AI isn't replacing humans, OpenAI gets prepared & more (December 29, 2025)

Good morning,

Today’s AI news is a reality check wrapped in big money and bigger constraints. Leaders are pumping the brakes on replacement hype, while investors quietly double down on infrastructure, enterprise rollouts, and long-term risk management. This is what the next phase of AI actually looks like.

Let’s dive in.

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🧠 Big Ideas & Reality Checks

🤖 Andrew Ng Says AI Is Still Limited

Andrew Ng says AI is powerful but narrowly scoped, not a general replacement for human labor. He argues most real-world work requires adaptability and judgment current systems lack. The takeaway, AI will amplify people long before it replaces them.

🛡️ OpenAI Searches for Preparedness Chief

OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness focused on catastrophic risk and misuse scenarios. The role highlights growing internal concern around model deployment and escalation risks. Safety is becoming a core operational function, not a side project.

⚠️ Godfather of AI Warns About AI Risks

AI risks are growing as Geoffrey Hinton, the Godfather of AI, reiterates fears about losing control of advanced systems. He emphasizes speed as the core problem, not intelligence alone. The warning adds pressure for slower, more deliberate rollouts.

💰 Money, Infrastructure & Enterprise Bets

🏗️ SoftBank Buys DigitalBridge for $4B

SoftBank agrees to acquire DigitalBridge to deepen its AI infrastructure footprint. The deal reflects soaring demand for data centers, power, and connectivity. Compute, not models, is becoming the real choke point.

⚡ AI’s Energy Appetite Becomes a Risk

AI’s energy appetite is emerging as a supply chain constraint for governments and enterprises. Power availability and cooling are now gating AI expansion. This shifts AI from a software problem to a physical infrastructure challenge.

📈 VCs Expect Strong Enterprise AI Growth

VCs predict strong enterprise AI adoption heading into 2026. Investors see budgets moving from pilots into production workflows. The focus is on ROI, automation, and vertical-specific use cases.

🧰 Tools of the Day

→ Giselle – AI writing assistant focused on long-form clarity and structured thinking.
→ BizCard – Instantly converts contact details into clean digital business cards.
→ Dropstone – Simple workspace for organizing files, links, and research.

⚡ Quick Hits

→ Bernie Sanders says AI is the most consequential technology of our time.
→ LG announces new gaming monitors with built-in AI upscaling.
→ VCs predict strong enterprise AI adoption again next year.
→ Lemon Slice nabs $10.5M to build digital avatar technology.
→ Dazzle AI raises $8M seed round for AI-driven design tools.

🧩 TLDR

AI hype is cooling, but spending is accelerating. Infrastructure, energy, and safety are emerging as the real bottlenecks. The next AI wave is practical, capital-intensive, and enterprise-led. AI’s future looks less sci-fi and more industrial, and that may be the biggest signal yet.

Until tomorrow,
David