Personhood Credentials — and Roundup #36
Plus: the evolution of digital marketing, supercharged wellness, cross-species blood transfusions, treasure hunts, and more in Roundup #36
And we’re back.
This issue starts with one big thing, then pulls together a selection of spotlights and keeps the clicks coming in the roundup.
From inside the mind and out into business, from social to science, there is a lot to explore.
Let’s dig in.
Personhood Credentials
The fight for transparency in AI-infused media takes a new turn: proving you’re human online
The New New has long explored how we disclose the role of AI in media creation, from AI Contribution Badges to AI Nutrition Labels and Content Credentials. While that momentum builds, society has officially entered the “deep doubt” era.
The next step in this inevitable journey: proving you’re actually a person online.
Researchers at MIT, OpenAI, and Microsoft are proposing “personhood credentials” – a system that exploits AI’s limitations to combat deceptive bots, remove fake profiles, boost trust online, and keep our social media feeds more human.
The proposed system would verify your humanity online without revealing personal details. To get one, you might need to visit a trusted organization and show your ID. This credential, stored like a digital wallet card, could be used by platforms to filter bots.
These developments, which join California’s (still evolving) push for AI watermarking laws, underscore the growing importance of transparency in an AI-infused world.
As AI evolves, so will the tools to identify and verify its—and our own—contributions to the digital world.
Scan Ahead
Insightful scoops, irreverent ideas, emerging narratives—these are the snippets that have stuck with me.
Hopefulness > Mindfulness
Looking ahead might be better than being in the moment
This new study says that when things get tough, it’s better to focus on future possibilities than to stay locked in the present with mindfulness. While mindfulness has its benefits, hopefulness pushes us forward, keeping us motivated and optimistic about what’s next.
So, it may be okay to think more about where we’re going, not just where we are.
Blue-green Boundary
Do you and I see the same blue?
This new test is shining a light on the fascinating world of color perception. It asks participants to identify shades of blue and green, revealing that many people see colors differently. In fact, when I took the test, my blue was bluer than that of 68% of the population.
This opens a new understanding of how individual our life experiences really are and how those experiences shape our understanding of our own worlds.
AIVO > SEO
Get ready for AI visibility optimization—the next big thing in digital marketing.
As we move into an AI-driven world, traditional SEO is evolving into AI visibility optimization (AIVO).
This shift reflects the rising need for brands to stand out in an era where AI tools reshape how content is discovered and consumed. As this article explores, a range of new and evolving tools, techniques, and strategies are coming — and marketers will need to adopt them quickly to ensure they remain visible and relevant as search engines continue to adapt.
Fair Source
Rethinking software development.
The Fair Source movement is emerging as a compelling alternative for businesses navigating the complexities of software licensing.
By blending the benefits of both closed and open source models, Fair Source aims to create a framework that encourages collaboration while ensuring fair compensation for developers. For business leaders, adopting this model can enhance innovation and foster a more sustainable software ecosystem. For developers, this movement is pushing for them to retain some control while fostering community collaboration, prioritizing transparency, and enabling fair compensation that benefits everyone involved.
The Roundup
Cultural Currents
SocialAI,
a social network where you’re the only human, surrounded by thousands of fans (aka AI chatbots)
Wellness Social Clubs,
these “fourth spaces” are offering “soft-spoken interactions” and sober-curious social events
Karmic Salons,
weaving reiki and energy healing into the haircut experience
Treasure Hunts,
aka Project Skydrop, comes to the US Northeast
Humanity’s Last Exam,
calling for the “hardest and broadest set of questions ever” to try to stump the future’s most advanced AIs
Beyond Boundaries
Cross-Species Blood Transfusions,
by coating cell surfaces, transfusions across blood types and species are being successfully tested
Ambipolar Field,
Earth’s invisible, weak energy field has finally been detected and measured
Palletrone,
aka pallet+drone, aka human-robot interaction-based aerial cargo transportation
Golden Lettuce,
genetically engineered to pack 30 times more vitamins
Supercharged Meditation,
aka “neuromodulation” techniques, uses electrical currents and magnetic fields to fiddle with brain activity
Eureka!
It’s the throwback segment of The New New.
This time, we’re looking back into Issue 28, where the importance of Content Credentials was first explored.
There was also a spotlight on the advancements in robotics and AI. One of the most groundbreaking developments was Eureka, an AI agent that can teach robots complex tasks.
And, of course, the roundup was packed with intrigue (and some irreverent things), like:
AI in the World: From Google’s Graphcast weather AI to non-human newscasters and 3D-GPT, AI is transforming various industries.
Designing Spaces: AI influences interior design with tools like “Decorate Your Background” and “Dopamine Decorating.”
Eating Tomorrow: AI is changing how we eat with innovations like “computational food” and “lickable televisions.”
Saving Tomorrows: AI-powered solutions address environmental challenges, such as “Liquid Trees” and “Lithium-free Batteries.”
So, jump back to dig in.
The New New’s mission is to fuel foresight. Every issue delivers a curated view into the discoveries, launches, trends, and movements shaping tomorrow—all explored through broad landscapes, from labs and studios to businesses and culture.
Each month(ish), this is pulled together by me, Brent Turner, and published on LinkedIn, Substack, and my site.
Okay, I’m off to find a treasure hunt to join.
- B
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In the age of tyranny of choice, this is the truest statement I know: “I believe that all wisdom consists in caring a great deal about a few right things, and not caring a straw about the rest.” —John Buchan