--- title: "In the Loop: Week Ending 6/28/25" description: AI advancements spark ethical and environmental questions as major tech companies accelerate their AI-first strategies, impacting jobs, education, and regulations globally. image: https://signal78.ai/hubfs/ChatGPT%20Image%20Jun%2029%2c%202025%2c%2004_26_47%20PM.png --- [Skip to content](https://signal78.ai/insights/in-the-loop-week-ending-6/28/25#main) [![Signal78 home](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/signal78-site/logo-signal78.png?width=95&height=30&name=logo-signal78.png)](https://signal78.ai/) [Home](https://signal78.ai/) [Platform](https://signal78.ai/platform) [Services](https://signal78.ai/services) [About](https://signal78.ai/about) [Insights](https://signal78.ai/insights) [Book a demo](https://signal78.ai/insights/in-the-loop-week-ending-6/28/25#demo) [← Insights](https://signal78.ai/insights) Marketing AIJune 29, 20255 min read # In the Loop: Week Ending 6/28/25 ![Matt Cyr](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/signal78-site/headshot-matt-cyr.jpg)**Matt Cyr** · Founder & President, Loop ![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/ChatGPT%20Image%20Jun%2029%2c%202025%2c%2004_26_47%20PM.png) In this article Share ### Last Week in AI: Apple, Jobs & Environment Last week, the scale of AI progress was matched only by the scale of questions it raised. Apple and Meta made bold moves toward AI-first futures, while Salesforce touted efficiency gains with a human cost. From classroom shortcuts to carbon emissions and deepfake regulation, the message was clear: as AI gets smarter and faster, our job is to stay thoughtful, transparent, and human in the loop. --- ### **Apple May be Eyeing Perplexity AI** ![Apple-in-talks-to-acquire-Perplexity-ftr-760x570](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Apple-in-talks-to-acquire-Perplexity-ftr-760x570.jpeg?width=323&height=242&name=Apple-in-talks-to-acquire-Perplexity-ftr-760x570.jpeg)In a move that could reshape its AI strategy, Apple is reportedly [exploring a potential acquisition](https://inc42.com/buzz/apple-considers-buying-ai-startup-perplexity-report/) of Perplexity AI, an emerging player in conversational search. With Perplexity’s answer-focused interface and real-time sourcing, this integration could give Siri a serious upgrade – and position Apple to compete with Microsoft and Google in the race to own the AI-native search experience. While no deal is confirmed, the interest alone signals Apple’s deeper commitment to embedding useful, intuitive AI in its ecosystem – especially at a time when user experience and trust are paramount. --- ### Zuckerberg Wants Meta to Go All-in on AI ![681b7568a466d2b74ab544f0](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/681b7568a466d2b74ab544f0.webp?width=322&height=215&name=681b7568a466d2b74ab544f0.webp)Apple isn't the only company potentially interested in buying Perplexity. Apparently Meta is too; part of an aggressive push by Mark Zuckerberg to remake Meta into an AI-first company, according to a deep dive from the [***New York Times***](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/technology/mark-zuckerberg-meta-ai.html). From Instagram content creation to WhatsApp assistants to the metaverse, generative AI is being stitched into Meta’s core platforms. The goal? Drive engagement, reduce costs, and future-proof the business. But the shift isn’t just technical – it’s cultural. Internally, teams are being reorganized around AI. Externally, Meta is racing to redefine itself as a leader in applied AI. The metaverse may be on hold, but the intelligence layer is very much in play. --- ### **Anthropic Launches “Economic Futures Program” to Study AI’s Job Impact** ![Anthropic-economic-futures-program](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthropic-economic-futures-program.webp?width=319&height=177&name=Anthropic-economic-futures-program.webp)Anthropic introduced its [Economic Futures Program](https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/27/as-job-losses-loom-anthropic-launches-program-to-track-ais-economic-fallout/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) – a new initiative funding research into AI-driven labor-market changes and proposing policies to prepare for disruption. With models forecasting that AI could displace up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, the program funds grants, builds data infrastructure, and seeks public dialogue on balancing AI’s promise with its socioeconomic risk. By funding this type of self-reflection, Anthropic is stepping beyond headlines