🍜 TikTok pulls out..

TikTok just yanked its "chubby filter" after realizing that...

March 26, 2025

Welcome, Noodle Networkers.

Apple is diving headfirst into the AI data center race after Siri’s latest flop 🍏. Apparently, they are throwing a cool billion into Nvidia’s superchips, hoping to make their AI game less embarrassing. Maybe by the time they are done, Siri will finally understand that “play my workout playlist” does not mean “randomly call my ex.” Meanwhile, TikTok just pulled its controversial “chubby filter” đŸš« after users rightfully called it out for promoting body shaming. Because nothing says “fun social media feature” like making people feel worse about themselves. Maybe next time, they will launch a filter that just tells you that you are perfect as you are. And over in the AI arms race, China is flooding the market with new AI models 🌏 after DeepSeek’s big success. Apparently, they figured that if one groundbreaking model works, why not release fifty more? Western tech companies are sweating, wondering if they should start giving away their own AI models for free—or at least throw in some bonus features.

Are we racing toward an AI-powered future or just handing over the keys to chaos? Let’s get into it...

In today’s AI digest:

  • Apple jumps into AI data center race after Siri flop 🍏

  • TikTok pulls ‘chubby filter’ after body-shaming backlash đŸš«

  • China floods the world with AI models after DeepSeek’s success 🌏

Read time: 5 minutes

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

(source: Investors)

The Digest: Apple just hit the panic button and jumped headfirst into the AI data center race, because apparently, Siri being the “dumbest smart assistant” on the market wasn’t cutting it anymore. After years of Siri trying (and failing) to understand basic requests, Apple decided it was time to actually build some AI muscle—so they’re throwing billions at data centers and AI infrastructure to make sure their digital assistant stops embarrassing them.

Key Details:

  • Throwing Money at the Problem – Apple’s splurging around $1 billion on Nvidia GB300 NVL72 systems, hoping that buying enough GPUs will make Siri sound less like a confused toddler and more like an actual assistant. Partnering with Dell Technologies and Super Micro Computer, they’re basically trying to buy their way to competence.

  • Project ACDC: Not Just a Rock Band – Apple’s new project, creatively named Project ACDC (Apple Chips in Data Center), aims to develop their own AI chips because, apparently, waiting for Nvidia to fix Siri wasn’t working out. It’s a bold move, but considering Siri’s track record, it’s more of a “please save us” play than an innovation.

  • Bringing Jobs Home – They’re also throwing $500 billion into the U.S. economy over the next four years, building a server manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, and creating 20,000 jobs. Let’s hope at least one of those new hires is responsible for teaching Siri the difference between “call Mom” and “text my ex.”

  • Partnering Up with Broadcom – Just in case Project ACDC hits a sour note, Apple is also teaming up with Broadcom to make AI server chips. Apparently, they figured it was time to stop relying solely on Nvidia—because putting all your AI eggs in one GPU basket might not be the smartest play.

Why It Matters: Apple’s going all-in on AI infrastructure, hoping to finally make Siri as smart as Alexa and Google Assistant, or at least as useful as a Magic 8-Ball. If this works, we might actually get a version of Siri that doesn’t respond to “Play my workout playlist” with “Calling Dad.”

TikTok

(source: NBCnews)

The Digest: TikTok just yanked its "chubby filter" after realizing that making users look like they just ate a family-sized pizza by themselves wasn’t exactly boosting self-esteem. The filter, designed to digitally plump up your face, quickly faced a tidal wave of backlash from users who pointed out that body shaming doesn’t exactly scream “fun social media trend.” Who knew?

Key Details:

  • The Chunky Charm Fail – The filter, made by CapCut (also owned by ByteDance), aimed to give users a puffier face and rounder cheeks, probably in some misguided attempt to be cute. Instead, it just ended up being the digital equivalent of pinching someone’s cheeks and saying, “You’ve put on some weight, huh?” Spoiler: People did not find it adorable.

  • Backlash Level: Maximum – Users, health professionals, and body positivity advocates all hit back faster than TikTok could blink, calling out the filter for promoting harmful stereotypes and triggering body image issues. One user summed it up best: “Maybe don’t make filters that basically scream, ‘You should feel bad about this.’”

