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The Podcast

This is a must-listen for anyone following Canadian aerospace, satellite innovation, or the business of space access.

Episode 17 - Canada’s Rockets, Satellites, and the Atlantic Spaceport. Rahul Goel, CEO and Founder, NordSpace

Rahul Goel, CEO and founder of NordSpace, joins me to discuss how his company is building a wholly Canadian space ecosystem — from 3D-printed rocket engines and launch vehicles to satellites, AI-driven payloads, and Canada's first commercial spaceport in Newfoundland. They’re working to reshape and fill gaps in every segment of Canada’s space sector, from investment and infrastructure to technology and policy.

NordSpace is redefining how Canada accesses orbit by developing its own rockets (Tundra and Titan), satellite systems (Terra Nova), and the Atlantic Spaceport Complex to support end-to-end space missions. Rahul explains what it takes to launch from Canadian soil, how his team grew from two engineers meeting in a basement cafeteria to a 25-person national venture, and why space must be treated as critical infrastructure, not a distant frontier.

The conversation covers Canada’s regulatory hurdles, the company’s lessons from its first launch campaign, the push for technological sovereignty, and the balance between ambition and pragmatism in a country often seen as risk-averse. Rahul also shares his personal journey to leading one of Canada’s most ambitious aerospace ventures — and why he believes the next decade will belong to nations that build, not buy, their access to space.

Some key points:

✅ NordSpace is building Canada’s first end-to-end space ecosystem — rockets, engines, satellites, and the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland.
✅ Space is critical infrastructure, not a frontier. If satellites failed, Canada would lose an estimated $1 billion per day in economic impact.
✅ Terra Nova, NordSpace’s AI-enabled satellite program, will detect wildfires and security threats in real time, proving that Canadian satellites can deliver on-orbit intelligence.
✅ Rahul says Canada must move past the Avro Arrow mindset and take real risks again: “We can do hard things here.”
✅ Rahul’s goal: build the roads to orbit so others can build industries on top of them.
💡 “When we succeed,” Rahul says, “I want people to say we did it — Canada did it.”

I truly appreciated Rahul taking the time away from his busy schedule to chat with me!

Listen on your favourite player of choice, or on Spotify at https://lnkd.in/gPukHWCA

Please remember to like, rate and share this Podcast. It helps with reach and awareness!

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What’s Happening On Earth?

🇨🇦 Bell to provide better cell service in exchange for lucrative N.B. deal - Liberals say remote and rural areas will have better coverage, but Tory opposition leader argues the devil is in the details

My Take: New Brunswick traded tower access for better cell coverage, but without public clarity on costs or benefits, it’s unclear whether the province struck a smart deal or gave Bell a free ride.

What will become of leftover BEAD money? - Jessica Simmons, Georgia’s deputy state chief information officer and executive director of the Georgia Broadband Program, said at the SCTE TechExpo Sept. 29 that of the $1.3 billion allocated to the state, it is on track to only spend around $310 million. Similarly, Meghan Sandfoss, Kentucky’s executive director of broadband development, said the state will only use around a third of its $1.1 billion allocation. Sandfoss said states are all “wondering what’s next for the remaining funds, if there will be non-deployment projects that come out of this.”

My Take: Fiber sensing. Monitor the aging infrastructure.

🇨🇦 Cogeco, Eastlink win court hearing in Big 3 wholesale access complaint - The Federal Court of Appeal will hear arguments made by Cogeco and Eastlink that allege the CRTC made several errors when it rejected their request to relook at its decision to allow the three largest telecoms wholesale access to their cable networks.

My Take: I guess it ain’t over until it’s over, and it ain’t over.

Speed Tests Could Help Improve Broadband Oversight, Ookla Executive Says - the company’s Speedtest data offers valuable, real-time insights into broadband performance at the local level — information that could help state and federal officials track progress under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.

My Take: If states use speed test data smartly, they can catch weak spots early, push for upgrades, and make sure funds deliver promised performance

AT&T, Verizon chase T-Mobile with nationwide 5G SA - AT&T announces 5G SA is deployed nationwide. Verizon's nationwide rollout is nearly there too, while leader T-Mobile is reportedly thinking about sunsetting 4G to reuse spectrum thanks to its early 5G move.