to steward real-world impacts – modeling a more proactive approach to responsible AI deployment. --- ### **When AI Makes Research Too Easy** ![AA1HtrPG](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/AA1HtrPG.jpeg?width=318&height=212&name=AA1HtrPG.jpeg)According to a new [LendingTree report covered by MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/ai-makes-research-easy-maybe-too-easy/ar-AA1Htkx6), students using large language models for research may be doing less actual learning. LLMs offer speed and convenience – but also create a kind of intellectual fast food, giving answers without requiring inquiry. Educators warn this could lead to surface-level understanding and a decline in critical thinking skills. As generative AI becomes ubiquitous in classrooms and knowledge work, we’re reminded: the goal isn’t to think *less*. It’s to think *better*, with AI as a tool for exploration – not a shortcut to answers. --- ### **ChatGPT Learns to be Mean** – **Sort Of** ![OpenAI-ChatGPT](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/OpenAI-ChatGPT.webp?width=317&height=211&name=OpenAI-ChatGPT.webp)If you've read about my experiences with MattGPT ([Farm bros vs tech bros](https://loopagency.ai/insights/podcast-bros-vs.-dirt-bros-an-ai-hallucination) and "[You don't have to unstick me"](https://loopagency.ai/insights/my-chatgpt-has-become-a-passive-aggressive-yes-man)), then you know that AI can sometimes seem to have a mind of its own. So what happens when you ask ChatGPT to be rude? [Gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/we-asked-chatgpt-to-be-mean-2000618923) ran the experiment, prompting it to offer mean comments on users’ photos. The responses were snarky – but carefully measured. No hate speech. No cruelty. Just enough bite to show boundaries are flexible, but present. The exercise raises deeper questions about AI personality and moderation. As more people treat chatbots like companions, how much emotion – positive or negative – should be baked in? And who decides what counts as “too far”? In the age of synthetic speech, tone matters. --- ### **The Carbon Shadow of Smart Machines** ![ai-pollution-carbon-energy](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-pollution-carbon-energy.webp?width=324&height=170&name=ai-pollution-carbon-energy.webp)As AI models grow more capable, they also grow more power-hungry. A new report covered by [Futurism](https://futurism.com/ai-pollution-carbon-energy) finds that the energy needed to run LLMs can exceed that of cross-country flights—on a per-query basis. The emissions, largely tied to data center power and cooling, raise urgent questions about AI’s environmental cost. For companies touting digital transformation, this is a wake-up call: responsible AI isn’t just about ethics or alignment – it’s about energy. Optimization, model efficiency, and clean infrastructure aren’t “nice-to-haves” – they’re table stakes for sustainable innovation. --- ### **Google Open-Sources a CLI-native AI Agent** ![Gemini\_CLI\_Hero\_Final.width-2200.format-webp](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Gemini_CLI_Hero_Final.width-2200.format-webp.webp?width=326&height=184&name=Gemini_CLI_Hero_Final.width-2200.format-webp.webp)In a move sure to excite developers, [Google unveiled Gemini CLI](https://blog.google/technology/developers/introducing-gemini-cli-open-source-ai-agent/), an open-source AI agent built for command-line workflows. Designed to automate everything from scripting tasks to debugging code, the tool reflects a broader shift: AI is moving from flashy demos to practical, embedded workflows. Open-source access means developers can adapt the agent to their own needs – something proprietary assistants often can’t offer. It's a reminder that the future of AI isn’t just chatbots; it's quiet, useful automation woven into the tools we already trust. --- ### **Salesforce Leans Hard into AI – Cuts Jobs** ![108090623-1737563202211-ZenwU7-o](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/108090623-1737563202211-ZenwU7-o.webp?width=325&height=183&name=108090623-1737563202211-ZenwU7-o.webp)Marc Benioff says AI is now doing “30 to 50 percent” of the work at Salesforce, a claim made during [a CNBC interview](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/26/ai-salesforce-benioff.html) that coincided with 1,000 layoffs. It’s a stark illustration of the tension between productivity and employment in the age of generative AI. While automation is framed as a boost for efficiency, the human toll is becoming harder to ignore. For companies championing AI