Best of 2023: Looking Back, Looking Forward
The future is a reflection of the past. To look back is to look forward. So today I want to look back on one year of publishing this newsletter.
First off, whether you are one of the 130 people who subscribed this past month or one of my long time readers — I want to say thank you. Your support for this newsletter has motivated me to put out long-form articles every week. It has built my confidence and convinced me (even more) of the importance of writing about the fast-changing landscape that is AI.
The maelstrom of AI news can be overwhelming, even for people inside the space. That’s why I’ve tried not to cover the news. My focus has always been on the story behind the story. To answer hard questions, like how is this going to change us and society as a whole?
I will continue to do so in 2024. Because I believe it is quintessential to educate people on what’s happening. Because we are currently in the midst of an acceleration period, a rising tides of sorts, where the technology is advancing faster than our ability to adapt.
Let’s continue to adapt. Together.
Newsletter growth in 2023
I want to take a moment to celebrate. Around the same time last year, I had 94 readers. Today, this email went out to 1753 subscribers.
It’s hard to fathom, so I came across this website that helps with visualizing crowd sizes.
That’s you!
In a world where attention has become commodified and time is scarce, I try to not waste anyone’s time with writing about stuff that isn’t worth reading. So anytime I press that send-button, I visualize myself standing in front of an audience like this.
I also thought it would be cool to show you a location break down of my readership.
As you can see, you are part of an internal audience spanning 90 countries across the globe. I think that’s pretty extraordinary.
Best read articles of 2023
A look back of the year wouldn’t be complete without a list of all time favorites. For some of my new readers, this section may be particularly interesting. I’ve conveniently categorized them for you on recurring themes.
Love and Friendship in the Age of AI
Can Machines Really Think?
The Dream of Building AGI
The Rise of Conversational AI
Many of these articles took me hours of research to write. I hope you have gained as much insight from reading them as I have from researching and writing them.
For 2024, my commitment remains the same: covering stories that matter and finding answers along the way. I hope you stick around.
Please consider liking this post or leaving a comment to show your appreciation—it would bring me great joy. Also, if you think a colleague or friend would find this newsletter interesting, feel free to share it with them.
Jurgen, great work in growing this place over the last year with consistently high-quality stuff!
I love that you not only share the latest insights in the field of (conversational) AI, but also take us along on your journey in this rapidly developing field. Keep going and good luck with the letter in 2024!