My Take: AT&T says it has deployed 5G Standalone (SA) nationwide, and Verizon is almost there with both now running 5G without relying on a 4G core. T-Mobile, the early SA leader, may even start decommissioning 4G to reclaim spectrum

AOI signs $4B deal with AWS—probably - Proving that everything really is bigger in Texas, semiconductor fab AOI recently secured its first hyperscaler deal for its 800 Gbit/s optical transceivers.

My Take: That’s quite the deal.

WATCH: Attochron aims to sell first wireless laser comms system - “We have made viable for the first time laser communications through air. It’s not to replace fiber and not to replace radio. Think of it as the third leg that was missing on a three-legged stool,” said a project representative.

My Take: Attochron will be on my Innovation Panel at the upcomig Canadian Rural and Remote Broadband Community conference next mont in Kelowna, BC. See the banner at the beginning of the newsletter.

If you want to learn more, listen to Episode 12 of my Podcast - the Beaming Through the Impossible: Attochron’s Laser Quest to Solve the Last Mile. Tom Chaffee, CEO and Jim Olson, SVP Sales & Marketing, Attochron.

InCoax Networks touts new tech as low-disruption alternative for MDUs - InCoax Networks said Tuesday it has developed a broadband access system that delivers 5 Gbps symmetrical speeds over existing coaxial wiring by aggregating two MoCA Access 2.5 channels into a single logical link.

My Take: Bonded MoCA channels. Beats having to rewire a building as long as the Coax is in good shape.

🇨🇦 TELUS Digital Launches Fuel iX Fortify to Strengthen AI Security - iX Fortify helps businesses bridge the skills gap by automating the red-teaming process, providing an early warning system that continually advances with the latest adversary tactics, methods, and procedures. Thousands of adversarial attacks can be run in minutes, making it a powerful tool that enables businesses to achieve the responsible deployment of AI and safeguard their reputation in highly regulated environments.

My Take: Ok.

Nokia debuts network AI tools as China exclusion looms - Fiber tools aim to cut operator costs while geopolitical tensions threaten market share

My Take: Nokia launched AI tools within its Altiplano platform to help fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) operators improve network visibility, detect faults, and automate diagnostics. The tools include Fiber Health Analyzer and Subscriber Line Identifier, enabling real-time inventory updates and issue isolation. And.. they can’t sell anything in China.

Nokia pitches first 50G PON solution with quantum safety warning - While advanced PON exploration is not quantum adjacent by nature, a Nokia spokesperson told SDxCentral the release comes in response to PON networks being increasingly used to deliver internet connectivity to enterprises, demanding secure protection of transmitted data against harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks.

My Take: By embedding quantum-resilient encryption into 50G PON, Nokia is betting that future security will be just as essential as raw speed — and those who wait may be too late. All you need to do is add fiber sensing when it’s installed to get true security!

Bell Canada lines cut, 80-90 metres of cable stolen in north Halton - Approximately 80-90 metres of copper wire was stolen after Bell Canada lines were cut on 32 Sideroad in north Halton.

My Take: The point here is the cost - $5-10,000 to fix 100m of cable. That’s $100/m to repair it. Seems expensive.

Rogers 3G phase-out prompts call for 'urgent action' - Matawa First Nations want the CRTC to delay the termination of 3G, and support for a Matawa-owned company to upgrade to 5G service.

My Take: Makes sense. I flip into 3G areas sometimes when driving in rural areas. I wonder what will happen when they shut off 3G?

Private 5G and generative AI in Industry 4.0 – a match made at the edge - Private 5G and generative AI, the twin hype engines of industrial tech, are converging as enabling technologies for Industry 4.0 – driving automation, efficiency, and edge innovation despite differing enterprise priorities.

My Take: 5G and GenAI are merging at the industrial edge. The real test is turning internal network intelligence into operational advantage.

Charter takes 5G-over-HFC to the test - With a vision to build ultra-dense supercells, Charter is testing an architecture that delivers CBRS signals on hybrid fiber/coax (HFC). Following initial lab trials, the operator intends to field-test the 'fiber-powered DAS' system later this year.

My Take: Why not? Makes sense. Great for dense areas and indoors.

Gigs dials up new MVNO model with AT&T - Move over, MVNOs. There’s a new game in town – one that lets consumers get their mobile phone service through an app. It’s all enabled by Gigs, a 5-year-old company whose founders set out to right some wrongs in the telecom industry and in the process, they’re upending how consumers get their phone service. That’s how it appears to this author, anyway.

