How Long Will the Public's Interest in AI Endure?

Lon Harris
Lon Harris is a contributor to dot.LA. His work has also appeared on ScreenJunkies, RottenTomatoes and Inside Streaming.
How Long Will the Public's Interest in AI Endure?
Evan Xie

This is the web version of dot.LA’s daily newsletter. Sign up to get the latest news on Southern California’s tech, startup and venture capital scene.

On social media, it sometimes seems like the creative suite of generative AI apps – the ones aiming to replace screenwriters and artists – get all the glory and attention. The ability to draw an image of, say, just for the sake of argument, Donald Trump singing at a Black church from scratch is far more immediately tantalizing and eye-catching than more mundane, everyday kinds of tasks, like improving a search result or updating an OS setting.


This week alone, while AI’s threat to the American worker continued dominating headlines, we’ve had a number of other, significantly less dire stories popping up about digital assistants and other AI helpers coming soon to a platform near you. Or possibly one you’re utilizing right now.

TechCrunch reports that TikTok is working on a new AI chatbot, codenamed “Tako,” which is already in a testing phase in select (non-US) markets. When activated, Tako will provide recommendations for new content based on prompts or suggestions, and can even answer questions posed mid-video by a user about whatever it is that they’re watching.

At its Build developer conference this week, Microsoft unveiled Copilot, a new AI digital assistant designed to help lay people navigate Windows software and its many tools and features. In addition to funcitoning like any other chatbot helper – entering new items in a calendar, say, or playing a song on Spotify – Copilot has deep integration into the Windows operating system itself, meaning that it can interact with specific files and settings. With a simple prompt, Copilot can transcribe an audio file, set a timer, switch the visuals to “dark mode,” and other basic tasks that once required a mouse and keyboard. The pitch is decidedly futuristic: without needing to navigate various complex menus and sub-menus, Windows users will simply be able to tell their computer what to do, and for the most part, it will listen.

It’s the latest volley in the ongoing battle for AI supremacy between Microsoft and Google, two legacy companies desperate to associate their names with all the hype around thinking machines. For seemingly every new innovation one company announces, the other rushes to market with an answer of its own.

Last week, Microsoft announced ChatGPT had caught up with Google’s Bard, and could now connect to the internet in an effort to produce better, more accurate results. Now, in response to Microsoft integrating ChatGPT with its own Bing search, Google will start embedding AI results into its search result pages. The feature will roll out beginning this week for users who signed up on the waitlist for early access.

Unlike conventional Google search results, AI responses don’t appear as a list of links, but within colorful boxes above the traditional search results. Intriguingly, some results from specific companies or retailers – such as Best Buy – now get expanded sections in the results page, listing out individual products for sale and other relevant information.

Taken together, this represents the most significant individual shift in how Google presents search results in history. Rather than being purely aesthetic, the combination of AI responses, sponsored links, and Google’s own in-house products push all purely external links significantly further down the page. The end result will likely be diminished Google traffic going out to all websites and services that don’t pay the company for ad space. With Google traffic providing a vital lifeline for tens thousands of websites and apps, this could potentially “upend the internet,” according to Ars Technica.

Microsoft suggests its February AI upgrade has massively upgraded interest in its Bing, with downloads of the mobile app surging by 8 times over the last few months. According to Motley Fool, by some estimates, Bing saw twice as many downloads in the first two weeks of ChatGPT integration than it received throughout the entirely of 2022.

It’s still not entirely clear whether or not these results are sustainable, or if Bing is simply getting a short-term boost from the larger AI fad. Bazinga suggests that the surge of interest in ChatGPT on Bing could be fleeting. Microsoft’s ChatGPT iOS app launched on May 18 to much fanfare, but after just a week, daily downloads have already started to decline. Bing web traffic as well hasn’t spiked as much as you might suspect since getting an AI upgrade, suggesting users are coming to check out how it works but not yet relying on it day-to-day.

It’s easy to see clear evidence every day of the public’s ongoing enthusiasm for ChatGPT, Midjourney, and other viral AI applications, just by opening any social media app. But tracking user interest in digital assistants and search engine add-ons has proved more challenging.

At least anecdotally, interest in Snapchat’s “My AI” add-on seems to have already peaked and waned since its rollout in mid-April. A number of instructional blog posts about how to unpin or uninstall the feature have popped up around the Web, indicating that this has become a common search term among regular users who have lost interest in the feature.

For the time being, it’s all further evidence that the public is significantly interested in new AI applications and what they can do, but may only hang around and continue playing with the tools that immediately grab their interest by being surprising, clever, creative, or otherwise unexpected. While the technology may work best for small, practical, subtle applications, these aren’t the major steps forward that capture the public’s imagination and trend on social media.

Subscribe to our newsletter to catch every headline.

⚖️FTC’s "Click to Cancel" Rule and Its Ripple Effect on Tech

🔦 Spotlight

Happy Friday Los Angeles,

The FTC’s new “Click to Cancel” rule is shaking up subscription-based tech. Now, instead of navigating a maze of cancellation hurdles, users can cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up—with a single click. This shift is a wake-up call for SaaS, streaming, and app-based companies, where once-hidden exit options often kept users around simply because canceling was a hassle.

The rule also requires businesses to send regular renewal reminders, ensuring customers stay informed about upcoming charges. It's more than a cancellation button—it’s about transparency and giving users control over their decisions.

For startups, the impact goes deeper than UX adjustments. Many have relied on "dark patterns," which subtly discourage cancellations by hiding the exit. Now, companies must shift toward building genuine loyalty by delivering real value, not by complicating exits.