transformation, the message is clear: do it transparently, do it ethically, and don’t conflate cost-cutting with innovation. --- ### **Denmark Cracks Down on Deepfakes** ![pope](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/pope.jpeg?width=240&height=192&name=pope.jpeg)In a major move for synthetic media regulation, [Denmark passed a law](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/27/deepfakes-denmark-copyright-law-artificial-intelligence) requiring AI-generated images and videos to be labeled and strengthening copyright protections for likenesses. The legislation also empowers creators to challenge unauthorized deepfakes of their faces or voices. As the line between real and fake blurs, Denmark’s approach offers a roadmap for balancing creative freedom with individual rights. For marketers, media companies, and platforms, the signal is clear: deepfake governance isn’t just coming – it’s already here. --- ### **Congress Considers 10-year Moratorium on State AI Laws** ![GettyImages-1246479507](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/GettyImages-1246479507.webp?width=311&height=207&name=GettyImages-1246479507.webp)A proposal in Congress could [block state and local AI regulations](https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/27/congress-might-block-state-ai-laws-for-a-decade-heres-what-it-means/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) for a decade – including California’s training-data disclosure rules and Tennessee’s ELVIS Act – by using a federal “moratorium” clause within a GOP mega–budget bill. Backed by influential figures like Sam Altman, this move intends to prevent a regulatory patchwork amid the U.S.–China AI race. But it’s drawing sharp criticism from Democrats, consumer advocates, and labor groups who argue it curtails state power to protect citizens from AI harms. This debate spotlights the tension between national innovation and localized safeguards. ---   ![Matt Cyr](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/signal78-site/headshot-matt-cyr.jpg) Founder & President ### Matt Cyr Nearly 30 years leading marketing teams, from Boston’s hospitals and universities to eight years running strategy and new business at a 100-person agency. Founded Loop in 2024. ## More insights. [See all insights→](https://signal78.ai/insights) ### [![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/Gemini_Generated_Image_tlr2qftlr2qftlr2.jpeg) AI StrategyOctober 6, 2026 It’s Q4 — How’s Your AI Plan Coming? Read the post→](https://signal78.ai/insights/its-q4-hows-your-ai-plan-coming) ### [![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/2026-09-28_asset_linkedin-article-header-platform-update-fall-2026.png) Signal78September 28, 2026 Signal78 Is Live. Here's What It's Proven — and What's Next. Read the post→](https://signal78.ai/insights/notes-from-the-build-where-signal78-stands-this-fall) ### [![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/37-78.png) AI for AgenciesAugust 11, 2026 AI Will Keep Making Move 37. We Named the Company After Move 78. Read the post→](https://signal78.ai/insights/ai-will-keep-finding-move-37.-we-named-the-company-after-move-78) Every week ## Stay in the Loop. Get next week’s issue in your inbox: what changed in AI, and what it means for your agency. ![Signal78](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/signal78-site/logo-signal78.png) The agentic operating platform for agencies. It runs the routine and signals your people when their judgment matters. [Home](https://signal78.ai/) [Platform](https://signal78.ai/platform) [Services](https://signal78.ai/services) [About](https://signal78.ai/about) [Insights](https://signal78.ai/insights) © 2026 Signal78 [Privacy policy](https://signal78.ai/privacy) Cookie settings × ## Book a 30-minute demo Pick a time that works. 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The white paper on what it takes to keep a homegrown AI system current, secure and separated by client. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Matt Cyr", "url" : "https://signal78.ai/insights/author/matt-cyr" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-29T20:55:12.273Z", "datePublished" : "2025-06-29T20:38:27.000Z", "headline" : "In the Loop: Week Ending 6/28/25", "image" : [ "https://signal78.ai/hubfs/ChatGPT%20Image%20Jun%2029%2c%202025%2c%2004_26_47%20PM.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://signal78.ai/insights/in-the-loop-week-ending-6/28/25", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://signal78.ai/hubfs/Loop%20Logos/Loop_Primary.svg" }, "name" : "Signal78" } } ```