My Take: This model blurs the line between app platforms and telecom: users might one day not “buy a carrier plan” but “buy it inside your favourite app,” shifting power toward software platforms and away from traditional telcos.

Enterprise connectivity's future: IDC's 2025 predictions - This analyst report explores the future of enterprise connectivity with predictions on AI-enabled cloud communications, satellite connectivity, cellular IoT, and cloud-native networking.

My Take: There’s 10 predictions in there. I like these two. Resistence is futile.

Prediction 2: By 2028, 70% of enterprises will leverage LEO satellite connectivity to complement cellular coverage, increasing resiliency by creating a unified digital enterprise service fabric.

Prediction 3: By 2028, over 70% of enterprises will take advantage of cellular IoT applications, as Multi-IMSI SIMs, eUICC solutions, NB-IoT, and 5G evolution drive the adoption of mission-critical business use cases.

'Smart,' amps are hot right now for cable upgrades — Commscope SVP - Instead of just boosting a cable signal, smart amplifiers can collect detailed data and send it back to a central control facility so the operator can better pinpoint network issues. Sucharczuk told Fierce while smart amps aren’t a new development, the tech is now gaining further attention because of how AI can be rolled into it.

My Take: Smart amps are becoming a critical enabler for scaling high-speed cable (e.g. DOCSIS 4.0 and beyond) as they allow networks to self-heal, reduce maintenance costs, and push diagnostics deeper into the field. But operators must decide carefully whether to “think locally” (edge AI) or rely on headend processing, balancing complexity and scale. Hmm..

Accelerating Speed to Power - The Speed to Power Initiative is a Federal action to accelerate the speed of large-scale grid infrastructure project development, both transmission and generation use. The Speed to Power Initiative will ensure the United States has the power needed to win the artificial intelligence (AI) race while continuing to meet the growing demand for affordable, reliable, and secure energy.

My Take: Cool Data Viewer inside. Being able to see provisioned power, requested power, etc, seems like useful information - and more importantly, transparently shared information.

CENGN Announces Living Lab Partnership with Morguard and Nokia - Today, CENGN announced a Living Lab partnership with Morguard and Nokia to advance Canadian innovation.  Through the partnership, the CENGN Living Lab Initiative will now include co-funded access to three Smart Building Living Labs, powered by Morguard and Nokia. The Living Labs will enable Canadian startups and scaleups to test and validate their cutting-edge sensor, robotic, and applied artificial intelligence products in residential, commercial, and retail environments, accelerating their path to market readiness.

My Take: It’s great that these facilities exist. I wonder, though, how many people actually know about CENGN and what they do.

From devices to experiences: ecosystem partnerships drive sustainable growth in MEA’s consumer tech market - As the MEA consumer tech market shifts from hardware to services, propelling media and entertainment spending toward a projected $36bn by 2027, ecosystem partnerships are emerging as the critical framework powering this growth. In this blog, Omdia explores how vendors, telcos, and retailers are becoming indispensable partners for service providers, enabling the bundled subscription models that are reshaping the region's value chain from one-off device sales to long-term, recurring revenue.

My Take: Are the MEA folks ahead of North America in figuring out how to position value and experience beyond price?

Cisco has its own take on how to ‘scale across’ - The system includes Cisco’s Silicon One P200 chip as well as its 8223 router and supports a whopping 51.2 terabits per second for intense AI workloads. Cisco provided all sorts of fun stats on power efficiency, the system’s compact form factor and security, which you can check out here. But the true attention grabber is its secret sauce: deep buffering.

My Take: “We’re here to say it’s actually an ‘and.’ What you really need is the intelligent congestion control that some people are talking about, but that is not enough to move this data between multiple sites,” Chopra said. “The only way to not drop those packets on the floor during failure conditions is to have these deep buffers.” Anyone remember when deep buffers and dropping packets was a bad thing?

Qualcomm to Acquire Arduino—Accelerating Developers’ Access to its Leading Edge Computing and AI - Acquisition to combine Qualcomm’s leading-edge products and technologies with Arduino’s vast ecosystem and community to empower businesses, students, entrepreneurs, tech professionals, educators and enthusiasts to quickly and easily bring ideas to life.