While this might affect retention rates initially, it could lead to more sustainable business models that rely on satisfaction-driven loyalty. Investors may start prioritizing companies that emphasize transparent, long-term engagement over those that depend on dark patterns to maintain retention metrics.

The rule opens the door to more ethical UX design and a truly user-centered approach across the tech industry. It may even set a precedent against manipulative design in other areas, such as privacy settings or payment methods.

Ultimately, the “Click to Cancel” rule presents an opportunity for the tech industry to foster trust and build stronger customer relationships. Startups and established companies that embrace transparency will likely stand out as leaders in a new era of customer-centric tech, where trust—not tricky design—is what retains users.

As the tech landscape continues to evolve, LA Tech Week 2024 offers a chance to explore these shifts in real-time. Check out the upcoming event lineups to stay informed and make the most of your time:

For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Ghost, a company supporting top brands and retailers with streamlined logistics and fulfillment solutions, raised a $40M Series C funding round led by L Catterton to fuel its continued growth and innovation. - learn more

LA Venture Funds
  • Assembly Ventures participated in a $27M Series A round for Monogoto, a provider of software-defined connectivity solutions that enable secure, cloud-based IoT and cellular network management on a global scale. - learn more
  • Angeleno Group participated in a $32M Series C round for REsurety, a company that recently launched an innovative clean energy marketplace aimed at providing better financial and operational insights to support renewable energy transactions. - learn more

    Download the dot.LA App

    🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

    🔦 Spotlight

    Happy Friday Los Angeles,

    As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


    What to Look Forward To

    Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

    Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

    Networking Mixers & Social Events: Meet and connect with founders, VCs, developers, designers, and fellow techies across LA. Rooftop mixers, lunch meetups, and creative gatherings offer the perfect chance to spark ideas and collaborate.

    Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

    For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

    Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!!


    🤝 Venture Deals

    LA Companies

    • Clout Kitchen, a Los Angeles and Manila based startup, has raised $4.45M in seed funding, co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, to develop AI-powered digital twins, which enables gaming creators to produce realistic virtual avatars for content and fan engagement. - learn more
    • MeWe, a privacy-focused social media platform, has raised an initial $6M in Series B funding led by McCourt Global to support Web3 integration and expand its decentralized network for 20 millions users. - learn more

      LA Venture Funds
      • EGB Capital participated in a $10M Series A funding round for MiLaboratories, which develops software that enables biologists to independently analyze complex genomic data, accelerating research and discovery in fields like drug development. - learn more
      • Crosscut Ventures participated in the $13.75M seed round for Airloom Energy, a company focused on developing airborne wind energy technology to harness high-altitude winds, with plans to accelerate a pilot project in Wyoming. - learn more
      • Overture VC participated in a $5.5M Seed funding round for Molg Inc., a company developing robotics and software for circular manufacturing, designed to disassemble electronics efficiently and recover valuable materials to reduce e-waste and support sustainable production. - learn more


        LA Exits

        • Options MD, a Los Angeles based telemedicine platform that provides care for people suffering from severe and treatment-resistant mental illness, is set to be acquired by Resilience Lab, an AI-driven provider focused on enhancing mental health care access. - learn more

        Download the dot.LA App

        LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
        tech-week

        Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.

        SATURDAY EVENTS

        BEVERLY HILLS

        12:00 PM

        • BIG Showcase (Invite Only):

        BIG Showcase (Invite Only)

        2:00 PM

        Light Dao

        Struck Capital, Seahorse Express

        EAGLE ROCK

        12:00 PM

        Sunrise Integration, Shopify

        EL SEGUNDO

        9:00 PM

        Administratum, Valar Atomics

        HOLLYWOOD

        10:00 AM

        Passes

        MALIBU

        6:00 PM

        • Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details

        Gaya Ventures

        MARINA DEL RAY

        6:00 PM

        • Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey of Transformation (Invite Only)

        Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness

        SANTA MONICA

        7:00 AM

        Founders Running Club

        8:30 AM

        Techstars

        9:00 AM

        Magic Mind

        StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica

        10:00 AM

        Gen She

        AI LA

        Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe

        10:30 AM

        Plantologist

        11:30 AM

        • Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)

        YouTube

        1:00 PM

        • Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details

        Office for Humanity and Circuit Works

        • Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details

        LadyDayDao

        5:00 PM

        KARD, What's Plots

        THE VALLEY

        7:00 AM

        Camino5

        VENICE

        9:00 AM

        Westside Yogis

        11:00 AM

        Open App

        1:00 PM

        Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

        4:00 PM

        • Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details

        VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI

        VIRTUAL

        11:00 AM

        BLCK UNICRN

        WEST HOLLYWOOD

        7:00 PM

        Next Sequence

        SUNDAY EVENTS

        INGLEWOOD

        12:00 PM

        Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS

        PLAYA DEL RAY

        2:00 PM

        AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA

        SANTA MONICA

        10:00 AM

        • Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details

        Clutch Talent

        11:00 AM

        11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation

        12:00 PM

        Data in LA, Amplitude

        12:30 AM

        New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

        TOPANGA CANYON

        3:00 PM

        Dreamore

        VENICE

        8:00 AM

        • Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details

        Surfed Club, Bow Shock

        12:00 PM

        • Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details

        WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com

        VIRTUAL

        2:00 PM

        BLCK UNICRN


        For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

        Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


        Download the dot.LA App

        RELATEDEDITOR'S PICKS
        LA TECH JOBS
        interchangeLA
        Trending