  • TikTok’s Damage Control Mode – Realizing it was about to become the next social media villain, TikTok quickly pulled the filter and promised that videos using it wouldn’t get recommended or show up in teen accounts. Which is great, because nothing says “oops, we messed up” like making a feature disappear faster than a viral dance trend.

Why It Matters: TikTok just got a hard lesson in how not to do “fun” filters. While experimenting with new features is great, maybe don’t accidentally shame half your user base in the process. The rapid takedown shows that platforms are still figuring out how to balance innovation with not being complete jerks.

DeepSeek

(source: YahooFinance)

The Digest: China just went full “release the Kraken” mode with AI models, flooding the world like it’s Black Friday at a GPU store. Inspired by the unexpected success of DeepSeek, Chinese tech giants and scrappy startups alike are churning out AI models faster than your grandma can hit “like” on Facebook. The West is sweating harder than a laptop running crypto mining software, wondering how the AI landscape just got flipped like a pancake.

Key Details:

  • DeepSeek’s DIY Revolution – DeepSeek pulled off an AI miracle by proving you don’t need billions in funding to build a top-tier model. Now, every Chinese tech company is out here acting like they just unlocked a secret cheat code, cranking out AI like it’s going out of style. If OpenAI and Nvidia weren’t already sweating, they definitely are now.

  • Tech Giants Go All-In – Following DeepSeek’s lead, Chinese heavyweights are throwing money around like they’re in a rap video:

    • Tencent is upping its capex budget for 2025 like it’s preparing for an AI apocalypse.

    • Alibaba is investing $52 billion into AI and cloud computing because why stop at one empire when you can build two?

    • Zhipu is lining up an IPO, while 01.AI (run by AI big brain Kai-Fu Lee) is now selling custom AI solutions instead of burning cash on pre-training.

    • Meanwhile, Baichuan is diving into healthcare AI, and Moonshot has ditched its chatbot marketing budget to actually finish training the bot, because that’s usually helpful.

  • U.S. Sanctions? What Sanctions? – DeepSeek’s success has narrowed the AI gap between China and the U.S. to just three months in some areas, proving that throwing economic shade at China isn’t slowing them down—it’s just making them hustle harder.

Why It Matters: China’s pulling off an AI takeover like it’s speedrunning world domination. This isn’t just Nvidia and OpenAI’s problem—it’s a wake-up call for every Western tech company that thought they had time to breathe. Instead, they’re now playing defense while China rolls out AI models like hot dumplings at a food festival.

THE NOODLE LAB

AI Hacks & How-Tos

The Digest: Jasper AI is an advanced AI-powered writing assistant designed to help content creators develop compelling scripts efficiently. By leveraging natural language processing and machine learning, Jasper AI can generate well-structured scripts tailored to your specific needs. ​

How-to:

  1. Set Up a Jasper AI Account:

    • Visit the Jasper AI website and sign up for an account.​

    • Choose a subscription plan that aligns with your scriptwriting requirements.​

  2. Navigate to the Scriptwriting Template:

    • After logging in, access the Templates section.​

    • Select the Video Script Hook and Introduction template or another relevant template suited for your project. ​

  3. Input Script Details:

    • Provide a brief description of your video or scene to guide Jasper AI in generating relevant content.​

    • Specify the tone, style, and any key points you want to include.​

  4. Generate the Script:

    • Click on the Generate AI Content button.​

    • Jasper AI will produce a script based on your inputs, which you can then review and refine as needed.​

  5. Utilize Jasper Commands for Customization:

    • In the Long-Form Assistant, use commands like "Write a dialogue between two characters discussing [topic]" to create specific sections. ​

    • Experiment with different prompts to tailor the script to your vision.​

  6. Collaborate and Edit:

    • Share the generated script with team members for feedback.​

    • Make necessary edits to ensure the script aligns with your project's objectives and maintains a consistent voice.

Explore More: Use Follow-up Mode to dive deeper into a specific industry and fine-tune your niche selection. We just covered AI-powered niche discovery in a workshop—access it at the top of this email! 🚀

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