My Take: Thanks to Bruce MacDougall for passing this one along. Arduino has a huge ecosystem of microcontrollers and a development community. Could turn into somethig interesting.

What’s Happening In Space?

What’s in Space This Week?

Starlink is burning up one or two satellites a day in Earth’s atmosphere - If you had to guess how many Starlink satellites burn up in Earth's atmosphere on an average day, how many would you pick? This isn't a trick question - SpaceX is deorbiting about one or two satellites daily, and that number is only going to grow. 

My Take: Better that they burn up than end up on top of someone’s house. They’re not supposed to last forever.

Data centres in space? Jeff Bezos says it's possible - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos predicted on Friday gigawatt-scale data centres will be built in space within the next 10 to 20 years and that continuously available solar energy meant they would eventually outperform those based on Earth.

My Take: I’ll put a plug in here for the Podcast episode I recorded with Philip Johnston, CEO and Co-Founder, Starcloud. All about their plans for space-based data centres.

Visualizing all active satellites in orbit, across all applications - As of October 8, 2025, there are 12,894 active satellites in orbit, supporting a wide range of applications, including telecommunications (satcom), Earth observation (EO), positioning, weather monitoring, scientific research, and more.

My Take: I get 13,991 Objects. I remove “unknown” stuff in the numbers that I report above. Carlos probably has better data than I do. Anyway, read his article. Insightful as always!

New private 'Arc' spacecraft aims to deliver cargo from orbit to anywhere on Earth in less than an hour (video) - We see a future where thousands of Arc spacecraft form a logistics network that provides transformative reach, resilience, and deterrence for the United States and its allies."

My Take: Arc is a reusable, autonomous spacecraft that's 8 feet long and 4 feet wide (2.4 by 1.2 meters). How long before it has a FedEx logo on it? Watch the video.

SpaceX Just Slashed Starlink Mini Dish Price by $200 - The company is discounting the Starlink portable dish to $299 in the US and CAD$399 in Canada.

My Take: Make it $99 and I’ll get two and keep them on the $7 standby plan.

SpaceX Now Offering Free Starlink Mini Dish to Select Customers in Canada and U.S. - According to screenshots shared by customers online, the email from SpaceX reads, “As a thank you for being a Residential customer for over a year, you’ll receive a $0 Starlink Mini—so you can take the same fast, reliable internet you use at home anywhere you go.” (via PC Mag)

My Take: @#!!*&. That’s better than $99. How about “thank you for all the free newsletter space?” It’s actually just a long-term rental.

Starlink Slashes Prices on Equipment and Monthly Service Ahead of Prime Day - I’ve never seen it cheaper. You can get discounts of up to $260 off equipment and up to $35 off monthly service.

My Take: …and today I received an email offering 50% off the service if I commit to 24 months. They should change the name from SpaceX to “Crazy Elon’s House of LEO”.

SpaceX prepares Starship for 11th flight test on the 13th using a new engine configuration - The upcoming flight will build on the successful demonstrations from Starship’s tenth flight test with flight experiments gathering data for the next generation Super Heavy booster, stress-testing Starship’s heatshield, and demonstrating maneuvers that will mimic the upper stage’s final approach for a future return to launch site.

My Take: The videos are always amazing. Let’s hope there’s no rapid unscheduled disassembly.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 28 Starlink satellites on its 29th-ever liftoff (video) - SpaceX's current reuse record for a single rocket is 30 flights.

My Take: Remember when launches used to be exciting? Now it’s just more of the same - but I’d still like to see one live.

Blue Origin launches 6 'Space Nomads,' including mystery passenger, on suborbital space tourist flight (video) - Blue Origin launched its 15th space tourism flight today (Oct. 8), sending six people on a brief trip to the final frontier, including a mystery passenger who only revealed his identity after the flight.

My Take: I didn’t check and see who it was. (I didn’t care. shhh!)

Novaspace Predicts 43,000+ New Sats to Launch by 2034 - A new report by Novaspace, the French space consultancy, predicted that 43,000+ new satellites will launch in the coming decade, creating $655B in market value through manufacturing and launch services.

My Take: That’s a lot of space junk and stuff that will need to deorbit and land in a field in Saskatchewan at some point. So take the 43,000 on top of the 15,000 Starling D2D satellites, and the other 12-15,000 things flying around.. Getting close to 100,000 over time? Seems like a lot.

