What’s In This Email

• Apple Puts Vision Pro Exec in Charge of Siri—Will It Finally Get Smarter

• Trade Tensions Hit Canadian Small Businesses Hard—Here’s What’s at Stake

• Notable Spotlight: Tim Whiten @ AGO

• Notable Plug 🔌

✍️ TAKE NOTE

Apple Puts Vision Pro Exec in Charge of Siri—Will It Finally Get Smarter

Apple has initiated a significant leadership change to revitalize its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts, particularly concerning its virtual assistant, Siri. Mike Rockwell, previously leading the development of the Vision Pro headset, has been appointed to oversee Siri, replacing John Giannandrea, who will continue to focus on broader AI research. This restructuring comes in response to delays in rolling out advanced AI features and aims to enhance Siri's competitiveness in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Key Takeaways:

1. Leadership Transition

• Mike Rockwell’s New Role: Rockwell, known for his work on Apple’s Vision Pro, will now lead Siri’s development, reporting directly to Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering.

• John Giannandrea’s Focus Shift: Giannandrea, who previously spearheaded Siri’s development, will remain at Apple but shift his focus exclusively to AI research and development.

2. Delays in AI Feature Deployment

• Apple has acknowledged that the rollout of enhanced AI-driven Siri features is taking longer than expected, with improvements now anticipated for next year.

• The delay highlights the challenges Apple faces in developing next-generation AI capabilities, especially as competitors race ahead with advanced AI assistants.

3. Internal Challenges and Criticisms

• Siri’s Performance Concerns: Apple’s virtual assistant has been criticized for lagging behind competitors, struggling with basic queries and lacking more sophisticated AI-driven capabilities.

• Team Dynamics: Reports suggest internal dissatisfaction within the Siri development team, citing challenges in advancing the assistant’s functionality and keeping up with AI trends.

4. Vision Pro Leadership Update

• Paul Meade’s Promotion: With Rockwell moving to Siri, Paul Meade, who previously oversaw hardware engineering for Vision Pro, will now lead Apple’s Vision Products Group.

Why It Matters:

This executive restructuring showcases Apple is aiming to strengthen its AI offerings, particularly as the company faces increased competition in the AI space. By appointing Rockwell, a leader with a track record of delivering innovation, Apple is making a strategic move to redefine Siri’s capabilities and integrate more advanced AI technologies into its ecosystem. The success of this transition will be crucial in determining Apple’s ability to stay ahead in the AI revolution.

Read the full article.

Trade Tensions Hit Canadian Small Businesses Hard—Here’s What’s at Stake

The ongoing trade tensions between the United States and Canada are significantly affecting small and mid-sized businesses, particularly in sectors like manufacturing, wholesale, and transportation. A recent report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reveals that 62% of these businesses are experiencing negative impacts due to the trade dispute. The uncertainty surrounding tariffs and trade policies is hindering economic stability and long-term planning for these enterprises.

Key Takeaways:

1. Widespread Concern Among Small Businesses

• The CFIB's Monthly Business Barometer indicates that a majority of small and mid-sized businesses are feeling the strain of the trade conflict.

• The constant flux of tariff threats and policy changes is creating uncertainty, making it difficult for businesses to plan for the future.

2. Sectors Most Affected

• Industries such as manufacturing, wholesale, and transportation are bearing the brunt of the trade tensions.

• These sectors are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on cross-border trade and integrated supply chains.

3. Calls for Government Intervention

• The CFIB is urging the federal government to take immediate action to mitigate the adverse effects on small businesses. Their recommendations include:

  • Recalling Parliament to address the situation and provide clarity to affected businesses.

  • Rescinding the 19% tax increase to alleviate additional financial burdens on small enterprises.

  • Eliminating taxes from carbon tax rebates to reduce operational costs.

  • Increasing the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption to $1.25 million to support business investments.

  • Ensuring retaliatory tariff funds support impacted businesses directly.

4. Immediate Support Measures

• The CFIB emphasizes the need for swift government action to prevent prolonged uncertainty. Suggested measures include:

  • Expanding the Employment Insurance (EI) Work-Sharing Program to help businesses avoid layoffs.

  • Offsetting high shipping costs to assist small firms in exploring new export markets or sourcing non-U.S. suppliers.

5. The Data Behind the Concerns

• The findings are based on responses from 1,064 CFIB members, collected between March 5-7, reflecting the concerns of small business owners across various sectors.

Why It Matters:

Small and mid-sized businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, driving innovation and employment. The current trade tensions with the U.S. pose significant challenges to these enterprises, threatening their viability and putting jobs at risk. Proactive government intervention and supportive policies are crucial to navigating this turbulent period and ensuring the sustainability of these vital businesses.

Read the full article.

🌐 AROUND THE INTERWEBS

betches

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Tim Whiten: A Little Bit of Light

Toronto-based artist Tim Whiten, has, for almost five decades, fashioned a powerful visual language all his own.

Learn More.

🔌  NOTABLE PLUG

🎙️ Get Into It: Entrepreneurs on Fire. Hosted by John Lee Dumas, this podcast features interviews with successful entrepreneurs, sharing their best business advice, strategies, and productivity tips. It’s a daily dose of inspiration for aspiring founders.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

📄 Notable Hires: Software Engineer III @ Rakuten Kobo (Full-time, Canada)

🎓 Hope This Helps: Craiyon AI, is an art generator that creates unique images from text prompts. It uses machine learning to generate new images that don't exist in the training data.

🌍 Notable Destinations: Toronto to Phoenix ($360 510) Dates: Apr 27 - May 2, 2025. Click on this link to see the flight.

🧠 Today We Learned: Many countries used to take ships that were no longer seaworthy, anchor them near shore and use them as prisons.

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Disclosure: While we utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to assist with certain aspects of content development, all information provided in our content is thoroughly vetted and edited by our team of humans. We strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of all information. However, we recommend that readers conduct research or seek professional advice to make informed decisions. This email may contain sponsored content.