Tech Feed - February 11, 2026

Articles and podcasts from the software engineering world.

The Cloudcast

What do we wish we knew about the next 3 years of AI?

Tech Brew Ride Home

AI: Better, Faster, Stronger… Or Just Working Harder?

Duration: 19 min | Read Transcript

Here is a comprehensive summary of the podcast episode "AI: Better, Faster, Stronger... Or Just Working Harder?":

Opening context:

• This episode of the Tech Brew Ride Home podcast discusses the latest developments in the world of artificial intelligence (AI), including updates on ChatGPT, Spotify, and the competitive landscape of AI in China.

Key discussion points and insights:

• ChatGPT has introduced ads to its free service, but OpenAI says they do not influence the chatbot's responses. Users can opt out of ads by upgrading to paid plans or accepting fewer daily free messages.
• Spotify had strong earnings, adding a record number of new listeners and paid subscribers. The company is positioning itself as a broader entertainment platform beyond just music streaming.
• Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, and Baidu are engaged in a costly "red packet" campaign, giving away millions to incentivize users to try their new AI chatbots and services ahead of the Lunar New Year.
• Lawsuits against Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and Google over social media addiction and harm to children are now going to trial, challenging the companies' legal protections.
• A study found that the use of generative AI tools at a tech company actually increased employee workloads, leading to faster pacing, broader task scopes, and more continuous work, without necessarily improving productivity.

Notable technologies, tools, or concepts mentioned:

• ChatGPT and its new ad model
• Spotify's AI-powered Prompted Playlist feature
• Chinese tech companies' AI chatbots and services (Quen, Yanbao, etc.)
• Generative AI tools used by employees in the study

Practical implications or recommendations discussed:

• Companies need to develop clear norms and standards around AI use to prevent unsustainable workload creep and employee burnout.
• Merely asking employees to self-regulate their AI usage is not an effective strategy, as the study found the excitement of new AI tools can lead to a self-reinforcing cycle of increased workloads.

Overall, this episode provides a comprehensive update on the latest developments in the AI space, highlighting both the opportunities and potential pitfalls of rapidly adopting these new technologies in the workplace and consumer markets.