Project Kuiper to Open Satellite Gateway in Cork, Ireland - Amazon's Kuiper said it will invest in the EU's space sector

My Take: 👍

Orange Business to Integrate OneWeb into an Emergency Network Solution - SafetyCase is a compact solution can be deployed in emergency situations to create Wi-Fi connectivity bubbles, restoring access to voice, data, and video. The product has already been used during the floods in Valencia, Spain, and during Cyclone Chido in Mayotte in December 2024. Adding Eutelsat’s OneWeb connectivity brings in low latency Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication to complement the other technologies. 

My Take: A very necessary application of the technology.

Ready for the Next Space Business Rollercoaster? - Each year, the World Satellite Business Week conference opens with a big-picture look at the forces reshaping the space sector. This year, Pacôme Révillon, CEO of Novaspace, delivered a powerful keynote that set the tone for the week ahead. His core message: The industry is once again entering a rollercoaster phase—dynamic and unpredictable, but brimming with opportunity.

My Take: Innovate quickly, adapt continuously and scale decisively. That’s what they say.

FCC Might Open the Floodgates for Starlink and Other Satellite Expansions - As SpaceX eyes launching tens of thousands of new satellites for Starlink, the Federal Communications Commission is indicating it’s ready to open the floodgates.

My Take: If the FCC loosens spectrum or power limits, satellites could push into areas currently reserved for terrestrial providers. Two words. Amazon Prime.

Sateliot hails standards-based IoT connection from LEO to a commercial device - Spain’s Sateliot says it has achieved a narrowband connection from a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite for the first time to a commercial Internet of Things (IoT) device built to global 5G standards known as 3GPP Release 17.

My Take: I was trying to get hold of these guys months ago to learn more. No one got back to me. Anyway, if they pull it off, it could open up a lot of applications.

Defense to ‘anchor’ exploding satellite market over next decade: NovaSpace - The defense sector is projected to account for only nine percent of the satellites going up between 2024 and 2035, but at the same time representing a whopping 48 percent of total market value.

My Take: Defence has all the money.

Space infrastructure investments surge to five-quarter high - Early-stage investor Space Capital said global investments in core space infrastructure climbed to a five-quarter high of $4.4 billion over the three months to the end of September, amid a breakout year for U.S. satellite manufacturing.

My Take: ..and only to continue for some time, I would imagine - especially as space, AI and Data Centres merge.

Kongsberg Geospatial and NordSpace Sign MOU to Advance Canada’s Responsive Space Launch Capabilities - Under the MoU, Kongsberg Geospatial will support the development of the digital Mission Control centre at NordSpace’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) in Newfoundland, leveraging its TerraLens SDK and airspace visualization platforms to support responsive space launches.

My Take: I wonder if they’ll give tours? ;)

🇨🇦 Canada, companies need to go beyond buzzwords to innovate dual-use defence tech, panel says - Last week, before a crowd of students, investors, executives and government officials gathered at York University, Mr. Goel told the story of how he ended up founding that company, NordSpace. His presentation was part of a broader discussion about what Canada should be doing to fund innovation in defence.

My Take: Canada risks losing another generation of innovators unless it stops treating dual-use defence tech as a slogan and starts funding it as strategy.

Taiwan Running Out Of Time For Satellite Communications, Space Chief Tells AFP - Taiwan's space chief Wu Jong-shinn says the "clock is ticking" for the democratic island to launch its own satellites to secure internet and phone services during a potential conflict with China.

My Take: Taiwan needs about 150 satellites by 2031 to ensure communication resilience, especially if undersea cables are severed. Currently, Taiwan has no communication satellites of its own.

ViaSat-3 F2 is launching soon - ViaSat-3 Flight 2 (VS-3 F2) - the second of three VS-3 satellites – is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. It will liftoff aboard an Atlas V 551 rocket provided by United Launch Alliance (ULA) in the second half of October 2025.

My Take: It’s part of their growing open, scalable, multi-network, multi-band architecture to deliver world-class connectivity experiences

Direct To Device

AST SpaceMobile Announces Definitive Commercial Agreement with Verizon to Support Space-Based Cellular Broadband Across the Continental United States - Agreement to provide space-based direct-to-device connectivity to everyday cell phones further expands strategic partnership announced in May 2024

My Take: the boundaries between cellular and satellite are very blurry..

