolve with the context of previous queries, just like the AI responses.

• Expect clear ad labeling, though visual presentation is still a work in progress.

• Pricing for AI-integrated ads sticks with familiar models like CPC and CPA.

• Keyword-based buying is fading; Google is pushing AI Max to adapt to conversational search.

• Smart Bidding Exploration lets Google's algorithm bid more freely, aiming for better ROAS.

Here’s what I think:

Google isn't just tweaking search, it’s reimagining it. If ads become part of a back-and-forth conversation, advertisers will need to think less like keyword snipers and more like ongoing dialogue partners. The shift is subtle but seismic

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AI experts

AI’s Future: Superintelligence or Just Another Tool?

This week’s New Yorker piece by Joshua Rothman dives into the rift in how we think about AI’s future. On one side: extinction-level threats. On the other: manageable progress. The split says more about us than the tech.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Daniel Kokotajlo, former OpenAI researcher, believes AI could outpace human control by 2027 and he’s scared.

• His scenario, “AI 2027,” sketches a world where self-improving AI rapidly dominates global systems.

• Meanwhile, Princeton’s Kapoor and Narayanan argue that AI is overhyped and will scale slowly more like nuclear power than nuclear warfare.

• Their key point: intelligence is not the same as power. Most tech doesn’t change the world overnight.

• The debate reveals deep worldview clashes: West Coast accelerationism vs. East Coast skepticism.

• Both camps agree on one thing society’s current “do nothing” approach is dangerously passive.

• If there’s a consensus to be had, it’s this: humans must stay in the loop, not hand over the wheel.

Here’s what I think:

The future of AI won’t be decided by code alone, it’ll hinge on human choices. Whether we’re steering toward superintelligence or simply smarter tools, the accountability stays with us. The machines might help us think, but they won’t help us choose. That’s still our job.

Read the complete article here

Upgrade

Agentic AI Is coming for your customer service calls

Cisco just dropped new data on the rise of agentic AI. If you’re in tech, it’s a wake-up call: AI isn’t just a helper anymore—it’s about to take the wheel in customer experience.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• By 2028, 68% of support interactions with tech vendors will be AI-driven.

• Even sooner: over half of interactions will shift to agentic AI in just 12 months.

• 93% of companies say AI will make support more personalized, predictive, and proactive.

• But 89% still believe human connection is essential AI alone isn’t enough.

• Agentic AI doesn’t just respond it decides, acts, and adapts with minimal oversight.

• Cisco sees this shift as a way to eliminate persistent issues like network misconfigurations.

• Governance is crucial: 99% of respondents demand ethical, transparent AI deployment.

• 81% say vendors who move fast and do it right will win big on trust and loyalty.

Here’s what I think:

Agentic AI isn’t a maybe, it’s a now. The companies that treat it as a side experiment are going to get left behind. Those who integrate it wisely, with human support and strong ethics baked in, will define the next era of customer experience.

Acquisition

Salesforce just dropped $8B to power its AI future

Salesforce just made its boldest AI move yet: an $8 billion acquisition of data management firm Informatica. It’s a bet on the idea that better data = better AI.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Salesforce will pay $25 per share for Informatica, acquiring both Class A and B-1 stock.

• The goal? Strengthen infrastructure for its agentic AI ecosystem, including Agentforce and Data Cloud.

• Informatica brings a global customer base and deep experience in data governance.

• Marc Benioff calls it a “transformational step” toward enterprise-grade, responsible AI.

• The acquisition follows last year’s $1.9B purchase of Own Company for data security.

• This move consolidates Salesforce’s vision: unified AI agents powered by trusted, scalable data.

• A year ago, Informatica denied it was for sale now the deal is done.

• The market once feared integration challenges, but Salesforce is betting big it can pull it off.

Here’s what I think:

This isn’t just another acquisition, it’s literally a signal. Salesforce is going all-in on AI, and it knows that real AI power comes from controlling the data pipes. If they get the integration right, this could redefine how enterprises deploy AI at scale.

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