Elon Musk tries to make Apple and mobile carriers regret choosing Starlink rivals - The spectrum, combined with a SpaceX plan to launch up to 15,000 new and improved satellites for cellular service, could cause AT&T and Verizon to question their reliance on satellite company AST SpaceMobile. Apple, which was reportedly already facing internal dissent over its deal with Globalstar, now has another reason to wonder if it made the right choice in rejecting an offer from Elon Musk.

My Take: Starlink’s mobile shift could break the tight control carriers and smartphone makers have over connectivity, shifting power toward space-based networks and forcing incumbents to respond or get marginalized.

Starlink Rival AST SpaceMobile Gets Rare Sell Amid 254% Run - AST SpaceMobile Inc. shares have more than tripled this year as the race for space-based cell phone connectivity heats up. With Elon Musk’s SpaceX division, Starlink, rushing to overtake it, AST is positioned for “painful corrections,” according to a Scotiabank analyst.

My Take: Positioned for a “painful correction” means I should take my money and run!

🇨🇦 Starlink's Direct-to-Device Era: What It Means for Rural Connectivity and Media in Canada - The idea of connecting a phone directly to a satellite has moved from science fiction to reality. Starlink's direct-to-device (D2D) service promises to reach rural communities without cell towers or reliable fixed broadband. For Canada - especially remote provinces, territories, and Northern communities where broadband gaps persist - this could reshape how people stream media, pay online, and access remote education. Understanding what D2D means in practice, including its limits, helps businesses and everyday users plan smarter.

My Take: Another of another article. I think we’re a ways off from streaming, remote education, etc, with D2D. That would be a use case for Starlink. D2D is not a replacement for a 5G phone - today.

Satellite's AI Future: The Big Debate - One of the big topics at any space conference nowadays is what impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) can have on space companies in terms of improving efficiencies and bringing new technologies to market. It is a fascinating question.

My Take: ..and the same question is being asked in every sector and segment. Everyone has the same issues and problems to resolve.

Nations with LEO sovereignty ambitions should revisit lessons from past space co-operation - Sovereign LEO constellations are often driven by national objectives ranging from strategic autonomy to digital inclusion and economic development. However, national ambition alone is not enough. Long-term viability depends on an operator’s ability to access broader markets and achieve efficiencies through collaboration.

My Take: You can’t be sovereign in isolation. Does that make sense?

Enabling AI

OpenAI DevDay 2025 - It’s the best time in history to be a builder. This year, we introduced the next generation of tools and models to help developers code faster, build agents more reliably, and scale their apps in ChatGPT.

My Take: OpenAI’s DevDay 2025 redefined ChatGPT as a full platform—introducing GPT-5 Pro, Sora 2 video, real-time mini models, and in-chat apps - shifting from “one AI model” to a modular ecosystem powering apps, agents, and developers.

🇨🇦 OpenAI wants to be part of Canada’s sovereign AI play - The U.S. tech giant says it can be a “constructive partner” in building the country’s digital infrastructure and kickstarting economic growth

My Take: “Countries are turning to OpenAI because of its “cutting-edge technology,” which can be used to build homegrown tools and applications, and because the firm can help stimulate their domestic AI ecosystems by building or buying compute capacity”

Stop Framing It as AI vs. Humans — Start Leading Like Someone Who Knows How to Use Both - AI is efficient, but it isn’t always accurate. To succeed in the age of automation, leaders must pair AI’s speed with distinctly human values.

My Take: AI is your friend, not your rival. Learn to use it wisely.

How to build your first agentic AI system - Agentic AI systems can be a value add for many businesses -- but only if they're built properly. Development teams looking to build agentic AI can use this guide to get started.

My Take: Take a peek if you’re interested.

Grok Imagine - Introducing the fastest image and video generation experience

My Take: see https://x.com/xai/status/1975607901571199086

Introducing the Gemini 2.5 Computer Use model - Available in preview via the API, our Computer Use model is a specialized model built on Gemini 2.5 Pro’s capabilities to power agents that can interact with user interfaces.

My Take: This looks cool. It’s a solution looking for a problem for me right now - until I find a use case I can work with.

Bank of England warns of ‘sharp market correction’ if AI bubble bursts - The central bank becomes the latest in a long list of banks and investors to weigh in on whether an AI bubble is forming as markets tick into the fourth quarter. 

My Take: As long as money keeps getting pumped into the sector the bubble will grow. Bajillions of dollars at this point.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT Now Connects With Third-Party Apps Like Spotify And Zillow: Here’s The Latest In The AI Arms Race - OpenAI will allow users to access third-party apps like Spotify and Zillow while using ChatGPT, CEO Sam Altman said Monday—one of the latest artificial intelligence innovations made this year as titans like OpenAI, xAI, Google and Anthropic compete for AI dominance.

My Take: OpenAI is becoming the “Super App”.. but would you trust it with secure connectivity to your files, email, and other connections?

Fiber broadband customers generate more frequent, intense AI use – survey - The AI revolution is inextricably linked to the quality of the network it runs on, creating a powerful, self-reinforcing cycle of demand and revenue, writes Recon Analytics' Roger Entner.

My Take: This headline annoyed me. I’m sure the data supports the outcome, but I’m also pretty sure there’s a heavy industry bias.

AI Transforms the Smart Home Experience- As AI becomes more infused in the home, AI can create better connections between the brand and the customer. This white paper explores how AI applications are reshaping home automation, with a focus on improving customer interactions and service models.

My Take: Download the paper from Parks Associates! There’s a link in the article.

🇨🇦 Online News Act undermines outlets’ ability to prevent AI scraping, copyright violations, Parliamentary committee told - Canada’s efforts to regulate digital giants through the Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18, is effectively forcing domestic news publishers to surrender control over paywalled content to Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) systems, according to testimony heard during a Parliamentary committee study. 

My Take: “This requirement effectively means that news organizations receiving funding from Google are unable to prevent Google’s AI bots from scraping their content, even if it is hidden behind a paywall and intended for subscribers. Users can then access that paywalled content by asking the AI to summarize it.”

OpenAI's Blockbuster AMD Deal Is a Bet on Near-Limitless Demand for AI - OpenAI’s latest move in the race to build massive data centers in the US shows it believes demand for AI will keep surging—even as skeptics warn of a bubble.

My Take: Clearly, they want to diversify away from NVIDIA

No Nvidia here! US businesses are increasingly using Apple Mac hardware to run AI workloads in a seismic shift that could see macOS move beyond creative - Nearly all respondents said Apple technologies are important to their IT strategies, with 22% calling them “mission-critical”. Apple now accounts for an average of nearly two-thirds (63%) of enterprise endpoints, and 96% of CIOs said they expect Mac investment to increase over the next 12 to 24 months.

My Take: I switched to Mac from Windows is 2007. Once you go Mac, you never go back. I have no idea what the current Windows version is. All I know is that I can’t help anyone with Windows issues.

This and That!

🇨🇦 Sovereignty Recast: Why Canada’s Arctic Future Depends on Resilience - Sovereignty in the 21st century is not about who plants the most flags or sails the biggest ships. It is about who can endure disruption without breaking.

My Take: The author suggests Canada’s Arctic strategy must shift from military symbolism to “resilient sovereignty”, focusing on digital, community, ecological, and institutional resilience instead of just ships and patrols.

How Canada Squandered Its Drone Lead - We slipped from pioneer to bystander, but the war in Ukraine is forcing a reboot

My Take: ..slow procurement, under-investment, and dependence on U.S. suppliers.. The Arctic will change it all.

Amazon launches prescription vending machines at One Medical clinics in Los Angeles - The kiosks are operated by Amazon Pharmacy and work similar to a vending machine, disbursing prescriptions for patients “within minutes” of their doctor visit, the company said.

My Take: How long before someone steals the whole machine. Cool idea.

Instagram once again promises it’s not listening to you through your mic - Besides noting that this would be a “gross violation of privacy,” Mosseri says you would notice if Instagram was listening in both because your battery would be draining faster and either your Android or iOS phone would display an indicator that recording is in progress.

My Take: So, this happened to me last week. I was on the phone talking about something very specific, and lo and behold, I started seeing ads for that very thing on Instagram. Coincidence? I think not.

Are 911 calls answered by AI? What Americans think — and what the government says - A survey of 2,000 Americans conducted between March 8 and July 8 shows that 16% of those surveyed believe 911 calls are being answered by AI instead of live dispatchers without disclosing, according to Robots Reveal Yourself: The AI Call Report by Answering Service Care published Sept. 22.

My Take: People expect transparency and reliability before letting AI touch core functions like emergency response.

🇨🇦 Gary Bolton: Healthcare innovations continue to grow with fiber - High-speed, low-latency broadband that fiber delivers is providing a greenfield for innovation in the healthcare sector and in ways few of us could imagine. One of the people with a bright vision of the future is Dr. Ivar Mendez, Director of the Virtual Health Hub in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who spoke at FBA’s Toronto Regional Fiber Connect Workshop in August.  

My Take: So this is actually an application where fiber makes a difference. I don’t think I’d want some remote surgery that relied on a Starlink connection. Sorry, Elon. Big fan, but there are limits.

Gold price reaches $4,000 an ounce for the first time ever - Gold prices hit $4,000 for the first time Tuesday as investors seek a safe haven from a weaker dollar, geopolitical volatility, economic uncertainty and stubborn inflation.

My Take: Holy cow. Imagine all those people who sold all of their gold stuff last year to onw of those “Sell us your Gold” places.

'The Big One' could be even worse than COVID-19. Here's what epidemiologist Michael Osterholm says we can learn from past pandemics. - The new book "The Big One" describes lessons learned from past pandemics and how they might be applied to mitigate the dangers of future outbreaks.

My Take: Reminds me of Sanford and Son. Clearly, we pay no attention to lessons learned from “the last one”. We’re all doomed. If a certain country had been a little more forthcoming, we probably could have at least tried to contain things,.

What Does ‘6-7’ Mean? The TikTok Meme, Explained - Kids are driving their parents and teachers insane with the repetition of the numbers ‘6-7,’ but what does the meme mean, and where did it come from?

My Take: The fact that it garnered a Forbes article to explain it is somewhat concerning. Kids are dumb. That’s all I need to say about that.

Chinese tech company develops creepy ultra-lifelike robot face — watch it blink, twitch and nod - A Chinese robotics company has unveiled what it describes as a realistic robot face, with plans to make humanoid robots more approachable and relatable.

My Take: If that’s approachable and relatable, we’re all in big trouble. Maybe I should license my head. We have the same hairstyle.

Infographic Of The Week

My Take: “Institutions such as the University of Mumbai, Tsinghua, Peking University, and Seoul National University now appear in the top 20 for billionaire alumni. The shift coincides with Asia’s broader economic expansion, higher rates of entrepreneurship, and strengthening of domestic capital markets.”

Podcast Recommendation

Despite being firmly in the 21st century, what if the most secure communications system in the world sounds like a creepy numbers robot from your grandparents’ shortwave radio? While we obsess over encrypted apps and VPNs, intelligence agencies quietly maintain Cold War-era infrastructure that’s virtually uncrackable — not because it’s technologically sophisticated, but because it’s beautifully, elegantly simple.

Number stations broadcast cryptic sequences across shortwave frequencies, reaching anyone with a $10 receiver, yet only one person on Earth knows what those numbers actually mean. The paradox is that, in our age of digital surveillance, where every click leaves a traceable fingerprint, the most anonymous communication method is also the most public.

Everyone can listen, but no one knows who’s really receiving the message. It’s security through obscurity taken to its logical extreme, and it’s still protecting secrets right now, today, in 2025.

Listen Here!

Movie/Streaming Recommendation

IMDb: 8.3/10

JMDb: 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿/10 ( horrifying violence with sly comedy)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" is a ferociously original political thriller set in an alternate, authoritarian America. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob Ferguson, a washed-up revolutionary whose chaotic family dynamic, with his daughter Willa and partner-in-rebellion Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), anchors the film’s epic sweep. Anderson blends dystopian dread with dark humour, crafting a tense yet unexpectedly tender narrative about resistance, obsession, and parental devotion.

The film’s opening is pure adrenaline: raids, bank robberies, and border liberations, led by the French 75 rebel group. As the years pass, the revolution’s legacy fractures, with Sean Penn’s Colonel Lockjaw obsessively hunting Bob’s family, escalating the stakes.

The visuals are striking, Jonny Greenwood’s score is daring, and Anderson’s lens captures both peril and fleeting hope. The result is a dizzying, deeply human drama that balances horrifying violence with sly comedy and heartbreak, marking it as one of 2025’s most compelling films.

Go see it.

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